Some people are born to be leaders, but Maureen O’Connor, chief administrative officer for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, believes that she has instead grown into it. And, while some people can instinctively point to a defining moment in their lives, O’Connor sees a series of defining moments, all rooted in her childhood. “Coming from a large, close-knit family has contributed largely to my values today,” she says. With five brothers and sisters, her parents were busy but happy. Her mother relished her traditional role as wife and mother, and her father was active in the parenting process long before it became fashionable to do so. “He made up great bedtime stories, made breakfast on weekends, took us all hiking and skiing and was there to give my mother a break when she needed it.”

In short, her parents were a team, not only giving their children a warm nurturing environment in which to grow, but the strength to take on their passions when the time came. It was here, she says, that she learned most of the skills that make her the successful businesswoman and leader she is today. “I learned the value of teamwork, negotiation, compassion and humor. I had to find my own voice and I had to learn to use it effectively.”

Having begun her career as a health care attorney in private practice, O’Connor began working with a small physician-owned health insurer and found that she enjoyed the business issues as much as she did the legal issues. Eventually she was offered the opportunity to become general counsel for the company, gradually increasing her duties to include business functions. “There is nothing more personal than one’s health,” she notes. “And I feel fortunate to be working in an industry where I can have an impact on the kind of health coverage people receive.” As the first female member of the Company’s senior leadership team, O’Connor inspires others, and her advice is always the same: be passionate about your work, don’t be afraid to take risks, build and nurture a great team, save time and energy for the people you care about and enjoy the journey. “I believe you can have it all,” she says. “The detours and forks in the road in each of our professional journeys will come, but in the end they make us stronger, more balanced people.”

And O’Connor knows about trade-offs first-hand. “After my first son was born, I made the choice to cut back on my hours and step down from some community boards to spend more time with him,” she says. “It was absolutely the right choice for my family at the time. I did have to work harder to get the good career assignment and guard against being perceived as less serious about my career.” And risks? “There have been times when I’ve left a position in which I was doing well to take on a new role. You can turn risk into opportunity by embracing change, asking lots of questions and surrounding yourself with good people.”

Some of those risks have included being among the first class of women in a traditionally all-male college, negotiating the first part-time position at her law firm, leaving a thriving law practice to become general counsel at a small company, and taking on her present role as an executive at Blue Cross Blue Shield. Those are the things, she says, that have shaped her into a leader. “I enjoy people,” she says. “And throughout the years I have challenged myself to take risks and step out of my comfort zone. Now, I’ve found a way to have a successful, rewarding career while mentoring other talented employees, serving on community boards and being a wife and mother of three while still finding time for myself once in a while! Keeping a sense of humor along the way has been very important.”

By setting high standards for herself and others, taking responsibility for her decisions, taking risks, recognizing the importance of life outside the office, and encouraging others to do the same, O’Connor has helped to build a diverse, capable, fulfilled workforce. “Letting them flourish and encouraging them to challenge me regularly has helped to promote a thriving culture,” she says. “And that, I think, is part of being a good leader.”