What would it take to take a chance on yourself? What would it take to say yes even though the resulting prospects might scare you? In other words, what would it take for you to take more risks? Plenty of studies suggest that women are less likely to take risks in life because we see the idea of risk has having a negative connotation. Yet there are multiple studies, including this study from the Social Psychology and Personality Science Journal, that propose women are often only perceived as less risky due confirmation bias. It turns out that actually, as stated in this article by Inc., women are just as likely to take risks when compared to men, especially when they consider risks in a career or social setting. Did you hear that ladies? We're risk takers, too! Yet, how do we stop these obviously biased perceptions?
Doug Sundheim, a leadership consultant writing for Harvard Business Review, stated: “The only way we’ll redefine professional risk-taking more broadly is to identify and tell more stories of successful female risk takers, balancing the male stories that currently dominate.” So, let me tell you my story of risk and success—
I took my first real 'scary' risk in 2002. I said yes to an insane prospect – as a young, domestic, land-locked Nebraskan, I took a job as an engineer on an offshore platform in the South China Sea. My parents were appalled. My aunts and uncles thought I’d lost my mind. I remember my first day clearly.
The platform was humming -- the sun was painfully bright and hot. Freshly painted reds, blues and yellows marked catwalks and safety signs, diesel wafted on the air, and the persistent rumble of engines swaddled us all. I was the only woman on a platform that hosted 150 personnel. This was my new ‘home’ and communication with the outside world was restricted to 5 minutes a day with a download speed of a shocking 9 bytes. Yes, bytes. Life took on an intensity, a tangibility of the senses I’d never felt.
Hydraulic fracturing operations were imminent the first week I arrived and no one had time to mind the new female engineer. I was assigned to the frac fluid mixing crew in the bowels of the support tender. The crew consisted of two young Malaysian men who spoke barely any English and clearly had little time for me – they had to mix and perform quality control on 3000 barrels of frac fluid in the next few hours. They had trainee engineers before and clearly expected me to sit in a corner and watch (if not snooze).
The indignation at being assigned with the day laborers, while the other engineers sat in the control room was underlain by a panic of realization that I was effectively stuck in my environment – no going home at 5pm, no long talks with mom, no friends. After a moment of considering the emotional precipice on which I stood, I inserted myself into the operation with determination and enthusiasm. Whether you say that I took the initiative of ‘Leaning In’ or showed 'Grit,' as coined by Sheryl Sandberg and Angela Duckworth respectively, my alternative options were clearly going to be non-productive. So instead of dwelling on my situation, I anticipated the need for a box cutter, I hauled 25 kilo bags of chemical to the pits for ease of cutting, and I drew fluid samples for testing.
The oppressive, muggy heat of the mixing room lightened with smiles and a tired sense of accomplishment. When the frac supervisor came down to check on me 36 hours later, I knew my Malaysian numbers, I knew how to mix and perform quality control on frac fluid, and I had formed friendships that still exist today. Soon I was moved up to the gel mixer, (the next piece of equipment) on my journey to the control room.
The lesson I learned in those first several months that you must understand and embrace, is the value of every role in the organization. Whether you are mixer or a control room operator, everyone's role is just as important as the next to get the job done. In addition to tearing down the frac pumps after each job, I took tremendous pride in knowing the pump I worked on was ready for the next hydraulic frac treatment by working with my crew to inspect the seals, valve seat, and springs for wear.
The journey wasn’t all smooth in those first few months – some evenings would find me sitting alone on the helideck, shielding my eyes from the bright pedestal crane lights to catch a glimpse of the Southern Cross on the horizon. I would let the frustration and loneliness of the day wash over me. Then I’d listen to an inspirational song or two, like Passion's "Blazing Arrow" or Bjork's "Army of Me" on my Discman. I would take a moment to breathe, so I could regain my resolve to tackle the next day with hard work, positivity and confidence.
Every day saw growth and learning – and I embraced it. Though the challenges of the following years may not have been as overt as those first days; the ability to confront each challenge with a positive attitude is invaluable.
Reflecting on it now, I see that over the years I've collected patents, conference papers, speaker and leadership awards, yet what feels the most rewarding to me is my experience and work ethic to face subsequent challenges. I adore my job working with customers and colleagues around the world to deliver practical solutions and I never would have gained the experience and humility it takes to be the Vice President of Oil and Gas for Flow at Emerson, if it weren't for taking that first step. Yes, taking that first step into the unknown was a risk, but it was a risk that taught me grit, leadership, and that I can do anything I set my mind to.
To everyone reading, I want you to know I'm still taking risks today. I recently signed up to trek to the Everest Base Camp in the fall! This is something that's been on my bucket list for many years. So, please pause for a moment and consider the opportunities that surround you. Everyday take a moment to consider what you might gain by taking a risk and saying ‘yes,' to an opportunity that comes your way.
Do you have your own story to share about taking risks? Reply below to share with the Women in STEM group.
Thank you Laura! You and your story are both so inspiring! While it is not an engineering story, one of the best risks I ever took was in college marching band. I had played the flute for years and upon joining the band my first year of college I realized the flute section was full of drama that I didn't want to be a part of. I had decided that I wanted a change, but what to? A small traditionally more female-friendly instrument like trumpet or clarinet, or do I completely change it up? One day, I jokingly exclaimed to my friends that, "Hey, I'll just play the sousaphone!" ( A sousaphone is basically a large tuba that sits on your shoulders.) They immediately shut it down saying things like, "But you're a girl!", "There's just a bunch of guys in that section", and "That's too big and heavy for you to handle!" In a Back to the Future "Nobody calls me a chicken" moment, I decided to take the risk and just do it! This was one of the best choices I have ever made. I learned how to humble myself and learn, struggle a bit, build physical and emotional muscle, and how to interact with a bunch of men (ultimately preparing me for my engineering career).
Great story! Thanks for sharing!