Debra Boblitt
SVP - Mid-America Zone
State Farm
Deb's Insights
On body language:
“Women use a lot of facial expressions and talk with their hands. It can be a strong communication tool but distracting as well and even detrimental to the message you are trying to get across. Self-awareness is important. You want to make sure you send the message you intend to send and not something different from that.”
On learning resilience:
“My father, Sam, lost his job during the recession in the 80s, which created short and long term effects on my parents’ lives: their day to day activities, retirement plans—their entire future. What I saw from them was courage, patience and grace throughout that change. They were amazing role models for resilience and flexibility.”
On her husband’s support:
“My husband is my key advisor. His best words of advice were “be yourself.” I’ve learned the best thing to do is really trust who you are.”
On dealing with male competition:
“It’s my responsibility to create a portfolio of experiences, so that I can compete with any of my male counterparts for any position. I don’t think I need to work harder than the guy next to me. Although I have a very strong work ethic, I prefer to work smart and be rewarded for that.”
On reinventing herself:
“I taught for three years before moving into a management role in education. Being the kind of person who seeks change and gets bored easily, I kept my resume up to date at the university I went to. I wasn’t fulfilled in education, so when a manager at State Farm came across my resume, I answered his call and his offer to build my own business as an agent. I took the chance of not having a steady paycheck and went for it. I’ve held 11 positions with the company since.”
Style From The Inside Out
March 2011
Debra Boblitt knows that competence, expertise and strong relationships will always be more important than what brands of clothing you wear. Much like beauty, real style comes from within. While your personal style is representative of your personality, real success is born out of the confidence in knowing yourself.
Deb recalls a time she held a meeting several years ago. When it was over, a colleague, Cindy Solomon, pulled her aside and asked, “Who was that in there? That’s not the Deb Boblitt that I know.” Deb had to confront that she was trying to be who others expected her to be. “I was losing who I really was. It was a pivotal moment in my career when I made the decision to let people know the real me.”
As a leader, she guides other women to be authentic. Here are her strategies for evolving your style from the inside out:
- Know Yourself – It’s harder than it sounds – it can take a lot of time and self-reflection. Think carefully about your core values, likes, dislikes, strengths, weaknesses, priorities, and goals – and write them down! Personality tests and psychological profiles can also provide valuable insight into “who you are.” Ask your most trusted friends, family members, and coworkers to give you honest feedback about their perceptions. Use all of this information to know yourself better.
- Go with Your Gut – I spent several years in education before entering the business world; however, all that time I had a nagging feeling that, as noble and important as education is, it wasn’t what I loved to do. I was fortunate to have an opportunity to run my own business, and the day I opened the door of my new office I knew I had found my passion. Some of us find that passion sooner than others, but the timing isn’t as important as holding on to it once you do find it.
- Become Indispensable – Never stop learning. Continue to incorporate new information and experiences into your life, whether you take a course, go to a conference or read relevant news from a trade publication. And share your insights with a mentor or a boss. You will gain their respect and they’ll know who to go to for the latest info.
- Establish a “Net” – Be very intentional about establishing relationships with people you can learn from, both professionally and personally. I’m very fortunate to have a group of amazing individuals from a wide variety of industries and backgrounds as my friends and mentors. These individuals are my “net” – they provide perspective, advice, and support. It takes time and energy to create and maintain these relationships, but I’ve found it is well worth the investment.
- “Share Your Talents NOW!” – Don’t wait until you’re “done” styling yourself to share your skills and talents with others – it’s a never-ending journey! No matter where you are in that process, remember others can benefit greatly from what you have to share. I’ve had many mentees in my life, and I’ve learned as much from them as they have from me.
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