Shirlyn M. Cummings, age 38, is Director of the Human Resources Department for Bayer Corporation at its Baytown, Texas chemical manufacturing site; a site of approximately 1053 employees. She started out by pursuing a double major in psychology and business at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. While counciling transfer students her senior year, she saw first-hand the need for a strong network. In her own words, "people need people." Shirlyn firmly believes that human resources should tap in to whatever it is that each individual requires to be successful. After school, she worked for Union Carbide for 5 years. She began as a 1-person human resources (HR) department for 230 employees and eventually took over HR responsibility for 3 Union Carbide sites. Shirlyn cites this as one of the more difficult phases in her career because it required extensive traveling. Since then, she has worked for Bayer Corp. for 13 years, first handling employment and generalist responsibilities, then heading up the plant's training efforts and now in charge of human resources, which is her favorite job. As to Shirlyn's favorite pastime, it is her 3 children, ages 4, 6, and 7. They keep her sane and she believes balancing family with work makes her whole, enabling her to be better at everything she does.
We interviewed Shirlyn, as a successful business woman and one of the highest ranking women at her facility. Below is a summary of her answers to questions on success in the workplace and advice on how to balance work with family:
Q: What took you to where you are today?
A: Integrative thinking and the ability to see how the pieces fit together. I incorporate what others might consider passing comments into the big picture. I also strive to match people's skills and personality with the right job.
Q: How have you changed and/or how has the work climate changed since you started?
A: I have become more secure with conflict or taking an unpopular position. I can also more gracefully admit when I am wrong and try to correct it.
Over the years, more women are increasingly represented in a variety positions across the site. This brings an exciting new perspective to things. There is much greater realization and acceptance that there is a benefit to having diverse viewpoints on the same problem. Hiring is talent-oriented versus gender-based; managers simply want "the best."
Q: What was your biggest mistake?
A: I held myself back by expressing doubts or a lack of confidence. You should always project confidence and then figure out what you don't know afterwards. Also, you have to have good judgment in whom to share self-doubts or intimate thoughts with.
Q: How do you define being successful?
A: You are successful when you have balance and happiness whether at work, at home, or both. You should always have a mission in life, allow yourself to get excited about changes, and never settle for boredom. A lack of success is when you just "put your time in." Working, like parenting, offers great opportunities to learn and grow as a person. "Treading water" is okay, while you get your bearings, but to really make progress you have to "swim with strong, sure strokes."
Q: Have you had mentors along the way and if so, what was most beneficial about the mentoring?
A: I have a number of informal mentors, including my father, Gene Kowalczyk, my now-retired boss, Dave Robins, and the Vice President and General Plant Manager of our plant, Gordon Christman who serves as an amazing role model to me and many others. Good mentors listen well and are confidence builders. They provide subtle guidance but don't shield you from opportunities or mistakes, and they share their wisdom without feeling threatened. Mentors relish and celebrate your successes!
Q: How do you balance work and life?
A: At work, delegate ahead of time; don't unnecessarily make yourself the focal point for everything. Hire and utilize good people. Be able to receive help and give it in return; don't push others away. At home, take time for self-reflection, exercise to relieve stress and find ways to leave work at work; which I still struggle to do. In everything, don't sacrifice quality for volume.
Q: What advice would you give to someone coming up in their career?
A: Take vacations!! Also every day find 20-60 minutes of quiet time just for you. Use this time to think through what's required for the rest of the day and adjust your attitude to feel confident, in-control and prepared.
The WCC would like to thank Shirlyn Cummings for sharing her thoughts and advice with us. We hope that this interview has sparked ideas which will help you in your career. Look for further interviews with other successful women in upcoming issues of the WCC Newsletter.
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