Three women leaders in news, Maria Boden, executive producer of CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street,” Casey Dolan, senior executive producer for MSNBC Reports, and Joey Cole, executive producer of NBC News Daily/News NOW, have a candid discussion about their careers and challenges. The following is a selection of these women leaders’ remarks, edited for length and clarity.
Getting Started in a Career
Dolan: Say yes to everything, but with your mental health and well-being as a priority. Learn everything, be a sponge. When you’re asked to do something, say yes, do it well, and people will ask you to do it again. And then it’s about working hard, teamwork, having a collaborative spirit and a good attitude.
Cole: Learn from your mistakes. That helped me become more genuine and authentic because I can say, “Hey, I messed up. But here’s what I learned from it,” and then I moved forward. That builds your character, to figure out who you are.
Have a Healthy Work-Life Balance
Cole: Folks who are entry level: Have a work-life balance, because I didn’t. There are things I regret, like missing weddings or not being able to go to family events because I was working.
Boden: If you have time off, take the time. Your growth will not be stunted because you took your one-week vacation with your family.
Dolan: When I go home, I find those moments where I can put my phone down and can focus on my family. I would argue it doesn’t stunt your growth, but it makes you a better manager and leader, to recharge and take time. Because if you don’t, you’re going to burn out.
Stay True to Yourself
Dolan: Stay true to yourself, especially when you have risen to a management position. You are in that position for a reason. And be yourself. That will get you where you need to go.
Boden: Someone once said to me, “You need to take it down a notch.” I said, “Excuse me, I got here because I didn’t take it down.” And now I’m sitting in this chair because I amped it up a couple notches.
