For women in the workplace, moxie can mean different things. Some might say it’s acquired by determination, while others say it’s the product of bravery.
But regardless of how it’s interpreted, moxie is a connective force that drives women’s ability to not only survive but thrive wherever they go.
For Jenny Yang, product manager at FRONTSTEPS, embracing moxie means acknowledging she doesn’t always have the answers while continuously pursuing the truth. That’s why she’s always eager to allow engineers on her team to share their screens and show her what they’re working on.
“I don’t understand everything, but by seeing the code, I am continuously growing in my role,” Yang said.
On the other hand, ENGAGE VP of Enterprise Sales Jenna Velardi sees moxie a bit differently. She said it motivates her to remain resilient and move forward, especially during difficult circumstances.
But for Velardi, the specific definition of the word is less important than the idea that women define it in a way that reinforces their goals and advances their careers.
“My advice is to create your own version of what moxie means to you and work toward it every day,” Velardi said.
Built In Colorado caught up with Yang and Velardi to learn what moxie means to them and how they pursue it in the workplace.
FRONTSTEPS offers self-service tools for property management companies, condo building owners and residential communities.
What does the word "moxie" mean to you, and how do you embody it in your work?
To me, moxie means having grit, determination and perseverance. On a daily basis, this means jumping into situations I’m unknowledgeable about or uncomfortable with. A lot of what I have learned in my role has been done “on the job.” While I don’t have any technical background, I enjoy having software engineers on my team share their screens and show me some of the code behind the software. I don’t understand everything, but by seeing the code, I am continuously growing in my role. I am determined to learn more by asking questions, taking on new responsibilities and tackling the unknown.
Tell us about a recent project or initiative you've led that tested your moxie or pushed you to bring a certain level of boldness, determination and resilience to the table. What were the results?
My moxie was tested when I had to build a new, innovative solution for our customers under a tight deadline. This was the first major customer-facing release I had done, and I am proud to have been a part of it. The project required tight coordination and effort across teams. While we encountered multiple setbacks and worked through late nights, we all carried it across the finish line as a team. We had to reduce the scope and forgo some of the features we wanted to see, but we were able to get the core product in the hands of our customers. The initiative was successful for both our customers and for the product.
Set small daily goals that focus on self-improvement.”
What advice do you have for other women in the workplace looking to develop and embrace their moxie?
My advice is to always be a student and have a growth mindset. Set small daily goals that focus on self-improvement. It could be something as simple as, “I want to wake up at 6 a.m. every day this week.” Nevertheless, it’s important to set these specific goals, no matter how small they may be. Doing so puts you in a goal-oriented mindset that changes your perspective and often makes you realize the challenges we face aren’t as hard as we think they are.
ENGAGE’s field management platform digitizes financial transactions for industrial operators.
What does the word "moxie" mean to you, and how do you embody it in your work?
To me, moxie means bravery, spirit and determination. We are lucky enough to have moxie as a company value, so it’s truly something we work toward every day. In sales, it's easy to get discouraged by delays or rejection, and it undoubtedly takes moxie to stay tenacious and keep moving forward. This year has been challenging so far, as we have seen heavy merger and acquisition activity. We have been in the contract negotiation stage with multiple companies right as they get acquired, and after months and sometimes years of hard work, we are back to square one. Our sales team has shown tremendous moxie in the continued pursuit of these deals.
Tell us about a recent project or initiative you've led that tested your moxie or pushed you to bring a certain level of boldness, determination and resilience to the table. What were the results?
We continue to grow and expand the use of internal software to other groups within our organization, and keeping our data clean has been a constant struggle. It took three years of meetings, repetitive training sessions, updating best practices documentation and auditing to get us where we are today. It takes an incredible amount of moxie to gain buy-in and support from leadership in addition to organizing consistent messaging companywide. It also takes a certain level of resilience to keep your team motivated and focused while working through endless details. Recently, we officially launched a companywide task force with representation from multiple groups ensuring best practices with respect to inputting clean data moving forward.
Surround yourself with encouraging people and a supportive environment to ensure your success.”
What advice do you have for other women in the workplace looking to develop and embrace their moxie?
Create your own version of what moxie means to you and work toward it every day. Surround yourself with encouraging people and a supportive environment to ensure your success. Moxie is an incredible distinguishing characteristic, but it does not come naturally to most of us, so stay the course.
