[Music] you
you
you take a few seconds and think about that
take a few seconds and think about that
take a few seconds and think about that most memorable time in your childhood
most memorable time in your childhood
most memorable time in your childhood how did it define you how did it set up
how did it define you how did it set up
how did it define you how did it set up your framework for your life I know what
your framework for your life I know what
your framework for your life I know what mine was when I was 14 my dad dropped
mine was when I was 14 my dad dropped
mine was when I was 14 my dad dropped dead in top of me I’m not speaking
dead in top of me I’m not speaking
dead in top of me I’m not speaking metaphorically
metaphorically
metaphorically I had just prepared a milkshake for him
I had just prepared a milkshake for him
I had just prepared a milkshake for him and he was reaching for it and collapsed
and he was reaching for it and collapsed
and he was reaching for it and collapsed like timber falling crashing both our
like timber falling crashing both our
like timber falling crashing both our bodies to the floor and pinning me
bodies to the floor and pinning me
bodies to the floor and pinning me underneath while his last air left his
underneath while his last air left his
underneath while his last air left his lungs in giant heaves that’s 200 pound
lungs in giant heaves that’s 200 pound
lungs in giant heaves that’s 200 pound body stiffened against mine trapping me
body stiffened against mine trapping me
body stiffened against mine trapping me in this horrible moment until I could
in this horrible moment until I could
in this horrible moment until I could push my way out to call the operator for
push my way out to call the operator for
push my way out to call the operator for help these were the days before 911 the
help these were the days before 911 the
help these were the days before 911 the ambulance and the fire department
ambulance and the fire department
ambulance and the fire department arrived in minutes after evaluating my
arrived in minutes after evaluating my
arrived in minutes after evaluating my dad from about 10 feet away the
dad from about 10 feet away the
dad from about 10 feet away the paramedic looked at me shook his head
paramedic looked at me shook his head
paramedic looked at me shook his head thumbs down motion like Nero in the
thumbs down motion like Nero in the
thumbs down motion like Nero in the Coliseum he’s dead he’s dead take him
Coliseum he’s dead he’s dead take him
Coliseum he’s dead he’s dead take him away
away
away the policeman grabbed me put me in the
the policeman grabbed me put me in the
the policeman grabbed me put me in the back of his police car and drove me to
back of his police car and drove me to
back of his police car and drove me to the emergency room after several hours
the emergency room after several hours
the emergency room after several hours my family arrived to the hospital to
my family arrived to the hospital to
my family arrived to the hospital to find me still in my school uniform
find me still in my school uniform
find me still in my school uniform barefoot catatonic on the linoleum floor
barefoot catatonic on the linoleum floor
barefoot catatonic on the linoleum floor I’ve been sitting there cold and alone
I’ve been sitting there cold and alone
I’ve been sitting there cold and alone feeling fearful and guilty that I just
feeling fearful and guilty that I just
feeling fearful and guilty that I just couldn’t save my dad that night I
couldn’t save my dad that night I
couldn’t save my dad that night I returned home with my family
returned home with my family
returned home with my family and it seemed like the the world had
and it seemed like the the world had
and it seemed like the the world had stopped everyone was talking whispering
stopped everyone was talking whispering
stopped everyone was talking whispering crying and just trying to make sense out
crying and just trying to make sense out
crying and just trying to make sense out of their loss i sat in a chair slouched
of their loss i sat in a chair slouched
of their loss i sat in a chair slouched over feeling emotionally empty it it
over feeling emotionally empty it it
over feeling emotionally empty it it seemed like that night went on forever
the next morning my brother who had
the next morning my brother who had dealt with his grief by downing a bottle
dealt with his grief by downing a bottle
dealt with his grief by downing a bottle of whiskey the night before walked into
of whiskey the night before walked into
of whiskey the night before walked into my room and abruptly woke me up he said
my room and abruptly woke me up he said
my room and abruptly woke me up he said get ready for school as if nothing had
get ready for school as if nothing had
get ready for school as if nothing had happened I thought for a moment I was
happened I thought for a moment I was
happened I thought for a moment I was having a nightmare
while funeral arrangements were being
while funeral arrangements were being made at home i sat in class paralyzed
made at home i sat in class paralyzed
made at home i sat in class paralyzed filled with tremendous guilt fear and
filled with tremendous guilt fear and
filled with tremendous guilt fear and confusion my teacher was about ready to
confusion my teacher was about ready to
confusion my teacher was about ready to reprimand me for not paying attention in
reprimand me for not paying attention in
reprimand me for not paying attention in class when the door open and sister Mary
class when the door open and sister Mary
class when the door open and sister Mary the principal walked in and looked
the principal walked in and looked
the principal walked in and looked directly at me my classmate and neighbor
directly at me my classmate and neighbor
directly at me my classmate and neighbor had quietly informed her what had
had quietly informed her what had
had quietly informed her what had happened sister Mary whisked me out of
happened sister Mary whisked me out of
happened sister Mary whisked me out of the classroom and in a moment of
the classroom and in a moment of
the classroom and in a moment of compassion kindness and understanding
compassion kindness and understanding
compassion kindness and understanding hugged me our lives are filled
with many disruptions trauma erupts
with many disruptions trauma erupts adversity hits us and fear and guilt
adversity hits us and fear and guilt
adversity hits us and fear and guilt consume us but how we react to life’s
consume us but how we react to life’s
consume us but how we react to life’s challenges it defines who we will be
challenges it defines who we will be
challenges it defines who we will be sister Mary she taught me some powerful
sister Mary she taught me some powerful
sister Mary she taught me some powerful lessons she taught me how to thrust
lessons she taught me how to thrust
lessons she taught me how to thrust myself up and focus on school and later
myself up and focus on school and later
myself up and focus on school and later the corporate ladder she encouraged me
the corporate ladder she encouraged me
the corporate ladder she encouraged me to ask for help and to help others
sister Mary became the ballast to my
sister Mary became the ballast to my capsizing life over the months they
capsizing life over the months they
capsizing life over the months they followed sister Mary became my
followed sister Mary became my
followed sister Mary became my unexpected and much appreciated mentor
unexpected and much appreciated mentor
unexpected and much appreciated mentor she taught me some powerful lessons that
she taught me some powerful lessons that
she taught me some powerful lessons that helped shape my life and helped me
helped shape my life and helped me
helped shape my life and helped me create the lens through which I envision
create the lens through which I envision
create the lens through which I envision greater success for women and engagement
greater success for women and engagement
greater success for women and engagement I move beyond guilt and fear by learning
I move beyond guilt and fear by learning
I move beyond guilt and fear by learning to be accountable for my own happiness
to be accountable for my own happiness
to be accountable for my own happiness and creating my own opportunities
accountability sounds so negative I
accountability sounds so negative I prefer to think of accountability though
prefer to think of accountability though
prefer to think of accountability though as my own personal call to action it’s a
as my own personal call to action it’s a
as my own personal call to action it’s a personal choice to find a solution we
personal choice to find a solution we
personal choice to find a solution we now have some outstanding women leading
now have some outstanding women leading
now have some outstanding women leading some of the nation’s largest companies
some of the nation’s largest companies
some of the nation’s largest companies we have a woman chair of the Federal
we have a woman chair of the Federal
we have a woman chair of the Federal Reserve two of our largest nations in
Reserve two of our largest nations in
Reserve two of our largest nations in the world are led by women
the world are led by women
the world are led by women we are making progress wouldn’t it be
we are making progress wouldn’t it be
we are making progress wouldn’t it be groundbreaking if these women at the
groundbreaking if these women at the
groundbreaking if these women at the helm that are brilliant and powerful
helm that are brilliant and powerful
helm that are brilliant and powerful could implement gender balance to their
could implement gender balance to their
could implement gender balance to their own corporation or their cabinet the CEO
own corporation or their cabinet the CEO
own corporation or their cabinet the CEO of one of the largest automotive
of one of the largest automotive
of one of the largest automotive companies in the nation is doing exactly
companies in the nation is doing exactly
companies in the nation is doing exactly this she’s brought on 50 percent women
this she’s brought on 50 percent women
this she’s brought on 50 percent women to their board of directors significant
to their board of directors significant
to their board of directors significant change in gender parity in the executive
change in gender parity in the executive
change in gender parity in the executive ranks is depressingly slow women make up
ranks is depressingly slow women make up
ranks is depressingly slow women make up approximately 50 percent of our
approximately 50 percent of our
approximately 50 percent of our workforce yet only hold 4% of CEO
workforce yet only hold 4% of CEO
workforce yet only hold 4% of CEO positions and only 19 percent of
positions and only 19 percent of
positions and only 19 percent of executive leadership and board of
executive leadership and board of
executive leadership and board of director rules we need women to promote
director rules we need women to promote
director rules we need women to promote women to motivate change and to uncover
women to motivate change and to uncover
women to motivate change and to uncover gender equality solutions there are
gender equality solutions there are
gender equality solutions there are still misconceptions many believe that
still misconceptions many believe that
still misconceptions many believe that women do not advance because they leave
women do not advance because they leave
women do not advance because they leave the workforce for family reasons data
the workforce for family reasons data
the workforce for family reasons data tells us only 10% actually leave this
tells us only 10% actually leave this
tells us only 10% actually leave this isn’t new news this is an old problem
isn’t new news this is an old problem
isn’t new news this is an old problem that needs a new solution there is
that needs a new solution there is
that needs a new solution there is always reasons to advocate for our
always reasons to advocate for our
always reasons to advocate for our accomplishments and our self-worth as
accomplishments and our self-worth as
accomplishments and our self-worth as women we tend to miss allocate our time
women we tend to miss allocate our time
women we tend to miss allocate our time focusing in on details that do not
focusing in on details that do not
focusing in on details that do not promote our career we place networking
promote our career we place networking
promote our career we place networking socializing and often relationships that
socializing and often relationships that
socializing and often relationships that can elevate our career on the back
can elevate our career on the back
can elevate our career on the back burner
burner
burner we need to learn to promote ourselves
we need to learn to promote ourselves
we need to learn to promote ourselves and to value our time and our
and to value our time and our
and to value our time and our accomplishments second we need to stop
accomplishments second we need to stop
accomplishments second we need to stop the women wars yeah
the women wars yeah
the women wars yeah the mommy wars each of our lives is made
the mommy wars each of our lives is made
the mommy wars each of our lives is made up of a single pie how we divide it
up of a single pie how we divide it
up of a single pie how we divide it defines what our priorities and our
defines what our priorities and our
defines what our priorities and our values are the truth is there’s no right
values are the truth is there’s no right
values are the truth is there’s no right answer we may be the CEO at work or the
answer we may be the CEO at work or the
answer we may be the CEO at work or the CEO of our household whatever you decide
CEO of our household whatever you decide
CEO of our household whatever you decide own it stop being impacted by those who
own it stop being impacted by those who
own it stop being impacted by those who belittle your decisions and respect the
belittle your decisions and respect the
belittle your decisions and respect the decisions of others as to how they
decisions of others as to how they
decisions of others as to how they divide their pie better yet
divide their pie better yet
divide their pie better yet build a bridge reach across the
build a bridge reach across the
build a bridge reach across the battlefield and share information
battlefield and share information
battlefield and share information advocate for your gender lend a hand to
advocate for your gender lend a hand to
advocate for your gender lend a hand to your friend who’s a harried business
your friend who’s a harried business
your friend who’s a harried business executive juggling talk calls and tax
executive juggling talk calls and tax
executive juggling talk calls and tax while are watching her daughter’s dress
while are watching her daughter’s dress
while are watching her daughter’s dress rehearsal because she’ll be out of town
rehearsal because she’ll be out of town
rehearsal because she’ll be out of town for opening night
for opening night
for opening night be like my classmate who felt my grief
be like my classmate who felt my grief
be like my classmate who felt my grief who alerted sister Mary when I could not
who alerted sister Mary when I could not
who alerted sister Mary when I could not voice my own sorrow third let’s make
voice my own sorrow third let’s make
voice my own sorrow third let’s make further conscious choices to actively
further conscious choices to actively
further conscious choices to actively recruit mentor and promote more women
recruit mentor and promote more women
recruit mentor and promote more women let’s identify future female leaders
let’s identify future female leaders
let’s identify future female leaders bring them into our pipeline when I was
bring them into our pipeline when I was
bring them into our pipeline when I was 24 I was one of the very few women with
24 I was one of the very few women with
24 I was one of the very few women with a vice-president title in a bank my boss
a vice-president title in a bank my boss
a vice-president title in a bank my boss pulled me aside and bluntly told me that
pulled me aside and bluntly told me that
pulled me aside and bluntly told me that I could never run the division because I
I could never run the division because I
I could never run the division because I was a woman
was a woman
was a woman not now not ever now I knew he couldn’t
not now not ever now I knew he couldn’t
not now not ever now I knew he couldn’t find his backside with both hands in
find his backside with both hands in
find his backside with both hands in daylight but Wow his words they ran so
daylight but Wow his words they ran so
daylight but Wow his words they ran so loudly in my head then I reflected on
loudly in my head then I reflected on
loudly in my head then I reflected on the positive influence I garnered from
the positive influence I garnered from
the positive influence I garnered from sister Mary yep positivity and a few
sister Mary yep positivity and a few
sister Mary yep positivity and a few months later I was recruited to another
months later I was recruited to another
months later I was recruited to another bank later I was promoted to senior vice
bank later I was promoted to senior vice
bank later I was promoted to senior vice president my husband and I raised our
president my husband and I raised our
president my husband and I raised our five children juggled childcare soccer
five children juggled childcare soccer
five children juggled childcare soccer baseball piano lessons cupcakes and even
baseball piano lessons cupcakes and even
baseball piano lessons cupcakes and even board meetings all without a smartphone
board meetings all without a smartphone
board meetings all without a smartphone mmm now I carry two fonts soon after I
mmm now I carry two fonts soon after I
mmm now I carry two fonts soon after I was deciding what I needed to do and I
was deciding what I needed to do and I
was deciding what I needed to do and I transitioned to the executive search
transitioned to the executive search
transitioned to the executive search business who knew and later I founded my
business who knew and later I founded my
business who knew and later I founded my own firm it was a decision I made for my
own firm it was a decision I made for my
own firm it was a decision I made for my family and myself it was a decision that
family and myself it was a decision that
family and myself it was a decision that many Millennials will be forced to make
many Millennials will be forced to make
many Millennials will be forced to make if today’s corporate culture does not
if today’s corporate culture does not
if today’s corporate culture does not change
change
change Millennials are starting their families
Millennials are starting their families
Millennials are starting their families now and they’re facing the same problems
now and they’re facing the same problems
now and they’re facing the same problems that we have faced for many many years
that we have faced for many many years
that we have faced for many many years this is the generation who will inspire
this is the generation who will inspire
this is the generation who will inspire us to change and we need to mentor them
so that they are prepared Millennials
so that they are prepared Millennials are more educated they’re more
are more educated they’re more
are more educated they’re more technically savvy they’re multi
technically savvy they’re multi
technically savvy they’re multi culturally diverse they’re globally
culturally diverse they’re globally
culturally diverse they’re globally communicative and there are multitaskers
there are 10,000 baby boomers retiring
there are 10,000 baby boomers retiring everyday that’s over 3 million people a
everyday that’s over 3 million people a
everyday that’s over 3 million people a year there are 75 million Millennials
year there are 75 million Millennials
year there are 75 million Millennials and we need to mentor them otherwise
and we need to mentor them otherwise
and we need to mentor them otherwise they won’t be equipped to succeed us if
they won’t be equipped to succeed us if
they won’t be equipped to succeed us if we don’t incorporate non gender-based
we don’t incorporate non gender-based
we don’t incorporate non gender-based values Millennials will leave to the
values Millennials will leave to the
values Millennials will leave to the detriment of our established
detriment of our established
detriment of our established corporations and all that talent will be
corporations and all that talent will be
corporations and all that talent will be lost in the past decade we have seen
lost in the past decade we have seen
lost in the past decade we have seen significant progress in valuing a
significant progress in valuing a
significant progress in valuing a culturally diverse workforce now is the
culturally diverse workforce now is the
culturally diverse workforce now is the time to encourage gender balance in our
time to encourage gender balance in our
time to encourage gender balance in our executive ranks we know having women in
executive ranks we know having women in
executive ranks we know having women in leadership roles improves innovation and
leadership roles improves innovation and
leadership roles improves innovation and profitability we understand that men and
profitability we understand that men and
profitability we understand that men and women think differently and they lead
women think differently and they lead
women think differently and they lead differently
differently
differently there is no longer an excuse to delay
there is no longer an excuse to delay
there is no longer an excuse to delay ignore or defend the absence of a woman
ignore or defend the absence of a woman
ignore or defend the absence of a woman in the corner office transformation is
in the corner office transformation is
in the corner office transformation is coming as women take on leadership roles
coming as women take on leadership roles
coming as women take on leadership roles and as Millennials push through our
and as Millennials push through our
and as Millennials push through our ranks as I leave you today I’d like you
ranks as I leave you today I’d like you
ranks as I leave you today I’d like you to think about what your vision is for
to think about what your vision is for
to think about what your vision is for gender equality in your organization
gender equality in your organization
gender equality in your organization what can you do to inspire a sustainable
what can you do to inspire a sustainable
what can you do to inspire a sustainable workforce from the bottom to the top
workforce from the bottom to the top
workforce from the bottom to the top thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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