With the arrival of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, we recently spoke with Mindy Grossman, CEO of WW International, Inc. about her remarkable journey to becoming one of the most successful women in business. Grossman, who recently participated in the UBS Global Consumer and Retail Virtual Conference, has an extraordinary record of successful leadership, transforming and reinvigorating a series of brands and companies.

Her advice: Don’t get bogged down in whether you have the perfect resume for that next big job. “Women in particular tend to aim for perfection,” said Grossman. “They look at the role, and they'll do a checklist. They may say, well, I don't check every box.”

Truth is, said Grossman, “I've never checked every box. I've been quoted as saying that I've never been truly ready for any role I've ever taken. But I've gone for it because I’ve felt I can add real value.”

The key is “knowing your worth,” she said. Grossman cited her move from Nike to join Barry Diller, founder of the media and retail group IAC/InterActiveCorp. “Barry knew I had no media experience, and no television experience,” she recalled. “But I had a vision for what the company could be. I brought that vision to him, and I knew I had to hire around me to fill in the gaps.”

Trust is central to how she builds teams and a strong culture. “I'm a huge fan of what I call ‘productive discomfort,’ where people can be in a room, and you have the trust to have the difficult conversations and varied point of views. Then you can have an outcome that's going to work for all concerned.”

Over the past year she has highlighted two other important leadership qualities – empathy and vulnerability, she noted: “Ten years ago, people might have identified vulnerability as a weakness. But over the last year, it’s increasingly being seen as a strength. Being transparent and showing empathy can have a powerful, positive impact on others.”

Explore other articles you may find interesting