I strongly believe that failure is not an option.
Why do you believe honoring achievement is important?
Recognizing merit is critical in motivating us toward even further achievement. Doing so enhances our well-being and creates a sense of belonging, fulfillment and mental stimulation. Honoring accomplishments validates the tireless hours spent working toward a goal and reinforces the adage that hard work never goes to waste.
Success begets even more success, builds resilience and generates confidence to face future challenges with a positive mindset. Moreover, by celebrating others’ accomplishments, we create a pattern of attainment to help shatter the proverbial glass ceiling and propel women even further. When we extol accomplishments, it energizes us to form and share new ideas and opportunities — leading to the ongoing pursuit of excellence.
The business community benefits through the resultant collaboration and innovation.
What insights have you gained in your career that would inspire others?
My favorite quote is, “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me” by Ayn Rand. The only person who can achieve my career dreams is me, so I own it.
Accordingly, I have been very deliberate about my career path and am repeatedly improving and reinventing how I approach work. This helps me to be fearless in taking on new roles or responsibilities and to anticipate issues.
Thinking ahead and pivoting in business is compulsory because things are always evolving; there is no time to rest on laurels. When solving problems, managing teams or planning budgets, for example, I need to anticipate all scenarios and strategize how best to react. When setting objectives and goals, I need to push myself to outperform my prior results and always lead by example.
What can we do — now — to make a difference for young people/women in Arizona?
We all need to commit to mentoring young people, especially those who may come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Mentoring future leaders is vital in preparing them to identify and embrace both personal and professional opportunities — including some they may never have contemplated, given their lack of resources.
We must devote ample time to guide and advise youth and young professionals. I am so grateful for the mentors who helped me throughout the years and continue to counsel me because I would not be where I am today without them. With my own mentees, I share my past experiences (and lessons learned the hard way!) to help them achieve their full potential.
Mentors also can bolster networking by making introductions and opening doors that otherwise may not be possible. From a professional perspective, we can pay it back by sponsoring young workers to actively provide professional development and advocate for career advancement.
In A Few Words
- What was the last course, certification or training you took to improve yourself professionally? Mini-MBA from Boston University Questrom School of Business
- What would you say is a single characteristic OTHERS might attribute to you that defines your success? Tenaciousness
- What is the one thing you feel you could work on professionally to be a greater success? Patience
- What is the one professional skill you have that has gotten you where you are today? Persuasiveness
- What is the single greatest issue facing Arizona today? Homelessness and poverty statistics continue to rise within our great state, so continuing to champion social impact initiatives is key to seeing a downward progression of this crisis.
About Me
I am a highly experienced leader with expertise providing complex business and legal advice across diverse industries. For the past 7.5 years, it has been my privilege to serve as the EVP, general counsel and corporate secretary at Goodwill of Central & Northern Arizona, where we are proudly “Ending poverty through the power of work!”
One of my proudest accomplishments was championing legislative reform that enabled Goodwill to introduce its very first Excel Center in 2022 — a tuition-free high school for adults in Arizona that will help thousands of graduates increase their earning potential with a free diploma.
Mona Stone is EVP, General Counsel at Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona.
