Jennifer Cotter

Not only has Cotter assembled a team of 500 top-notch professionals to bring her vision to fruition, she’s helped turn HSN into a content-driven retail leader encompassing multiple platforms. Mentoring others is important to Cotter. “Giving empathetic, but direct feedback on people’s unique strengths and opportunities is crucial for people to truly know if they have the skills and instincts needed to fulfill their professional potential,” she says.

What’s the most important aspect of mentoring?

I am honored to be in a position to mentor other people and have a vested interest in the success of female leaders. In my opinion, honesty is the most important aspect of mentoring. Giving empathetic, but direct feedback on people’s unique strengths and opportunities is crucial for people to truly know if they have the skills and instincts needed to fulfill their professional potential.  I also really try to practice what I preach, patience, being self-evaluative, vulnerable, and holding off on quick judgment to name a few.