Ingrid Clark Durfy
President, Strategic Account Management
Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems, Inc.
More From Ingrid
Favorite Book:
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Favorite Movie:
The Godfather
Favorite way to unwind:
Walking on the beach
Her definition of success:
Being present in each moment.
What’s playing on her iPod:
Chet Baker; Miles Davis; Diana Krall
Words she lives by:
“Be your own mentor. This is probably the best advice I’ve ever received from a wonderful mentor I once had. It’s about taking responsibility for your own development. It’s not your boss’s responsibility, it’s not your management’s responsibility; it is yours.”
Her inspiration:
“The J&J Credo. I keep it framed on my desk. Our first responsibility is to doctors, nurses, and patients. My passion and commitment to transforming patient care—that’s what drives me everyday.”
Ingrid’s Strategies for Advancement
Raise your hand.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. I raised my hand eighteen years ago to aggressively pursue an opportunity, and I was in that position for fifteen years. I raised my hand a second time to drive myself out of my comfort zone in order to achieve my next career goal—and within two years I became a General Manager. You may not always get what you want, but if you raise your hand, at least you’re out there and it’s apparent that you’re looking to operate at a higher level.”
Take chances.
“During a recent conversation with a male colleague, he told me there was an opportunity that he was going to go for regardless of whether or not he was even being considered for it. Women are sometimes more hesitant to do something like that, but you shouldn’t be afraid. You’re never going to be completely ready for any position, because if you were completely ready, why would you take it? That’s not going to challenge you.”
Bounce back from failure.
“I used very strong leadership to acknowledge the failure of the launch of a product several years ago. I accepted the accountability and applied it towards fixing the problem. Because I was honest, because I took accountability, and because I engaged my internal business partners closely, I was able to come through the other side successfully. When the product was re-launched it exceeded financial expectations and I received a promotion.”
Be ‘coachable’.
“You should always be open and receptive to feedback. I find that a lot of leaders fail because they are not—they get to a certain point and they won’t accept any constructive feedback on how they are being perceived. You always need to be coachable.”
Raise Your Hand
November 2009
Ingrid Clark Durfy has worked her way up through the ranks of Johnson & Johnson over the past twenty-one years as an honest and courageous leader, weathering many challenges along the way. However, a corporate path was not what she aspired to early on. As a young girl, she trained to become a ballerina, and by seventeen, had received a scholarship to the prestigious School of American Ballet in New York. But attending meant that she would not pursue a college education right after high school. That summer she enrolled in an intensive program with the Dance Theater of Harlem to see if she was ready for what was in store. It turned out, she wasn’t. “Even though I loved ballet, I really had to do some soul-searching, and after talking it through with my parents I made the difficult decision not to pursue a dance career, she recalls.”
Ingrid still has a deep love for dance, but she loves what she does now even more. And her years of ballet training helped prepare her for it. “People have no clue about competition until you’ve been in the world of the arts. I’ve dealt with criticism, rejection, and discipline—all of which translate well to a job in the corporate industry.”
Strategy For Success: Be Accountable
Strategy For Success: Have a "Safe Zone"
Strategy For Success: Trust Yourself
Strategy For Success: Get Clarity