This Sisters with Superpowers story is sponsored by Chevy.
Tylitha Stewart, vice president and global head of consumer subscriptions and services at HP, Inc. is known for being an executive who develops strategic teams, establishes value relationships, and helps evolve the organization’s vision all while delivering growth and profits for Fortune 100 enterprises.
Stewart shares her journey about being super ambitious and the importance of personal values.
As a Black woman, what do you consider your superpowers to be?
Oh, wow this is a great question. I love it. I feel like I have multiple superpowers but I’ll only list three. The first and most valuable superpower I have that has been extremely helpful for me is being able to learn, think, and pivot quickly. My second superpower I would say took me a lot longer to learn and that is humility and empathy. That leads me to my third and probably the most underrated but powerful superpower I have and that would be the people I surround myself with. Some people call them their board of directors or cabinet, but they are simply my ride-or-die crew in life.
What thoughtful or encouraging piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
I would tell my younger self that you should only focus on living up to your expectations. Figure out what gives you energy and makes you fulfilled. Early in my career, I spent a lot of time proving myself to others. Don’t get me wrong, that allowed me to learn a lot very quickly and be in rooms very early in my career that others have spent decades trying to even see inside of. But I was living for someone else’s definition of success and who I should become. I think it made me an amazing, strong, and fierce leader but it didn’t leave room for the softer edges I learned to develop later in life. I would tell younger Tylitha to focus on her expectations, what success means to her, and being more personally rounded. Such as showing compassion, being empathetic, and seeing the human in herself and others first.
Why is it important for more experienced Black women to reach back and help younger women of color?
I would say this is not just important, but it is required. My role with the success and opportunities that I have been given as one of very few Black female Vice Presidents in Technology and now at the most tenured technology company that is seen as the root of Silicon Valley is to create space for and pull up more chairs to the table of leadership and decision making. I’ve been in places and situations where women and women of color have extended their hand to me– I owe it to these women who afforded me opportunities and experiences, as well as myself, to continue to reach for others.
