The 2007 Garden State Woman of the Year “Gets It” Award Recepient

Open Lines – Communication and Honesty – are Critical for Career and Real Life Success

By Judy Chapman, Founder & Editor

Kelly J. Watson has risen to the top of the Big Four accounting industry and has developed a reputation for being an outstanding, influential leader who achieves results in the New Jersey public accounting industry, as well as in the New Jersey business community. A Partner and New Jersey Leader of the Advisory Practice of KPMG LLP, Kelly has been selected to receive Garden State Woman magazine’s 2007 “Gets It” Award. She was also selected to receive the 2007 Professional Services Award. The trustees of the Garden State Woman Education Foundation were impressed by Kelly’s unique leadership perspective.

Commenting on her role as corporate executive, wife, mother and community activist, Kelly notes “My leadership comes from attempting to be realistic and honest about challenges we face and passing along on the important lessons that have been learned.” This point of view has certainly contributed to her success. If you ask Kelly how she achieves “work/life balance”, she replies, “I try not to use those words. I do not think of my life as being compartmentalized. In my mind, my career and my family are connected.” She is quick to add “my firm, KPMG, gets it and also understands that work and family are intricately connected.”

Kelly adds, “I try to be organized. I am usually seen walking around with a pad making notes on things I want or need to do. Organization and planning are essential to me when managing a career and a family. My husband and I both have demanding careers and my husband travels a good deal, so it is important that we compare schedules regularly. One way that we do this is twice a month we have date nights. Dinner, maybe a movie, starting out with time to look at the upcoming weeks and compare what is going on for each of us as well as for our children. This also serves as an ideal time discuss our jobs, be good sounding boards for each other and provide advice when needed. Communication – open lines – is critical to our relationship and we have to work at it. He is very supportive and does a lot in our family, though, as the mom and more involved in the day to day schedules of the children, I assume greater responsibility for keeping our lives running smoothly. It is a constant challenge, but one that I really try to not let overwhelm me.”

“I also try to be a role model in my career. Years ago when I was sometimes working 16 hour days, 7 days a week, my grandmother remarked, “If you want to make money like a man, you are going to have to work like a man”, and she says that idea propelled me forward and for a long time, I did exactly that. I finally came to realize that working “like a man” was not the only way to be successful. In fact, I felt it important to find my own ways, my own path that was more in line with my own values and definitions of success. I felt that it was important to find my own voice. I have spent many years of my career looking for ways to do that, constantly seeking ways to improve and at the same time contribute positively to my firm and my community.

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