Chelsea Clinton said last night that her mother is her hero. My guess is that hearing those words last night meant more to Hillary than the roar of the crowd at the Democratic National Convention - a lot more.

So what did Hillary Clinton do to win such high praise from her daughter?

• She stayed strong and principled. She showed her daughter that she was not willing to back down on the issues that matter to her.
• She set her sights high. She didn’t apologize for her ambition, demonstrating to her daughter that women should not hide their talents, skills and experience.
• She claimed credit for her contributions. Eighteen million cracks in the glass ceiling is no small feat; Hillary made history and modeled for her daughter that women must be unafraid to take credit for their accomplishments.

I hope I’ve been able to teach my daughter those things as well. What lessons do you think are most important to teach your daughters, nieces or the women you mentor?

TAGS: mentoring, Raising Girls, women role models

I frequently tell women they need to look for female role models to emulate.  By watching the behavior of certain successful women you can get a good idea for how you should act if you want to be taken seriously and achieve your goals.  Michelle Obama is a great example of a woman who does a pretty darn good job of walking The Thin Pink Line.  She’s educated (Princeton and Harvard), she’s articulate, she has a sense of humor, she’s genuine, and she’s all that without losing an ounce of her femininity. When it comes to role models, I’d put her in my top ten.  Now that I’ve had the chance to watch her, I’d even put her ahead of Hillary.  Who would YOU put on the top ten list and why?  Let’s see if together we can develop a Top Ten for Walking the Thin Pink Line.

TAGS: Michelle Obama, women role models

The Wall Street Journal is all abuzz about Barbara Desoer who has recently been asked by Ken Lewis, Bank of America’s CEO, to take over its troubled mortgage business.  Not only is the mortgage lending business generally in trouble due to the state of the US economy but Bank of America’s mortgage business has the added burden of trying to swallow the problems of the recently acquired Countrywide Financial.  Carol Hymowitz’s Front Line blog asks readers to comment on their experiences regarding taking on high risk roles that have afforded them an opportunity to advance. 

One woman’s story (see the comment by risk taker)  reminded me about the glass cliff research I wrote about  a couple of weeks ago in conjunction with a post about Erin Callan.  While she writes that she did the right thing for herself and that it was worth it, she also describes her boss as “difficult”, noting, “when things went right he tended to take the credit”.   She also is very clear that there was a high personal cost. (more…)

TAGS: corner office, new to the job, playing to win, Risk-taking, The Wall Street Journal, women and careers, Women at Work, women leaders, women role models

Yesterday, I was the morning speaker for the Pennsylvania Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession.  The conference theme was “Women and Politics” so my talk focused on how women can increase their political capital by negotiating more effectively, whether they are running for public office or not.  Could the timing have been any more interesting given that news that Hillary Clinton has decided to suspend her campaign broke just last night? Yes, there I was in Pennsylvania, a state that had meant so much to the Clinton candidacy, speaking to a group of women lawyers but I must admit I was feeling very depressed about the outcome of the Clinton campaign. 

Then Gerry Ferraro made me feel better.  (more…)

TAGS: Geraldine A. Ferraro, Hillary, Hillary Clinton, media bias, Politics, Women In the Professions, women role models

“Sex and the City” made its debut last week (no doubt you heard about it!) but “what’s your point, honey? ” also opened.  Yes, the crowd admittedly was smaller but no less enthusiastic.

The independent film, written, directed and produced byAmy Sewell and Susan Toffler is insightful, powerful and funny.  It tells the stories of seven young women who were selected by CosmoGirl magazine as possible candidates for the White House in 2024 - the contest was designed to create more interest in politics among young women.  These young women are diverse and engaging; they are candid about their personal lives and professional aspirations and I don’t think you can watch the movie without liking each and every one of them. 

Adding to the movie’s charm are the hard hitting “documentary” style questions posed by three younger girls, for example, “Why don’t we have a woman in the White House?” and, “Would you vote for a qualified woman?”

Not surprisingly, Sewell and Toffler weren’t able to secure big studio money to back the film - F-word movies (”feminist” that is) don’t do well, Sewell was told.. So their plan is to distribute the film via DVD (available via their website) and encourage people to invite guests to watch with them. 

As far as I’m concerned, either before or after your girls’ field trip to see “Sex and the City”, stay home with your friends to watch the feel good movie of the year.  The shoes won’t be as fashionista but the ideas will definitely get you talking!

TAGS: Cultural diversity, dealing with family expectations, look and sound of leadership, Political debates, Politics, Raising Girls, Self-trust, women, women role models

The Pink May/June issue includes the results of a poll the magazine did of more than 2500 women who attended a series of conferences in six cities during 2007. Among the findings is that 98% of those polled believed that they have a responsibility to help other women.

So, if you too feel a responsibility to make the workplace a better place for other women, don’t just think about it, take action.

• If your company has a formal mentoring program, consider participating in it. If it doesn’t, think about starting one. Or at least mentor another woman on an informal basis.
• If your company has a women’s affinity group, join it. Volunteer to help in whatever capacity you can.
• If you lead people, be sure you offer the same opportunities to the women on your team as you do to the men. Don’t be blindsided by the gender schemas that affect both men and women.

What other suggestions do you have? What kinds of help have you given to other woman? Let’s make each other’s day!

TAGS: competition, Cultural diversity, look and sound of leadership, servant leadership, Volunteering at work, Women at Work, Women In the Professions, women leaders, women not trusting women, women role models, women working for women

To listen to the spin the media is putting on it, Silda Spitzer is one weak sister for standing by her cheating husband, Eliot.  The pundits were out in mass today asking how any woman with an ounce of self-respect could put up with a philandering husband — even going so far as to suggest money, power, or security must be at the core of such a decision.  You know, one of the things I like about women is that we don’t desert people at the first hint of scandal or problems in the relationship whether that relationship is  marriage, friendship, or familial.  Unlike many men who bolt or stray when the wife becomes terminally ill, a child is born with a disability, or the wife (God forbid) gains weight, women are loyal — at times to a fault.  I’m not saying Ms. Spitzer should stay with the governor — nor am I saying she should leave.  All I’m saying is that women who provide support to others when they need it most, then make longer-term decisions later after much thought, deliberation, fact-finding or counseling, should be lauded not ridiculed.  They are wonderful examples to their daughters (and sons) for how to handle relationship crises.  Let those among us who are without sin cast the first stone. 

TAGS: Eliot Spitzer, loyalty, Silda Spitzer, stand by your man, women role models