ADVANCE: Montgomery Women's Leadership Digest

May 2023

A Message from Leadership

Make “Done” Better Than “Perfect”

We are women, leaders, on the go, making waves and changing the world. We grew up learning we have to be perfect in order to be equal to men in our professions. It took me years in the corporate world – with stress, self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and perceived judgement by others who thought that I got the leadership positions I achieved simply because the company needed to check off DEI boxes. I over-worked to achieve perfection in order to prove them wrong. It took a mentor to help me realize that I was not going to advance as far as I wanted on merit if I didn’t accept that “done” -- meaning accomplishments, productivity, influence, and taking intentional actions -- mattered more than every “I” and “T” being dotted and crossed. Perfection was an “in progress” state of being.

Whew! That freed me to release “perfection pressure” and “suc-stress”. (Sidebar: Read my LinkedIn newsletter for more on “Suc-Stress” and ways to manage the condition).

With “done” in mind, we introduce to you (wait for it; drumroll please) the new Montgomery Women website! If you question why this is such a celebratory moment, you’ve not launched a website where many people had input to the content via email, shared documents, explainer videos, texts, and Zoom calls over almost three months; access to various systems had to be secured; all while working closely with a long-distance web developer (female business owner; referral gladly given if you want her contact info).

The “better than perfect”: if you check the website today you may find edits still required and links still to be resolved. They are in progress. Yet, when you lead a project, you sometimes must make the decision to get it done, first, and then clear out the punch-list as soon as possible. We wanted to have an upgraded professional online presence in time for a major networking event April 21, so “done” was delivered. Most of the work still to do is only evident to “insiders” working as the development team.

Bookmark the website. We will send more information about using the calendar as well as membership and directory functions soon. My leadership message this month is to embrace "good enough." As long as it is professional, does not detract from your brand, you are open to feedback, and the clean-up takes place sooner rather than not at all, then get things done. Work towards perfection as the journey rather than an elusive destination. And celebrate with a glass of wine!

In solidarity,

Sylvia Henderson

President, Montgomery Women

Member Spotlights

Jessica Ledingham

Tax Attorney,

Pontius Tax Law, PLLC

Jessica is a tax attorney with Pontius Tax Law, PLLC and has worked for six years in the tax industry, representing all types of taxpayers from individuals and small business owners to Fortune 500 companies. Previously, Jessica worked in the Washington, DC law offices of Miller & Chevalier as well as Chamberlain Hrdlicka and more recently Willkie Farr. In those roles, she represented individuals, corporations, and partnerships at all stages of an IRS examination, at appeals, and Tax Court in connection with federal income tax reporting and charitable contribution deductions. Prior to her time in private practice, Jessica worked in the international corporate tax group at PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York and clerked for the Honorable Ronald Lee Buch of the U.S. Tax Court.

Julie Yang

Member, Montgomery County Board of Education

Julie is a member of the Montgomery County Board of Education, representing District 3. She was elected to her first four-year term on November 8, 2022. Previously, Julie spent nearly 20 years as an educator serving all students first as a classroom teacher, then as a career and college counselor. She was also a PTA leader and served as co-chair for the Asian Pacific American Student Achievement Action Group. Julie is currently a member of the Board's Committee on Special Population and the Communication and Stakeholder Engagement Committee. In addition, she serves as the Board's representative to the Maryland Association of Boards of Education's (MABE) Nominating Committee and the MABE Awards Committee.

Quick Tips

For the Everyday Leader

"Help others rise. Greatness comes not from a position, but from helping build the future. We have an obligation to pull others up." -- Indra Nooyi

Building resilience is vital to becoming a leader who can successfully navigate through challenges and guide others with courage and conviction. Resilience is the capacity to not only endure great challenges but get stronger in the midst of them. Studies have found that leaders with high levels of resilience are viewed as being more effective by their managers, peers, and direct reports.

Through self-reflection, making a commitment to learning, following a purpose, and cultivating relationships, you can improve how you respond to challenges and transform them into opportunities for positive change.

Learn more about building resilience here.

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Key Updates

Save the Date: Montgomery Women Annual Meeting

Montgomery Women will hold its Annual Meeting on June 4th from 3:00 - 5:00 PM. During this time, we will reflect on the past year's accomplishments, elect Board Members, and discuss our plans for the future. We hope to see all members in attendance. Formal invitation forthcoming.

Newly launched Montgomery Women website

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new website! After months of hard work and dedication, we are excited to share our new online platform with you. Our new website offers an easy-to-use interface with a user-friendly design that will enhance your experience. We invite you to visit our website and take a look around. If you have any questions or feedback, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. We value your input and would be happy to hear from you.