At the 2014 Fortune Most Powerful Women Next Gen conference, Ariel Investments President and CEO Mellody Hobson shared a thought-provoking insight:
“Sometimes you have to be very small to be very big.”
During the interview, Hobson reflected on the challenges of navigating powerful spaces as a woman of color.
She recounted an encounter with a well-known billionaire who appeared physically uncomfortable with her presence.
“I remember once I was talking to [him] in a lobby of a hotel, and every time I stepped forward, he stepped back,” Hobson explained. “By the end, we were like across the room. And I was like, ‘I’m too big, I have to get small.'”
Rather than take offense, Hobson adapted, pulling herself in to make the billionaire more comfortable.
“As soon as I modulated for him, the better it became for him, the more comfortable he became, which was okay—because his comfort at that point allowed me to learn a lot,” she shared.
Hobson’s words highlight the nuanced strategies many women, particularly women of color, employ to navigate corporate environments.
Her ability to adjust without compromising her ambitions speaks to the balance between self-awareness and resilience in leadership.
