Diane Bryant has spent most of her career working for some of the best companies in the world – Intel and Google – often being one of the few women in the room.
When he first joined Intel in 1985, Bryant, now 60, told CNBC Make It she had to quickly adopt the same habits as her male colleagues, such as drinking and swearing, to “fit in” into the office.
“I realized that the only way I would get them to work with me and succeed on this team was if I made these men more comfortable by adopting their direct, aggressive style.” , she said. “I thought, ‘You can adapt or you’ll die.'”
The California native has spent 32 years at Intel in various roles including chief information officer and corporate president of Intel’s Data Center Corporation. After leaving Intel, Bryant spent a year as chief operating officer of Google Cloud, as well as an advisor and board member for a number of smaller startups before joining NovaSignal, a start-up company. medical device industry, as president and chief executive officer in 2020.
Many of these opportunities, she adds, have come from mentors who have rooted her and invested in her success: a tough manager at Intel, he hired her for a job. better role in another team.
Below, Bryant shares the best business advice she’s ever received and the biggest regret of her career.
‘There is no emotion in business’
Loving what you do can make you more productive and creative at work – but Bryant warns that letting your emotions guide your decision-making can quickly backfire.
Andy Bryant, former president of Intel, passed this advice to Bryant when she was still an executive at the technology company that led high-stakes negotiations with customers.
“He told me, ‘there’s no emotion in business,'” she says. “That applies to both positive and negative emotions: whether you’re ecstatic or angry, they’ll make you give up. make the wrong decision.”
“If you’re too involved or too excited, you’re likely to make more compromises, such as making concessions to the other party in a contract negotiation, and if hostile, you might pass up the opportunity,” explains Bryant. good society regardless.”
The next time you’re in a stressful and emotional situation at work – whether it’s a tense conversation with a manager or a passive-aggressive email sequence with a client – Bryant advises. should “get up from your desk, leave the room, take a few deep breaths and find your composure.”
Whether it’s just grabbing a glass of water from the kitchen or going for a 15-minute walk outside, stepping back can help you clear your mind and control your emotions better.
‘You can’t win everyone’
There’s only so much you can do to cope with work you just can’t stand. However, a toxic work environment can be mentally and physically taxing, so don’t ignore the signs that it’s time to move on.
Bryant learned this the hard way: The biggest regret of her career was not leaving quickly enough when she found herself in an organization that “didn’t benefit women” (she did not name for company).
“The vast majority of my managers over the decades have been motivated and supportive, but there are a few who feel more comfortable working with people like themselves: men,” she says. .
In that situation, Bryant’s grit became a vehicle for her success – she thought her passion and perseverance would win over her manager, but he continued. continued to give better opportunities and higher remuneration to her male colleagues at the same level.
Looking back, Bryant wishes she “realized that the barrier was impenetrable and left the organization sooner.”
The CEO said her new role leading NovaSignal, however, is “extremely fulfilling.” NovaSignal uses artificial intelligence (AI), ultrasound, and robotics to measure blood flow to the brain, which can help identify blood clots and other neurological abnormalities such as stroke or dementia. According to Crunchbase, the company has raised more than $120 million in funding.
“It’s great to have a job where you’re not only constantly driving profits and profits, but you’re doing something for the good of society,” she said. “That feels incredibly rewarding to me.”
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