Geronimo Leadership Coaching

A Fairy Tale Story in The Corporate World

Once upon a time, there was a poor little girl, named Ursula. She was raised by her single mother in a New York City housing project. Because she received the lessons of love from her mother, the gift of maths and has never been afraid to speak her mind, she worked her way courageously to the top, overcoming gender, social class, color barriers.

• This little girl has grown into a 51 year old powerful woman : Ursula Burns. She took over the helm of Xerox in june 2009, replacing retired CEO Anne M. Mulcahy and becoming the first African-American woman to be chief executive of a Fortune 500 company.

•   Now she has become a role model for future generations!

“When I was that little girl growing up, my story seemed unimaginable,” she said. “I had class against me, gender against me and race against me.”

During the same time, I can't help noticing that Disney introduced First Black Princess, Tiana, in "The Princess and the Frog". Read the Washington Post Article here.

All the ingredients of a fairy tale are there, in Ursula Burns's story

The initial situation the dark forest of the poorest areas of New York

The obstacles: gender, class, color

The quest : "To Be Good, to Give and To Be Successful"

The values of a pure heart: Hard work, Generosity and Humility

The Fairy God Mother: Ursula Burns' Mother

Ursula Burns’ mother died 25 years ago. "But she  is perched on my shoulder whispering encouragement and keeping me honest, keeping me humble."

She would say "You have to give more than you take away from the world. You have to learn and you have to be curious.You have to perform at your best. You have to worry about the things you can control. Don’t become a victim.”

The Education of the Hero : Ursula Burns earned a bachelor’s degree from Polytechnic Institute of New York and a master of science degree in mechanical engineering from Columbia University.

The First Trials : she almost left the company and disagreed many times

The Magical Potion: she Speaks her Mind, from her True Voice

The Wiser Women, the mentors among which the charismatic Anne Mulcahy

The Happy Ending : First African American Woman CEO , same year as Barak Obama is elected first African American president

Her message is simply beautiful:

“Believe That There Are No Limitations, No Barriers to Your Success – You Will Be Empowered and You Will Achieve.”

"Where You Are is not Who Your Are"

I have been reading articles about this awesome woman, watching videos, hearing her speeches and "I fell under her spell".

What first started with another article about women speakers, illustrating one of the 12 dimensions of the SPM profile, became an adventure into a "wondercorporateland".

I also relate to her mother/ daughter relationship. My mother died 23 years ago, and her message to us, her 3 daughters, was to find our own voice and express it no matter what. The voice that she couldn't find herself, and died from that.

I am also grateful for all the wonderful wise women I've found on my way who played key roles in my life, helping me find my own voice and share what I had to say.

So I decided to write a three part post.

• First: the Fairy Tale and the Heroine's Journey

• Second: The 6 lessons of Leadership

• Third:  Finding Your Voice: Ursula Burns's Speaking Style

Your turn...Take a moment to reflect:

What does this story inspire you?

How could you be transforming your life, right now, if you really believed in yourself, believe that there are no limitations.

What would you achieve?

Play Like A Man, Win Like A Woman

Who, better than Gail Evans, could represent The Pioneer Communication style, in my series about Women Speakers

• This is the second post, after Meg Whitman, The laser Light with a Big Smile, next will be about Ursula Burns, CEO of Xerox. I will also write a post about the 12 Communication styles, based on the SPM profiling model. I've been using this integrative tool to provide feedback to corporate executives at Cranfield School of Management for more than 6 years and would like you to discover its implications in presentation skills.

I believe in the power of examples and picked 12 women leaders to illustrate each style of communication and leadership.

• Key characteristics of The Pioneer Communication Style:

"Enthusiastic, expressive, bold, risk-taker, not discouraged by failures, daring, independent, ambitious. They do not hesitate to change their minds to adopt a new course of action. Full of confidence, brimming with energy, Pioneers bring to their organisation a capacity to initiate change and an ability to deal with the unexpected." (from the Spony Profiling Model Feedback Guide)

• Why is Gail Evans best to represent The Pioneer Communication Style?

Gail Evans has been in the playing field long enough to learn the rules of the game. She was a pioneer in The White House in the 60s and the 70s. She began working at CNN at its inception in 1980. By the time she retired in 2001, she was its Executive Vice President.

She's the author of the best seller Play like a Man, Win like a Woman, famous speaker, teacher, and author of She Wins, You Win. 

After her speeches, Evans wants the first question to be, “When are we going to have a woman president of the U.S.?” Her answer: “The day women decide they want one!”

Watch her interviewed by Larry King about the unwritten business rules women need to learn in order to even the playing field.

What is her message to women?

• You first need to know the difference between how a man plays the game and how you play it.

• Recognize that for the time being, it's still a man's game!

• Decide if you want to change the way you play.

Out of the 14 rules she lists for success, I highlighted 7 rules for communicating successfully:

• Make a request. Asking is the only way to get what you want.Don't take no for an answer. For women, no means "Absolutely not, how could you even ask!".Men won't personalize the no and they'll keep trying.

• Speak out. Men speak out a lot and make mistakes too. Talk and be yourself.Don't strive to be perfect.

• Speak up. Don't ask for permission to speak. Learn to use the power of your voice effectively.

• Toot your own horn. Get noticed and take credits for your accomplishments.
  

 

• Wear your game face. Look as if you're going to win. Girls are brought up to be nice, pleasing and anguish for others. Anguish in private.

• Confidence is half the game.If you cant' make it, fake it. Take risks.  "When we make a presentation, we make sure that nothing is missed: thoroughly over prepared and over educated.The problem is that you'll never be 100% ready""
  

• Sit at the table with the Big Guys. You can't play if you can't be seen. Make your presence visible and be fully present.One of the key to success is to show up!

"You are who you say you are. Pick your goal and convince yourself that you can be successful. Don't complain or accept the role of the victim." Gail Evans.

For me, I know I still struggle with number one, ask for what I want, directly. I tend to circle around my objectives, and certainly take no as an answer!

Now , your turn:

Out of these 7 rules, which one is crucial for you, now, if you want to succeed?

Tailored Leadership Training for Millennial Women

Mary Ellen Egen, from Forbes Woman, interviews Le Mae Allen De Jongh, Managing Director Accenture about the key findings of Accenture's survey.

What do Millennial women want?

Millennials represent the third of the workforce today, and it's only increasing.

Women are almost half of the workforce today.

How do millennial women define a successful career?

3 Key Findings for leading companies  :

• TO LISTEN : a majority of women are very confident they can strike the balance and have a very rewarding professional as well as personal life.

• TO RESPOND : women value medical benefits and flexibility in career path over other key drivers.

• TO DEVELOP TRAINING  : harvest the confidence they have  and offer taylor leadership development programs. So that young women  can exploit the strength that they have and be successful once they reach the top positions.

The Next Generation of Women at the work place have a high level of self confidence, right now.They believe they can "have it all", and achieve life /work" flow."

If we want that trend to be sustainable, leading companies need to give them what they want :

•  Flexibility, in terms of career path or benefits.

•  Taylored Leadership Development Trainings

What does it have to do with Communication Skills?

I believe communication skills are one of the key skills of leadership today, more than ever.

Do you know The Five "Cs" of Success in Leadership, according to Pepsico's CEO, Indra Nooyi ?

1. Competence (damn good at getting results)
2. Confidence (to have the courage to make tough calls) 
3. Communication skills (to convey your vision and direction) 
4. Compass (pointed North to your true values) 
5. Coaching (finding supportive, encouraging and blunt mentors)

If Millennial women can benefit from taylored Leadership Development Training and Coaching, then they will be successful leaders in our future.

They already have the competence and the compass!

Women Chefs = Cherchez La Femme!

We Did It! was the front page of The New Economist, first week of January 2010.

"During the second world war, when America’s menfolk were off at the front, the government had to summon up the image of Rosie the Riveter, with her flexed muscle and “We Can Do It” slogan, to encourage women into the workforce. Today women are marching into the workplace in ever larger numbers and taking a sledgehammer to the remaining glass ceilings." The New Economist.

Ok, but what about power and leadership? Cherchez la femme!

The first thing that came to my mind was the article from The Harvard Business Review, December 2009 and the discussion that followed Women CEOs.Why so few? (referred to it in a previous post about Meg Whitman)

As I began writing my series on Women Speakers, I started collecting stories, data and examples of charismatic women leaders.

There are two examples of places, other than business, where Women Leaders could be but are still invisible or in minority.

• In Cooking, as Women Chefs

• In Music, as Women Conductors

I found it intriguing that around the same time, end of 2009, beginning of 2010, so many articles made the headlines with "Where are the Women Chefs? "I decided to look for them, and guess what, I found plenty!

Where? In France, of course, more precisely in Lyon! (it's a very "etnocentric" approach, I admit, but it will give you the opportunity to learn about French Women!)

• In Cooking, as Women Chefs

Food for Thought: Who are The Top Women Chefs? -The Huffington Post November 2009.In this article, you will discover why so few women reach and stay at the Top.

My 3 conclusions :

It's still a man's world, and even a very "macho" one

Very few men deal well with the fact of being married to a Chef

Women have to chose between their restaurant and their private life

Let me introduce you to some of my home town 's history. The role of women in French gastronomy (as well as in all the cultures around the world!) is huge and most of the time restricted to the home kitchen. When you enter a **** restaurant, you expect to see a male Chef wearing the Toque! With les "Mères Lyonnaises", it's another story. These ladies were originally house cooks for Lyon’s rich and affluent families, however during the second half of the 19th century they began to pursue their own ventures and set up their own businesses.

While filling tables at Compagnons du Tour de France, they demonstrated to all how to make cooking simple and subtle, with dishes such as “la poularde en vessie” or “les cardons à la moelle”…  From 1921, Eugénie Brazier, the mère Brazier, began to cater to gastronomes and ambassadors such as General de Gaulle and Mayor Edouard Herriot became fans of her cooking. Paul Bocuse, a world renowned chef from Lyon, began his career at her stoves. Other famous Mères lyonnaises include la mère Blanc, la mère Fillioux, la mère Poupon, la mère Léa, la grande Marcelle. ("mère" means "mother"...) Where is the progress in the Feminism today?  Where are the women conductors in UK? -The Guardian UK, January 2010. Here's a list of Women conductors , with some 300 names — but still falling short of completeness. The source is the Kapralova Society, a Canadian organization dedicated to promoting women in music: www.kapralova.org. Let me now introduce you to Claire Gibault, (yes, I know, she's also linked to Lyon!): Woman Chef in Lyon, first woman conductor and now a European MP. "Starting as chorus master of the Lyon Opéra, Gibault rose to staff conductor there as assistant to John Eliot Gardiner.In 1995, she became the first woman to conduct the La Scala orchestra on the occasion of the creation of the Opera "La Station Thermale" by Fabio Vacchi and in 1997 she became the first woman ever to  conduct the musicians of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra with the Opera "Jacob Lenz" by Wolfgang Rihm." I wanted to share these two examples with you, just like Lilian Thuram, former French football player, did with his book, "Mes Etoiles Noires" (My Black Stars, from Lucy to Obama), released in January 2010, not yet translated in English These women are my Women Stars. In a world where little girls grow up learning from history , science , philosophy, literature and arts books with a big majority of male role models, how can they grow into confident women and embrace leadership roles in their society? How do I commit myself to promote women's leadership and boost their confidence? I support The Hot Mommas project, I am Country manager for Europe.Collecting and sharing teachable role models for girls/women. Learn and discover about this exciting and innovative project in one my blog post, where you can watch the Everyday Revolutionary Hot Mommas and see how YOU can contribute by nominating a Hot Momma! I'm Vice President of The WPNG, a Professional Women's Networking Group in Lyon, for anglophone women, organizing  conferences and promoting women speakers Whenever I can, I help women boost their confidence and achieve their goals, while improving their presentation skills. Nothing makes me happier than seeing a woman, previously lacking confidence stand up and speak assertively! How can you promote women around you, at the work place? I'm waiting for your comments!

Meg Whitman: The Laser Light with a Big Smile

When you reach the Top of the Top, "la Crème de la crème" of the most successful leaders of the world, and you're the only woman out of The 100 Best Performing CEOs in the World,the way you communicate and express yourself in public is certainly worth studying.

Hence, Meg Whitman makes the first of my series about 12 women leaders and 12 communication styles.

• What makes her stand out?
• How does she communicate?
• How could she act as a role model for women in business?

Let's watch her first in this speech

What makes her stand out?

Ease, confidence and flexibility, combined with strong persuasion.

• Leading eBay from 1998 to 2008, Meg Whitman helped the Company grow from 30 employees and a little over $ 4million in revenue to more than 15,000 employees and nearly $8 billion in revenue

• Prior to eBay, she held various leadership positions with Procter&Gamble, Disney and Hasbro
• She's now running for Governor of California

How does she communicate?

• A charismatic leader, she uses influence rather than force.

• She's flexible when persuasion is needed to convince others, yet fast-paced, swift at making decisions.

• She's famous for being excellent at expressing ideas and she has brought to eBay her natural charisma and a strong desire to make a decisive impact.

How could she act as a role model for women in business?

• Meg Whitman is The Symbol of Success in Corporate America:

"If you’re looking for a role model for your children or grandchildren, look no further. Share the details of her past and simply focus your attention to your newspaper, magazine, television or the internet to see what she’s mastering at the moment. Her bio reads like a fairy tale, and just when you think her career has peaked, she takes it to another level." Harry K.Jones

• She personifies Confidence which is what women crave for
• She combines a preference for Self-Enhancement, rather masculine, with listening skills, boosted by a great enthusiasm and optimism.
• Both women AND men can identify with her.

Here's what eBay's executives say about her :

Apart from the fact this is also a political campaign for California, and I don't support any political party here, what strikes me is the way these men speak about their ex CEO :

"Joyful, always having fun, huge smile. She's got a great laugh." (Henry Gomez, former Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, eBay.)

"She's your friend, she's the one who challenges you, she's the one who pushes you to new heights." (Bill Cobb,former President eBay North America.)

"With her laser light focus,she would get to the two or three things which really matters, knock them out and then move on to the next." (Rajiv Dutta, former President Marketplaces, Paypal and Skype, and CFO eBay.)

They're in adoration with the Goddess Meg!

That's why I called her the laser light with a big smile!

In the SPM Leadership and Communication styles Profiling Model, where you can identify 12 preferences, Meg Whitman represents best the Persuader Communication Style.

Persuaders have a strong personal drive to lead and guide others. They are likely to have developed a strong ability to convince others through a variety of communication skills, which can include communicating with a large audience, assertiveness and understanding the motivational drives of others.

Verbal and non-verbal communication : clear, direct but well-structured argument, free flowing body movements, vocally forceful without raising their voice.

Core competencies-Excellent at expressing ideas, assertive, self confident, decisive, competitive, autonomous.

If we take into account the cultural mapping of the SPM, this dimension is also very representative of the Anglo-Saxon culture, and especially the US.

I started with an emblematic personality for the United States, representing a model of assertivity, self-confidence and clear communication.

Meg Whitman is a charismatic woman in a men's world.

We'll see that there are other ways of expressing our voice, around the world, depending on our culture and our values.

It's the 31 st of January, and my first of 12 posts about women leaders.Thanks to your enthusiastic comments , tweets and emails, I'm starting to collect plenty of new names, different personalities I would never have thought before.

Thank YOU!

• I also decided to write in collaboration with Ann Perschell, who is as passionate as I am about empowering women.

• With Dorothy Dalton, "it's never too late to start up", or to speak up, we're co-creating a workshop to empower European Women in Bruxelles.

• In addition to this series, I intend to conduct interviews of women I met thanks to twitter, who have found their Voice and learned to express it, with more or less assertivity or confidence, but always with integrity and passion. They will tell their stories and share their successes, their failures and their hopes, their role models and also their tips.

If you want to be part of this adventure, leave me a comment now!

Only One Woman CEO out of The 100 Best-Performing CEOs in the World!

Happy to be back to blogging after one week "on the road", (snowy road!) giving 5 days training in a row. Team building and then leadership seminar for International Generation Y business school students from the CEFAM, Franco American School of Management in Lyon.French, American, African, Asian students... Incredible shift among young women, and men, too, in how they picture themselves as leaders in the next 5 years...

I will share some insights from this experience with you very soon, but first, let's start with Women Speakers Series!

Before writing on my blog, I like to check my tweets and favorite blogs, about women, presentation, learning and leadership.This morning, I clicked on a link:

"The 100 Best-Performing CEOs in the World" from the Harvard Business Review.

Not very surprised, I discovered the top of the list with Steve Jobs ' picture showing up.

Much more surprised, then, when I figured out how many women were on that prestigious list.

How many? Out of one hundred? Have a guess!

One!...Only one woman...Incredible! And this woman is Margaret Whitman, ex CEO of eBay.The woman on top of the 12 women leaders list I decided to blog about this year.

If, like me, you're wondering why there's only one woman nominated, take 10 minutes to read another article from HBR,

"Women CEOs: Why So Few?" especially the comments, coming both from men and women.If you're more interested by Margaret Whitman Communication Style, skip to the bottom of the page, or even better, wait for my next post!

I can't help but quoting Anne Perschell, from Germane Consulting, whom I "met" via twitter(@BizShrink).

"We need to change the lens and reframe this entire discussion. Let's begin with a review of the criteria for best performing companies and best performing CEOs. Under what cultural rules were they determined? What are the underlying assumptions about what "best" companies and CEOs do and put into the world? Do they include a measure of the social or environmental good vs harm; building strong families and communities; raising moral standards? As long as the lens for determining goodness is based on the predominant culture, those who are seen as successful will for the most part be members of that predominant group that creates the rules. Women in business are creating a parallel economy that is changing the lens, the culture, the rules and the way we measure business and CEO success. For evidence, consider Andrea Jung's mission for AVON - "To improve the lives of women globally." It may take a while but we'll get there. Harvard Business may see the light some day but is not currently a leader in transforming how we define successful businesses and the leaders who create them. If they were, we'd have a different list based on different criteria and more women would be included."

For presentation skills, I believe there's a similar bias.

What used to be the predominant model of Communication Style for leaders ?

• Assertive
• Determined
• Speaks at a fast rythm
  
• Free flowing body movement
  
• Vocally forceful without raising their voice
  
• Direct and straightforward
• Self-confident
• Competitive
• Convincing
• Influencing others to share their vision and objectives
  

According to Spony Profiling Model, an integrative management model sensitive to both personality and cross-cultural differences, this communication style matches the "Persuader" Leadership style.

I've been using this model in my training and coaching for 6 years now, especially at Cranfield School of Management with L'Oreal Executives.

This model reveals 12 styles of Leadership, and 6 Dilemnas.

Given the large part of women Marketing directors among L'Oreal, who were looking for role models, I decided, after asking the permission to Gilles Spony, to illustrate freely his model.

I researched and found 12 women leaders, illustrating each one "archetype" of communication and leadership style.

The ideal would be to ask each of the women speakers and leaders to take the questionnaire on-line and get an objective result.

This series of post is based on my perception and personal interpretation of how these leaders communicate, based on interviews, articles, testimonies and sometimes videos.

While I think the Persuader communication style is still one of the most successful in a corporate western environment, I believe each one of us has to speak according to our values, our personality and also respecting our culture or the cultures we are communicating with.

Next Post: Why is Margaret Whitman, "Meg" Whitman a perfect illustration of this communication style?

Meanwhile, some questions for you:

• Is there a predominance of the anglo-saxon leadership and communication model in your company, or with your clients?
• What about non-western cultures?
• Latin and Mediterranean cultures?
• Scandinavian cultures?
• Do you sometimes find it difficult to relate to assertive styles of communication?
• How comfortable are you with a wide range of original communication styles?