Editor/Writer：Maaya Sato
In the first ever collaboration with the Akamai Global Women’s Forum and Women in Technology Japan (WITJ), we hosted a roundtable lunch event at Akamai office, featuring the Akamai Technologies EVP and CMO Kim Salem-Jackson as guest speaker and 10 selected members of the ‘Women In Technology Japan’ community.
The event saw the participation of over 100 attendees. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Akamai Technologies staff, Akamai employees from across the APAC region, and WITJ mentors and community members for their warm support.
In this event report, we would like to highlight key moments from our roundtable event.
The event commenced at 12:00 PM with an introduction to the WITJ vision by Cali Matsunaga, Data Analyst and WEB Manager at Women in Technology Japan.
Introduction to WITJ community:
The session was followed by an inspiring greeting delivered by the Akamai Technologies CEO & Co-Founder Dr. Tom Leighton.
Now, time for today’s main content a keynote by Kim-Salem Jackson “When You Get to the Top, Don’t Forget to Send the Elevator Back Down: 5 Principles I’ve Embraced Throughout My Career”
She mentioned 5 very inspiring principles:
- Protect Your Time
- Break Glass
- Failure is a Gift
- Be Uncomfortable
- Be a Student
All of them are absolutely fascinating but my favorite was the third one: Failure is a Gift.
“Nobody is born as a leader, they learn to be one. The greatest leaders in the world will tell you their path to success was paved by a million failures.”
Kim has shared with us that she believes her greatest achievements stem from her biggest failures and mistakes. Therefore, she strives to create a safe environment for her team to learn and improve.
She concluded her session with a powerful message: Leadership is both an honor and a responsibility; it’s about being in service.
The next session was a panel discussion featuring esteemed WITJ mentors Rutsuko Yoshida, Yumiko Inoue, and Makiko Clapper, facilitated by Tuba Ali, WITJ Technology & Strategy Consultant. The discussion focused on ‘how we can accelerate women’s participation in management roles in the Asia Pacific and Japan’.
Q1. What skills do you believe are essential or recommended for women leaders to get promoted to more managerial positions?
Rutsuko: “Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is crucial for understanding and managing interpersonal relationships, as well as for organization and system coaching to lead teams effectively.”
Makiko: “Active listening skills and decision-making skills are necessary to lead teams with confidence and clarity.”
Yumiko: “Confidence and self-branding are key to promoting oneself and gaining visibility for career advancement.”
Q2. How did you become a manager?
Yumiko: “Manager was testing my ability to manage while I was in the junior position! When it was time, I proactively communicated the desire for a management role to the boss.”
Rutsuko: “I was interested in maximizing the organization’s potential for achieving what I want to accomplish. It’s important to have clear aspirations and what you want to accomplish.”
Makiko: I Initially declined a managerial position to remain an individual contributor. But I was encouraged by a supportive boss who emphasized learning over perfection: “You’re not going to fail, you’re going to experience. You have to learn. I don’t expect you to be a perfect manager. I’m here so you’re not going to fail.” Those words made me take on the challenges.
Tuba: “Thank you mentors! It’s important to set a goal first, engage with peers and show your managers that you can do it. Seeking support is the key!
Q3. What initiatives or programs have you seen or implemented that successfully increased diversity within your teams or organizations?
Ashlee (Australia): “We don’t have DE&I initiatives but we focus on inclusive hiring and communicate work-life balance. Notable improvement in gender diversity from 10 women in 2020 to 14 in 2023.”
Fiona (Hong Kong): “I attended an executive immersion program designed for selected employees to engage with the executive team. I took advantage of this opportunity to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of the company and its business, which inspired me to aspire to a leadership role within the organization.
Also, be vocal in your daily life. When you see opportunities to seize or challenges to solve, make sure people see and hear you. Those chances will come your way!
Q4. What initiatives did you take to become a manager? And what’s the important skill set being one?
Kim: “I communicated my goals with my managers and regularly checked in with them and myself to track my progress. Finding a sponsor was also crucial for my career development, and now I want to sponsor others to support the next generation of leaders. I believe that leaders are not born, they are made. Real leaders come from within. They don’t need to have a big team; it’s about how you act, your attitude, and what you give back.”
Question from audience: If you are stuck in your career, what is the best thing to do?
Kim: I recommend checking in with yourself down the line. There is no straight line to success or leadership. Your goals may change and it’s completely okay to pause!
Yumiko: Climbing the corporate ladder is not the only option, develop 2-3 versatile skills that may open new opportunities.
The event closed with a warm applause from the audience and in-person guests. Once again, thank you for such an insightful session Akamai members and WITJ mentors! We’ve got many hints to become a great leader.
Thank you!
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