Women CEOs Promoting Women
Ursula M. Burns, new CEO of Xerox
We published an article some time ago which indicated that women CEOs were more likely to hire more women to their leadership teams – thereby, creating a healthier gender balance. (Want Gender Balance? Appoint a Woman CEO!).
In this light, we noted that Anne M. Mulcahy, CEO of Xerox, had seven women on her executive board and four women on the main board of directors.
One of those women was Ursula M. Burns, who helped Mulcahy rescue Xerox from near bankrupcty. Now, Burns’ hard work has been rewarded as she becomes the next CEO of the company, effective as of July 1, 2009.
As BusinessWeek notes, this is historic in two ways: Burns is the first African American women to lead a top US company and she is the first woman to follow another woman CEO at such a company.
BusinessWeek suggests there are several reasons for Burns’ rise. I list them below because they offer a glimpse into how women can hope to rise to the CEO position. There are still only 14 women CEOs in the Fortune 500.
Reasons for Ursula Burns' Ascent to the Top |
|---|
Hard work, frankness, sense of humour and willingness to take risks |
A Xerox veteran, Burns built up an extensive knowledge of the business |
Responded to new CEO Mulcahy's need for a lieutenant running operations day to day |
Good at presenting to the board – understands the technology and can articulate well |
Took advantage of company's progressive attitude towards diversity and got involved in employee affinity network |
Courage – willingness to take on tough jobs (currently facing one of the biggest in the light of decreased sales following global recession) |
Bookmarks
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- So, Women Do Have The Vision Thing
- Managers as farmers
- Women in the debate
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