She’s only two months into her role as chief executive officer of Ariat International, but Liz O’Neill already has a clear idea of how she can best lead the organization.
“What I’ve learned, and what’s crystallized in this transition to CEO, is that I add more value operating at altitude,” said O’Neill, who took over the top spot at the equestrian and westernwear company on April 2, after former CEO Beth Cross transitioned to executive chair of the board of directors. “My role isn’t to be in the weeds; it’s to help leaders lead, to create the conditions for the right decisions to be made, and to ask the questions that cut through complexity.”
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As she takes on this important new role, O’Neill is relying on “be curious” as her mantra. “Regardless of level of experience, I believe that’s the right approach for any leader stepping into a new role,” she said, adding that she’s spent her first few months at Ariat learning and listening, to understand every aspect of the business. “My job is to stay curious, support this team and make sure we’re capturing the full opportunity ahead of us.”
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O’Neill brings with her deep experience in retail and fashion. She spent more than a decade at Levi Strauss & Co., most recently serving as chief operating officer, and had stints at Gap Inc., Disney Stores and Abercrombie & Fitch.
But she said her career has never followed a grand plan, and she advises other aspiring women to explore interesting opportunities, even if they aren’t the obvious next step. “Some of the most unexpectedly valuable experiences came from outside the traditional career path,” said O’Neill.
Case in point: An early job teaching horseback riding at Club Med turned out to be foundational. “I learned more about communicating, managing different personalities and staying calm under pressure from that experience than from many of my corporate roles,” she said.
Now, as she’s achieved a new career high, O’Neill reflected on how her vision of success has broadened with time. “Success has evolved from finding and following, to creating and nurturing dynamic, energized, curious cultures and teams,” she explained. “Success today is delivering results for our customers, our partners and the people who build this brand every day, and helping the talented people around me grow and reach their full potential.”
A version of this article appeared in the June 1 print issue of FN, as part of the “Women Who Rock” special section. On June 3, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation will honor these women at the annual live event in New York City.