Lessons Learned: Unsticking for Success

Erica Anderson Rooney is a force to be reckoned with in the world of HR and professional development. She serves as a Chief People Officer, keynote speaker, executive coach, and has created an amazing platform that explores limiting beliefs that keep women trapped by their own "sticky floors" — the counterpart to the infamous glass ceiling. Her podcast, "From Now to Next," addresses these floors, their impact, and shows how women can and have unstuck themselves to achieve new levels of personal and professional success.

From where she stands today, there's a chance that none of these perspectives would have happened without some of the experiences she had during her earliest jobs, that truly laid the foundation for the versatile, resilient, and barrier-breaking professional she is today.

So what can we learn from her?

Fill Your Toolbelt

Erica's professional journey reads like a choose-your-own-adventure book. From secretary to paint chipper, babysitter to waitress, personal trainer to professional developer — where there were opportunities, she took them. "When I was prepping and thinking about this call, and I was actually like going back in my time machine, and I was thinking about all the jobs that I've held and they’re all over the place," Erica reflects.

With every experience comes not only a new set of skills but a broader understanding of how people and businesses work. And as her career continued to evolve, she could tap into any number of these learnings and experiences and apply them to the challenges that lie ahead. The lesson here is clear: There is no job that doesn't offer new and valuable insight and information. You never know which skills will become your secret weapons in future roles.

Success Isn’t Always Speedy

Imagine spending your days chipping dried paint out of giant tubs. For Erica, this wasn't just a hypothetical — it was her reality. "You're making one-inch of progress at a time. It's very frustrating," she recalls. But even this seemingly mundane task held some invaluable wisdom about patient and perseverance.

"The ability to push through monotonous, challenging work is something that many of us have to face throughout our careers, and turning it into an opportunity to strengthen mindfulness and meditation is way better than clenching your jaw while you rush to reach the finish line."

In this world of lower attention spans and higher rates of instant gratification than ever before, we lose the sense of satisfaction that completing these tasks can bring. By taking the time to slow down, apply a different kind of thinking, and even let our minds enjoy the repetitive nature of a task, we are training ourselves to shift our focus from always worrying about what's next to what's actually happening now.

Unstick from Gender Stereotypes

In a time when gender roles were more rigidly defined, Erica found herself straddling two worlds in her father's company. As a secretary, she was fulfilling a traditionally female role, with her brother and the other boys working in the back on the more manual tasks. When she was asked to join them, she didn’t back down and think that those jobs were too “unladylike.” Rather, Erica explains, "I actually was very excited to do those things because I thought, ‘Great, I'm getting to do stuff the boys do, this is cool.'”

There's an argument here that the converse can and should be true; that men would also benefit from taking on roles that are traditionally held by women. Realities of economics and pay scale aside, everyone can benefit from breaking outside of gender stereotypes and not let societal expectations limit experiences or ambitions. 

From Paint Tubs to C-Suite: The Power of Early Experiences

Erica's journey from these early jobs to her current success as a Chief People Officer and advocate for professional women underscores the value of embracing all work experiences, no matter how humble. Her ability to adapt to various roles, persevere through challenging tasks, and break gender stereotypes has been instrumental in her career progression.

"The dreams that I have now for my life, I would have never had those dreams when I was chipping out paint tubs," Erica reflects. "I just, my world view was not that big, my view of what was possible because of the household I grew up in, the lifestyle we lived was not that big."

Yet, it was precisely these experiences that broadened her worldview and set her on the path to success. They taught her the value of hard work, the ability to connect with people from all walks of life, and the resilience to overcome challenges.

Erica's story is a powerful reminder that every job, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, can teach valuable lessons that contribute to future success.