After spending the first half of her career climbing the corporate ladder, Ann Mukherjee discovered a surprising secret of being a leader: It’s lonely at the top.
It’s even lonelier when you’re often the only woman of color in the boardroom.
Mukherjee, 56, is the North American CEO and President of Pernod Ricard, the second largest wine and spirits retailer in the world, where she is responsible for famous premium spirits brands such as Absolut, Jameson and Malibu. She is also the first woman of color to hold the position, a pioneer in a male-dominated industry.
“Being heard in this environment doesn’t come naturally, so it can be difficult to overcome, but asserting yourself is important,” she tells CNBC Make It.
After becoming CEO in 2019, Mukherjee said she quickly discovered that the image of the typical American CEO is permeated with an over-the-top “macismo” who is “buttoned up” and a “confident” leader who “has all the answers.”
She decided these stereotypes were harmful and unproductive. “As a CEO, everyone expects you to be at your game all the time — and I think the hardest thing about being a good CEO is getting comfortable when you’re saying, ‘I’m lonely’ or ‘I need Help’.” She says. “But humility and honesty are just as important as the confidence to be a good leader.”
It’s a lesson Mukherjee would have liked to have learned earlier in her career, and the only piece of advice she would give to anyone still navigating their professional path: “Don’t worry about fitting in and don’t be afraid to do it to speak out, because when you have faith in yourself, anything is possible.”
“You have to love yourself unconditionally…all your strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities,” explains Mukherjee. “By understanding your weaknesses, you can better understand how to deal with them and overcome them…only then can you truly grow as a person and as a professional.”
In addition to knowing your weaknesses, Mukherjee emphasizes the importance of embracing your flaws. “Honestly, failure is the secret of my success,” she shares. “The reason is that in the moments when I was unsuccessful, I learned to turn around and find opportunities for growth … and I ended up coming out of it stronger than ever.”
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