Admiral Michelle Howard –The first female Vice Chief of Naval Operations in the US

Inspiring women all over the world who have been shunned by the armed forces for centuries; an African American woman, Admiral Michelle Howard became the first woman to be promoted to the position of Vice Chief of Naval Operations in the U.S. Navy. This is the first time that a woman has received the honour of being a four-start admiral in the 236-year old naval history of the country.

As the strongest woman leader in all of the branches of military, she understands what it means to be a leader. She believes that women who wish to achieve something in life should prepare themselves for flexibility. She has great admiration for companies that create teams with diversity in mind, which according to her, fuels innovation. She adds that appreciating the past and the remembering the lessons learnt- are great ways to improve one’s future.

Forbes>

According to Howard, the biggest challenge faced by women today is meeting personal goals in harmony with the professional goals. What adds to this is the lack of role models around. The society, Howard feels should be more “caregiving”; where childcare can be easily managed by parents. She says, “When you think about some of the countries where there is an emphasis on caregiving in the policies of the country, they encourage and support childcare and child rearing and caregiving overall, so it’s easier for both men and women to work outside the home. We have to get to the point where we value that.”

Howard believes ensuring that women strike this personal-professional balance in their lives is one of her personal goals. She also states that at this stage in her life, she feels responsible for her co-workers and sub-ordinates and wishes to make sure they are motivated to stay in the profession and achieve success.

ORIGINAL SOURCE: Forbes

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kathryndill/2014/07/01/leadership-lessons-from-admiral-michelle-howard-the-highest-ranking-woman-in-naval-history/1/