Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech: Sara Gutierrez of SHL On The 5 Leadership Lessons She Learned From Her Experience

Photo Credit: S. Gutierrez

Don’t be afraid to speak up — chances are, people are ready and willing to listen. Although some of the points made throughout this interview have focused on challenges women face in STEM careers, I have also found a great willingness from my colleagues to hear what I and that of my female colleagues have to say. When you have the opportunity to make contributions, take them. And if you haven’t been asked but still have something important to contribute, find a way to speak up and advocate your team (male and female) do the same.

As a part of our series about “Lessons From Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Sara Gutierrez.

As a Research Leader of Psychometrics within the Science function at SHL, Sara leads a talented group of research scientists in the design and development of SHL’s most innovative assessments, including multimedia simulations, computer adaptive ability tests, and design and development of assessments for mobile delivery. Most recently, her focus has been on the intersection between testing and technology and the opportunities this provides to drive innovation in assessment design. Sara’s team shares the goal of creating assessment that provides interactive and engaging experiences that more accurately reflect real-world business scenarios.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Believe it or not, sports are what led me to my current career path. In high school, I did not have a clear vision of my future career goals. I grew up in a remote town and attended a small school district that lacked a specific focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects. I didn’t have the opportunity to explore these fields in depth. When I entered college, I chose to major in psychology because I found the study of human behavior fascinating. However, leading up to graduation with my bachelor’s degree, I realized I would need to further my studies to pursue a meaningful career. At that time, I hadn’t discovered a specific calling or field that felt right for me.

Sports had been the one constant interest and passion that persisted throughout my childhood and into college. I excelled as a multi-sport athlete in high school and continued on to play basketball at the college level. When considering potential career paths, I contemplated the possibility of working in a sports-related field. However, I struggled to translate my passion for sports into a focused area of study. Fortunately, during my undergraduate studies, I had an exceptional advisor who introduced me to the field of Industrial/Organizational (I/O) psychology. Through this field, I discovered that many of the concepts and constructs I was drawn to through sports — such as teamwork, leadership, and motivation — could also be studied and applied in the workforce.

With this newfound interest, I pursued a Master’s program in I/O psychology. It was during this time that I developed a liking for statistical research methods, particularly when examining individual differences in performance. I had the unique opportunity to complete one semester of the program abroad at Oxford University, UK where I focused on psychometrics. It was during my psychometrics course at Oxford that the “light bulb” moment finally occurred for me. I realized that the study of psychometrics provided a perfect blend of my interests in psychology, statistics, and research. Having found my passion, I returned to the US and enrolled in a Ph.D. program in Assessment & Measurement. This program offered me the opportunity to delve deeper into the field, explore advanced statistical techniques, and contribute to the development and improvement of assessment methods.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?

It’s hard to pick just one interesting story given my tenure with SHL. I’ve had the privilege of experiencing numerous fascinating encounters, particularly during onsite job interviews of various roles. However, the most captivating experience occurred over a decade ago when I had the chance to participate in a Technical Advisory Board summit.

My organization has always placed a strong emphasis on the scientific aspect of our work. In our early days, we collaborated closely with a Technical Advisory Board composed of esteemed members from our professional community. These individuals were the academic luminaries whose books we studies in grad school, as well as seasoned practitioners with decades of experience in the field. To delve into the future of assessment, we organized a three-day summit that brought together these industry superheroes and a diverse group of practitioners from my company.

Being at the early stages of my career, this event provided me with a unique and unforgettable experience. It was an exhilarating few days filled with deep exploration, as we delved into the frontiers of our field. Having the opportunity to sit at the table alongside renowned experts and engage in meaningful discussions about the future direction of assessment was both humbling and inspiring. The collective wisdom and diverse perspectives in the room fueled rich conversations and sparked innovative ideas.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I recall a rather humorous incident that occurred during an onsite client meeting, which, although it wasn’t directly my mistake, taught me a valuable lesson. As a part of the project team facilitating the meeting, I feel I had to own the error too, so I think it’s fair to share the experience.

During the meeting, our objective was to engage with subject matter experts in the room and gather information about the jobs they performed. We intended to enter this data directly into our assessment development platform, which had a URL similar to XYZ.assess.com. The presenter, standing in front of approximately 50 members of the client organization, began setting up and projecting his screen on the wall behind him. Little did he know that he made a small by crucial typo when typing in the platform’s URL. As a result, a completely different website was projected onto the wall, much to the surprise and dismay of everyone in the room.

Needless to say, the content displayed on that unintended website was not at all appropriate for a professional setting and the entire room gasped in shock. It was a rather embarrassing moment for our presenter, who quickly realized his error and redirected to the correct site. However, the damage had already been done, and the initial impression created by that mishap was hard to undo.

While it wasn’t my direct mistake, being a part of the team that day taught me that even seemingly small oversights can have significant consequences. I learned an important lesson about overpreparing for client presentations and to ensure all documents are pulled up and websites properly loaded before sharing or projecting. Embracing a mindset of thorough preparation and attention to detail has since become an integral part of my approach to client presentations and interactions.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

What sets SHL apart from other organizations is our unwavering commitment to the science of assessment. We firmly believe in upholding scientific best practices and industry standards when it comes to the validity, reliability, and fairness of our products. This commitment ensures that our assessments provide accurate and meaningful insights into individuals’ capabilities, potential, and fit for specific roles.

Additionally, SHL is focused on remaining the thought leader in our industry and gives space to our Science team to prioritize the research necessary to drive innovation. Our dedicated team of experts continuously explores new ideas, conducts rigorous research, and stays abreast of emerging trends. Innovation is core of what we do. Whether it’s enhancing the technological interface of our products, developing new mathematical models to support assessment methodologies, or exploring the possibilities of novel approaches, we are pushing boundaries to deliver the most effective and efficient assessment solutions and bring the power of objectivity and data to every people decision.

It’s not necessarily a story, but I feel SHL’s exceptional status as a company is substantiated by the sheer numbers of long tenured scientists within our ranks. The attraction of I/O talent towards SHL stems from the interesting and exciting work we do. This talent chooses to stay with SHL due to the opportunity to innovative and push boundaries in our field, while remaining committed to our uncompromising standards for excellence. At SHL, scientists feel confident that their efforts provide direct ROI to our customers and with the research we conduct, they get to shape the future of our industry.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

We are witnessing a global movement towards greater recognition and appreciation for the value diversity can provide in all contexts, especially within the workplace. Historically, the focus has been largely on areas such as gender, age, ethnicity, and disability. More recently there is recognition that diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are relevant to other groups as well, such as individuals who are neurodivergent.

Organizations are becoming increasingly interested in hiring candidates with neurodivergent conditions for the unique strengths they can bring to the workforce.

Despite this growing interest in hiring neurodivergent talent, research in this area generally lags behind practice. Only a small body of research exists in the literature base today that seeks to explore the different experiences that neurodivergent individuals may face when completing selection assessments. SHL is uniquely positioned to gather the appropriate data to answer these questions and so we’ve launched a Neurodiversity Research Program to identify how we can best serve the neurodiverse talent pool and inform the field with evidence-based best practices for doing so. This research recently secured finalist status in the Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Awards. The team and I are extremely passionate and excited about the research projects we’ve kicked off in 2023. We are committed to bringing accessible and inclusive assessment to all and hope that our research will help both neurodivergent job seekers as well as the organizations who look to tap this currently underrepresented population.

Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. Are you currently satisfied with the status quo regarding women in STEM? What specific changes do you think are needed to change the status quo?

Although we’ve seen some progress in promoting gender diversity and inclusivity in STEM, we’ve got some ground to cover before anyone should be satisfied. The most recent stats I’ve seen indicate that women represent 35% of the workers in STEM roles. Going a bit deeper into the statistics, we can see that men and women in STEM tend to specialize in different fields, with women professionals more highly concentrated in roles in the social and life sciences with very low shares of women in computer and mathematical sciences or engineering.

If we are going to be successful in changing the status quo, I believe we will need a multifaceted approach to tackling the gender imbalance. I can’t pretend to have all the answers. Certainly, there will be other changes that could equally impact change, but I believe early exposure to STEM subjects and the career paths available is critical. I didn’t have any exposure to STEM studies or experiences in my early education; I couldn’t dream or chase a career that I didn’t know existed. I feel lucky that my educational journey brought me to where it did, but not all women will have that same opportunity to find STEM. Getting opportunities out to communities of young girls and women is one way we can begin to cultivate interest in STEM fields. We should also be honest with ourselves — examine why the discrepancies in gender in STEM exists — and address the preconceptions that may be creating a self-fulfilling prophecy where women walk away from STEM rather than towards it. Addressing this bias can be done through education and training at all levels of education. At the point women are hired into STEM roles within an organization, we must create an inclusive workplace culture where women will feel valued and supported. One way organizations can do this is through mentorship programs where early career women in STEM can connect with experience professionals for advice and guidance in navigating their careers. Additionally, an inclusive culture will ensure equal pay and provide promotional opportunities as women progress through their career.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women in STEM or Tech that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts? What would you suggest to address this?

I’ve been very lucky in my career journey to not have had to deal with many of the typical challenges faced by women in STEM. This may be due to my role being more closely aligned to the Social Sciences concentration of STEM where there is a higher share of women rather than computer sciences or engineering fields. That said, anyone that is invested in growing women in STEM and follows the research will have heard stories of terrible practices women have experienced, particularly for women in underrepresented groups. Perhaps the most noted is the aggressive work environments that are not inclusive or welcoming to women coworkers. In some organizations, women working in STEM may experience discrimination or harassment. For those women who aren’t outwardly discriminated against, they may still be up against unconscious biases in hiring and promotional opportunities due to preexisting gender stereotypes. Unequal access to opportunities hinder our collective ability to ensure women in STEM are thriving in their careers.

Addressing discrimination and bias (intentional or unintentional) faced by women in STEM requires a level of awareness followed by education. As I mentioned earlier, we need to be honest with ourselves as a collective field as to why women are facing these challenges. Proactive education through training programs can help break down the stereotypes and unconscious biases that leaders may have. Organizations employing STEM professionals should establish and enforce policies that promote gender equality and inclusion.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a woman in STEM or Tech. Can you explain what you mean?

There is a misconception that women lack interest in STEM fields. Gender has nothing to do with one’s interest in STEM careers. It’s likely our ingrained societal expectations combined with a lack of opportunities for young women to experience STEM that reduces the number of women pursuing STEM in their higher education or career. If you had asked me when I was 12, 16, or 18 if I was interested in pursuing a STEM career, I would have told you no, but only because I didn’t have the exposure to what opportunities existed behind the STEM banner.

Additionally, and I’d hope this wouldn’t be a myth I’d really need to dispel, is that women are not as capable as men to perform in STEM fields. Women have demonstrated their capability to perform in STEM fields throughout history. Take Marie Curie, Katherine Johnson, and Barbara McClinock as just a few examples. Women’s differences in representation in STEM fields should not be attributed to ability or aptitude for STEM subjects but instead to the societal factors and biases we have been discussing a need to overcome in this interview.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in STEM or Tech” and why.

This question has really forced me to step back and think about my journey. I would consider the following as lessons learned:

• Build your network — having a strong network of mentors and peers will serve to both support and challenge you as you grow through your career. I’ve been so lucky to have worked alongside and for extremely talented leaders in my field that have not only offered valuable insights and guidance but also pushed me outside of my comfort zone when needed.
• Be Authentic and transparent in your leadership — being a leader has its challenges. For example, I’ve been through multiple organizational changes via merger and acquisition throughout my leadership journey. These events tend to generate great angst among teams who can’t see into the future and want to know as much as possible about what’s to come. I have found success in being as clear and transparent in my communication style. Your teams will see through artificial platitudes and are looking for genuine connection from their leader.
• Promote curiosity and personal development — this is important for yourself as well as for your teams. The world of STEM is continuously evolving, and we keep hearing that many of the jobs to be done in the future don’t even exist yet. It’s critically important for your own success as well as the success of your team to provide and promote professional growth through learning, whether that be through courses, conference, workshops or self-exploration.
• Challenge stereotypes/biases if you encounter them — as women leader in STEM, we are in a unique position to drive for change. Challenge your colleagues if needed and advocate for fairness and inclusivity as core values to your organization. This may require asking some tough questions and being prepared for the answers. For example, asking your organization to report and monitor the percentages of women in role or women in leadership can be an eye-opening exercise. This data isn’t often reviewed but we can’t aim to fix what we can’t see.
• Don’t be afraid to speak up — chances are, people are ready and willing to listen. Although some of the points made throughout this interview have focused on challenges women face in STEM careers, I have also found a great willingness from my colleagues to hear what I and that of my female colleagues have to say. When you have the opportunity to make contributions, take them. And if you haven’t been asked but still have something important to contribute, find a way to speak up and advocate your team (male and female) do the same.

What advice would you give to other women leaders to help their team to thrive?

Certainly, there will be many views on how to best create an environment for teams to thrive and I can only share from my experience what has worked well for me. I tend to approach leadership of teams with three core principles in mind: communication, organization, and fostering a positive work environment.

Communication that is clear and transparent is critical to ensure the team feels aligned and informed. I would suggest new leaders work to establish open and transparent channels that work within your respective organizations. This might be through email distributions, Teams channels or slack threads, or perhaps a recurring cadence of meetings (e.g., monthly or quarterly). It is important to clearly communicate goals and expectations as well as providing updates on progress to celebrate successes.

Organization is also something I’ve found to be necessary for success in leading teams. Teams will flourish best if individuals know what is expected of them, have an understanding on how to execute those expectations, and have access to resources necessary to complete their work. Leaders can set their teams up for success by setting clear priorities and goals, by establishing efficiency workflows and processes, and establishing channels of support and mentorship across the team.

Finally, ensuring a positive work environment for your people is an important aspect of managing a large team. Everyone wants to feel valued in their role and that the work they are doing is making a difference whether it be to the team, the organization, or possibly even society as a whole. By recognizing and rewarding achievements, team motivation, morale and sense of accomplishment will increase. In addition to recognition, I would also suggest leaders focus on fostering collaboration and teamwork within your function as these will tend to create a culture of respect and trust for your team to work within.

What advice would you give to other women leaders about the best way to manage a large team?

My response here would be similar to the answer I gave on the previous question. Managing a team, whether large or small, will require effective communication, organization, and maintaining a positive work environment. I will say that the larger the team becomes, the more important clear communication and organization around team mission and goals become.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have crossed paths with numerous capable leaders and brilliant colleagues through my career. However, there is one person who truly stands out among them all — Tracy Kantrowitz. Early on in my career, when I was still navigating the professional landscape, Tracy became my manager, marking the first time I had a female leader to whom I reported. She has been an extraordinary mentor and has played a pivotal role in shaping my journey.

Tracy’s impact on my growth as a research scientist has been immense. She recognized my potential and invested her time and energy into helping me refine my skills in research, analysis, and client-facing interactions. Another colleague and I still joke about Tracy’s ability to redline our writing to the point you could barely tell where we started. She drove growth in her team. What truly set Tracy apart was her ability to push me to think strategically and find the perfect balance between the business needs and scientific principles. Her guidance has been instrumental in molding me into the professional I am today.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

Throughout my career, I have been committed to using my skills to bring goodness to the world in various ways. As an individual contributor and now a leader, I have made fairness and equity a top priority in the assessments we develop. One of our key objectives is to minimize or eliminate any potential adverse impact on protected groups. We recognize the importance of creating assessments that do not unfairly disadvantage individuals based on their background characteristics. By implementing rigorous research methodologies and best practices, we strive to ensure that our assessments are unbiased and treat all candidates fairly.

In addition to promoting fairness, my team and I have also placed a strong emphasis on expanding accessibility in assessment. We understand that access to technology can be a barrier for some individuals, limiting their opportunities in the hiring process. To address this, we have developed innovative solutions that enable fair and equivalent test administration on mobile devices. This initiative has widened the candidate pool for our customers and provided access to populations that may have otherwise been excluded from consideration.

Finally, as a part of my most recent role at SHL, I have taken the opportunity to spearhead new research programs specifically focused on fairness and accessibility in assessment. We are actively exploring ways to ensure equitable assessment practices for neurodivergent populations as well as other underrepresented populations. By investing in these research programs, we aim to contribute to the development of best practices and to inform our industry on assessment practices that are inclusive and supportive of the diverse needs and experiences of all individuals.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

If I truly could influence a massive amount of people, I would wish to inspire a movement around kindness. I often think that if we could just readjust our own thinking and make a conscious effort to treat each person we come across with kindness, we could profoundly impact the world for the better. Recognizing that everyone we encounter is facing their own struggles and challenges, the movement would emphasize the importance of empathy, understanding and compassion towards others. I would love to inspire others to foster a culture of compassion and practice acts of kindness with the goal of creating a more inclusive, nurturing, and harmonious society.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

My favorite life lesson quote is “You’ll always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” by Wayne Gretzky. This quote holds a special place in my heart as it takes me back to my days of playing sports and in particular a specific coach I once had. It was during a season in which I had been asked to play up with athletes that were older and more experienced. I was playing timid and giving up shots due to my own insecurities. This coach demanded I step up, take the shot, and demand respect from my opponents. At first glance, it may not seem directly relevant to my career in STEM, but the underlying lesson I learned has shaped my professional journey.

In the field of STEM, opportunities may not always be readily available or handed to us. Throughout my career, I have encountered situations where I wasn’t initially invited to the table or where doubts arose about my readiness for certain challenges. However, inspired by the lessons from my days in sports, I have embraced the philosophy of creating my own invitation. When presented with an opportunity to advance my career or pursue further training, even if I had uncertainties or felt unprepared, I made the conscious choice to say yes and take on the challenge. I recognized that waiting for the perfect moment or feeling completely ready might mean missing out on the valuable experiences and personal growth. By taking the shot, even with the possibility of failure, I have opened doors, seized opportunities, and expanded my horizons in the STEM field.

I feel like this life lesson quote holds particular significance for women in STEM. We not only need to create our own opportunities but also embrace the invitations and chances that come our way. By stepping forward and taking the shot, and saying yes to these opportunities, we demonstrate our resilience, determination, and ability to thrive in our chosen paths.

We are very blessed that very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them :-)

If given the opportunity, I would love to have lunch with MiMi Aung. Her work as a leader within NASA’s JPL and her current endeavor to bring high-quality internet to underserved communities through Amazon have been inspiring.

As I previously mentioned, I didn’t have much visibility to STEM careers as a child. I recall a distinct moment in my childhood when my family gathered around the television in the 1980’s to watch a rocket launch. At around 7 or 8 years old, I innocently remarked that perhaps I would want to become an astronaut when I grew up. To my surprise, my grandfather responded with a comment that stuck with me: “girls can’t be astronauts.” While his perspective evolved over time, and by the time I reached high school and college he wouldn’t have made that same remark, that moment remained vivid in my memory. Learning about MiMi Aung’s achievements and successes from when she worked with NASA in the JPL have been inspirational to my previous self who was told ‘girls can’t do that’. I admire her accomplishments and I’d love to hear firsthand about her experiences in the JPL.

Thank you for these fantastic insights! We wish you continued success and good health.