As the founder of a startup, Tracy Young often worried that employees
and investors valued male CEOs more -- and that being a woman
compromised her position as a leader. In this brave, personal talk, she
gives an honest look at the constraints women face when trying to adapt
to a male-dominated business culture -- and shares how she developed the
courage and vulnerability to lead as her complete, raw self. (This talk
contains a graphic story. Discretion is advised.)
In India, when you say ‘business’, an image of a man in a suit sitting
behind a desk comes to mind. Is it not worrisome that women are always
either on the sidelines of the boardroom or not present at all?
As per the latest government Census records, 48% of India’s population
is female. Ideally, they should make up about half of our entrepreneurs.
However, only 14% of the country’s entrepreneurs are women, as per an
Economic Times report. There is huge untapped potential that needs to be
actively encouraged if we are to achieve significant economic progress,
especially in a year like 2020.
Do women indeed make better leaders?
Amitabh
Kant, CEO of Niti Aayog, says, “High growth rates of 9-10%
year-after-year are not possible for India till women don’t become key
entrepreneurs”.
As per a Center of Entrepreneurship report published by Forbes, women make better business leaders due to 5 factors:
1. They are better at taking calculated risks.
2. They are less likely to be overconfident.
3. They are more ambitious.
4. They are better at foreseeing in the long run.
5. They are used to fighting it out more and have acquired resilience.
Here is a brief idea of what drives women towards entrepreneurship in India.
Image source: Women’s Web Women & Entrepreneurship in India 2019 Survey
How can we help India’s businesswomen rise to the occasion in 2020?
With the Coronavirus scare still looming large, Moody’s has forecasted a
10.6% contraction for fiscal 2020. While the government tries to revive
India financially, here are a few things that can be done to help the
women of India in helping India.
1. Government initiatives: These include a number of
entrepreneurship promotion initiatives such as Stand-Up India, National
Skill Development Policy, AIM (Atal Innovation Mission), etc. There’s an
initiative of the Niti Aayog called Women Entrepreneurship Platform
(WEP) which acts as a knowledge base and mentorship source for women
entrepreneurs. What is now important is that the government encourages
more women to partake in the benefits of these schemes by improving the
levels of awareness about them.
2. Mentorship programs: In June 2019, the UNDP
(United Nations Development Program)’s Disha project took a minivan
around India’s villages that conducted entrepreneurship awareness
programs for rural women. But this was just one small scale effort.
Women need mentorship more than men do since they mostly don’t have that
wide an entrepreneurial network or equal opportunities for funding.
What we need is a network of veteran female leaders such as Indra
Nooyi, Vandana Luthra, Ritu Kumar, and the like. These women will
inspire the next generation, and provide them with valuable insights.
3. Empowering women techies: Girls are 25% less
likely than boys to know how to elevate their lifestyles by learning
technology. Girls are encouraged lesser towards tech right from their
childhood. In the age of Digital India and a digital world steering
towards AI and whatnot, women should not be suffering from a skill gap.
We need programs that make women tech-savvy and normalize for the
society that women are as tech-ready as men.
Image source: Inc42
4. Organizing the unorganized sector: 94% of women in
India are employed in the unorganized sector. A lot of them lack
adequate wages, dignity, and safety at work. On the other hand, there
are scores of women involved in small businesses such as preparing and
selling food items, tailoring, etc. out of their homes. Until these
women are freed of their struggles for basic needs and made to realize
their entrepreneurial potential, they won’t be able to identify
themselves as businesswomen.
5. Higher educational initiatives: 2020 saw a
considerable rise in the number of female students at the IIMs, with
women making 33.5% of the class of ‘21 at the top 6 IIMs as compared to
25% last year. At the same time, enrollment of women in higher
education, in general, has been increasing in the past decade.
Image source: Financial Express
These are good signs because higher education not only imparts skills
but also validates them for you. It throws open a lot of doors for
employment and higher incomes, which are all essential to kickstart your
business dreams.
6. Public-private partnership for initiatives: The
government cannot promote women’s entrepreneurship and revive the
economy all alone. This kind of large-scale reform — or revolution, if
you will — needs the contribution of all sections of society. All the
above-mentioned ways of encouraging female entrepreneurship need a
public-private partnership for optimum results.
Image source: Inc42
Secondly, the private sector needs to work on grave issues like the
pay gap, blatant everyday sexism, lack of role models to follow, sexual
harassment, and much more. In the absence of these issues, men have much
better scope to focus on their entrepreneurial pursuits than women do.
Conclusion
These are just six broad areas of improvement for us to become a nation
better suited for women entrepreneurs. We still seem to have a long way
to go, but the way doesn’t have to be long, and women don’t have to
continue giving in to the role of second fiddle.
I write about the success factors of women entrepreneurs.
Tierra Kavanaugh of TKT & Associates, Mary Hensley & Julie Hashagen of Enspire Energy, Asma Ishaq of ... [+]
TKT & Associates, Enspire Energy, Modere, Battaglia Associates, Solvix Solutions, and KaTom Restaurant Supply
Between February and April of 2020, lockdowns and shifting demand
caused by the Covid-19 crisis hit women-owned businesses particularly
hard: 25% of women-owned companies closed.*
But, some not only survived, they thrived.
"At a time when bright spots are few and far between, we are thrilled
to celebrate the business accomplishments of these 50 inimitable
leaders," said Camille Burns, CEO of the WPO. The 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies
from Women Presidents' Organization (WPO) and American Express was
released a few days ago. "Not only do women-owned businesses fuel the
economy with trillions of dollars in revenue and the millions of jobs
they provide, many have also pivoted their offerings and business
strategies to provide essential services and accommodate their
employees, which has proven to be vital for navigating the pandemic,"
said Jessica Ling, Vice President and General Manager, Marketing
Strategy, Content and Experiences at American Express.
What lessons can be gleaned from women running the fastest growing
businesses that policymakers and women running companies can use?
1) Government Supplier Diversity Programs Are A Win-Win
A majority—68%—of the 50 Fastest-Growing Businesses do business with
the government. If you're 51% owned by women or other underrepresented
groups, you can take advantage of government supplier-diversity programs
at local, state, and federal levels. Creating more significant
opportunities for historically underutilized businesses to grow and
prosper through public procurement policy is a strategy that can help
women-owned businesses not just survive the pandemic, but thrive.
Local governments spend $1.8 trillion on goods and services, state governments $2.1 trillion, and the federal government $4.5 trillion.
Government supplier-diversity programs also improve the competitiveness
of their supply chains. Supplier diversity programs benefit government
agencies and taxpayers by:
increasing competition, resulting in better prices and service levels
highlighting their commitment to diversity and inclusion
building a shared and durable prosperity
becoming more flexible, agile, and resilient
Governments at all levels can leverage their spending to help women-owned businesses pull through the crisis and grow.
Of course, you'll need to get certified. How you do that will vary
depending on the government agency from which you are seeking to win
contracts. At the federal level, the certification process just changed.
2) Tapping Global Markets
For many chart-topping women run-businesses, the world is their
oyster: 56% of the 50 Fastest Growing do business globally. Those in the
US recognize that three quarters of the world's purchasing power
and over 95% of world consumers are outside US's borders. "... there is
vast upside potential for these and other fast-growing women business
owners to reach even further internationally ...," said Laurel Delaney,
president of GlobeTrade.com, founder of Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global,
and Chicago Chapter Chair of the Women Presidents' Organization.
Only 12% of businesses that export are owned by women.
To encourage more to do so, track trade by women-run companies,
highlight their importance in the global economy, offer gender-related
provisions that facilitate fast-track global growth, provide more
resources, such as training, financing, and mentoring, commented
Delaney.
3) Empower Employees To Work From Home
The coronavirus pandemic has caused a massive shift from working in
an office to working from home: Eight in ten—82%—corporate leaders plan
to allow employees to work remotely some of the time.** It's no
different for the 50 Fastest. Though the number of people working
partially or fully remote has been rising slowly, the coronavirus
pandemic dramatically increased that trend. Working from home was the
most significant adjustment for the six female leaders who shared their
experiences. Some now see a real benefit from work-from-home policies.
Transiting to a remote workplace was the biggest pivot that TKT &
Associates, the fastest-growing woman-owned business, made in response
to the crisis. The company assists public- and private-sector clients to
assess procurement, reporting, and compliance monitoring. It also does
staffing. The business was founded by Tierra Kavanaugh, who recently
passed away. Questions were answered by Kimberly Bunton, chief
administrative officer and general counsel.
Working from home was also the most significant pivot for Asma
Ishaq's company, Modere. She is the CEO of the third fastest-growing
woman-run company. Modere delivers innovative products—personal care,
health and wellness, and household care.
"I learned that we can work remotely and be effective and that I can
put a lot of trust in my employees," said Christine Meyer, president of
Battaglia Associates. The company is a general contracting firm
specializing in commercial and industrial services and materials. It is
the fifth fastest-growing woman-run company.
Solvix Solutions provides a single location to find all your business
technology solutions and is eighth on the list. "We have started
building our practice of supporting employees working from home and
helping businesses provide better support to those who will continue
working from home," said Stacey Rock, managing partner and president.
For employers, the benefits include lowering the cost of office
space. For employees, the benefits include a flexible schedule, the
ability to work from any location, and no more commuting. "We are
currently considering remaining remote indefinitely," Bunton said. "We
can be effective and, in some cases, increase productivity working
remotely."
However, as Mary Hensley, president and director of marketing for
Enspire Energy, points out, there are conflicting issues. She founded
the company with Julie Hashagen. Enspire is a full-service, natural gas
marketing company and ranked #2 on the list. Remote work fosters less of
a team environment. Some employees are thriving at home and want to
stay remote, while others want to return to the office. Policies need to
be developed that accommodate all workers' styles. Companies are learning lessons.
To mitigate the risk of a cyber threat, Enspire also has increase security measures.
4) Expand Digital Offerings
To make sure companies are meeting the needs of customers, they are
introducing more virtual products. TKT is expanding its digital products
and is not alone in developing online products. "We have added product
segments that weren't available through our company prior to the
pandemic," said Patrica Bible, founder, president, and CEO of KaTom
Restaurant Supply. It is one of the nation's largest restaurant
equipment suppliers, and ranked tenth on the list.
5) Move Fast and Be Agile
Finally, Bunton points out that whatever strategies you are putting in place for your company, "Be flexible. Adapt quickly."
What changes can you make so your business thrives despite economic uncertainty?
*Robert W. Fairlie, The Impact of Covid-19 on Small Business Owners: Evidence of Early-Stage Losses from the April 2020 Current Population Survey, NBER Working Paper No. 27309 June 2020 JEL No. J15,J16,L26
** Gartner Survey Reveals 82% of Company Leaders Plan to Allow Employees to Work Remotely Some of the Time
Keemia Ferasat is the Founder and CEO of Style Salute, a mission-driven digital media company focused on the positive power of women.
GettyGetty
What a year it has been already.
Record numbers of women are making their voices heard in Congress. There are almost 75 million
of us in the U.S. workforce. We are educated like never before, earning
more than ever, and starting business and philanthropic empires that
are changing the world.
We’ve come a long, long way, baby … but we have more work to do to
change perceptions and ensure gender equality for future generations.
Lean In and McKinsey recently released research showing
that despite all the “leaning in” we have done, there has been
virtually no advancement of women in business. As the study put it:
“Progress isn't just slowed — it’s stalled.”
Depressing, right? It's not the best news, but I am hopeful about our
fate because we are finally talking about the issues that hold us back
and collaborating on how to confront them.
I believe that one way forward is to make sure that women support
each other. How can we expect women to succeed if we're not directly
involved in the effort? Women comprise almost 47% of the workforce, we control up to 80% of consumer spending and we own more than half of the investable assets in the United States. But somewhere, somehow, we became convinced that we needed men to empower us.
We are the solution.
The combined voice of women is powerful and it can uplift our
communities. We should be standing up for other women at work, telling
success stories and banding together so that we can't be ignored.
In honor of Women's History Month, here are three steps women (and
men) can take to continue to move the needle closer to equality. 1. Sponsorship at work matters, especially for women.
It has been said that the biggest decisions about your career are
often made when you are not in the room. So, what can you do? Forget the
mentor — get yourself a sponsor.
While mentors guide you and give you advice, sponsors go beyond
traditional social, emotional and personal growth and advocate on your
behalf. For women especially, it takes more than meeting expectations
and getting the work done to get noticed. you need a sponsor fighting for you. Too often, women make the mistake of assuming mentors and sponsors are interchangeable.
Sponsors can also offer career coaching and guidance that enable
other women in their organization to make more strategic contributions.
Many trailblazers, including the Tory Burch Foundation, Broadway Angels
and Female Founders Fund are setting up networks to help women find
sponsors and advance professionally. 2. Invest in women.
As Elastigirl said in The Incredibles:
“Leave the saving of the world to the men? I don’t think so.” Sallie
Krawcheck often mentions this quote when she's talking about her digital
investment platform Ellevest. (Full disclosure: Ellevest is a partner of Style Salute.)
There is a growing number of impact funds that allow investors to power social and economic change by advancing women globally. How
do they work? Say you invest in a fund that provides loans to
women-owned businesses in a community. You can potentially earn
financial returns from the fund, and it enables other women to grow
their businesses.
And when those businesses grow, they create new opportunities and
more profits, leading to financial growth and a more robust economy.
Studies show that women reinvest 90% of their income back
into their families and communities. In other words, when women thrive,
we all thrive. Investment funds that pursue above market returns
through investing in women include Golden Seeds LLC and Ellevest Impact
Portfolios. 3. Standing up makes a big difference.
One roadblock to equality is women's tendency to stay silent. We have
all been there — we witness something at work that isn't OK, and we
ignore it out of fear, jealousy or ambivalence. We need to change that.
We can all speak up as individuals. When you witness "mansplaining" or a
woman being given "office housework," say something about it in whatever way makes you and everyone else feel comfortable.
Supporting each other will help us advance at work, start businesses,
buy dream homes, reach our big life goals and achieve even more. This
matters for all of us and for our communities.
None of us are operating in a silo. Advancing women in our own
communities and offices and providing opportunities for them to reach
their potential is important both for attaining gender equality and also
for meeting a wide range of international development goals.
We can bridge the gender inequality gap by sponsoring women,
investing in them and standing up for them. My mantra: empowered women
empower women. When we support each other, when we work to make women
stronger, when we break through taboos to speak up — if we do it
together — everyone wins.
Founder and CEO at Formulated.by, overseeing client strategy and business development.
Getty
The feeling of exclusion as a female in tech is a familiar one.
I’m not an engineer, but I have a bachelor’s degree in business and am a
self-taught digital marketing strategist. As a female founder, I’ve
raised more than $10 million dollars in the last 15 years. Even so, I’ll
never forget what a VC said to me when I was fundraising in 2011: “I
didn’t think a woman could write a business plan. It’s hard to believe.”
Shocking, I know. But the truth is, there are many ways to
silence and minimize women’s contributions in tech, and it doesn’t help
that we’re greatly outnumbered. According to Burtch Works, 85% of data scientists are male. What’s more, only 18% of computer science bachelor’s degrees in 2016 were awarded to women, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. So, what can be done to help women make their mark in tech?
I’ve talked to hundreds of women about this subject. Most agree
that while the obstacles to female career advancement are substantial,
there’s also a lot of opportunity to lean on and learn from other women
to get ahead. Here are some of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from
these discussions:
Perfection can be perfectly miserable. We’ve all been in situations that required handing in a project
that felt partially undone, or maybe not up to par with our full
potential. But some of the women I’ve talked to have been truly
paralyzed by the fear of not being perfect. When I was younger, I felt
like my work needed to be perfect or I was a failure. Perfectionism
isn’t uniquely a female trait, but it’s one that has come up time and
time again in my conversations with women in tech. There can be so much
internal pressure to turn out high-quality work so that men take you and
your work more seriously.
This is a tough one to overcome, but the truth is that
perfection is in the eye of beholder. As long as the end result is
usable, that’s generally good enough for enterprise applications. Keep focused on the larger strategy to ameliorate the nagging influence of perfectionism.
You can do the work. Have you ever been in the middle of a project or meeting only
to suddenly be filled with doubt? Maybe you’ve told yourself something
like, “I’m not nearly as good as the people around me and I’m terrified
they’ll find out.” So many women I’ve talked to have described being
haunted by imposter syndrome, and some have said the feeling has stayed
with them for years.
In particular, hierarchies can reinforce imposter syndrome
because they are built to make someone feel like they should be below
someone else. Because only 15% of data scientists are
female, it’s safe to say that most data science teams aren’t led by
women. And without allies and mentors further up the chain, it’s easy to
feel isolated and ineffective.
It’s always helpful to remember that your cumulative years of
experience have led you to this point in your life. But if you're
looking for external validation, the key is to break out of your mold. Going
to meetups and networking events can help you see where your skill set
fits into the wider community. There’s a world outside your department,
and you might just be one of the more talented ones in it. You’re in good company as an introvert.
Let’s face it; data science is a profession full of introverts.
With a solitary work cycle and lots of computer work, many data
scientists can easily minimize human interaction. Introversion has a host of benefits in the workplace,
but at times it can also be isolating or even hindering to your career.
Introverts don’t tend to self promote, whether to seek out mentors or
ask a question. That means they forgo opportunities for advancements and valuable advice.
Given that it’s very difficult to do anything all by yourself,
alliances can help you in the workplace as well as life. Just remember
that you’re surrounded by other people in the same boat. Find
the people who are doing the best work in your industry and start
sharing your work with them. Connect on the thing that you’re both
passionate about — your careers.
We do better together. No matter what you’re doing in data science, one thing is
certain — you don’t have to do it alone. Female mentorship is important
because you get a completely different perspective. I know
firsthand that the insecurities we may face aren’t quite as powerful
when we share them with others. By seeking out other women above you,
you’re arming yourself with a powerful advisory board. And by mentoring
junior women, you’re forging important friendships that make it easier
when you need an extra hand.
So, you’re not alone in this. While I may not be able to stop
men from questioning my work or saying insensitive things like that VC
executive, I do have a large network of women who are available for
mentorship. Find a network that will keep you resilient in the face of
adversity.
Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC)
is an invitation-only, fee-based organization comprised of the world's
most successful entrepreneurs 45 and younger. YEC members represent
nearly every industry, generate billions of dollars in revenue each year
and have created tens of th...
Working from home has many benefits, especially when there are small children involved. However, the article below draws out the disadvantages. However, as with most schemes, an individual has to make it work for them.
Access
to flexible work, including working from home, is important. But we
shouldn’t ignore the downsides that can extend beyond isolation and
loneliness, writes Libby Sander from Bond University in this piece republished from The Conversation.
What if you never had to return to work? Never had to return to work at the office, that is.
You’d be able to juggle kids on school holidays. You wouldn’t need to navigate traffic jams. Your employer might gain increased productivity, lower turnover and lower lease costs. But there are less obvious downsides.
In
2010, as part of building a case for the national broadband network,
the Gillard government set a target for teleworking, suggesting the
Australian economy could save between A$1.4 billion and A$1.9 billion a year if 10% of the workforce teleworked half the time.
Her successors have cooled on the idea. The web address www.telework.gov.au no longer works and reliable statistics for telework don’t exist.
Yet it’s attractive.
It seems like a grand idea…
Studies find working from home cuts
commuting times and associated fatigue, transport congestion, and
environmental impacts. Worldwide, an increasing number of employers are
allowing it in order to attract and retain staff.
Employees value it as a way to maintain a work-life balance, in particular millennials.
And the office has become a nightmare for some. A tide of research finds many employees working in modern open-plan offices are so distracted by noise and interruptions they can’t concentrate.
In my research on the workplace, employees frequently tell me they have to work from home to get work done.
Other research supports these findings. A two-year study
using randomly assigned groups found a 13% productivity increase. It
also found turnover decreased by 50% among those working at home and
that they took shorter breaks and fewer sick days. And the company saved
around US$2,000 (A$2,784) per employee on lease costs.
It’s
enough to make employers allow working from home for everyone who can.
But a key finding from the same study sounds a cautionary note.
More than half the volunteers that worked from home felt so isolated they changed their minds about wanting to do it all the time.
…until you try it
It’s not just isolation and loneliness.
Research shows working from home is far worse for team cohesion and innovation than working in the office.
In 2013 Yahoo chief executive Marissa Meyer banned working from home,
saying that in order “to become the absolute best place to work,
communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be
working side-by-side. That is why it is critical that we are all present
in our offices.”
Since then, other large corporates including Bank of America and IBM have followed suit.
Contrary
to what we might think, research shows that as the availability of
laptops and other remote work devices increases, proximity has becoming
more important.
One study showed that engineers who shared a physical office were 20% more likely to stay in touch digitally
than those who worked remotely. Employees who were in the same office
emailed four times as often to collaborate on shared projects than staff
who weren’t in the office. The result, for these sorts of projects, was
32% faster project completion times.
Other research
finds face to face interaction is essential for identifying
opportunities for collaboration, innovation and developing relationships
and networks.
Another study
of home workers from 15 countries found 42% of remote workers had
trouble sleeping, waking up repeatedly in the night, compared to only
29% who always worked in the office.
Some 41% of highly mobile workers felt stress “always or most of the time” compared to only 25% who always worked at the office
.
Part
of the stress is due to being tethered to mobile devices, often kept by
beds, as well as the challenges of working from home. Locating
colleagues to keep projects moving and trying to do conference calls
surrounded by children, barking dogs or delivery people at the door is
not as easy as it sounds.
Perhaps not surprisingly then, another study finds that, rather than being helpful, working from home is likely to interfere with family life.
And other studies
suggest not being in the office regularly can hinder your career,
resulting in being overlooked for projects or promotions. Out of sight
can mean out of mind.
For some, what’s best will be some of both
There are strong, evidence-based reasons to both work from home and the office. So, what’s best?
One
thing that can be said with certainty is that workers shouldn’t be
forced to work from home because the office is too noisy for them to
concentrate.
Employers need to ensure the workplace is designed
effectively for the type of work that needs to be done, and also for the
type of people who work there.
Access to flexible work, including
working from home is important, but it needs to be balanced with the
benefits of face to face interaction.
A halfway house is for
employees working from home to have access to shared coworking spaces
(working with workers from other firms and other industries) where they
can get some of the benefits of being in the office without having to
travel there.
Coworking spaces have been shown
to reduce isolation, while providing employees with the benefits of
access to a more diverse network and exposure to innovative ideas.
From left to right: Stephany Lapierre, Amra Tareen, and Katie ElizabethEdited by Bijan Khosravi
Women around the world are rising up to
fight for equal opportunities in the workforce. They, sick of the status
quo, are using social media to mobilize against the injustices they
face on a daily basis. And it’s working. Look at the walkout at Google,
the recent elections in U.S., or the #MeToo movement. Women are making
change happen.
I recently met with three women who started their own companies to ask this very question.
My first meeting was with Toronto based Stephany Lapierre, CEO at tealbook.
Lapierre has significant operations experience with 12 years of
consulting services background. Her business idea came during a client
meeting when she discovered a major enterprise operation deficiency.
She, with laughter and a great sense humor said, “I wasn’t the
stereotypical entrepreneur—I had no team, no technical support and
couldn’t boast a degree from Stanford or MIT—but I had the drive and
persisted.”
Lapierre said she met many great people who wanted to help her,
including other entrepreneurs and influencers who helped her with
obstacles she didn’t immediately know how to tackle. She said the three
things that made her successful were: betting everything on her idea,
finding angel investors and mentors who believed in her, and meeting her
CTO.
Lapierre believes men and women face the same changes—with the
exception that most women want to connect all the dots before taking a
major risk. Male entrepreneurs are more likely to call a couple of
buddies and just get started.
Women@Forbes
I write about women pushing limits of creativity & entrepreneurship.
Ellen Pompeo speaks to the crowd at Marie Claire's annual Power Trip.KATHRYN WIRSING/MARIE CLAIRE
Ellen Pompeo is fired up. She's fired up
and she's unapologetic about it and she's wearing the chicest blue power
suit you've ever seen while her daughter Stella is snacking on gummy
bears and smiling a smile as big as the moon as she watches her mother
straight talk a room full of powerful women about how to be even more
powerful.
"We’re taught if we’re not bitches we aren’t going to be taken
seriously. But we need to be bitches to the men not the women," Pompeo
says. "Start talking to each other. Stop blaming each other." This room likes everything Pompeo says. They nod and whoop and
cheer and pinch one another, almost like they're trying to figure out if
this is a dream. Imagine, a Hollywood actress actually telling it like
it is. Pompeo has been telling it like it is for awhile now, but it's
one thing to read about it and it's an entirely different thing to see
it right in front of you.
"As women we’re not taught to be brave and celebrate ourselves. We’re
taught to be quiet and shy and not brag about who we are and what we
make. It’s time to start bragging," she continues onstage to the rapt
audience at Marie Claire's annual Power Trip conference. Bragging is celebrated at the Power Trip which brought
a hundred powerful women in business, tech and Hollywood together for
36 hours in San Francisco to brag and chat and connect.
The idea of the Power Trip is to transcend the traditional conference
and allow women to collide and collaborate. Pompeo is currently
living that ethos. She wants women to talk and once they start she
doesn't want them to stop.
"One of the most important things we’ve learned in the past year in
Hollywood is that we need to start speaking to each other. In Hollywood
we were not in a culture of being able to talk to each other," Pompeo
says. "We need to ask other women, 'what are you making?' 'what did he
do to you?' 'This is what they're paying me.' 'This is what he did.' We
need to share with each other everything we know because there’s power
in numbers. We should believe women and support women and defend women
and protect each other because the men are not going to protect us."
Pompeo's advice represents the new breed of advice for how women can
help other women. And it was really just the tip of the iceberg during
the Power Trip. Here's some of the best advice we gathered from this
crowd of wildly inspiring women about how to actually lift up other
women. Jen Rubio, President and Chief Brand Officer, Away
"Call on them. Ask for their feedback in meetings. Give them
opportunities to lead new projects. Proactively identify ways to call
them out for their wins, like in a team-wide Slack note. It will help us
all get more comfortable embracing our successes, not just anticipating
our potential failures." Sarah Kunst, Managing Director, Cleo Capital
"Give women money."
Sharon Stone told the crowd the advice
she gives her three sons: "I explain to my sons what boundaries are and
that no means f---ing no."KATHRYN WIRSING/MARIE CLAIRE
Sharon Stone, Actress, Producer, Activist "The stories we tell matter. The people telling them matter. Together we are stronger. Together we will change the world." Nancy Berger, Publisher, Marie Claire
“Connect a woman to another woman that can help her - it’s all about connecting.”
Laura Holstein, Head of Development, Calamity Jane
"Lead with respect and compassion for other women. Be more inclusive and befriend women who are different than yourself!" Anne Fulenwider, Editor-in-Chief, Marie Claire
"I find ‘women supporting women’ an honorable goal but somewhat
daunting in its generality. Start with the specific. Start with the
women you know and know how to help. Make an introduction you think
could be useful. Give a meaningful compliment. It matters. Women are
always so busy trying to problem solve we rarely stop to make sure we
ourselves are okay. Check in with the women in your immediate circle.
Cultivate your own community." Rehab Fagiri, Co-founder and CEO, AptDeco
"Make a conscious effort to help one to two women within the
next 12 months and really follow through. It’s not enough to take
meetings with junior women. Go the extra mile to help them reach their
next milestone — listen, dig, plot and build together. Set regular
checkpoints and closely follow their progress. We will see more women in
senior positions when we all work collectively as a team, roll our
sleeves, and fully dive in. As the saying goes, it takes a village to
educate a child and it takes a village to see more women in senior
positions."
Courtney O'Donnell, Director of Strategic Engagements, Airbnb
"Create environments that encourage women to raise their
voices. We all know how it feels to be in a meeting or group, and not
feel "heard" despite our best attempts.The simple and intentional act of
reinforcing women's comments, highlighting their ideas and creating
spaces that feel supportive can go a long way."
Julie Rice, Chief Brand Officer WeWork
"One of the highlights of my career thus far has been the
awesome women I have had the pleasure of meeting. One way we can really
help each other out is to SHARE contacts. My business partner Elizabeth
and I get a lot of pleasure from sharing out time and the relationships
we have cultivated with other women. We are enthusiastic “connectors “.
I think back to when we were starting SoulCycle and how few female
entrepreneurs we had to help point us in the right direction. Connecting
awesome women with complimentary skill sets who can help each other
accomplish big things is a tangible way to support other women."
Sheila Shekar Pollak, Chief Marketing Officer, Athleta
“I deeply believe movement powers our brains and bodies. Grab a
girlfriend and try something out of your comfort zone. If you’re a
yogi, take a kick boxing class; if you’re a runner, try stand up
paddling. If you love the studio, go for a hike. By being vulnerable,
you’ll realize all you’re capable of - and with a friend, you’re more
likely to try something new and to have some great laughs!”
Jill Kaplan, President, NY/NJ, United Airlines "There is a difference between networking and having a
network. Therefore it is critically important that you have at least 3
or 4 women in your inner circle that you trust and enjoy being with;
because you need to know who you can count on to give you honest, real
advice even if it is tough to hear."
Jo Piazza is the bestselling author of The Knockoff, Fitness Junkie and How to Be Married.
Her new novel, Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win, will be released in summer 2018 by Simon & Shuster.
Jo Piazza is a bestselling author. Her new novel, Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win, a searing story of political ambition, marriage, class and sexual politics, comes out in July.
As we put together our annual Most Powerful Women ranking, we took a moment to ask these powerful executives: how do they get it done? Twenty-two women on Fortune‘s list shared the productivity tips that allow them to oversee billions with time to spare.
Marillyn Hewson, Chairman, President, and CEO, Lockheed Martin No. 1
My biggest productivity tip for leaders is to have
bias for action in all you do. You must reject the idea that things
“just happen.” This helps create a mindset to take on challenges,
constantly learn and improve, and make decisions in a way that shapes
the future.
Ginni Rometty, Chairman, President, and CEO, IBM No. 4
I have two: First, only you control your time—and you
set your day’s priorities. Second, as you prioritize your work, always
do the hardest things first.
For me, the most important thing to ensure
productivity and success within my organization is communication across
all levels, all of the time. I believe a leader who can communicate
their vision and goals consistently and clearly is more likely to result
in employees feeling a true sense of purpose and passion for success.
And build the right culture.
Judith McKenna, President and CEO, Walmart International No. 14
Don’t procrastinate! I love the Mark Twain quote, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”
Ann Marie Campbell, EVP, U.S. Stores, Home Depot No. 16
Find and harness your superpower. As women, we often
think we have to be perfect in our roles before taking on a new
opportunity or challenge, which couldn’t be further from the truth.
Every person brings forth their own unique strengths—we must all dig
deep to find that superpower and then own the unique value we bring to
the table.
Sleep, so you can be as helpful, creative, and engaged as possible with your team on the hard stuff.
Leanne Caret, President and CEO, Defense, Space & Security, and EVP, Boeing No. 23
Surround yourself with a brilliant team and listen to them. And a nice helping of Diet Coke.
Geisha Williams, President and CEO, PG&E No. 24
Never underestimate the importance of taking care of
yourself—get a good night’s rest, take breaks, eat healthily. You’re
readier for what the day brings your way.
Beth Ford, President and CEO, Land O’Lakes No. 30
Be on time. I believe the first signal of whether or not you respect people is showing up on time for whatever is on the agenda.
Lisa Davis, CEO Siemens Energy, Siemens AG No. 31
I think it is about technologies and keeping a clear
objective. Firstly, adapting to, and adopting, technologies that foster
expeditious collaboration is a great way to drive productivity. Whether
it is to use collaboration platforms for team work versus scheduling
meetings or entire business units using virtual reality to help
colleagues diagnose technical problems from across the globe, to
reducing a complex supply chain with additive manufacturing, technology
allows us to increase our productivity.
Secondly, always staying focused on the task at hand.
In our complex world it is easy to get consumed in details and lose
track of what you are trying to accomplish. Always keeping a clear
objective and ensuring you and the team stay focused ensures success.
And always asking the question, ‘What specifically are we trying to
accomplish or what problem are we working to solve?’ is key to success.
Julie Sweet, CEO North America, Accenture, No. 32
Unplug to unlock—I am at my most productive when I
make sure to disconnect in the evenings and on weekends. It helps me
recharge and see the new ideas that make an impact.
Jennifer Taubert, EVP, Worldwide Chairman, Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson No. 37
Hire amazing people. When you have a fabulous team, everything is much easier.
Lynne Doughtie, Chairman and CEO, KPMG U.S. No. 38
Every day, focus on the things that only you can
do—and do those first. If you allow yourself to get bogged down with
your never-ending “to-do” list, you’ll miss opportunities to make the
greatest impact.
Bridget van Kralingen, SVP Blockchain, Industry Platforms, Accounts, and Partnerships, IBM No. 39
I believe in binding anxiety, not creating it.
Learning, creativity, and progress come when you use anxiety for good
and establish a tension of the task. I’ve witnessed a great deal of
productivity lost when paralysis sets in due to fear and judgment. When
we create an environment where we can harness urgency, enthusiasm, and
collaboration in a positive way, great things can happen.
Kelly Grier, U.S. Chairman and Americas Managing Partner, EY No. 40
There’s no question that the best productivity tool
is a great team that you leverage extensively. I also block out at least
an hour every day to “think” and focus on the important and escape the
urgent.
Your most valuable asset is your time. Every moment
of every day counts. Be ruthless about prioritization so that you make
the absolute most out of your time. Take control of your calendar—it’s
freeing to say no to meetings or engagements where you aren’t uniquely
adding value or bringing back insights to drive commercial growth. If
you are willing to say no, it gives you opportunities to spend your time
on what’s really important. Ask yourself, “where is it that only I can
make the difference?” That’s where you should be.
Carolyn Tastad, Group President, North America, Procter & Gamble No. 44
I think the biggest productivity driver is clarity on
what matters most and focus on only that. Put the other stuff aside.
Strategy is very important and once you have a strategy, execute those
choices rigorously. Don’t stray. Don’t get distracted. Don’t let the
choices creep.
And then there are the little tips. I try to focus my
day on big stuff. I leave email to the end of the day so that I’ll be
time-pressured to get through it as efficiently as possible. I leave the
little follow-up stuff to the evening for the same reason. And I have
an amazing assistant who keeps my life organized and helps me say no
when I need to.
Mary Dillon, CEO, Ulta Beauty No. 45
Collaboration is easily my best productivity tool. I
always look for the ability to collaborate in all my teams and
colleagues. It is so important to surround yourself with leaders who are
functional experts who can bring specific expertise to the broader
team. Business is complex and all functions are interdependent. I am
convinced that we run a better, more productive business when we are
collaborating across all functions.
Helena Foulkes, CEO, Hudson’s Bay Company No. 46
I’m a walking “to do” list. Every Friday I think
through critical work that needs to get done in the following weeks to
have the impact I want to have. And every day I prioritize things I must
get done along with other items, personal and professional, which need
follow up.
Anne Finucane, Vice Chairman; Chairman, BofA Merrill Lynch Intl., Bank of America No. 49
Don’t listen to the distractions, focus on the long game. Put a great, motivated team around you.
As a Lean Six Sigma master black belt, my goal is to
shape a process-driven culture at Hertz. Achieving continuous, stable
and predictable process results is critically important to business
success. And technology is the secret weapon. Process automation drives
faster communication of strategies, increased time spent on strategic
priorities and greater project completion rates.
Barbara Humpton, U.S. CEO, Siemens Ones to watch
Delegate! I’ve learned that nothing makes people happier than to be trusted with important work. Contributors: Kristen Bellstrom, Grace Donnelly,
Matt Heimer, Emma Hinchliffe, Aric Jenkins, Beth Kowitt, Monica
Rodriguez, Lisa Marie Segarra, Lucinda Shen, Jonathan Vanian, Phil
Wahba, Jen Wieczner.
