International Women’s Day was Monday, March 8.  We will be celebrating accomplished Ford women throughout the month of March with a special series of conversations on @FordOnline.    

A Conversation with Molli Andor

What is your role at Ford?
I'm a Manufacturing engineer for Powertrain Manufacturing Engineering (PTME). I work with engine assembly process engineering for the Nano Engine, which is built in Lima, Ohio.

What’s the most valuable experience that shaped your career?
When I think back to experiences that shaped my career, all of them point to roles that put me out of my comfort zone. Starting as a Ford College Graduate (FCG) at the company allowed me to step up to challenging rotations and put myself in the shoes of others. Some of these rotations included working as an operator at Dearborn Truck Plant, a Production Supervisor on the afternoon shift, or other cross function roles outside of manufacturing. These experiences helped me build empathy and challenged me to take risks. They shaped who I am in my career today and have driven me to accept other challenging opportunities, most recently supporting Project Apollo's surgical mask production during the global pandemic.

If you were able to go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self? 
One thing I would like to tell my younger self is to "don't let others' expectations drown out your desires". It's okay to not want to do what others expect of you. Many times, I felt conflicted when I realized that my dreams did not line up with others' expectations. It's important to stay true to yourself, even if it means going against the grain and challenging others' perspectives. Realizing this pushed me to grow and continue working towards what makes me fulfilled.

What do you think is the key to achieving work/life balance? 
I think the most important advice I have heard is that true work/life balance does not exist. In reality, it is more of a juggling act. At certain points in your life, somethings will take more precedence than others, and it's okay to focus more on that item (or ball) temporarily. No one wants to drop the ball on anything, but we're all human and can only juggle so many things at once. It is important to understand which ball is okay to drop. Some are rubber and can bounce back, some are plastic and will scuff, while others are glass and will be irreparably damaged. You need to consider the weight and importance of each item and determine if it is unbreakable, resilient, or droppable; be sure that if you have to drop the ball somewhere, that it is only scuffed and not shattered.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
If I could have one superpower, I would want the ability to teleport. My family lives in various parts of the world and having the ability to teleport would allow me to see them more often. I also love to travel, and teleportation would allow me to see more of the world and experience new cultures.

The theme of 2021 International Women’s Day is “Choose to Challenge.”  How will you help forge a gender-equal world? 
As a woman in a typically male-dominated profession and industry, bias and discrimination are all too common. Everyone has unconscious biases, which influence how they interact with those around them. I plan on promoting a gender-equal world by challenging the unconscious biases of those around me and ensuring all voices/opinions are heard.