5 Hacks "Evolving" as Mother & Leader by "A Mother" "Portia Mount"

Portia Mount's career path has been anything but straight. She's realized that

everything makes sense now. Each of her career moves is linked to the previous one and is based on her ability to be adaptable, embrace new experiences, and let opportunities come to her. As a result, I've had a very full life as a senior corporate executive, author, speaker, and mother.

"People think you have to pick a career and stick with it," says Mount, Vice President of Marketing at Trane Technologies, a global climate technology company. "But what I've learned is that it's not about a job, but about a series of experiences." In my case, it wasn't just a series of events; with each one, I learned more... and collaborating with others that I was gaining knowledge from."

Too often, we think of our careers as having to follow a straight path. Instead of gripping your plan too tightly, Mount suggests holding it lightly and allowing for serendipity and new opportunities.

Mount attributes her success to her dedication to cultivating relationships. She remembers people's birthdays and anniversaries by writing handwritten notes and cards. She also spends an hour a week on LinkedIn, where she comments on posts, shares articles, and sends notes to people she hasn't spoken to. Mount continues, "I love putting out positive energy."

When she was confronted with Impostor's Syndrome, it was one of the defining moments of her career. She was working in Shanghai as part of a team of two Americans. She began to have doubts about her abilities. It took a long time for her to overcome her fears. What she learned is that you have to admit when you need help and ask for it, especially if you're just starting out in your career. She advises, "Give yourself some grace."

Getting a good night's sleep is another key to her success. She believes that in order to perform better, everyone should get 7 to 10 hours of sleep per night. Her daily routine consists of winding down her children, reading stories to them, and then repeating the process for herself. When she wakes up in the middle of the night, she

listens to the waves or jots down her thoughts in a journal to clear her mind. Mount "We all need more sleep, more rest," he adds.