Women In Public Media, Finding your Track (CEO or Otherwise) Session

Women In Public Media, Finding your Track

Panel: 
Beth Curley
Polly Anderson
Pat Harrison
Paula Kerger

Blogger/Reporter:

Patricia Harrison, President & CEO of CPB - Thoughts on Women & Leadership

Start controlling your environment and take ownership of your life. Pat attended an event to welcome Mrs. Obama's new Communication person and noted that the women in attendance had one thing in common: tenacity. Tenacity allows you to get through the embarrassment of doing things for yourself, talking about yourself, etc. 

Decide who you are, what makes you tick. What do you love doing? If someone didn't pay you, what would you still do. That's the thing you should be doing anyway. 

Don't compare your path to someone else's...own your own path. 

Go beyond the normal amount of effort. Push yourself. 

Don't get so attached to your title that when the position comes to an end, your world falls apart. 

Carry your own luggage. Be able to carry your own load, because there might not be anybody to do it for you. 

If you identify your leadership qualities and are really true to yourself, you will have a vision for your own life and end up where you are supposed to be. 

No matter who you are speaking to, 1 person or 30,000, prepare, prepare, prepare! You owe it to the people you are presenting to be prepared. If you've done your best, and your audience doesn't get it, that's all you can do. 

Value System- You won't have all of these every single day, but you must have some of them some of the time
1) High drive/High energy, Get excited about what you are doing...you can't fake this!
2) Self-Confidence....gives you the ability to say "I can do this" This grows as you put more into your own bag of tools
3) Power is a ladder....you have to own it. Don't think of power as being over another person, think of it as being over yourself (Draw a ladder with things you are afraid of on each rung....and then knock them down! When you get to the top, start another ladder of things)
4) Step out there and take a risk. Leave your comfort zone. 
5) What is that one thing that you've been putting off because you're afraid, do that thing and you'll feel like you can do anything!

Build up a club of people who have a vested interest in your success

"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm" Ralph Waldo Emerson

New program called CPB University that offers courses that deal with leadership, management, etc.

When asking for help, don't say "Can I pick your brain?" Instead ask for a specific window of time with a purpose "Can I have 30 minutes of your time to discuss xyz?" 

What does a roadblock tell you? It tells you there is a road on the other side. The important thing is to figure out how do we get to that road on the other side? 

Act as if you have a secret. As if you have a huge job offer that is coming down the pike. 

Develop a 3-month plan for yourself before you go and present your ideas to a superior. Be organized and professional. 

Paula Kerger, President & CEO of PBS- Thoughts on Women & Leadership

"Part of finding your track is figuring out what brings you joy." It's important to think about your role, what is required of that role and what you are going to be comfortable doing in that role. Figure out how all the different aspects of your lives intersect. Think about your path. Find the right mentors. It can be scary to admit that you don't know something, especially when you take on a new position or role. Look at some of the leadership programs. 

The leadership we pursue is not always in a pay capacity. Leadership is about trying to help an org. articulate a vision and a mission, and building a team around that to make that possible. 

Surround yourself with people you trust who know a lot of things. Pass your knowledge on to others. Look around for up and coming talent and help them to get into the leadership programs. Remember that sometimes it's hard to step forward when you're afraid your voice isn't being heard, but it's worth it when you do. 

Delegation is hugely important. It helps the people around you to grow when they are given more responsibility. It is not a sign of weakness to admit you need help. 

Develop different skill-sets. Work with different groups. 

1) Strong communication skills, writing, presentation, communicating with others
2) Interpersonal, listening skills
3) Adapt how you treat people to their different personalities to find how they best respond
4) Be Clear and articulate where you are trying to go

Polly Anderson, NETA Chair - Thoughts on Women & Leadership

Visualize where you want to go in your career
Be honest with yourself about what your strengths are and in the areas where you feel weaker, get some training
Build a team of really talented people that you trust

Focus internally and make yourself valuable

The speed of the leader is the speed of the team. The ones who set the bad example give everyone else in the organization permission by default to do whatever they are doing. 

Beth Curley, NPT - Thoughts on Women & Leadership

Never aspired to be a CEO
Got into public television because she had a passion for changing the world and doing something that mattered. Feels she took a huge risk to come to Nashville, but it was worth it. Her passion was for what she wanted to accomplish, not for making a certain amount of money or achieving a certain status. Be willing to take a risk. Considers mentorships important.