| Breaking though the Glass Ceiling
 Remarks from Ellen Kitzis, Vice President and
Business Development at Compaq from her Witi Conference Keynote
Take Control Yourself
Control your own destiny and personal journey. Decide what target you are shooting for
and succeed on your own terms. The right to succeed is given; the actualization of success
is earned.
Success requires vigilance, personal honesty, and old fashioned hard work. Surround
yourself with people who believe in you because they make you believe in yourself. Winners
know how to get their ideas heard.
Perspectives about Glass Ceilings
Glass ceilings are created. The male perspective can be limited by
Loyalty to their brethren,
Inexperience with working side-by-side with women-- especially for men over 50, and
Non-exposure to women colleagues during college.
The female perspective can be limited by
Opting for the "Mommy track" -- a non-sustained career path,
Assuming that women are not contenders but supporting characters in backstage
roles/jobs,
Focusing on sex differences and risks rather than positive attributes that impact
corporate success, and
Fixating on the early stereotype of either "the job or the family."
Institutional accommodations prove limited as well. Legislative initiatives were
moderately successful. Women were placed in "soft roles" to demonstrate
commitment. Job functions and attributes historically described in male terms continued to
assume that those characteristics guaranteed corporate success.
Ingredients for Success
Personal drivers that are important for success are:
Independence
Having something to prove
Creating your future
Building something
Leading rather than following
Creating new rules especially with increasing seniority
Competing is a tough thing to learn. Remember the following about competition:
You do not have to win
Failing hurts but not bad enough to quit
Baseball players do not cry
Winning feels good
Channel your emotions
Better long-term opportunities in the future come with leadership and innovation. Some
demonstrative, proactive behaviors include:
Taking risks. Do not avoid center stage because that is where the light is.
Getting your ideas not complaints heard
Seizing opportunities to be the new initiatives, businesses, or experiments
Volunteering for projects no one else wants to do
Education and credentials are important. They can accelerate opportunities because the
marketplace is competitive. Education is a differentiation because it shows commitment and
persistence. A doctorate adds cache and will separate you from the pack. It can afford you
access to new contacts and connections, job placement and career centers, and alumni
associations.
Committing to a career means:
Working more than an 8-hour day
Seizing opportunities
Taking risks
Having mentors
Creating personal power
Sharing success with others
Understanding new business models
Learning the language of finance
Participating in associations, industry events, conferences, and the external
marketplace
Success could not be forthcoming without a supporting cast. This can include someone
who believes in your success as much as his/her own, child care providers (even though
doing it yourself is excellent for building character), corporate spouses that reciprocate
equitably, and significant others who do more than "just help out."
Final Thoughts
Know what your goals and objectives are
Go for what you want because others are doing it
Control how and why you make your choices
Find what makes you happy
Discover the right balance between your ying and yang
Know that not everyone wants the executive life
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