How Women in Leadership are Using their Uniqueness to Help adidas Thrive
Take a look behind the scenes to see how women in leadership positions are changing the game at adidas.
At adidas, we believe in the strength of women in leadership. This principle is rooted in our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as a driving force for the success of our company. We champion individual uniqueness and firmly believe in creating a culture of belonging so that everyone can be at their best.
But still the conversations around women in leadership in all walks of life rumbles on. For many, the question around why it’s important remains unanswered. And while the Harvard Business Review has outlined the benefits of having more women leaders, there are still some demanding proof.
So, to try and do just that, we asked four of our most inspiring women leaders about their unique approaches to leadership and how they believe it’s making a difference to both their teams and their output.
1. Building trusting relationships
As Senior Vice President for Sourcing, Hoa Ly’s career undertook a significant shift when she moved into her most recent role. While she may not have had the technical expertise expected by many within her organization, to fulfill this role, it was clear from the start that she had something to give: Her individual take on leadership, driven by trust, empathy, and an openness to show vulnerability.
2. Embracing confidence, compassion, and empathy
Emily Maxey, Vice President Global Newsrooms credits her leadership style to those who helped shape her career. As a result of these relationships, she learned to stand up and speak out, embrace the power of allyship to enable others to grow, and strike a firm balance between strength and kindness.
“I believe you can be both direct and empathetic. Confident and humble. Assertive and curious.”Emily Maxey, VP Global Marketing at adidas
3. Enabling the next generation to grow
As a Vice President in Finance at adidas, Melissa Claassen’s career has brought her a wealth of experience, much of which has come from being both a mentor and a mentee. She talks about what she looks for in a mentor, the importance of sharing knowledge and how she believes these relationships can make a positive impact in your career.
4. Seeing possibilities
Taking inspiration from ‘Impossible Is Nothing’, Vicky Free, Head of Marketing at adidas, walks us through her career to date, with some outstanding highlights along the way. She reflects on the experiences she drew from her mentor and role model as a student, to leading a team of people – and what it took for her to do that successfully.
“I realized quickly that people don't care so much about what you say until they know that you care. It made me rethink how I manage my time. My time had to shift from doing, to leading.”Vicky Free, Head of Global Marketing at adidas
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