I have worked at the point company for over ten years and it’s been a great
over ten years and it’s been a great
over ten years and it’s been a great adventure my first discovery actually
adventure my first discovery actually
adventure my first discovery actually started during the second week at the
started during the second week at the
started during the second week at the company I went to our CEOs weekly
company I went to our CEOs weekly
company I went to our CEOs weekly meeting excited a little bit nervous
meeting excited a little bit nervous
meeting excited a little bit nervous like how I am right now and I arrived
like how I am right now and I arrived
like how I am right now and I arrived there five minutes early very eager to
there five minutes early very eager to
there five minutes early very eager to sit at the boardroom table I looked
sit at the boardroom table I looked
sit at the boardroom table I looked around I saw every chair is taken except
around I saw every chair is taken except
around I saw every chair is taken except for one so I thought I go and sit down
for one so I thought I go and sit down
for one so I thought I go and sit down in that chair
immediately I heard a very very soft but
immediately I heard a very very soft but a definite collective cause I thought oh
a definite collective cause I thought oh
a definite collective cause I thought oh my dear I must be sitting in my CEOs
my dear I must be sitting in my CEOs
my dear I must be sitting in my CEOs chair I looked around from the corner of
chair I looked around from the corner of
chair I looked around from the corner of my eyes and I noticed several colleagues
my eyes and I noticed several colleagues
my eyes and I noticed several colleagues are giving me a very disapproving stairs
are giving me a very disapproving stairs
are giving me a very disapproving stairs so I thought to myself I guess I have a
so I thought to myself I guess I have a
so I thought to myself I guess I have a choice I can stand up and go and sit at
choice I can stand up and go and sit at
choice I can stand up and go and sit at the back of the room or I can remain
the back of the room or I can remain
the back of the room or I can remain seated
[Applause]
[Applause] but what shall I do so before I tell you
but what shall I do so before I tell you
but what shall I do so before I tell you what I did let me give you a brief
what I did let me give you a brief
what I did let me give you a brief context about how I actually arrived at
context about how I actually arrived at
context about how I actually arrived at that moment of truth let me take you
that moment of truth let me take you
that moment of truth let me take you back to when I was born when my father
back to when I was born when my father
back to when I was born when my father was told that his newborn baby is a girl
was told that his newborn baby is a girl
was told that his newborn baby is a girl he reacted with disappointment Oh again
he reacted with disappointment Oh again
he reacted with disappointment Oh again when we found out about this later on I
when we found out about this later on I
when we found out about this later on I said father why why were you so
said father why why were you so
said father why why were you so disappointed and he said because the way
disappointed and he said because the way
disappointed and he said because the way our society discriminates against women
our society discriminates against women
our society discriminates against women I didn’t want my own child to be
I didn’t want my own child to be
I didn’t want my own child to be subjected to that as you can imagine it
subjected to that as you can imagine it
subjected to that as you can imagine it was very confusing at the time for me
was very confusing at the time for me
was very confusing at the time for me and it wasn’t until later on that I
and it wasn’t until later on that I
and it wasn’t until later on that I understood well not everyone in our
understood well not everyone in our
understood well not everyone in our organization or in our societies
organization or in our societies
organization or in our societies actually understand or even appreciates
actually understand or even appreciates
actually understand or even appreciates the value of diversity but here is my
the value of diversity but here is my
the value of diversity but here is my question and I want you to think about
question and I want you to think about
question and I want you to think about it who is actually responsible for
it who is actually responsible for
it who is actually responsible for recognizing the value of diversity does
recognizing the value of diversity does
recognizing the value of diversity does this responsibility only lie with the
this responsibility only lie with the
this responsibility only lie with the society are we really at the mercy of
society are we really at the mercy of
society are we really at the mercy of government and company’s policy
government and company’s policy
government and company’s policy practices quotas or is there more to it
practices quotas or is there more to it
practices quotas or is there more to it based on my personal experiences
based on my personal experiences
based on my personal experiences I think there is more to it and that is
I think there is more to it and that is
I think there is more to it and that is what actually diversity means to
what actually diversity means to
what actually diversity means to individuals with diverse background you
individuals with diverse background you
individuals with diverse background you see my opinion about diversity is that I
see my opinion about diversity is that I
see my opinion about diversity is that I play an important role it starts with me
play an important role it starts with me
play an important role it starts with me it is important that I value my own
it is important that I value my own
it is important that I value my own diversity that I’d see my diversity as
diversity that I’d see my diversity as
diversity that I’d see my diversity as an asset not a liability this empowers
an asset not a liability this empowers
an asset not a liability this empowers me to feel that I am in control of my
me to feel that I am in control of my
me to feel that I am in control of my destiny and allows me to deal with life
destiny and allows me to deal with life
destiny and allows me to deal with life challenges much more effectively so you
challenges much more effectively so you
challenges much more effectively so you remember I told you about my father he
remember I told you about my father he
remember I told you about my father he was very worried that maybe the society
was very worried that maybe the society
was very worried that maybe the society doesn’t give me opportunity to reach my
doesn’t give me opportunity to reach my
doesn’t give me opportunity to reach my full potential
full potential
full potential he saw education as a way to overcome
he saw education as a way to overcome
he saw education as a way to overcome some future barriers he encouraged me to
some future barriers he encouraged me to
some future barriers he encouraged me to get as much information as I could and
get as much information as I could and
get as much information as I could and that’s exactly what we paid back in my
that’s exactly what we paid back in my
that’s exactly what we paid back in my native country in Iran some of you
native country in Iran some of you
native country in Iran some of you remember that we faced revolution in
remember that we faced revolution in
remember that we faced revolution in Iran and when the revolution hit
Iran and when the revolution hit
Iran and when the revolution hit everything changed our daily lives
everything changed our daily lives
everything changed our daily lives became dangerously uncertain and
became dangerously uncertain and
became dangerously uncertain and disrupted my dream of pursuing my higher
disrupted my dream of pursuing my higher
disrupted my dream of pursuing my higher education was completely jeopardized
education was completely jeopardized
education was completely jeopardized like many things in our lives I kind of
like many things in our lives I kind of
like many things in our lives I kind of felt someone has turned my life upside
felt someone has turned my life upside
felt someone has turned my life upside down and it slammed the door on my
down and it slammed the door on my
down and it slammed the door on my future so this is what I did I left Iran
future so this is what I did I left Iran
future so this is what I did I left Iran went to England
went to England
went to England in pursuit of my higher education
in pursuit of my higher education
in pursuit of my higher education entering a new environment I was in my
entering a new environment I was in my
entering a new environment I was in my early 20s and without sufficient funds
early 20s and without sufficient funds
early 20s and without sufficient funds to realize my dream but despite this and
to realize my dream but despite this and
to realize my dream but despite this and many other challenges I managed to win
many other challenges I managed to win
many other challenges I managed to win scholarship for both doing both my
scholarship for both doing both my
scholarship for both doing both my master and PhD I had a Porton job as a
master and PhD I had a Porton job as a
master and PhD I had a Porton job as a researcher at the University with some
researcher at the University with some
researcher at the University with some occasional opportunity to give lecture
occasional opportunity to give lecture
occasional opportunity to give lecture and add into this juggling and
and add into this juggling and
and add into this juggling and struggling I was raising two very young
struggling I was raising two very young
struggling I was raising two very young children with no family support but
children with no family support but
children with no family support but luckily I have a very supportive husband
luckily I have a very supportive husband
luckily I have a very supportive husband who at the same time was very much
who at the same time was very much
who at the same time was very much immersed in advancing his own career now
immersed in advancing his own career now
immersed in advancing his own career now you think what happened to my children I
can assure you
can assure you I can assure you that there turned out
I can assure you that there turned out
I can assure you that there turned out to be just fine so you see I love and
to be just fine so you see I love and
to be just fine so you see I love and today to stand here and tell you when I
today to stand here and tell you when I
today to stand here and tell you when I went to England I felt strong and brave
went to England I felt strong and brave
went to England I felt strong and brave and very certain of the path that I’ve
and very certain of the path that I’ve
and very certain of the path that I’ve taken but it wasn’t like that I was
taken but it wasn’t like that I was
taken but it wasn’t like that I was feeling afraid and uncomfortable a kind
feeling afraid and uncomfortable a kind
feeling afraid and uncomfortable a kind of lost sense of identity thinking what
of lost sense of identity thinking what
of lost sense of identity thinking what people think of me as a woman with
people think of me as a woman with
people think of me as a woman with foreign ethnicity especially from Iran
foreign ethnicity especially from Iran
foreign ethnicity especially from Iran when at the time the news was
when at the time the news was
when at the time the news was increasingly negative about the events
increasingly negative about the events
increasingly negative about the events but over time I started to think about
but over time I started to think about
but over time I started to think about my differences as positive differences I
my differences as positive differences I
my differences as positive differences I thought well and these are very powerful
thought well and these are very powerful
thought well and these are very powerful differences that can enrich dialog in my
differences that can enrich dialog in my
differences that can enrich dialog in my community at work and I started focusing
community at work and I started focusing
community at work and I started focusing on my and shall I say feminine trait but
on my and shall I say feminine trait but
on my and shall I say feminine trait but some men’s are very nice to most of them
some men’s are very nice to most of them
some men’s are very nice to most of them and so I started focusing on my personal
and so I started focusing on my personal
and so I started focusing on my personal trait of compassion openness
trait of compassion openness
trait of compassion openness collaboration and also these are very
collaboration and also these are very
collaboration and also these are very useful for creating an environment that
useful for creating an environment that
useful for creating an environment that is open is inclusive tolerant of
is open is inclusive tolerant of
is open is inclusive tolerant of different ideas
different ideas
different ideas I also focused on my cultural awareness
I also focused on my cultural awareness
I also focused on my cultural awareness at a time when we are going through
at a time when we are going through
at a time when we are going through transformational changes in
transformational changes in
transformational changes in globalization that requires we bring
globalization that requires we bring
globalization that requires we bring people with diverse thought with diverse
people with diverse thought with diverse
people with diverse thought with diverse background to come together
background to come together
background to come together to solve problems to come up with
to solve problems to come up with
to solve problems to come up with innovative ideas so over time I
innovative ideas so over time I
innovative ideas so over time I developed this sense of strength this
developed this sense of strength this
developed this sense of strength this inner strength that wasn’t coming
inner strength that wasn’t coming
inner strength that wasn’t coming necessarily from the way I was dealing
necessarily from the way I was dealing
necessarily from the way I was dealing with my life challenges it was coming
with my life challenges it was coming
with my life challenges it was coming from Who I am I started to see that if I
from Who I am I started to see that if I
from Who I am I started to see that if I blame every setback every bias on my
blame every setback every bias on my
blame every setback every bias on my diversity I can become easily the victim
diversity I can become easily the victim
diversity I can become easily the victim to people’s biases real and imagined
to people’s biases real and imagined
to people’s biases real and imagined rather than being in charge of my
rather than being in charge of my
rather than being in charge of my destiny rather than believing in myself
destiny rather than believing in myself
destiny rather than believing in myself and I started to see that if I trust
and I started to see that if I trust
and I started to see that if I trust myself if I believe in myself it’s very
myself if I believe in myself it’s very
myself if I believe in myself it’s very likely that others will respect and
likely that others will respect and
likely that others will respect and honor my differences so let me tell you
honor my differences so let me tell you
honor my differences so let me tell you a story which happened at the University
a story which happened at the University
a story which happened at the University at some point in my career I had an
at some point in my career I had an
at some point in my career I had an opportunity to apply for two positions
opportunity to apply for two positions
opportunity to apply for two positions one as a full professor and the other
one as a full professor and the other
one as a full professor and the other one as a head of department immediately
one as a head of department immediately
one as a head of department immediately one of my colleagues told me haven’t you
one of my colleagues told me haven’t you
one of my colleagues told me haven’t you heard of glass ceiling another colleague
heard of glass ceiling another colleague
heard of glass ceiling another colleague told me look I care for you but being a
told me look I care for you but being a
told me look I care for you but being a woman with foreign ethnicity it’s not
woman with foreign ethnicity it’s not
woman with foreign ethnicity it’s not going to be helpful and you’re going to
going to be helpful and you’re going to
going to be helpful and you’re going to be very disappointed just go and look at
be very disappointed just go and look at
be very disappointed just go and look at the statistics so I don’t think these
the statistics so I don’t think these
the statistics so I don’t think these comments were necessarily spiteful but
comments were necessarily spiteful but
comments were necessarily spiteful but they could have been very demoralizing
they could have been very demoralizing
they could have been very demoralizing and
and
doubt started creeping in but after the
doubt started creeping in but after the short one Irie salutely got back to my
short one Irie salutely got back to my
short one Irie salutely got back to my belief that actually my personal trade
belief that actually my personal trade
belief that actually my personal trade more cultural awareness my love of
more cultural awareness my love of
more cultural awareness my love of nurturing teens could be an advantage
nurturing teens could be an advantage
nurturing teens could be an advantage and it was guess what I got both
and it was guess what I got both
and it was guess what I got both positions as a head of department and as
positions as a head of department and as
positions as a head of department and as apposite professor
apposite professor
apposite professor [Applause]
it was a great feeling and I’m still
it was a great feeling and I’m still friend with those colleagues
so I started developing deep expertise
so I started developing deep expertise about aviation and that’s how I got to
about aviation and that’s how I got to
about aviation and that’s how I got to my current position at The Boeing
my current position at The Boeing
my current position at The Boeing Company now going back to my dilemma
Company now going back to my dilemma
Company now going back to my dilemma when I was sitting in my CEOs chair what
when I was sitting in my CEOs chair what
when I was sitting in my CEOs chair what do you think I did so I I started I
do you think I did so I I started I
do you think I did so I I started I started thinking to myself think of the
started thinking to myself think of the
started thinking to myself think of the path that has taken you so far trying to
path that has taken you so far trying to
path that has taken you so far trying to be positive trying to be humble but
be positive trying to be humble but
be positive trying to be humble but never make decision out of fear so I
never make decision out of fear so I
never make decision out of fear so I thought I’ll continue sitting in that
thought I’ll continue sitting in that
thought I’ll continue sitting in that chair thinking that my CEO won’t mind
chair thinking that my CEO won’t mind
chair thinking that my CEO won’t mind that and he didn’t so please don’t get
that and he didn’t so please don’t get
that and he didn’t so please don’t get me wrong I have bad times like many
me wrong I have bad times like many
me wrong I have bad times like many people but I remain faithful to my
people but I remain faithful to my
people but I remain faithful to my beliefs relentlessly and especially
beliefs relentlessly and especially
beliefs relentlessly and especially during challenging times and please
during challenging times and please
during challenging times and please please don’t picture me running around
please don’t picture me running around
please don’t picture me running around in my company or in my community wearing
in my company or in my community wearing
in my company or in my community wearing diversity as a badge of honor no not at
diversity as a badge of honor no not at
diversity as a badge of honor no not at all I believe that recognizing the value
all I believe that recognizing the value
all I believe that recognizing the value of diversity is the responsibility of
of diversity is the responsibility of
of diversity is the responsibility of community society companies but at the
community society companies but at the
community society companies but at the same time I believe it is individual’s
same time I believe it is individual’s
same time I believe it is individual’s responsibility to so to benefit from the
responsibility to so to benefit from the
responsibility to so to benefit from the gift of diversity I need to push past my
gift of diversity I need to push past my
gift of diversity I need to push past my fears and see my diversity as an asset
fears and see my diversity as an asset
fears and see my diversity as an asset and source of inspiration I have one
and source of inspiration I have one
and source of inspiration I have one regret in life and that is I wish my
regret in life and that is I wish my
regret in life and that is I wish my father lived long enough to see her
father lived long enough to see her
father lived long enough to see her daughter give this talk I think he would
daughter give this talk I think he would
daughter give this talk I think he would have been proud
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