Tiffany Dufu
President
The White House Project
More from Tiffany
Learn the Unwritten Rules
Understand the behaviors and practices that make up the culture of an organization that you might not know when you initially join. If you take the initiative and ask for feedback, you will uncover them.
Instill Leadership in Your Children
My children are young. I take their thoughts, emotions, and opinions, very seriously. And I encourage them to express themselves in a respectful way. They can disagree and negotiate with me — to leverage and get the things that they want — and also think about the things that I want.
A Good Read: Tiffany recommends Necessary Dreams by Anna Fels
In the book, she defines ambition as a desire to achieve both mastery of a craft and also the desire for public recognition that comes with achieving that mastery.
Take the Lead Wherever You Are
February 2012
By Casey Allard
Some might say that leadership is relegated to a chosen few at an office or in any organization, and we may envy those in top positions. Being able to create impact is not just a result of being assigned a position — you can take the lead wherever you are in your career. Here are Tiffany Dufu’s suggestions on how to do that:
Know What’s Important to You
I believe the quickest way to leadership advancement is self reflection; being in a constant process of self evolution. From that place you can figure out how you can create impact and which issue you want to take on. In order to do that you have to be able to embrace constructive criticism and feedback and not have it shake your core.
Be Comfortable with Your Ambition
Women sometimes tend to be ambivalent about their ambition. We want to do the best we can and we are taught to do that, however, we may get mixed messages like, good girls stay behind the scenes. I have become more comfortable with my own ambition. The public recognition that comes my way from making a difference is important because we need to see more women in leadership and be more visible in order for us to achieve our goals.
Understand Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Be clear about how your manager and mentors evaluate you. Solicit feedback from them on what needs improvement and how you can develop those skills. You don’t want to wait until you get unsolicited feedback. You want to know as soon as possible what someone thinks about your performance.
Let Others See the Real You
You are most effective when you bring your full self to the table. People will perceive you based on what you put out in the world. Your work ethic, the language you use to describe yourself and what is important to you — be deliberate about putting those things out there. That is one of the most powerful and positive ways of counteracting stereotypes.
Embrace Public Recognition
Be someone who other people look up to and want to go to, as opposed to someone who gets mired down in negativity. Getting drawn into drama often undermines any environment, especially a work environment. You can do great work and achieve results – but you need to inspire people. It’s important to display a high level of emotional maturity. Being recognized by your peers is something to work towards.
Find Sponsors
It is very important to have someone that you are going to work well with and who is going to be committed to your advancement and development (not just a mentor). Sponsors are people who not only provide you with advice and insight, but also invest their personal and political capital in you.
Make It All One Mission
My work is aligned with my life’s purpose. Most of what I do in my professional world is related to my purpose for being on this planet. I bring my authentic self to whatever I do — everyone gets the same Tiffany — my four-year-old son, and the staff at The White House project.
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Hone Your Skills: Be a Better Public Speaker
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