Objects that inspire the Leading Women

A colleague gave Ford's Felicia Fields this flying pig (above), with capes for different seasons, because they were working on something that people thought would happen "when pigs fly," but they succeeded.Felicia FieldsFord Motor Co.

"I've had this card for 15 years or more. It says, 'Her Wand Was Not Working Today.' It's this little wilted fairy lady. If I could tell you the number of days I walk to work and feel like this, it's like where's the magic? It's my job to inspire change or motivate people or make change in our world. There are a lot of days I feel like 'her wand was not working today.' But you square your shoulders and go about the day."Karen FolgerBosch Automotive Service Solutions

"I'm 100 percent Greek, and my whole family primarily originates from Sparta. That is the original Spartan gear the Spartans wore when they went to war. It has origins to my family and to my roots. And, I went to Michigan State and was a huge Spartan. It's just something that I look at every day, and it reminds me of the need to be a warrior and carry on and have that 'Spartans Will' type of spirit."Andrea RileyAlly Financial

"Years ago, a member of Congress pointed out the actual Capitol to me when we were having a meeting, and he said, 'If this ever doesn't seem enticing to you, go do something else.' I was given this crystal Capitol dome as a gift, and it sits prominently on my desk. Every time I look at it, I think about how much I really do love what our system of government stands for and what the Capitol actually symbolizes."Michele LieberAlly Financial

"I have a turtle; it's made of onyx. A woman who was my boss gave it to me. I'm from a small town in Michigan, and she's known me since I was a child. I was getting ready to go back to college, and she gave me this turtle with a slip of paper that said: 'Slow and steady wins the race.' I'm not a slow and steady person, and I think she knew that. But the idea behind it is, it's going to be OK, you don't have to do everything tomorrow."Colleen HaleyYazaki North America

"I have a Petoskey stone that my husband found in Lake Michigan. He polished it himself. It reminds me of family and the balance in my life, and I keep it as a reminder of my great family."Christine SitekGM

"I have a cup from my son. When he was very young, he brought it home. I probably spend most of my time in the office, and it's a lot of sacrifice from the family, but they do love me. And this is very important to me. One time, my older son asked me, 'Is there any job that you spend time with your kids and you still earn money?'"Minjuan ZhangToyota Motor North America

"This is Tuffy. My friend who worked here ended up getting sick and dying of cancer. It's a reminder — because this was hers — that life is short, and it's not a dress rehearsal. This is it, so take every day and make it the best, because life can be very limited."Barbara PilarskiFCA US

"I have a heart from my daughter when she was in third grade. You can tell she cut it out with those little elementary-school scissors, and it's colored in red erratically and has a message with the words beautifully misspelled. It's absolutely perfect. It reminds me that that work-life balance is really, really important. My role in life is to ensure that I have very successful, capable, independent children, and I need to balance work and my responsibility at home. And just that she recognized that I spent time with her on her homework … you can't replace that."Pam HemingerHonda of America Manufacturing