As Chief Technology and Strategy Officer of the $48-billion networking major, Cisco Systems Inc, Padmasree Warrior helps direct technology and operational innovation across the company. She also oversees strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions. In an interview to BusinessLine , ahead of the International Women’s Day (March 8), she shares her experience on how women can get to top management roles. Edited excerpts:

How long did it take for you to move from a technical to a management role?

 I became a manager and led a team of six engineers as project leader in the first 24 months of my career. I had to make a choice whether I wanted to be a technical contributor or go up the management ladder and realised that I enjoyed engaging with people and helping them grow. I continue to enjoy it to this day.

I also host events at my home, at my expense, on my personal time — I invite 20-25 women entrepreneurs, VCs and women in companies, once every six months from 6 p.m. till midnight.

These are no-agenda meetings for them to meet and talk to other women, share stories of successes and challenges and help each other.

Many of the women that I mentor eventually lead companies and are very successful entrepreneurs. 

Your advice to women aspiring to get to the top...

Be confident and go after opportunities aggressively without holding yourselves back. Most important, don’t second guess yourself.  One of the things I wish I had done sooner in my career is to pursue more rotations in my roles. I stayed in engineering for the first 10 years of my career. It was only after I got to the VP level that I moved from engineering to business and vice versa.

When you are straight out of college, you should work for five years in your area and be recognised as a domain expert, but, after that it is better to move around and experiment in different functions and learn about marketing, or business or sales, to prepare yourself to take on a broader role down the road. Otherwise, you would get categorised as a sales person or an engineering person. 

What is your approach to leadership?

I am very approachable and spend time with Senior Vice-Presidents and also with 20-year-old entrepreneurs who are just showing me an idea. I don’t believe in hierarchy.

During this visit to India, a 20-year-old told me that meeting me was a milestone in his life.

I clicked a picture with him, and will post it on Twitter — these things are encouraging for young entrepreneurs and it is important that we take some time to meet up with them.

Why am I as the CTSO of a $48-billion company spending time with 20-year olds? It is because I believe innovation can happen anywhere.

I encourage, mentor and invest in these entrepreneurs; part of the reason I come to Bengaluru is to meet with people like them.  

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