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Ellen S. KitzisEllen S. Kitzis,, Ph. D. Ph. D.Compaq Services, Vice PresidentCompaq Services, Vice PresidentStrategy and Business DevelopmentStrategy and Business Development
BreakingBreakingThroughThrough
BreakingBreakingThroughThrough
thethethethe
Glass CeilingGlass CeilingGlass CeilingGlass Ceilingandandandand Other Life ChallengesOther Life Challenges
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Women have the right to life,liberty and the pursuit of
happiness long assumed to be the right of men. Women, however,can only exercise this right if we
understand that it requiresvigilance, personal honesty,and old fashion hard work.
The right to succeed is given, the actualization of success is earned.
Women’sWomen’s Bill of RightsBill of Rights
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BackgroundBackground A Little About MeA Little About Me Raised on Long Island in 1950s track housingRaised on Long Island in 1950s track housing Grew up with Donna Reed and Grew up with Donna Reed and Father Father
Knows BestKnows Best Middle child among three girlsMiddle child among three girls Shy child, afraid to speak out in classShy child, afraid to speak out in class Had very special childhood friend,Had very special childhood friend,
parents, spouse and mentors whoparents, spouse and mentors whobelieved that girls/women were believed that girls/women were smart peoplesmart people
Upward mobility was a rightUpward mobility was a right The world was rosy, but I was the firstThe world was rosy, but I was the first
kid on the block with divorced parentskid on the block with divorced parents
My dad drew the short My dad drew the short straw and needed to create straw and needed to create his legacy the hard wayhis legacy the hard way
Learned early: Learned early: Winners Winners know how to get their know how to get their ideas heardideas heard
People who believed in me People who believed in me made me believe in myselfmade me believe in myself
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1970s1970s1970s1970s
How the World EvolvedHow the World Evolved
1980s1980s1980s1980s
EconomicEconomicEconomicEconomic• Day careDay care• Media hype Media hype • New consumersNew consumers• Quota basedQuota based• ProsperityProsperity• CosmoCosmo• StereotypesStereotypes• Light weight Light weight
luggageluggage• Venture capitalVenture capital
1990s1990s1990s1990s
CorporateCorporateCorporateCorporate• CEOsCEOs• Board of Board of
DirectorsDirectors• Mobile Mobile
technologytechnology• FasterFaster• More pathsMore paths• WheeliesWheelies• No more quotasNo more quotas• Competency Competency
basedbased• More modelsMore models
• Liberation Liberation movementmovement
• Women’s orgs.Women’s orgs.• Education Education
opensopens• Middle classMiddle class• Early heroinesEarly heroines
PoliticalPoliticalPoliticalPolitical
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How Men, Women and Institutional How Men, Women and Institutional Patterns Create Glass CeilingsPatterns Create Glass Ceilings
Feel loyalty to the brethrenFeel loyalty to the brethren Men over fifty are not used toMen over fifty are not used to
women working side-by-sidewomen working side-by-side Not part of their educational Not part of their educational
experienceexperience
MenMen......MenMen......
WomenWomen......WomenWomen...... Don’t take sustained career pathsDon’t take sustained career pathsand often opt for the “mommy track”and often opt for the “mommy track”
Assume they are not contenders and take back Assume they are not contenders and take back stage roles and jobs (supporting characters)stage roles and jobs (supporting characters)
Directed efforts at sexual differences, risks, rather Directed efforts at sexual differences, risks, rather than positive attributes that would impact than positive attributes that would impact corporate success corporate success
Early examples were often hard to takeEarly examples were often hard to take
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How Men, Women and Institutional How Men, Women and Institutional Patterns Create Glass Ceilings Patterns Create Glass Ceilings (continued)(continued)
Tried to break them throughTried to break them throughlegislative initiatives;legislative initiatives;moderately successfulmoderately successful
Put women in “soft roles” toPut women in “soft roles” todemonstrate commitmentdemonstrate commitment
Have job descriptions andHave job descriptions andattributes that have historically been associated attributes that have historically been associated with “male attributes” and continue to assume with “male attributes” and continue to assume these attributes ensure corporate successthese attributes ensure corporate success
Institutional PatternsInstitutional Patterns......Institutional PatternsInstitutional Patterns......
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PersonalPersonal DriversDrivers
IndependenceIndependenceIndependenceIndependenceCREATECREATEmy own futuremy own futureCREATECREATEmy own futuremy own futureProve Prove somethingsomethingProve Prove somethingsomething
MakeMakesomethingsomething
MakeMakesomethingsomethingLeadLead
rather thanrather than followfollowLeadLeadrather thanrather than followfollow
CreateCreate newnew rulesrulesCreateCreate newnew rulesrules
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““LearningLearning to Competeto Compete””
You don’t always winYou don’t always win
It hurts to fail, but It hurts to fail, but notnot bad badenough to quitenough to quit
Baseball players don’t cryBaseball players don’t cry
Winning feels goodWinning feels good
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Don’t avoid center stage; it’s where the light isDon’t avoid center stage; it’s where the light is
Get your ideas heard not complaintsGet your ideas heard not complaints
Find opportunities to be of theFind opportunities to be of thenew initiatives, businessesnew initiatives, businessesor experimentsor experiments
Find opportunities to supportFind opportunities to supportother women’s successother women’s success
LeadershipLeadership and and InnovationInnovation
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EducationEducationCan Accelerate OpportunitiesCan Accelerate Opportunities
Competitive marketplaceCompetitive marketplace
Education is a differentiator; Education is a differentiator; it demonstrates commitment it demonstrates commitment and persistence and persistence
My Ph.D. still separates me My Ph.D. still separates me from the pack and adds to the from the pack and adds to the cache (colleagues like to call me Dr. Kitzis)cache (colleagues like to call me Dr. Kitzis)
It opens up new connections, job placement, It opens up new connections, job placement, career centers, alumni associations, new networkscareer centers, alumni associations, new networks
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CommittingCommitting to a Careerto a Career
More than eight hour daysMore than eight hour days Seizing opportunities and taking risksSeizing opportunities and taking risks Mentors and the right managers; switch to you get the right oneMentors and the right managers; switch to you get the right one Personal powerPersonal power Share success; people want to be recognizedShare success; people want to be recognized Engage the external marketplace:Engage the external marketplace:
conferences, associations, industry eventsconferences, associations, industry events Understand new business models; Understand new business models;
learn the language of businesslearn the language of businessP&Ls, cost centers, operatingP&Ls, cost centers, operatingexpenses, marginsexpenses, margins
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SupportingSupporting CharactersCharacters
Kids can sleep in their clothesKids can sleep in their clothes
My mom is in Japan isn’tMy mom is in Japan isn’tan excuse for “acting out”an excuse for “acting out”
Limousines and room servicesLimousines and room servicesare part of life’s educationare part of life’s education
They love to be part of yourThey love to be part of yoursuccess …success …“Mom is in Fortune Magazine”“Mom is in Fortune Magazine” is good for show and tellis good for show and tell
Ben’s Image of MomBen’s Image of MomBen’s Image of MomBen’s Image of Mom
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SupportingSupporting CharactersCharacters
Husbands who help Husbands who help are notare not helpful helpful
Pick someone who believesPick someone who believesyour successyour success is as important is as importantas his successas his success
Child care is good for building characterChild care is good for building character
Corporate spouses swing both ways;Corporate spouses swing both ways;my husband loved “Winners Circle” my husband loved “Winners Circle” in Vale, Coloradoin Vale, Colorado
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FinalFinal ThoughtsThoughts
Go for it because you want it, notGo for it because you want it, notbecause others are doing itbecause others are doing it
Find your right mix, not everyoneFind your right mix, not everyonewants the executive lifewants the executive life
Find the right balance betweenFind the right balance betweenyour ying and your yangyour ying and your yang
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