Christine Reiff

I would say the challenges. If I am presented in a situation where I am challenged, or especially when someone doesn't believe that I can get the job done, that makes me step up 1,000% harder to say, I can do this. Watch me. Watch me do this and be successful. When someone says they don't think I'm capable or don't think I can do something, I say watch me do it - watch me do it well. Just stand back, get out of my way, and here I go.

I would say that would be to always work the job you want, not the one that you just currently have. Whether that's taking on those additional responsibilities that no one has asked you to yet, you just need to demonstrate that you have those abilities, you have that drive, you have those capabilities, and can really step up into the next role that you want to have.

Speak up. Have a voice. Don't be afraid to take that accountability and take on those challenges. Don't let the men, the managers, the people who are still really dominating the field - don't let them define your role, or what you can be and what you can succeed at. I know that a lot of, especially young women coming into the industry, are afraid to speak up. They're afraid to say, you know, I don't know that that's the best way to go about this, or yes, I can do that, I can do that and more if you just give me the chance. We need to teach our women coming into the industry, find your voice and use it.

I think one of the biggest challenges is, like a lot of industries, finding work can be challenging. With the situation in the country and in the world, jobs can be hard to come by. It's a constant challenge to prove your worth over and over and over again. There is no such thing as resting on your laurels anymore. You just can't. The challenge is really growing with the times and being constantly relevant, constantly increasing those skills. Now we're getting into AI. How can we leverage AI and increase our skills to be able to use that so that we stay relevant, our skills stay up to par, and we're able to really take those next steps as the industry grows and changes.

Honesty, dedication, and always trying to do the right thing. Don't cut corners, especially when it comes to quality. Always be honest and upfront with your successes and your challenges. There is - there should be no shame in stepping up and saying, hey, I think I might have done that not as correctly as I could have, but I'm gonna own that mistake, and I'm gonna fix it. Accountability is so important. We can overlook and overcome mistakes, but only when you own up to them. The more you try to hide them or point fingers at someone else and say, oh, you know, no, that wasn't me, that wasn't me, you start to build a reputation for yourself that you're not reliable, that you're not honest, or accountable. Frankly, everyone makes mistakes. We all do it once in a while. We are all human, nobody is perfect. But how you react and come back from that mistake is really what defines you.