who you know and who is advocating for you

4. Find an advocate.

“I thought if I worked really, really hard and proved myself that I would be rewarded. That’s not really how things work. It’s usually who you know and who is advocating for you. In my experience, it’s usually not a meritocracy.

People will push back and say, ‘You’ve reached the height of your career as a deputy chief,’ but I did it by jumping through way more hoops than way less qualified men did. I believe if my gender were different, I would’ve had a much easier time in my career. I’m advocating for women to become police officers, but I never want to lie to them. It will be difficult, but it’s worth it because the more women that come into policing, we can change the culture.”
— Ivonne Roman, police captain

https://ideas.ted.com/what-i-wish-i-had-known-when-i-started-my-career-11-innovators-tell-us/

 It’s not just the big leaps that count.

“I wish I knew about the power of small steps making big changes. Any ambitious goal is broken down into small steps, and sometimes you need to take the first step to see the next step.