Puma’s Tara McRae on Empowering the Next Generation of Female Leaders: Women Who Rock
Puma executive Tara McRae believes supporting each other is “key” to everyone finding success.
“Vocal support, especially in front of others is also essential,” McRae, who rejoined Puma North America as senior vice president of marketing and brand strategy in September, told FN. “I make it a point to vocally support my female colleagues in both meetings and one-on-one settings. Additionally, encouraging them to step up and tackle challenging and visible roles is crucial in empowering and elevating women.”
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McRae noted that when it comes to nurturing new talent, supporting young women now is an important step in empowering the next generation of female leaders. “We need to foster their leadership abilities early on rather than waiting,” she said. “I am a huge supporter of formal and informal mentorship which I believe is key to the success for growth into leadership roles with young talent.”
The footwear leader made sure to reiterate that representation matters when it comes to women in the workplace in positions of leadership. “Seeing and interacting with women in leadership roles within their companies can inspire them to pursue their own leadership paths,” McRae said.
As for what’s need in the industry to ensure women are rising to top positions, the executive suggested implementing mentorship programs and employee resource groups, while also investing in women’s leadership programs and identifying talent early on to foster career growth.
“But I do believe what [FN does] with Women Who Rock is also very important,” McRae added. “Sharing our own stories shows women they are not alone in their feelings and can inspire them to tackle more challenging roles. Representation matters!”
A version of this article appeared in the Feb. 3 print issue of FN, as part of the “Women Who Rock” special section. On Feb. 4, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation will honor these women at the annual live event in New York City.
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