Suni Harford Reflects on A Key Pivot Point That Changed Her Life

To kickoff International Women's Day celebrations, Suni Harford, Regional Head of Markets, North America reflects on a pivotal point in her career and shares lessons learned.

Almost everyone I know who has had a lengthy career can point to at least one or two moments along the way that changed their direction, and so their level of success. Many of those "pivot points" are not recognized until enough time has passed to provide the necessary perspective on the import of those moments. And, of course, there are bound to be some decisions made and roads taken that didn't work out so well. At which point the pivotal moment may well have been the one that got us back on track. Hopefully, at the end of the day, the decisions that propel us outweigh those that held us back!

There have been many decisions that I have taken over the past 25 years that, at some, level would be considered pivotal in my career. These include deciding to work overseas or close to home, whether or not to make a lateral move now or wait to move up the ladder, choosing to work in management or production. Likewise, there are many decisions that had a direct impact on my personal life, such as marriage, having children and choosing between living in the city or the suburbs. As I look back, of course, I recognize that all of those decisions affected both my professional and personal life. How could they not? So, as I look back on my career searching for a key pivot point, I am drawn to one specific decision: I chose to be a working mom.

This was pivotal because it drove so many other important decisions. Among them were the decision to wait to have children so I'd be more established in my career, the decision to raise our children in the city so the commute was shorter and I could still see my kids for homework/bed time and my husband's decision to pass up promotions that meant moving to another city. And it was particularly pivotal as it marked the moment when I would stop second-guessing the decision. I was all in. WE were all in. We'd make adjustments over time, but from that moment we accepted a "working mom" as part of the family dynamic. I'm pretty confident that the passing of time will not change our belief that the decision was a great one for us.

We look forward to once again celebrate International Women's Day and the tremendous progress that women have made. Watch this space throughout March to hear from others as they reflect back on the different "pivot points" in their lives and careers. You can also follow the conversation on #womensday and #Citi throughout the month for inspirational stories from women, as well as best pieces of career advice they would like to share.