#SheInspires captures the life stories of women who’ve blazed a trail in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. With these stories, HCL hopes to inspire the next generation of women leaders in STEM.
Meet Stanley Black & Decker VP & CIO, Leslie Scott
Leslie Scott, Vice President & Chief Information Officer of IT Enterprise Services at Stanley Black & Decker, participated in Season 2 of HCL Technologies (HCL) #SheInspires series.
Technology delivers business value
Leslie is a season executive with a unique blend of progressive business and information technology in Fortune 500 global companies. Mother of two teenagers, Leslie shares her sy-STEM to successfully juggle work and family.
"I love technology. It's dynamic, it's always changing and I love that we're able to deliver business value to our stakeholders and stockholders quickly," she explains.
"What I'm focused on with my team is creating a team of friendly, enthusiastic, smart analysts who help their business partners understand their business needs and help bring those ideas to life."
Women in leadership
Discussing the challenges brought about by COVID-19, Leslie shares that the company transitioned to HCL managed services. "[We] completed that transition 100% remotely. I would call that a transition and a turning point in a great way. We've really unlocked the potential of remote work."
Reflecting on her leadership role, Leslie says: "I would say that having children has made me a much more patient leader. I have two kids, they're currently teenagers, and patience is sometimes hard earned!"
Women in the workplace
Leslie explains that she feels overall there has been significant progress and much more opportunity for women in the professional environment. "So I'm encouraged by that and certainly hope for younger women who I'm mentoring as well as my own daughter that it continues and that we ultimately get to parity at some point in the future.
"I try to foster that in all of my engagements at work and foster the development of younger women, early career professionals and encourage my male leaders to do the same."
According to Leslie, technology organizations can increase the number of women in senior roles through a number of different ways.
"The first, I would say, is through mentorship, and making sure that they've got high potential candidates identified and provide those candidates with good mentors who can help guide and steer them appropriately into more senior roles in the organization. Next I would suggest that stretch assignments are vitally important in growing senior technology leaders who are women. When women are thinking about STEM, the exponential growth, and exponential potential of STEM, really jump in and try it. You're probably going to need to take a risk but if you can take a risk in a way that is true to your purpose, chances are the rewards will be magnified at the end of the opportunity."
Create your own path to success
Leslie concludes with some advice for young women aspiring to her level of success. "Create your path, engage your network and mentors in helping you stick to that path and stay true to yourself. Understand that if you believe in yourself and you enlist the right folks to help you, your opportunities are endless."
As a future-oriented organization and a corporate citizen, HCL Technologies aims to be at the forefront of encouraging diversity. One way of achieving this is to get more women to choose an education and career in the STEM fields.
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Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.