Mary Davis Holt
Mary is co-author of the new New York Times Bestseller, "Break Your Own Rules: How to Change the Patterns of Thinking that Block Women’s Path to Power." She is a partner at Flynn Heath Holt Leadership, whose goal is to move women and organizations forward, faster. Mary is also an executive coach and keynote speaker on business, women and leadership. Previously, Mary held executive positions at Time Warner including Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Time Life, Inc. and President of Time Life Books and Time Life Kids. Like her partners and co-authors, Jill Flynn and Kathryn Heath, Mary serves on a number of corporate and non-profit boards.
1. Help me connect the dots from college to your career in NYC?
I grew up in a teeny-tiny town in North Carolina — Belmont, 10 miles outside of Charlotte. I played it really safe in college and went to nearby Salem College. In my junior year, I visited New York City for the first time. From that moment on, I decided that I wanted to move there after graduation. And, I did — with enough money to stay for one month!
2. How did one month turn into a 30-year long career with much of that time in NYC?
Within two weeks, I had an offer from Time Warner but needed a place to live. My sister had two friends living in the city and I begged them to be a roommate. They agreed and it worked. Early on, I went to New York University at night to get my MBA. I was with Time Warner for 30 years there and loved it. When I was offered the position as President of Time Life Books which was based in Alexandria,Virginia, I made the move here.
3. After a highly accomplished career with Time Warner, how did you transition into this new world in what you’re doing today?
After a number of years, I felt it was time to do something different. I took a break and started this journey to find out what I really wanted to do next. My friend and current business partner, Jill Flynn, who I’ve known forever, asked me what was I passionate about?
4. We’re often told to find the source of our passion so you took the leap?
Yes, I thought about it and it was really helping to build women leaders. Jill offered to be my mentor. She told me, “Go to Georgetown University and get your coaching credentials first” which I did. Then in 2008, I became a partner in Flynn, Heath and Holt Leadership doing executive business coaching and leadership training for professional women.
5. What inspired you and your business partners to write this book?
Before we wrote it, we had coached over 1,000 women and trained over 7,000 women. So, we came up with six rules that we think predominately women set-up as a structure on how they’re going to handle their careers. And we found, they don’t always work. Hence, the book, Break Your Own Rules, looks at the rules that are holding women back — and recommend either breaking them or moderating them.
6. Let’s talk about one of the old rules: Be Modest and your new rule: Project Personal Power.
Yes, we’ve found that many women don’t want to be braggarts so they’ll be very modest. We say, “Break the rule. Learn how to self-promote and be comfortable doing it.” There’s a chapter on how-to be confident, poised and articulate in meetings, presentations and social functions and that, in turns, helps build your personal power.
7. Tell me about another old rule / new rule:
Here’s a story about a fabulous woman who was in one of our 18-month programs. She had always played it safe and described herself as a great #2. She did everything her boss needed and more. During the program, a light bulb went off and she said, “Why can’t I be #1?” Guess what? She’s #1 now. Old rule: Play it Safe. New rule: Play to Win. Here are a few changes to make in your mind-set: reinvent yourself, leave your trapeze, be a risk taker, be a rainmaker, and do-overs are fine! And there’s a lot more in the book.
8. Of course, I want to know the other four new rules. However, will give another peice of advice from your book?
We ask, “Do you know business is done in your company?” Being “in the know” makes office politics much easier to navigate. It may even allow you to have more influence. Here are a few practical tips:
1) Lose the org chart. Most settings have informal social networks that are just as important.
2) Connect the dots. Once you’ve charted the key social netowrks, map your needs against that structure.
3) Understand the numbers. Data on the company balance sheet says it all.
4) Get Connected. Listen and be fully present in meetings and in conversations. Be strategic.
9. As co-authors, your vision starts with a big, audacious dream in Chapter 1 — to see women make up at least 30% of the top leadership positions in corporate America in ten years (an increase from the current 11%). Your final words of advice for women leaders?
Women everywhere can start to change the thinking that drives their actions – and start winning in greater numbers. We hope that our research and experience that comes through in this book will help women reach the 30% of top leadership positions. We believe that business is simply better with more women in it and leading it!
