By: NIO Wo+men

One of NIO’s core values is action, and we understand that we need to take action to start seeing change. We sent out a group of our NIO Wo+men to the Professional BusinessWomen of California (PBWC)’s 30th annual conference to learn from and be inspired by these strong individuals. This year’s conference theme, Unstoppable, was a celebration of resilience. 

NIO Wo+men is a voluntary, employee-led group and is open to anyone at NIO in Silicon Valley. Our mission is to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with our mission, values, goals, and objectives.

We asked our NIO Wo+men group to share five key takeaways they learned at the conference. Here is what they had to say:

1. Leave the ladder down: At times, women need to climb multiple corporate ladders for the first time. Supporting the women that come after you allows for future generations to spend less time worrying about how they will climb their own corporate ladders and focus instead on everything they will accomplish.
2. Start before you’re ready: Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity or until you have all the right degrees and permissions; start now.
3. Making trouble is the only way to make change: To impact change, you have to be a troublemaker. Be a good troublemaker.
4. Find your superpower and don’t be ashamed to use it: Ask yourself: When are you happiest? What comes easily to you? What is it that other people really appreciate in you? Your superpower is the intersection of all three questions. Differentiate yourself, play off each other’s strengths, and own it!
5. Stop letting others define you, stop apologizing, and be your most authentic self: The most powerful gift you could receive in life is to be your authentic self; never sacrifice who you are for the comfort of others. Showcase your accomplishments and productivity. Tell them, show them, and tell them again.

At NIO, we are thankful to be surrounded by inspirational individuals in our offices worldwide and are proud supporters of gender equality and diversity in the workplace.