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As the first Black woman to create and executive produce a top 10 network series, and the first woman to create three hit shows with more than 100 episodes each, Rhimes has made more than a name for herself in Hollywood — she became the pinnacle. 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I mean, you have to really learn to look at it for what it should be. Yes, it can feel lonely sometimes. But, you can go out and find other women and other people who share the experience of what it is to be a leader… Who know exactly what you're talking about when you talk about being in charge of everybody and what that feels like and how awkward it can feel sometimes to be the person in the room that everybody's looking to.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"15d9e993f6f8","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"8aac0c7e5d010","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Sitting down with Chief Member Dara Treseder, SVP, Global Head of Marketing, Comms & Membership at Peloton, Rhimes spoke about the tradeoffs that have come with her success as a working mother, and why she wants all women to not only know their power, but own it as leaders."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"98fbe6be0c03","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"7b87d6b750a40","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"On the Secret to Developing a Good Idea"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading1"},{"_key":"9c43a41ee0a9","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"3c9c1efe5fa3","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":""}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"4e4379f86928","_type":"floatedImage"},{"_key":"f400c3a31126","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"54e5d19f0f020","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“You know, for me, a lot of it is how much does something stick with me? I have a lot of little ideas that sound interesting. But, the things that stick with me are the ones that I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about, or I wake up in the morning and I have to write down some notes. Or, once you tell an idea to somebody, you can tell if it's good or bad by how well you tell it, in a weird way. Like how well you felt telling it. So once I've told it to somebody and it sort of still sticks with me, I know that I have something worth writing."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"16146e5fd95e","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"b939c5ef05480","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“Also, you know, the dirty little secret of writing is that nobody loves writing. I don't know anybody who loves writing while they're writing. We all love "},{"_key":"b939c5ef05481","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"having written"},{"_key":"b939c5ef05482","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". So the key is to have an idea you love and then to just do the work. Like do the work and force yourself through the harder parts, the parts where you're not feeling so inspired. Get those pages out every single day so that once you're done with the script, you feel amazing.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"846f7a5f8124","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"01346f7703de0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"On Growing Shondaland"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading2"},{"_key":"db733192d2ac","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"b2c864d1625f0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“At first, it was just me and my producing partner Betsy Beers. And then it grew. And now, that company is, I want to say there's close to 50 of us now. So it's really grown and we have a digital division. We have a podcast division. We have partnerships that we do with people… We have all of these things and we're growing at this exponential rate. And part of what you want to do is to make sure that everybody who comes in still feels the coziness of what it was like when there were only four of us or five of us. You want to make sure that everybody feels that sort of investment, that sort of buy-in. I like it when people come and they stay for a long time. You know, there are some people who've been there from the very beginning.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"1c74f831373d","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"caaeac346bd50","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"On Saying “No” — Without Apology"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading3"},{"_key":"a4dc45dc1080","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"8db7502d81640","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“I realized that I was just as bad at saying ‘no’ as I was at saying ‘yes.’ You know, we're all built to please. 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And it took a long time for me to learn how to do it.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"f6b14acdbb42","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"4b456989673c0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"On the Difference Between Knowing Your Power and Owning It"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading4"},{"_key":"585e61d33199","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"3f4c2f8ea9bc0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“You know, I think it starts with the idea that power is not power if you don't know you have it. There was a lot of time during my career when I had power and I don't even think I realized I had power… So when you find out, when you start to realize, like, "},{"_key":"3f4c2f8ea9bc1","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Maybe I have some power here"},{"_key":"3f4c2f8ea9bc2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", that's great. But it's also terrifying [because it’s like] "},{"_key":"3f4c2f8ea9bc3","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"How am I going to wield this power? How am I going to use it to get what I want? How am I going to make it work for me and my company and my people?"},{"_key":"3f4c2f8ea9bc4","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" The moment you start to really accept the idea, not just that you have power, but that you deserve the power you have, that's the moment you start to own it. It's a very hard thing for women I've noticed. And I talked to a lot of women about this. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a powerful woman. And yet, somehow we've all been raised to believe that we are supposed to make other people feel more comfortable with their own power than we are with our own. 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I can do this"},{"_key":"5f9f56bc7dc82","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". And a good leader finds people and then entrusts them to do their job. That changed my life in a huge way. Like somebody would come to me and say, "},{"_key":"5f9f56bc7dc83","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Well, what do you want me to do?"},{"_key":"5f9f56bc7dc84","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" And I would say, "},{"_key":"5f9f56bc7dc85","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Well, it's your job? Do it and let me know what happens."},{"_key":"5f9f56bc7dc86","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" First of all, those people began to feel so empowered and got really excited and felt true ownership of their job. But second, my life changed because my level of control and worry and the amount of time I spent trying to do work that I didn't need to do was just brought down to a halt, which was amazing.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"8610aebaa9ec","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"447262dad7990","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"On Debunking the Myth of Work-Life Balance"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading3"},{"_key":"c05af4a27885","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"129c0a3901380","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“I think we all remember that period of time where, if you were a woman in any job, that was the question they were asking you, "},{"_key":"129c0a3901381","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"How do you have "},{"_key":"129c0a3901382","_type":"span","marks":["em","5918f5a1d6d9"],"text":"work-life balance"},{"_key":"129c0a3901383","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"?"},{"_key":"129c0a3901384","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" That question used to drive me crazy. And I used to say, "},{"_key":"129c0a3901385","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Well, Chuck Lorre has three shows. What does he say when you ask him that question?"},{"_key":"129c0a3901386","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" And nobody knew what to say to that because Chuck was a guy, he's not supposed to have work-life balance. But the reality of it is the idea that we're all supposed to live in this sort of perfect little bubble where we've got it all figured. It’s one of the cruelest myths I feel like we've put out there for women. And I was very interested in not doing it because I never felt that way. And it wasn't until people started asking me the question that I really realized why it bothered me so much. It is that thing of, "},{"_key":"129c0a3901387","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"If I am succeeding in one area of my life, I do feel like I'm failing in another and that's okay"},{"_key":"129c0a3901388","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". You know, as a mother I can be either at my child's science fair, or I can be at Sandra Oh's very last day of work on "},{"_key":"129c0a3901389","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Grey's Anatomy"},{"_key":"129c0a39013810","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". I can go to England and watch them film scenes of "},{"_key":"129c0a39013811","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Bridgerton"},{"_key":"129c0a39013812","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", or I can stay here and take my kids to school on their very first day. Those are choices that you make and those choices are okay. 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So, "},{"_key":"0450bd029d8f3","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Grey's Anatomy"},{"_key":"0450bd029d8f4","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" and my daughter are the same age. That's what happened because I thought, "},{"_key":"0450bd029d8f5","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Hey, I'll write a television show. "},{"_key":"0450bd029d8f6","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"And then that show turned out to be this big, giant job. So I had to find ways to deal with the fact that I was suddenly a mother with a huge job that I had never had before at the same time. So I brought my kid to work as much as I possibly could. And I did all the things I possibly could, but I definitely feel like "},{"_key":"0450bd029d8f7","_type":"span","marks":["3f43a81d3fbc"],"text":"there were trade-offs"},{"_key":"0450bd029d8f8","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" that I would not have made had I had more experience in the job and more leverage in my job or more experience as a mother and more of a sense of who I was as a mother. I say that because I think it's important for women to understand and to not look at my life and go, "},{"_key":"0450bd029d8f9","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Oh, it's so simple."},{"_key":"0450bd029d8f10","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" No, I made tons of mistakes. And it was 10 years before I felt like I could have a second kid. That's how hard the job was.”"}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"3f43a81d3fbc","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/articles/balancing-motherhood-career"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"eccf3a0ca663","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"733a789bbef40","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"On the Pandemic Changing Her Approach to Workplace Culture"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading3"},{"_key":"7548214e09a4","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"707675e68e170","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“I think I thought, "},{"_key":"707675e68e171","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"We have playrooms, we have nursing spaces for mothers, and anybody can bring their kid to work if they want to"},{"_key":"707675e68e172","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". And I thought like we had done it all. But really what was happening was that people were both trying to mother and work at the same time. You're bringing your kid to work, but you were still working and it wasn't the same thing."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"a508df6071a5","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"1d4bc046ddc90","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“The pandemic really changed that because suddenly we all had to go home. We didn't have a choice. And what I realized was the power for so many people of being able to work from home. They were getting as much work done. They were just as efficient, and sometimes they were more efficient. And, they were far happier because the things that they were worried about at home were no longer things that were over there that they were trying to squeeze into their work life. Now it was, you do your work as you do your work and maybe you stop at 3:00pm to pick up your kids and make dinner for your kids and hang out with your kids for three hours. And maybe you pick work up later, if that's a thing for you. 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But on the other hand, as you balance the demands of your executive role, you might feel compelled to pull back in order to avoid feeling burned out or exhausted as a leader."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"2aeaac8116eb","_type":"link","href":"https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/obama-legacy/michelle-obama-biography.html"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"40f5916a286a","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"828664632b3c","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"With the pandemic continuing to impact our daily lives, data shows that it's women, specifically women leaders, who are experiencing the most burnout as they juggle work, caregiving, and household chores. In addition to "},{"_key":"a6a537c31e4a","_type":"span","marks":["bcf2b3eccba4"],"text":"one in five women leaders"},{"_key":"11d6e45e5aab","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" spending extra time on diversity and inclusion efforts that are not part of their job, data from LeanIn.org and McKinsey shows that women executives are more likely than men to mentor employees in the workplace. Though the demands of mentorship can be overwhelming to some, Alexandra Phillips, a Chief guide and executive coach, says that mentorship is something executive-level women should make time for because they stand to gain a lot — often times as much as the mentee — out of the opportunity."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"bcf2b3eccba4","_type":"link","href":"https://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2021/09/mckinsey-lean-in.html?page=all"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"477c804a5286","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"a5e8d5959804","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"\"It really needs to be a two-way street [though],\" Phillips says. \"When someone takes on a mentee, they feel as though they want to give what they didn't have. But if you give too much, you take the onus on you to entirely develop this person's career.\""}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"dc70cef6b31e","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"99e3773b6089","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Set Time Limits Around Mentorship Duties"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"sectionHeader"},{"_key":"4447cf9b8e53","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"a6ab88f89cf4","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Phillips has seen examples of executive women giving too much to mentees, where their scheduling demands exceed their available time. As a result, their work and personal relationships suffer, and in some cases, they're even unable to see through on their mentorship commitments. To combat this, Shauwea Hamilton, Chief Member and executive director of a nonprofit organization in Brooklyn, NY, says she always sets boundaries and establishes a timeline for how long she plans to mentor someone."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"416339276816","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"0693cc3eb1fa","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"\"Mentorship is support provided for a specific end,\" she says. For some situations, such as a person preparing for an interview, Hamilton and the mentee meet two times to prepare for the interview, and then a follow-up only as needed. For those seeking more general career advice, Hamilton limits the meetings to once per month. 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It led to a really fascinating conversation, and I started thinking about that for myself.\""}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"edd655f3f639","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"d41a6926429a","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"At the time, Kerson Bilek was transitioning to her current position as executive director. She reached out to her own mentors, asking that same question, and came up with some specifics on ways she could excel in her new role."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"a90d8dba2094","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"14a831725752","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"While some leaders may feel inclined to shy away from the responsibility of being a mentor, Hamilton emphasizes how rewarding the relationship can be when used effectively. 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So [while] being at home, they weren't experiencing it as much because it was really about the work,\" Harts says, while pointing to a study that shows more than 50% of Black employees felt like they didn't belong at their company until they worked from home. \"Now that we know this information, what do we need to be asking our Black women, or our brown women, or women who are over 50, or mothers or caretakers: What are the questions that we need to ask to make sure that they feel seen, heard, and supported returning back to [the office], whatever that might mean?\""}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"f93ac5662495","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"2be407ad3190","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Later in the episode, Harvard Business Professor Frances Frei and researcher Anne Morriss return to the podcast to talk to Carolyn and Lindsay about the benefits of remote work and how leaders can fairly measure performance to ensure all employees are accurately 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That’s why, solidifying a VP bench could be the key to creating a more equitable future at the top."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"d257d57dbb94","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/articles/business-succession-planning"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"03bc993fcdd2","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"6c1546ce6c9c","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":""}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"942dc106c3e4","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"9195917b52c9","_type":"span","marks":["strong","fa052a309d9a"],"text":"7. 96% of CEOs View DEI as a Priority — Here’s How Measuring These Metrics Can Lead to Better M&A"},{"_key":"64ac00c1fe8f","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" "},{"_key":"9578906de7ed","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Diversity, equity, and inclusion has become a strategic priority for many business leaders, which is why experts say now is the time for executives to incorporate DEI mandates into the mergers and acquisitions process."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"fa052a309d9a","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/articles/DEI-in-mergers-and-acquisitions"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"524b6919d190","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"1144a4b72afc","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":""}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"f4165992918a","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"42c34381e1c0","_type":"span","marks":["strong","c9289e4b3c93"],"text":"8. 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What It Actually Means to Think — and Act — Like a Breadwinner"},{"_key":"56754506173f","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" "},{"_key":"10930160595a","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Chief Member Jennifer Barrett explains how becoming a breadwinner is less about earning a certain amount of money and more about taking on the mindset."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"8a13ba827fa0","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/articles/how-to-think-like-breadwinner"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"a9cc481c6d84","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"528fb5ec616c","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":""}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"d464aa9b268d","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"1b1001ddf0d7","_type":"span","marks":["strong","b964fba295f9"],"text":"10. What You Need to Know About the Metaverse — and Why It Matters for Your Bottom Line"},{"_key":"8cd5bbb1b98a","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" "},{"_key":"293a9cbdb234","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"With digital social interactions increasing, and the popularity of cryptocurrencies and NFTs rising, experts say now is the time for executives to start thinking about the importance of the metaverse."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"b964fba295f9","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/articles/metaverse-future-of-work"}],"style":"normal"}],"description":"Here’s a look back at our best articles of 2021.","editorialCategory":{"_ref":"4cbeb5e8-cb80-4ee0-8687-22d94b75b63b","_type":"reference"},"heroImage":{"_type":"labelledImage","altText":"best of 2021, best articles of 2021, top stories of 2021, top performers, best essays, most read, most popular stories, most viewed articles, a look back, Chief, Chief editorial, business writing, business topics, women in leadership, leadership advice","asset":{"_ref":"image-ba6a74a5127931f5839989e5a6f60ad73333cb0b-1200x628-png","_type":"reference"},"attribution":"Photo Credit: Chief"},"metaTitle":"Chief’s Best of 2021: A Look Back at Our Top Performing Articles","publishDate":"2021-12-15","slug":{"_type":"slug","current":"best-articles-of-2021"},"subhead":"A look back at our top-read stories from the year.","supportingContent":[{"_key":"f7e0e3aa2ea6","_type":"nextUpFeatured","article":{"_ref":"6898e932-2c69-4469-8d9d-f2767789bb2b","_type":"reference"},"cta":"Read More","heading":"Next Up"}],"title":"Our Most Popular Articles of 2021","articleRelatedSeries":{"_ref":"246e0566-699d-4420-bbe2-b93c4f8e7599","_type":"reference"},"id":"-62fa9f71-a1d2-5ccc-ba5b-917e333644d5","children":[],"parent":null},"firstArticle":{"_id":"79261f99-b3e4-4647-9541-f93674eb8387","_type":"editorial","_rev":"HVao7AivMXTNTMm8II6OdO","_createdAt":"2022-01-26T19:52:07Z","_updatedAt":"2026-04-02T13:41:26Z","article_related_series":{"_ref":"-0c3fffb9-83bd-5690-ad46-6fb08f823e65","_type":"reference"},"byline":"Rebecca Gale","category":"EXECUTIVE IMPACT","content":[{"_key":"f8f2e0d970f6","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"529af76a91c0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"There's a conflict that many C-Suite leaders face: On one hand, when you've made it to senior leadership, there is an expectation — or a duty as "},{"_key":"ffa02b6ee3aa","_type":"span","marks":["2aeaac8116eb"],"text":"Michelle Obama might say"},{"_key":"a54a0505b931","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" — to give back to the next generation. But on the other hand, as you balance the demands of your executive role, you might feel compelled to pull back in order to avoid feeling burned out or exhausted as a leader."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"2aeaac8116eb","_type":"link","href":"https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/obama-legacy/michelle-obama-biography.html"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"40f5916a286a","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"828664632b3c","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"With the pandemic continuing to impact our daily lives, data shows that it's women, specifically women leaders, who are experiencing the most burnout as they juggle work, caregiving, and household chores. In addition to "},{"_key":"a6a537c31e4a","_type":"span","marks":["bcf2b3eccba4"],"text":"one in five women leaders"},{"_key":"11d6e45e5aab","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" spending extra time on diversity and inclusion efforts that are not part of their job, data from LeanIn.org and McKinsey shows that women executives are more likely than men to mentor employees in the workplace. Though the demands of mentorship can be overwhelming to some, Alexandra Phillips, a Chief guide and executive coach, says that mentorship is something executive-level women should make time for because they stand to gain a lot — often times as much as the mentee — out of the opportunity."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"bcf2b3eccba4","_type":"link","href":"https://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2021/09/mckinsey-lean-in.html?page=all"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"477c804a5286","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"a5e8d5959804","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"\"It really needs to be a two-way street [though],\" Phillips says. \"When someone takes on a mentee, they feel as though they want to give what they didn't have. But if you give too much, you take the onus on you to entirely develop this person's career.\""}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"dc70cef6b31e","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"99e3773b6089","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Set Time Limits Around Mentorship Duties"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"sectionHeader"},{"_key":"4447cf9b8e53","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"a6ab88f89cf4","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Phillips has seen examples of executive women giving too much to mentees, where their scheduling demands exceed their available time. As a result, their work and personal relationships suffer, and in some cases, they're even unable to see through on their mentorship commitments. To combat this, Shauwea Hamilton, Chief Member and executive director of a nonprofit organization in Brooklyn, NY, says she always sets boundaries and establishes a timeline for how long she plans to mentor someone."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"416339276816","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"0693cc3eb1fa","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"\"Mentorship is support provided for a specific end,\" she says. For some situations, such as a person preparing for an interview, Hamilton and the mentee meet two times to prepare for the interview, and then a follow-up only as needed. For those seeking more general career advice, Hamilton limits the meetings to once per month. In each relationship, she creates an off-ramp, so both sides are clear as to when the mentorship will end, and what those next steps will be."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"18624f18a29b","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"c7eea7ec0dbb","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Hamilton explains that after the formal mentorship period has ended, she continues to keep in touch with many of the individuals she's mentored, which allows for her network to continue to grow. But, she says there is no expectation for them to speak on a frequent basis, allowing her to move on and effectively mentor other individuals without feeling overwhelmed."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"a2be853c30ee","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"8ba4ad5bced9","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"\"Some people assume that a mentor is for the rest of your life,\" says Phillips. \"And some people gather mentees and never send them on their way.\" Phillips agrees with Hamilton about setting boundaries and time limits around mentor-mentee relationships so that they can be more purposeful. She suggests holding on to a mentor for six months, and then evaluating if that formal mentor-mentee relationship needs to be extended. She also advises executives to take on one to two mentees at a time. \"More than that, and it can be too much,\" she says."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"15b4e1a77bae","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"8b7d6347d729","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Understand the Learning Opportunities of Being a Mentor"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"sectionHeader"},{"_key":"a2d57e4a22e2","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"61eabec7f695","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Allowing yourself permission to learn from your mentee is something Phillips recommends, especially those who come from different generations. \"Too often we feel as though we have to know it all, but sometimes our mentees can provide razor-sharp clarity when they question existing paradigms,\" she says. \"Remember, doing things the way they have always been done is the death of innovation. So allow yourself to see things through the wonderful lens of someone who may have fewer years of experience.\""}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"8fd0da6043db","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"778036c2a163","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Deborah Kerson Bilek, executive director of a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, agrees. She says that her leadership position has given her a de facto role as a mentor, even when she hasn't sought to label the relationship as such, and it's allowed her to learn a lot from her younger colleagues."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"273593cd6822","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"3e3b13e781f4","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"During a one-on-one conversation with a junior team member, she recalls being asked a personal growth question. \"She wanted to understand how she presents herself outwardly, compared to what I know about her,\" Kerson Bilek explained. \"I was really floored [she chose] to use this opportunity to seek that kind of reflection and feedback. It led to a really fascinating conversation, and I started thinking about that for myself.\""}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"edd655f3f639","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"d41a6926429a","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"At the time, Kerson Bilek was transitioning to her current position as executive director. She reached out to her own mentors, asking that same question, and came up with some specifics on ways she could excel in her new role."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"a90d8dba2094","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"14a831725752","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"While some leaders may feel inclined to shy away from the responsibility of being a mentor, Hamilton emphasizes how rewarding the relationship can be when used effectively. She explains that as she continues to think about her own career path, she's learned that mentorship is one of the things she values a lot. \"It's really about making time for things that are important to you,\" she says."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"}],"description":"Mentorship at work helps to build the next generation of leaders, but it’s important for executives to set boundaries around mentor-mentee relationships.","heroImage":{"_type":"labelledImage","altText":"hero image keyword, keyword, keyword","asset":{"_ref":"image-8e87cd989918099c4625f3dfcaf215e3201770ba-1920x1104-jpg","_type":"reference"},"attribution":"Photo Credit: TK Stocksy","caption":"TKTK CAPTION OF IMAGE TKTKTK. TKTK CAPTION OF IMAGE TKTKTK. TKTK CAPTION OF IMAGE TKTKTK. TKTK CAPTION OF IMAGE TKTKTK. TKTK CAPTION OF IMAGE TKTKTK. TKTK CAPTION OF IMAGE TKTKTK. TKTK CAPTION OF IMAGE TKTKTK. TKTK CAPTION OF IMAGE TKTKTK. TKTK CAPTION OF IMAGE TKTKTK. TKTK CAPTION OF IMAGE TKTKTK. TKTK CAPTION OF IMAGE TKTKTK. 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As the first Black woman to create and executive produce a top 10 network series, and the first woman to create three hit shows with more than 100 episodes each, Rhimes has made more than a name for herself in Hollywood — she became the pinnacle. But, like other women who have experienced unparalleled success, the award-winning producer behind "},{"_key":"1a97b0c3ceb61","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Grey’s Anatomy"},{"_key":"1a97b0c3ceb62","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", "},{"_key":"1a97b0c3ceb63","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Scandal"},{"_key":"1a97b0c3ceb64","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", and Netflix’s "},{"_key":"1a97b0c3ceb65","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Bridgerton"},{"_key":"1a97b0c3ceb66","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", has had to cope with the feeling of loneliness at the top."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"20ab3de96566","_type":"quote","attribution":"Shonda Rhimes","body":"The isolation that comes with being everybody's boss is a very real thing","quoteImage":{"_type":"labelledImage","altText":"multitasking chair","asset":{"_ref":"image-c876d102477a4dcba55e31156eeca83c5856ca3e-411x260-png","_type":"reference"}},"quoteOptions":"pullQuoteImage"},{"_key":"7b42ba56344f","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"1cbc10a2105e0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“The isolation that comes with being everybody's boss is a very real thing,” says Rhimes, who is the founder and CEO of the global media company Shondaland. “I think, however, it's not a devastating thing. I mean, you have to really learn to look at it for what it should be. Yes, it can feel lonely sometimes. But, you can go out and find other women and other people who share the experience of what it is to be a leader… Who know exactly what you're talking about when you talk about being in charge of everybody and what that feels like and how awkward it can feel sometimes to be the person in the room that everybody's looking to.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"15d9e993f6f8","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"8aac0c7e5d010","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Sitting down with Chief Member Dara Treseder, SVP, Global Head of Marketing, Comms & Membership at Peloton, Rhimes spoke about the tradeoffs that have come with her success as a working mother, and why she wants all women to not only know their power, but own it as leaders."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"98fbe6be0c03","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"7b87d6b750a40","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"On the Secret to Developing a Good Idea"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading1"},{"_key":"9c43a41ee0a9","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"3c9c1efe5fa3","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":""}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"4e4379f86928","_type":"floatedImage"},{"_key":"f400c3a31126","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"54e5d19f0f020","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“You know, for me, a lot of it is how much does something stick with me? I have a lot of little ideas that sound interesting. But, the things that stick with me are the ones that I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about, or I wake up in the morning and I have to write down some notes. Or, once you tell an idea to somebody, you can tell if it's good or bad by how well you tell it, in a weird way. Like how well you felt telling it. So once I've told it to somebody and it sort of still sticks with me, I know that I have something worth writing."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"16146e5fd95e","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"b939c5ef05480","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“Also, you know, the dirty little secret of writing is that nobody loves writing. I don't know anybody who loves writing while they're writing. We all love "},{"_key":"b939c5ef05481","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"having written"},{"_key":"b939c5ef05482","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". So the key is to have an idea you love and then to just do the work. Like do the work and force yourself through the harder parts, the parts where you're not feeling so inspired. Get those pages out every single day so that once you're done with the script, you feel amazing.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"846f7a5f8124","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"01346f7703de0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"On Growing Shondaland"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading2"},{"_key":"db733192d2ac","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"b2c864d1625f0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“At first, it was just me and my producing partner Betsy Beers. And then it grew. And now, that company is, I want to say there's close to 50 of us now. So it's really grown and we have a digital division. We have a podcast division. We have partnerships that we do with people… We have all of these things and we're growing at this exponential rate. And part of what you want to do is to make sure that everybody who comes in still feels the coziness of what it was like when there were only four of us or five of us. You want to make sure that everybody feels that sort of investment, that sort of buy-in. I like it when people come and they stay for a long time. You know, there are some people who've been there from the very beginning.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"1c74f831373d","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"caaeac346bd50","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"On Saying “No” — Without Apology"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading3"},{"_key":"a4dc45dc1080","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"8db7502d81640","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“I realized that I was just as bad at saying ‘no’ as I was at saying ‘yes.’ You know, we're all built to please. We never want anybody to think "},{"_key":"8db7502d81641","_type":"span","marks":["90dab3711a10"],"text":"we are not lovely and kind"},{"_key":"8db7502d81642","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", and all of these things. So, it feels harsh to say no and then not give 55 reasons why. The whole idea that no is a complete sentence is a very hard thing for most of us. So you find yourself saying, "},{"_key":"8db7502d81643","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"No, I can't do that because of this and because of this and because of this and because of this"},{"_key":"8db7502d81644","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", and suddenly it's very easy to get talked into saying yes because people come up with reasons why those becauses don't matter. And really what you're trying to do is set your boundary. When you're saying no to something, you're setting your boundary. You should not be doing things that you don't want to do, or that you feel manipulated into doing or feel uncomfortable doing, or that are sort of charged to make somebody else feel good but not you."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"90dab3711a10","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/articles/alicia-menendez-likeability-trap-the-new-rules-of-business-podcast"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"d71b8d774c25","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"3e7d919ecbba0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“And I'm not saying that you don't do things for other people, obviously. But, understanding that you can say, "},{"_key":"3e7d919ecbba1","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"No, I'm not able to do that"},{"_key":"3e7d919ecbba2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", and have that be a complete sentence and not feel like you have to add to it or apologize for it is very important. And it took a long time for me to learn how to do it.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"f6b14acdbb42","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"4b456989673c0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"On the Difference Between Knowing Your Power and Owning It"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading4"},{"_key":"585e61d33199","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"3f4c2f8ea9bc0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“You know, I think it starts with the idea that power is not power if you don't know you have it. There was a lot of time during my career when I had power and I don't even think I realized I had power… So when you find out, when you start to realize, like, "},{"_key":"3f4c2f8ea9bc1","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Maybe I have some power here"},{"_key":"3f4c2f8ea9bc2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", that's great. But it's also terrifying [because it’s like] "},{"_key":"3f4c2f8ea9bc3","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"How am I going to wield this power? How am I going to use it to get what I want? How am I going to make it work for me and my company and my people?"},{"_key":"3f4c2f8ea9bc4","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" The moment you start to really accept the idea, not just that you have power, but that you deserve the power you have, that's the moment you start to own it. It's a very hard thing for women I've noticed. And I talked to a lot of women about this. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a powerful woman. And yet, somehow we've all been raised to believe that we are supposed to make other people feel more comfortable with their own power than we are with our own. 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When you are comfortable in your power, when you decide, "},{"_key":"fe237ce9d9267","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Okay, this power does belong to me and I can own it"},{"_key":"fe237ce9d9268","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", it's not about wielding it or treating anybody a certain way. It's just about knowing your worth.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"80baf9652db7","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"2f71659d56640","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"On the Importance of Delegating"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading3"},{"_key":"533f8a7958f7","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"5f9f56bc7dc80","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“When you're afraid, when you're not sure, you are hanging onto everything and trying to do it all yourself because if somebody messes up, Oh my God. As opposed to, "},{"_key":"5f9f56bc7dc81","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"I'm comfortable. I know what I'm doing. I can do this"},{"_key":"5f9f56bc7dc82","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". And a good leader finds people and then entrusts them to do their job. That changed my life in a huge way. Like somebody would come to me and say, "},{"_key":"5f9f56bc7dc83","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Well, what do you want me to do?"},{"_key":"5f9f56bc7dc84","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" And I would say, "},{"_key":"5f9f56bc7dc85","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Well, it's your job? Do it and let me know what happens."},{"_key":"5f9f56bc7dc86","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" First of all, those people began to feel so empowered and got really excited and felt true ownership of their job. But second, my life changed because my level of control and worry and the amount of time I spent trying to do work that I didn't need to do was just brought down to a halt, which was amazing.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"8610aebaa9ec","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"447262dad7990","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"On Debunking the Myth of Work-Life Balance"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading3"},{"_key":"c05af4a27885","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"129c0a3901380","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“I think we all remember that period of time where, if you were a woman in any job, that was the question they were asking you, "},{"_key":"129c0a3901381","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"How do you have "},{"_key":"129c0a3901382","_type":"span","marks":["em","5918f5a1d6d9"],"text":"work-life balance"},{"_key":"129c0a3901383","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"?"},{"_key":"129c0a3901384","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" That question used to drive me crazy. And I used to say, "},{"_key":"129c0a3901385","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Well, Chuck Lorre has three shows. What does he say when you ask him that question?"},{"_key":"129c0a3901386","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" And nobody knew what to say to that because Chuck was a guy, he's not supposed to have work-life balance. But the reality of it is the idea that we're all supposed to live in this sort of perfect little bubble where we've got it all figured. It’s one of the cruelest myths I feel like we've put out there for women. And I was very interested in not doing it because I never felt that way. And it wasn't until people started asking me the question that I really realized why it bothered me so much. It is that thing of, "},{"_key":"129c0a3901387","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"If I am succeeding in one area of my life, I do feel like I'm failing in another and that's okay"},{"_key":"129c0a3901388","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". You know, as a mother I can be either at my child's science fair, or I can be at Sandra Oh's very last day of work on "},{"_key":"129c0a3901389","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Grey's Anatomy"},{"_key":"129c0a39013810","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". I can go to England and watch them film scenes of "},{"_key":"129c0a39013811","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Bridgerton"},{"_key":"129c0a39013812","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", or I can stay here and take my kids to school on their very first day. Those are choices that you make and those choices are okay. Like it's okay to feel like you're not giving 100% to everything.”"}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"5918f5a1d6d9","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/articles/work-life-balance-pandemic"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"bd8f6f7f500e","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"e8b42fa5414b0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"On Writing "},{"_key":"e8b42fa5414b1","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Grey’s Anatomy"},{"_key":"e8b42fa5414b2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" With a Newborn"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading3"},{"_key":"fbc4e2f7c102","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"0450bd029d8f0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"I became a mother and had a script due for a movie like three weeks later. And then with a brand new baby strapped to my chest, I wrote the pilot for "},{"_key":"0450bd029d8f1","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Grey's Anatomy"},{"_key":"0450bd029d8f2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". 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And I did all the things I possibly could, but I definitely feel like "},{"_key":"0450bd029d8f7","_type":"span","marks":["3f43a81d3fbc"],"text":"there were trade-offs"},{"_key":"0450bd029d8f8","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" that I would not have made had I had more experience in the job and more leverage in my job or more experience as a mother and more of a sense of who I was as a mother. I say that because I think it's important for women to understand and to not look at my life and go, "},{"_key":"0450bd029d8f9","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Oh, it's so simple."},{"_key":"0450bd029d8f10","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" No, I made tons of mistakes. And it was 10 years before I felt like I could have a second kid. That's how hard the job was.”"}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"3f43a81d3fbc","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/articles/balancing-motherhood-career"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"eccf3a0ca663","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"733a789bbef40","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"On the Pandemic Changing Her Approach to Workplace Culture"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading3"},{"_key":"7548214e09a4","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"707675e68e170","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“I think I thought, "},{"_key":"707675e68e171","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"We have playrooms, we have nursing spaces for mothers, and anybody can bring their kid to work if they want to"},{"_key":"707675e68e172","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". And I thought like we had done it all. But really what was happening was that people were both trying to mother and work at the same time. You're bringing your kid to work, but you were still working and it wasn't the same thing."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"a508df6071a5","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"1d4bc046ddc90","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“The pandemic really changed that because suddenly we all had to go home. We didn't have a choice. And what I realized was the power for so many people of being able to work from home. They were getting as much work done. They were just as efficient, and sometimes they were more efficient. And, they were far happier because the things that they were worried about at home were no longer things that were over there that they were trying to squeeze into their work life. Now it was, you do your work as you do your work and maybe you stop at 3:00pm to pick up your kids and make dinner for your kids and hang out with your kids for three hours. And maybe you pick work up later, if that's a thing for you. 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