Women in Tech Profile: Michelle Stanton

For the coming weeks, Hitachi Solutions will be releasing a series of blogs focusing on women in technology and their New Year’s resolutions. Throughout this series, our interviewees will touch on what has brought them balance, helped them overcome insecurities, and contributed to their success. Follow these profiles to receive valuable insights from the women of Hitachi Solutions!

In this first article of our Women in Tech Profiles Series, we are featuring a Q&A with Michelle Stanton, a North America Business Manager at Hitachi Solutions.

To begin, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I have worked at Hitachi as part of the Executive team for over two years and have been in this industry for more than 10. I consider myself very lucky to work with such a fantastic team, one who is driven to succeed and genuinely cares about their fellow colleagues and values diversity & female leadership.

Happy New Year! What advice would you give others to help them stick to their Resolutions?

Set smaller, more achievable goals for yourself. Give yourself milestones to reach so that you are setting yourself up for success.

2020 was a weird year. What is something you are looking forward to in 2021?

I am anticipating being able to hug and reconnect with the folks I care about without fear. 2021 is going to be a great year for Hitachi Solutions and I am excited to see how our team is going to continue to excel.

How did you end up in your current role? Was this what you initially planned?

During my university years I never considered a role in an IT company. It is imperative that we continue to promote IT as a progressive, viable, and diverse industry. My current role has been a progression of hard work, mentoring, and fantastic contacts I have made along the way, helping to guide me in this direction. Maintaining strong relationships can make a huge difference in what doors open for you, often in ways you had not considered. Be open to all possibilities.

How do you work through any anxieties or insecurities that arise?

During this time when we are having video calls rather than meeting in person, we are getting to see the more human side of everyone’s life at home. There’s comfort in knowing that other folks don’t always have everything completely put together, they have dogs or kids running through their calls, they haven’t brushed their hair and sometimes meetings have to shift because folks need to parent when they’d normally be working. As scary as it can be to verbalize, so many others would also put their hand up to say they feel the same way. We are all human and having anxieties or insecurities is normal for everyone.

Along the same lines, how do you manage a balance between work and personal life without getting overwhelmed?

I try to remind myself that we cannot be great at everything all the time. Somethings must give and that is okay. Pushing pause and taking time to recharge is imperative. I must remember that it is okay to say no to that extra ask that will over-extend me too far.

Do you have any final words of advice?

Put your hand up and put yourself out there. If you are interested in something, make sure others are aware of it and do whatever you can to get involved.

To hear from more inspiring female leaders, watch our virtual panel, Advice to My Younger Self: A Women in Technology Virtual Discussion.