Debbie Frost on Forging Your Own Path and BTS of Facebook & Google
In this episode of No Boxes: Just Verses, we're joined by global communications leader Debbie Frost, a woman who has helped build two of the biggest tech companies in the world: Google and Meta (formerly Facebook). Are you a professional feeling pressured to follow a specific career path? Do you want to pivot your career but fear the risk? Debbie’s journey is a masterclass in breaking free from expectations and finding your own lane. We explore how her upbringing across three continents shaped her into a leader who thrived during the hyper-growth of these tech giants and who now dedicates her time to philanthropic causes she cares deeply about.
Debbie Frost is a seasoned global communications leader who served as Vice President of International and Policy Communications at Facebook (now Meta). Prior to that, she built the Global Communications and Public Affairs function at Google during its super-hyper growth years. Debbie was a member of the executive leadership team at Facebook, where she helped grow the company from 100 million to over 2 billion users. Her journey is a testament to the power of following your own path and finding your purpose in the intersection of law, policy, and human impact.
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Key Takeaways:
Break Free from the Box: Debbie shares how she pivoted from a law career to public relations, teaching us that sometimes the path we're expected to follow isn't the one meant for us.
The Importance of Global Context: Learn how a diverse upbringing across Hong Kong, Australia, and the UK prepared Debbie to lead international communications at a global scale and to understand the impact of policies on people.
Building Resilience in Hyper-Growth: Discover how facing immense personal challenges while working at a high-pressure, scaling startup forged a "titanium" level of resilience.
The Power of an Empathetic Leader: Find out how a compassionate boss during a difficult time taught Debbie the value of leading with empathy and supporting women in the workplace.
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A "Ray of Light" for Your Career: Lessons from a Global Communications Leader
Have you ever felt like your career path was chosen for you, not by you? Maybe you followed a plan that seemed "right" on paper, but deep down, you knew it wasn't the right fit. It's a frustrating place to be, and it leaves many people feeling stuck or unfulfilled. What if the most powerful thing you could do for your career is to break free from that box and find your own "ray of light"? In an interview on the podcast "No Boxes: Just Verses," a global communications leader shared her journey of leaving a path she was expected to follow to build a groundbreaking career at some of the world's biggest tech companies. This article is for you if you're ready to find your own purpose and lead with authentic strength.
Are you feeling stuck on a career path that doesn't feel like your own? This article is for anyone who wants to pivot, grow, and build a career that is both successful and deeply fulfilling. You don't need a formal list of tools or resources to get started. All you need is the courage to listen to your instincts and the willingness to explore an unconventional path.
Step 1: Break Free from the Plan You Inherited
Many of us grow up with a plan for our lives that's been handed down to us by our parents or society. It’s a common mistake to think this is the only path to success. The leader in our interview shared that she had an English father and an Australian mother and grew up in Hong Kong. She felt a lot of pressure to become a lawyer. However, she found that she was more interested in how law and policy affected real people. She realized that the part of the legal system that excited her most was public opinion and crisis management. So, she made a bold decision: she applied to public relations firms instead of law firms, even though no one in her family understood what that was. Her father was even disappointed at first. But this step was the start of her amazing career.
In this step, we learn that true leadership means having the courage to abandon a path that doesn't feel right and to follow your own instincts, even if it disappoints others.
Conclusion:
Following your own path requires courage, but it's the only way to build a career that truly fits you.
Listen to your instincts, even if they lead you in an unexpected direction.
Realize that the career path you were expected to follow might not be your own.
Be brave enough to make a change, even if it's met with skepticism.
Understand that your true passion may be in the intersection of different fields.
Step 2: Find Your Own "Ray of Light"
When you take a risk and try something new, it can be scary. You may feel like you’re doing "stupid work" or that your skills are being wasted. It's a common feeling, but it's a mistake to quit before you've found your stride. The leader in our interview felt this way in her early career, but she had an "aha" moment. She was working for a company that made consumer goods and had to explain new European labeling laws. She realized she could combine her legal background with her communication skills to help them explain the changes to the public in a way that was both legal and human. In that moment, she found her "ray of light". She had discovered her unique skill, and it gave her the confidence to soar in her career.
This step teaches us that even in the most mundane tasks, you can find your unique talent. When you do, it will feel like you've found your superpower.
Conclusion:
Finding your "ray of light" is about discovering your unique skill and having the confidence to use it.
Be open to finding your superpower in unexpected places.
Look for opportunities to combine your unique skills and interests.
Don’t be afraid to do "grunt work"—it can lead to your biggest breakthrough.
Once you find your passion, go all-in and let your confidence soar.
Step 3: Build Resilience Through Your Toughest Moments
Life has a way of testing you, and sometimes it all seems to happen at once. It's a mistake to think you have to be "bulletproof" and not let these moments affect you. The leader in our interview went through a very difficult time where her husband walked out and her father died within ten days of each other. She was also starting a new, high-pressure job at a tech company at the time. Instead of letting this break her, she found a "titanium" level of resilience. She used her job as a way to get through it, and she had an empathetic leader who told her that even 50% of her was enough. She learned to keep going, one step at a time, and came out stronger on the other side.
This step shows us that real resilience is forged in the fire of life's toughest moments. It's about finding the strength to keep going, even when you feel like you can't, and knowing that it's okay to ask for support.
Conclusion:
Resilience is forged in your hardest moments and is a key ingredient for leadership.
Find strength and resilience by taking life one step at a time during tough moments.
Don't be afraid to lean on your support system or an empathetic leader.
Remember that it's okay not to be at your best, and even 50% of you is enough sometimes.
Use your personal experiences to develop empathy for others.
Step 4: Make Your Legacy About Supporting Others
When you reach the top, it's easy to focus only on your own success. But the most impactful leaders use their position to help others. This is a common mistake that many people make, but the leader in our interview has chosen a different path. After her long career in the corporate world, she began to focus on philanthropy and supporting causes she cares about. She is now on the board of a foundation that helps women and advises a journalist who writes about feminism. She says her new mission is to "pay forward" the support she received from other women along the way. She believes that when women support each other, the world becomes more harmonious.
This step shows us that the ultimate goal of leadership isn't just about what you achieve for yourself, but how you use your success to help others.
Conclusion:
Your ultimate legacy is about how you use your success to support and mentor others.
Find causes that you are passionate about and lend your time and expertise.
Remember the people who supported you and find ways to pay that forward.
Use your position of influence to raise the profile of other women and those in need.
See the end of your corporate career as the start of a new, impactful chapter.
Conclusion: Your Unboxed Journey to Authentic Leadership
You've learned that a life of purpose and leadership isn't about following a straight line. It’s about having the courage to break free from expectations, finding your unique superpower, and using your toughest moments to build resilience. The big idea here is that your life journey, with all its global experiences and unexpected turns, is what makes you the perfect leader for the moments you are in.
Now, it’s time to apply these lessons to your own life. Start by taking a step of faith and asking yourself, "What would I do if there were no expectations on me?"
Final Steps to Take:
Revisit your career path and ask if it's truly your own.
Find a way to turn your unique skills into a "ray of light" for your work.
Remember the moments that forged your resilience, and develop empathy from them.
Find a way to mentor and support a cause you care about.
Stay unboxed and keep dancing to the beat of your own drum.