WorldCity Business Magazine

(3-a) Women Rule - in their own words

by WC

WORLDCITY invited a dozen women leaders from South Floridas international business community to reflect on the significance of the female touch in the corner office and to offer some advice for other women keen to follow in their footsteps. These women are responsible for managing a wide variety of operations from a port to a business school, a telecommunications company to a financial services firm. They share a passion for what they do and believe in their talents and leadership capabilities. And there are plenty more just like them. On pages 34-36, you will find a listing of more than 100 women who head up the operations of multinational companies in South Florida.

BONNIE CRABTREE
Managing Director, Korn/Ferry Florida

Thankfully, we rarely hear women speak about the glass ceiling. We are clearly represented today by more women in leadership roles both domestically and internationally, and I would like to think that our industry has helped move more women forward to the C-suite. But the work isnt done. Women joining the ranks of future executives need to continue to prepare themselves. First, join organizations that are gender blind research the leadership team and do your due diligence on the corporate culture. Seek out international companies that offer opportunities abroad or responsibility for other regions. Second, take ownership of your own career. Learn a language, have the courage to ask for opportunities, ask for leadership development opportunities, ask to chair committees, task forces, projects. Third, join a non-profit organization or volunteer board to get leadership experience and experience working with other executives. Fourth, approach everything with personal ownership for performance. My experience is that the women who are most successful in international companies are those that see no gender, but instead see a job to be done that delivers revenues, profits and return to the shareholders.

LORI BAER
Executive Director, Port of Palm Beach

Seaport management is a field wide open to women. When I started out in the industry some 27 years ago, I could count on one hand the number of females that attended port forums and held port professional positions.

Now, while I am one of only three female port directors in the United States and one of only eight in our country ever, the more significant point is that many more women will be sitting in the Captains chair of their ports in the coming years. One need only look at the number of women holding senior level positions at major deepwater ports around the United States to realize that soon several of them will advance to director status.

Women are successfully filling the ranks of deputy port directors, chiefs of finance, engineering, marketing, operations and public relations. Once you prove yourself in the industry, gender doesnt matter. At one time, three decades ago, port directors invariably came from the ranks of retired military. Now, many universities around the United States and around the world offer extensive coursework and even full degree programs geared toward a career in port management. I encourage all college-bound young people, male and female, to consider pursuing this field. It is truly international, incredibly stimulating and absolutely gets in your blood!

ELIZABETH GARCIA
President, Avaya Caribbean & Latin America

I have over 25 years experience in field of communications, the last five as president of Avayas operations in the Caribbean and Latin America. Originally from Cuba, I have been living in the United States since I was five years old. I started to work at a young age in retail sales, and in 1979 joined the local telephone company in Miami. In those days, the communication world was different. We were considered a monopoly and we did it all: sell, install, bill and collect. Soon enough, I began to develop a passion for technology. Today, there is no doubt that communication technology and solutions have a direct impact in the success of all businesses. I proudly promote technology solutions that allow more flexibility and productivity at the workplace, while also allowing men and women to help achieve a better balance between work and personal life, without jeopardizing either one.

Ever since I began my first job, I have always set my goals and expectations exceptionally high, and although I have encountered obstacles along the way, I havent faltered until theyve been met. I believe that a key to a womans potential success, or anyones, is to develop a comprehensive plan which outlines her main goals, how they will be achieved, and to make the necessary commitments to follow the plan aggressively until they are met.

To succeed, women must deliver intrinsic value to the business. They need to have the right balance of transformational leadership where they are role models and inspire innovation, as well as transactional leadership where they need to invoke action and execution to deliver the business results.

Misconceptions and gender barriers are slowly being dismantled, opening the way for more and more women to occupy leadership positions. Once women realize that there is nothing standing between them and the big corner office, the corporate world might realize that they have many more amazing leaders in their midst.

RITA FERRO
Vice President, Disney and ESPN Media Networks Latin America

During my career I have been fortunate to have come across many amazing, talented, hardworking and truly dedicated women. These women are co-workers, clients, mentors, all in various industries, but all having one thing in common they have a passion for what they do.

I have also been fortunate to work for great companies and great brands, none more so than my current employer. Its a company that encourages women to be leaders, to have a voice, and most important, to have a life outside of their jobs. As women in business, its important to look for employers who encourage and promote woman and diversity among the leadership of the company and who allow you to have an identity that goes beyond your job. The opportunities that exist today for women should not require them to pick between family and career, education and
career, a social life and career. Women in business today can have it all: a satisfying and rewarding job, a family life, an education, and whatever other opportunities they want.

Its not to say that its always easy. There are many times I feel guilty and sad about getting on a plane to fly off to Argentina or Brazil, and leaving my 2-year old daughter for a few days with my husband to take her to school. In an ideal situation, I would be the one to drop her off and pick her up every day. But I think the example I am providing her, while she may be too young today to appreciate it, is one that she will value later.

Women do have it harder in business than men when it comes to merging careers with family life and outside interests, but that just makes them, in my opinion, stronger and more resolute to be successful leaders, mothers, wives and accomplished human beings.

CHRISTINE CLERMONT
International Branch Manager, Miami, Jacksonville, San Juan, C.H. Robinson Worldwide

Whenever I am asked about my views regarding being a woman in a leadership position, my response is always the same I dont think about it in terms of being a male or female leader, but rather, just being a leader, regardless of gender. A leader is someone who guides and inspires others through his or her decisions and actions and someone who encourages others to follow through with the common tasks and goals of the group or organization. It also means providing direction and focus for those you manage. For me, being a leader means inspiring others to act with purpose, integrity and grace while working together to get the job done.

Todays business leaders face more complex challenges than those faced by leaders thirty years ago, and many of the traits that are inherent in women, are much needed in todays business environment. Todays business leaders need to listen more and talk less; they need to be more sensitive and empathetic to the balance between their employees professional and personal lives; they need to exhibit more flexibility, pliability and awareness for the growing cultural and socially dynamic workforce. While being a women business leader still poses inherent challenges and obstructions in some industries and even some countries, women in leadership roles are not only becoming more commonplace, but they are becoming more celebrated. As women, it is more important than ever that we rise to the challenge of becoming leaders.

My advice to anyone looking to become a leader is to take any and all opportunities to manage people. It could be a small workgroup, a committee or even an office team search for and seize the opportunities. Utilize your strengths, skills, experience and inherent assets of being a woman as advantages and put them into practice.

JOYCE ELAM
Executive Dean, College of Business Administration Florida International University

Women have made remarkable progress when it comes to holding leadership positions. Today, women run major companies, sit on corporate boards and assume leadership roles in their communities. Look at any major business publication and you will undoubtedly see featured women who are prominent leaders and power brokers. In fact, almost 40 percent of all management positions in the U.S. are held by women.

Women today have an increasing number of opportunities to lead. What is important to women in choosing among these opportunities is their ability to be an authentic leader to lead in such a way as to achieve a healthy alignment between their inner values and beliefs and their external work environment. Someone who is authentic has a good understanding of her priorities and emotions and can sense what is important to her versus what is important to other people, society or the organization, and is aware of the trade-offs required in making certain choices. Women today are much less likely to accept the status quo when their values become inconsistent with those of the organization because of changes around them. And women today are much less likely to feel that they must adapt to a predominantly male culture when doing so is not true to who they are.

I believe that these are exciting, liberating times for women leaders as they leave behind
many of the restrictions of the past and begin to lead in a way that is unique and true to their passions, values and strengths.

MINDY CUNNINGHAM
Managing Director, Resources Global Professionals

After spending nearly 20 years in professional accounting and consulting firms, I finally made the transition from a male-dominant business community into one where women and men are equal. A womens world? How refreshing! That was my initial thought after entering Resources Global Professionals 2005 annual conference in Miami. I was so excited to be working for a company where women are core to the success of the business. I could tell this by simply looking at the room filled with the firms 500 executive management team members at least half were women.

The world I grew up in professionally was vastly different. I chose a path difficult for anyone, particularly a woman I wanted to be a partner in a Big Four consulting firm. I achieved my goal at age 32 (with two daughters under the age of five). To do that, I worked harder, put in more hours, and took less time off than my male counterparts in order to prove myself and to be a strong role model for my daughters and other women striving to make partner. Regardless of my accomplishments, I never felt the sense of satisfaction and achievement I do today working in a truly diverse environment with no gender barriers.

Today, it is encouraging to see that women can be equal in the workplace, that success can be measured by performance not gender, that women can be inspirational mentors for young women and men, and that the cracks in the glass ceiling are getting larger. If you dont believe me, just ask my 11-year-old daughter, who recently earned the position of starting running back on the boys flag football team. It really is becoming a womens world!

CARMEN GONZALEZ-SANFELIU
Vice President, Latin America Sales, Intelsat

Sure, as women we are faced with immense challenges in the workforce, but there are a few critical tips that will help you excelbe tenacious and stay focused.

At one time in my career, I found myself in an unfulfilling IT analyst job that basically involved drawing circles and arrows that represented process and outputs. During my performance appraisal, my supervisor told me that on a scale of conservative to feminine, you dress too feminine. Dont jump to conclusions, I wasnt wearing short skirts or revealing clothes. I simply didnt wear navy suits and white shirts. Ugh. I was desperate to completely change the track of my career. So I decided to take two courses of the George Washington MBA program. To my surprise, I got an A in both classes. I felt this was a sign and decided to advise the company that I was working for that I had other goals. Visualizing my ideal job, I knew I wanted to work in an international environment, live in the U.S., have the option to continue my MBA and, of course, NOT wear a uniform. After six months, I joined an international organization called Intelsat in Washington, DC. At that time, the workforce was made up of over 100 nationalities and the company not only provided me with a work visa, but also sponsored my MBA. Three years later, I graduated with straight As and now, 20 years later, I am back at Intelsat again, as Vice President of Latin America & the Caribbean Sales, handling over 300 customers and over $330 million in revenues. Pursue your life with determination and passion. Dont forget to carry pink boxing gloves. You will find them handy too

CHARLOTTE GALLOGLY
President, The World Trade Center Miami

Enormous opportunities are available to women interested in careers in international business or in establishing their own companies in the global marketplace. From a salary standpoint, in the U.S., corporate positions in the export arena pay 13-18 percent more than jobs in the domestic marketplace.

This was not the case some 40 years ago when I started working. Women faced significant barriers in entering the workforce as professionals, as well as in being fairly paid for their experience and efforts. Job interviewers would invariably ask, Can you type? regardless of the applicants education and/or experience. Women were pigeon-holed into lower paying positions resulting from prevalent bias and prejudice. Jobs in international business did not exist for women.

As we all know, discrimination against women in the workforce began to be addressed in the late 60s thanks to many factors the most important being the birth of the feminist movement in the U.S. The movement and individuals advocated the need for equal job opportunities and pay for women along with addressing a host of other workforce issues that negatively affected women in their careers.

Today, thanks to the efforts of many organizations and individuals, women are making a significant difference in leading corporate initiatives to enter and succeed in foreign markets. To make a difference, women must focus their energies and passions to succeed in the global marketplace.

Here are four rules of the road that have helped and continue to guide me: Develop a world-class vision for your company; seek out the right partners who can help you accomplish your vision and business plan; identify global mentors who can provide advice and guidance; and, above all, look beyond day-to-day business and challenge yourself to change the world. You can achieve this is by serving on non-profit boards or by donating your time, experience and corporate funding to public service agencies.

KIMBERLY PALMER
Regional Managing Director, Merrill Lynch South Florida

As Merrill Lynch South Floridas regional managing director, I often get asked how it feels to be a woman in a leadership position in a profession still dominated by men. I answer that women are uniquely positioned to work and succeed in the financial industry.

Being a successful financial advisor or manager requires many of the skills that todays women have in abundance: passion and commitment, the ability to multitask, effective communication, an orientation to detail, a talent for cultivating relationships and most of all, a knack for listening. This is not to say that men do not possess such qualities, but rather that the multiple roles todays women juggle enable them to master these skills easily.

In addition, women are taking increasingly active roles in managing their own wealth, be it money they have earned or money they have inherited. Many of them prefer that the person advising them on their finances be a woman as well.

I myself was a financial advisor for close to 15 years and found even in the international arena that many clients, both men and women, wanted to deal with a woman. As a result, I was able to touch many lives and help peoples dreams come true. When I decided to shift my career into management, I found I had the same opportunities, but now with colleagues and recruits as well as clients.

The words of advice I have for women wanting to pursue a career in the financial industry are: work hard, be overprepared, always try to do the right thing, treat people the way you want to be treated, believe in yourself and most importantly, be authentic and you will succeed at anything you set your mind to.

I am fortunate to be working with a corporation that values diversity and strives to attract, train, promote and retain the best talent in the industry.

TERE BLANCA
Senior Managing Director & Branch Manager, Cushman & Wakefield

We have all heard the sayings Its a mans world and old boys network, not to mention the common reference to the global population as mankind. It can make one feel that there is a disproportionate balance in favor of one gender. When I started in commercial real estate twenty years ago, the industry was a male-dominated field and, although there is today a larger representation of women than there was then, it is still a male-dominated industry. Set your own personal path and do not let the perceptions of others sway you off course.

After spending 16 years at one of the premier Florida commercial real estate firms where I had ascended to senior vice president, I was approached by an executive search firm to consider the position of senior managing director and branch manager for Cushman & Wakefield of Florida. The call was unexpected, but certainly opportune. I was ready for another challenge.

Cushman & Wakefield is the largest privately held global commercial real estate services firm in the world. As head of the South Florida region in September 2003, I was joining only one other woman with regional responsibility for multiple offices, and I had never previously held a managerial position. The challenges at hand could have felt overwhelming. Be open to explore opportunities, lead by example with enthusiasm and share your vision.

During my tenure at Cushman & Wakefield I am pleased to say we have become the leading and dominant full-service commercial real estate services firm in South Florida. We retained and recruited a highly qualified team of professionals, expanded our offices to increase geographic coverage and added new specialty practice groups. We have grown gross revenues as of end of 2006 by over 65 percent and have doubled profitability in that time period. I am most proud of the collaborative relationships and corporate culture established in our offices. Be strategic and patient to reach your goals there is no glass ceiling unless you think there is one.

KAY URBAN
President & CEO, Amadeus North America

In my view, leadership is defined by ones ability to influence others and ultimately move a business forward. A true leader exerts influence and is a wonderfully positive force who instills excitement in others.

Women leaders today do not wait for a leadership opportunity to be handed to them in their business or their industry. But rather they are carving out their own paths making it happen, just doing it for themselves and succeeding across the board. And you dont have to be the
chief cook to be influential. Leaders can exist at all levels of any organization. Success is not in the acquisition of a title, but it can become a reflection of that success.

Leaders who move forward and who ultimately move business forward are individuals who are willing to be bold, willing to be engaged in their industry, willing to think a little bit differently, more creatively, than their predecessors or those around them.

I do think at times women have to work a little bit harder to get the recognition or see the movement. But a true leader will work harder, become better and do the best they can in light of any challenges or obstacles.

But when serving in a leadership position, we must also walk a fine line when it comes to influence. We cannot micro-manage people in a way that inhibits them or diminishes their authority. And we also have the responsibility to mentor others. It is so important because as we mentor others, we not only prepare our companies but also our industries for the next generation of leaders.

Leadership demands that you set yourself at a level where you can look, think and act broadly. At the same time, the leader knows and understands what people are doing and understands how the implementation and execution of her vision will become a reality.