Kristine Braden: My Pivot Point Taught Me the Value of Perseverance and Opportunity

To celebrate International Women's Day, Kristine Braden, Citi's Head of Europe for the Global Subsidiaries Group, shares her pivot point.

When I was in college, I joined the rowing team. The requirements to make the team were clear: you needed to be tall and athletic. At 6 feet tall and with a long sports history, I fit the bill.

The collegiate rowing calendar is year-long, culminating in the championship races. Despite a promising start to the season, I was soon injured, resulting in persistent pain throughout the year. To further impact my precarious position on the team, I missed a key spring race to visit my mom, who had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. My injury and the decision to see my family caused the coach to question my commitment and value to the team.

Despite these setbacks, I was determined to not give up and to prove I had what it took to make it into the championship boat. Only weeks before the championship races, I saw my chance one afternoon in practice. The coach pulled out four small boats called pairs. Pairs are designed for only two people with one oar on each side of the boat. The thing about pairs is if one person doesn't row with the same intensity and precision as the other, the boat will go in circles.

The coach asked me to get in a boat with a weak rower, indicating what she thought of me. At that moment, I noticed one of the strongest rowers was looking for a partner and volunteered to be in her boat. Both she and my coach were skeptical, but agreed.

That afternoon, our boat was the clear leader and we won every sprint by a wide margin. When we returned to the dock after practice, the coach mentioned to her assistant that she had found her top pair. I was back in the boat!

The opportunity presented that afternoon was a pivot point for me. I do not regret going to see my mom in her time of need and taking the time to heal my injury. Yet, to get back into the boat, I needed both to persevere and wait for a chance to prove myself to my coach and my team. This lesson of patience and persistence continues to be invaluable for my career at Citi.

There have been many times as a banker when I've experienced career setbacks, when circumstances make it seem like it is impossible to change a situation. I often remember my experiences as a rower and know that if I work hard and keep at it, opportunities will always open up to demonstrate the value I can bring to the wider team.