Generation W Profiles is a series highlighting influential women.
Debra Walton is the Chief Content Officer for the Financial and Risk Business at Thomson Reuters.
Walton says there are a number of things that women can do and should do that can really help their success. She says the first thing is to be confident, "And to not pigeon hole yourself into thinking that you are at a disadvantage from where you come from."
Walton says her education is a great example, "I grew up on a sheep farm in Australia, I did not go to University." She says she is a great example of someone who comes from a "Very unlikely background."
Walton says we live in a world today where there are many examples of people like her who have come from unbelievable backgrounds, and from circumstances way more difficult than where she came from, "Who’ve grown to become leaders in their community, and world leaders."
She says this is simply because, "They have been courageous, they have been bold enough to dream and they have been willing to take risks."
Walton says her biggest single point of advice for women is, "To not be frightened to take risks. You know, think about what is the worst thing that could possibly happen, perhaps you fail at it, you pick yourself up and you go on to the next thing.
She says "If we can get all women to have the courage to take some of those small career risks and really step out of their comfort zone, I think that would really have a massive impact on our success in terms of getting more women more quickly into key leadership roles."
Generation W Profiles are a collaboration between WJCT and the Generation W Women’s Leadership Conference.
