Wonder women: Women in Golf 2020
Embrace discomfort
As a female in a traditionally male sport, Mel Reid understands what it’s like to feel a little uncomfortable, and in her speech, she encouraged attendees to get used to the feeling.
“You really do have to put both feet forward and embrace the discomfort because that’s where growth happens,” Reid said. “Whatever you’re uncomfortable about, you either win or you learn. There’s no other way of going into that zone. You either get the job, or you learn about it. Being uncomfortable is a great thing, but it doesn’t feel good at that time. You just have to push through that barrier to be brave.”
Of her personal experience as a female golfer, she said, “I was determined to beat the boys, which was my inspiration to work hard. When I got to certain levels and started winning, I learned that I had a platform to speak on because people were listening to my story.”
Jackie Applegate, global vice president of environmental science and vegetable seeds at Bayer, encouraged attendees to claim their seat at the table — or course — in a traditionally male-dominated industry.
“This kind of thing used to be unthinkable because there weren’t enough women to host a forum like this,” she said. “At a time when women are few and far between, we have to work harder to earn a seat at the table. I still have to earn my seat at the table and have to be all-in.
“As women in a male-dominated industry, it’s not easy to be a leader and trailblaze our own path,” she added.
Molly Fletcher, entrepreneur, motivational speaker and former sports agent and founder of Molly Fletcher Co., based in Atlanta, delivered a keynote asking attendees to put themselves out of their comfort zones.
During her talk, Fletcher peppered attendees with the following advice and questions:
- Sometimes we have to reframe our story if it holds us back. We have to find a way to connect.
- What self-limiting beliefs do we have that hold us back? Belief often comes down to reframing the narrative.
- At the end of the day, people want to know, do I like you, can you help me and do I trust you? When it comes down to what we do, it’s all about connection.
- Sometimes we have to act like we have the business before we have the business.
- Who we give our energy to is more important than how we anticipate our time. Am I putting my energy in the right places, to the right things, people and projects?
- Can we lead if our tanks are empty? Can we show up for others if we’re distracted and unfocused?
- When you succeed, take another woman with you.
Fletcher wrapped up her talk with this advice: “Those moments, when you think, ‘this would be crazy,’ do it.”