Leaderly Quote: If you don’t take risks…
By Jo Miller
It’s human nature to avoid risks. But in a psychological phenomenon known as “negativity bias,” we tend to overestimate risks and underestimate the potential upside that comes with risk-taking.
If you avoid taking risks in your career, according to Valerie Oswalt, vice president of sales, west area for Mondelēz International, “You might actually be creating more risk for yourself.” When you stay inside your career comfort zone, you’ll forgo the types of roles and experiences that push you to strengthen your leadership skills and make a bigger impact in business. Risk-taking can also result in career-defining accomplishments to add to your resume.
And as Nora Denzel, interim CEO and member of the board of directors of Outerwall, says, “If you don’t take risks, you’ll always work for someone who does.”
Jo Miller
Jo Miller is a globally renowned authority on women’s leadership. She’s dedicated two decades to helping women advance into positions of influence by leveraging their leadership strengths. Based on her work with hundreds of thousands of women, she developed a pragmatic and powerful roadmap that guides women to become the leaders they aspire to be. Jo shares this proven process in her book Woman of Influence: 9 Steps to Build Your Brand, Establish Your Legacy, and Thrive (McGraw Hill, 2019.)
Jo is CEO of leadership development, consulting and research firm Be Leaderly. Learn more about her speaking engagements at www.JoMiller.com and follow @Jo_Miller on Twitter.

By Jo Miller
It’s human nature to avoid risks. But in a psychological phenomenon known as “negativity bias,” we tend to overestimate risks and underestimate the potential upside that comes with risk-taking.
If you avoid taking risks in your career, according to Valerie Oswalt, vice president of sales, west area for Mondelēz International, “You might actually be creating more risk for yourself.” When you stay inside your career comfort zone, you’ll forgo the types of roles and experiences that push you to strengthen your leadership skills and make a bigger impact in business. Risk-taking can also result in career-defining accomplishments to add to your resume.
And as Nora Denzel, interim CEO and member of the board of directors of Outerwall, says, “If you don’t take risks, you’ll always work for someone who does.”

Jo Miller
Jo Miller is a globally renowned authority on women’s leadership. She’s dedicated two decades to helping women advance into positions of influence by leveraging their leadership strengths. Based on her work with hundreds of thousands of women, she developed a pragmatic and powerful roadmap that guides women to become the leaders they aspire to be. Jo shares this proven process in her book Woman of Influence: 9 Steps to Build Your Brand, Establish Your Legacy, and Thrive (McGraw Hill, 2019.)
Jo is CEO of leadership development, consulting and research firm Be Leaderly. Learn more about her speaking engagements at www.JoMiller.com and follow @Jo_Miller on Twitter.