Pay It Forward: 'Learn How To Read The Room' Advises Cedar Realty Trust's Robin Zeigler
A piece of advice I remember from my grandmother is “I can show you better than I can tell you.” Proactive action outshines unsupported words everyday.
Robin Zeigler is executive vice president and chief operating officer of Cedar Realty Trust, overseeing operations, management, and redevelopment of the company’s grocery-anchored shopping centers and mixed-use redevelopment properties in high density urban markets.
What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle as a women in your particular role/? How have you overcome those obstacles? My biggest obstacle as a women executive in the Commercial Real Estate space is lack of access to the important conversations and deal-making opportunities that I would be privy to if I were a man. Real estate is a relationship business, and that relationship-making often happens on golf courses, in bars and at events to which women are often not readily invited. You can force the issue, but it’s awkward. Over the years I have learned to forge my own relationships in my own way and in my own space. One can query whether it is as effective, but one has to deal with the cards with which they are dealt.
Another obstacle I find that women have is a lack of confidence. Early in my career, I remember walking out of a large conference room of all white male counterparts. I was the youngest, I was the only female and the only person of any form of diversity in the room. As we walked out, my boss said something to me that changed the trajectory of my thought process. He said, “You are just as smart, if not smarter, than everyone in that room.” I don’t know if he could sense my intimidation, but it was certainly there, and those words and my processing of those words changed how I saw myself in every similarly situated board room that I sat in for the rest of my career.
I think it is very common for women in male-dominated fields to feel inadequate. In some cases, it is just a natural lack of self-confidence; in others, it may be a consequence of belittling comments they may have heard. In most cases, it is not justified. I have mentored many professional young women who start from a mental framework of what they cannot do. Men typically do not think that way. They will bring a golf ball to a football game and then proceed to explain to the players why it is a good idea to learn to play the game with a different type of ball. Women need to learn to adopt that same type of confidence in their ideas and abilities. Part of the magic elixir to developing that self-confidence is preparedness. The more prepared you are, the less intimidated you will feel by peers or the task at hand.
On a similar note, it’s very important to share your ideas and thoughts – even if you consider yourself to be a shy person. I can remember many instances earlier in my career when I would have an innovative approach or a thought to share during a meeting but didn’t express it aloud — just to hear someone else share the same thought a few minutes later with huge praise to follow. There is no worse feeling than coming up with a good idea, being too shy to express it, and then hearing someone else get credit for it. You can’t be too afraid to have your voice be heard.
How can women better position themselves for success both in general and in your specific area of focus? Women who want to position themselves for success in real estate should remember one word: “perseverance.”
My professional mantra has always been to “always say yes.” Whenever I am faced with a challenge in my career, I always look at it as an opportunity to grow and learn something new and expand my career. I have mentored many young professionals who have been exposed to opportunities that they are tempted to turn down because they fear “they are not ready”. In order for women to best position ourselves for success, we have to push the boundaries. That does not mean that we have to set ourselves up for failure in areas where we are clearly unqualified, but it does mean that we have to push past the point of comfortable when we know we are clearly qualified. In the past, if my boss asked me to do something, even if I wasn’t sure how I would get the job done, I’d say that I would take care of it; and through hard work, research, determination (and sometimes prayer), I would figure it out. I always find a way to get it done. Positioning yourself for success means sometimes stepping outside of your comfort zone.
What is the best piece of advice you have received that has helped you succeed in your industry? And what would be your advice specific for the next generation? “Read the Room”
As a woman and as an African-American in this industry I have experienced sexism, racism, been looked down upon, underestimated, and ignored. But it is always important to “read the room”. Some of the best mentors I have had in this industry have been men. Some of the people who have helped me the most, looked out for me, given me opportunities, mentored me – have been white men.
You cannot always control what is happening around you, but you can control how you respond to it. If someone wants to underestimate your abilities, let them. Another piece of advice I remember from my grandmother is “I can show you better than I can tell you.” Proactive action outshines unsupported words everyday.
I am very optimistic about the next generation. They seem to be a lot more self-aware than my generation and know what they want. They value what is important to them and have a lot of drive and ambition. My advice to this generation is that the journey is a race and not a sprint and to pay attention along the way. Despite the fact that you may desire to be Vice President in the second month of employment, to pace yourself and pay attention to the requisite skills and requirements that it takes to grow in the profession and soak up as much as you can.
How you advise young women to do to get a foothold in the industry and how does this advice differ from what you may have received when you were starting out? I think commercial real estate is a dynamic industry and a terrific career path for young women. Commercial real estate needs women and diversity in order to effectively weather the storms that it has seen, and will continue to endure, as we go through inevitable economic and social cycles. Overall, I have had a successful and enjoyable career in real estate. While I have had experiences that I would consider challenging as a woman, my career overall has been very rewarding, and this industry is one that provides women fulfilling careers and is constantly evolving.
In terms of how to gain a foothold, I actually took a fairly circuitous route to real estate, myself. I started my career as an auditor at Ernst and Young. I never thought about or had heard of Commercial Real Estate as a career option — nor did many in the industry. There are many paths one can take to be successful in this industry; there are great college real estate programs, internships, and other entry points for those looking to break into the industry, so it’s hard to recommend one specific route as the best way to gain a foothold. But one recommendation I would make for most women is to find a good mentor and a good sponsor who can help you navigate the way.
