![Part Three of Three : L(L) Speaks with Alliance for Women President Erin M Fuller on Leadership and Work-Life Integration.
Erin M Fuller is the President of the Alliance for Women in Media, the longest established professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. With nearly 10,000 community members, the Alliance for Women in Media represents men and women engaged in creating high-quality media and harnessing the power of women in all forms of media to empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and drive positive change.
Ms. Fuller is on the advisory board for the Women in Politics Institute at American University and is the President of the American University Alumni Association Executive Board. She is a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives and teaches as a guest lecturer on non-profit management at American University.
Prior to joining the Alliance for Women in Media, Ms. Fuller previously served as the executive director for Tysons Tomorrow and as the chief staff executive for the National Association of Women Business Owners.
L(L): What information do you think is most valuable for women to know about leadership, and about how to be an effective leader?
EMF: I’ve taken a lot of leadership classes and training, but really – I chafe a little at the idea that leadership is different for women than it is for men.
I think leaders are different by definition and there aren’t universal similarities that are true for all women leaders. Everyone’s heard that generalization that women are great at relationship building, nurturing, and collaborating but we all know women who are very successful but not collaborative. On the other hand, we see images of really cold and dreadful female leaders – think of the Miranda Priestly character in The Devil Wears Prada. I don’t like that there’s a dichotomy that the only people who are successful have to be that character.
Generation Y is lucky in so many ways. For the most part, you women have grown up with so much more diversity than previous generations and have seen women in far more advanced roles. You see leaders as leaders and not through a gender-based lens.
Leadership is about respect. I always think that you know it’s time to leave a job when you look at your boss and think, “I could do that job better than that person.” Ideally you want to look at someone and think “How on earth does she do what she does? I have no idea how she’s able to manage it so gracefully.” There’s a huge amount of leadership that is learned over time and you have to be patient and respect that.
The last thing I’ll say about leadership is it doesn’t hurt to have a sense of humor. To acknowledge the absurd or ridiculous that happens in one’s career. To be in charge doesn’t mean you’re not supposed to be able to laugh at what happens.
L(L): You’ve worked a lot with women leaders in the fields of politics, media and business. Within these distinct fields, what do you view as the biggest challenges women face?
EMF: The women’s movement isn’t over. It’s frustrating sometimes to hear how people approach this issue. For the first time in 2010, we lost ground in the Congressional elections. Today there’s a sense that because decades ago we burnt bras and now we have a few leaders like Carly Fiorina and Hillary Clinton, we’re done.
But we can’t be satisfied with having just a handful. In politics, we have a practice that women don’t run for office until their families are grown up. They don’t want to expose their kids and their personal lives to all the mudslinging that happens in political campaigns – especially to female candidates. As such we miss out on a whole bunch of seniority and leadership opportunities in our lifetimes. This is where gender equity is struggling.
As for media and business – we know media lags behind other industries. Only 3% of media companies have female CEOs. Generally speaking, women tend to shy away from opportunities where they are profit and loss concerns on the table, where there’s money to be made. We see a lot of women go into HR and Marketing, but you don’t make money in those functions. It’s often in sales and revenue generating parts of business where you’re more likely to make money and where there are more opportunities to be leveraged.
L(L): You’ve said before that one of your goals is to make gender-based organizations and the issues they face relevant to younger women. What is difficult about getting today’s young women energized around gender-based issues?
EMF: It is harder today to engage younger women in traditional gender based organizations – a lot of times people think, “Aren’t we done with that?” Sure, women make up 51% of the workforce – but you have a glass ceiling and a sticky floor. And the idea of work-life balance doesn’t help – I see it as a total myth.
L(L): Why is work-life balance a myth?
EMF: You stick around a job that’s become comfortable because you see it as the way you can balance everything.
We have the opportunity to bring enthusiasm around a whole new set of issues involving work-life integration. Young women don’t want to have to feel they are torn between work and home. I am a mom and I understand the conflict and stress involved. I think there’s a real opportunity for Generation Y to redefine work-life balance.
Work is more flexible now. Everyone has a smartphone. You have email access 24/7. If you really need someone, you text them. Whether you have to work at your desk or be in a cube – the bottom line is that work has crept into crevices beyond 9 to 5. For me –if I have to make a phone call at 2pm to get my kid on a summer camp list, I’ll do that and that’s okay. I know I’ll still be checking my e-mail at 9pm.
For aspiring young women today, I think work-life balance is an illusion and work-life integration is a reality. The good thing for young women to know is that greater autonomy comes the longer you work somewhere. If you’re the boss, you can set your own schedule.
Honestly, what you’re doing at 24 is not what you’ll be doing at 30, when you’re going to be grappling with more family issues. Some things have gotten better in the last decade – for instance, Dads are so much more hands-on. But it’s still really hard. I get paid to be an advocate for women – but I’ll tell you, I kill myself to drop my kids off to school, make nutritious meals for them, and do my own work. It’s really challenging. I would never give up my kids and I would never give up my job.
It’s such an exciting time to be working and to be part of so much newness going on – I’d hate for young women who also want families to give that up. We’re going in a new direction for what it means to be working.
L(L): Okay, last question. Ones to Watch. Most Powerful Women. Most inspiring. So many lists are out there… Who is on your list?
EMF: I’ll give you just a handful of my personal favorites: women across all types of media. Here goes!
Beyonce, Adele, Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig, Amy Poehler, Samantha Bee, Rachel Maddow, Hannah Storm, Katie Couric, Gayle King, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Michelle Obama, Suzanne Collins (author of the Hunger Games trilogy), and (as for literary characters) Katniss Everdeen.
[Author’s Note: For any Levo Ladies working in media or affiliated industries, check out the Alliance for Women in Media, which has free community membership and weekly news briefs on career progress for women in media.]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lz6mrw45mL1rnojvoo1_250.jpg)
![Part Two of Three: L(L) Speaks with Alliance for Women President Erin M Fuller on the Role of Women in Media.
Erin M Fuller is the President of the Alliance for Women in Media, the longest established professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. With nearly 10,000 community members, the Alliance for Women in Media represents men and women engaged in creating high-quality media and harnessing the power of women in all forms of media to empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and drive positive change.
Ms. Fuller is on the advisory board for the Women in Politics Institute at American University and is the President of the American University Alumni Association Executive Board. She is a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives and teaches as a guest lecturer on non-profit management at American University.
Prior to joining the Alliance for Women in Media, Ms. Fuller previously served as the executive director for Tysons Tomorrow and as the chief staff executive for the National Association of Women Business Owners.
L(L): In what areas of media have women made the most progress in the last ten years?
EMF: This is a hard question because we know media is pervasive and encompasses so much. Women have made great progress in certain pockets of the industry. A+E, BET, NBC Universal – I could rattle off 50 networks that have women in senior level positions. Especially within cable divisions and entertainment studios, the executive movement we see there is encouraging.
Another area where women have made a lot of progress is news reporting. In only a generation so much has changed. The number of women doing financial reporting right now is amazing. We all remember when Maria Bartiromo came on the air – that was a big deal, but now people don’t even comment on the women in these roles. Women are taking leading positions in sports reporting. There’s so much movement in areas we originally thought were nontraditional areas for women.
L(L): In what areas of media do women still face the most significant challenges?
EMF: There is a flip side to the positives I just mentioned that we get concerned about, and that’s when women only seek “front of the camera” opportunities. I get concerned about all the women I meet who want to go into broadcast journalism. I worry about the limited shelf life you have there. I worry about the pressure for women to conform. It’s disconcerting when you turn on the news channels and many women look the same. I think it’s not necessarily her choice; it’s the way she’s mandated to look and act in order to further her career.
There is a terrific movie out right now called MissRepresentation which highlights so many aspects that are concerning about how we see women in media. I worry about what women see on television today and what they may think they need in order to be successful, like “I need to weigh 95 pounds, or have a perfect set of teeth.” When you think about the real heroes in our media today, you realize that’s not what you need at all.
Where the real opportunities are for women who want to enter media is on the technical side. Broadcast engineering pays high salaries – the engineers can be more highly compensated than the people in front of the camera! You have a lot more creative control in this field, and an ability to own a piece of what you’re creating. Technical jobs provide a lot of stability, long shelf life, and opportunities for good salaries.
Another area ripe for opportunity is new media development – for example, managing new media, mobile, product integrations across platforms. Right now very little of that is run by women. Actually, our organization was previously called American Women in Radio and Television – we rebranded as an effort to include digital media as an extension of our 60 years of work in radio and television.
L(L): Time to brag. Tell us about something that the Alliance for Women in Media is doing that you’re really proud of or excited about.
EMF: I’ll name two. This past year we launched our Symposium events, which is a series of educational events in different parts of the country. We just finished up our Chicago event, which focused on Digital Literacy for Women and Girls, which culminated in a special year end report. Being able to do that kind of deep dive into content is why I love my job.
Also, each year the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation hosts the Gracie Awards, which celebrates the best in media by, for, and about women. It’s a spectacular event we look forward to every year. We judge from thousands of entries and do a big red carpet celebration. This past year we welcomed Meredith Viera, Chelsea Handler, and many other amazing women. We are able to leverage the relationships we form through The Gracies in other ways – for instance, our radio PSA campaign on girls’ self-esteem was voiced last year by fabulous members and supporters such as Gayle King, Tina Fey, Lisa, Ling, and Amy Poehler.
The important thing about both of these programs is the message we’re giving about the role of women in media. Our goal is to shine a light on positive and realistic portrayals of women in media, and to support women to continue to seek out rewarding careers in media.
L(L): Both professionally with the Alliance for Women in Media and personally, what do you want to accomplish by January 2013?
EMF: Within AWM, we’d like to launch a campaign that has real societal impact on issues related to digital literacy. Next year, we’ll do a lot of the work to complete that and are meeting with everyone from celebrities to network heads to FCC commissioners to launch that.
I also sit on the Healthy Media: Commission for Positive Images of Women and Girls, launched by Geena Davis and former FCC Commission Deborah Taylor Tate, and we’ll have a series of recommendations out in October on key issues for the portrayal of women and girls in media. I’m honored to be able to serve on that commission.
Personally, I yearn to figure out how to fit in more exercise. It doesn’t matter what job you have. Those things that are hard at 20 are hard at 30, 40, and 50. Spending more time having fun with my kids and maintaining my personal health – those are two things I want more of in 2012.
[Author’s Note: For any Levo Ladies working in media or affiliated industries, check out the Alliance for Women in Media, which has free community membership and weekly news briefs on career progress for women in media.]
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Wendi is a 2008 alumna of Stanford University and Fulbright Scholar who is passionate about global business and economic development, social responsibility, and design thinking. With a background in international political and corporate consulting, she looks towards finding that “sweet spot” of work which combines innovative collaboration, business acumen, and social impact. An avid traveler who loves to experience new cultures (and great food!), she has lived abroad in Peru, Chile, and Spain and would love to put a few more countries on that list.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lz33srEwKv1rnojvoo1_250.jpg)
![Part One of Three: L(L) Speaks with Alliance for Women in Media President Erin M Fuller on Finding Careers and Mentors.
Erin M. Fuller is the President of the Alliance for Women in Media, the longest established professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. With nearly 10,000 community members, the Alliance for Women in Media represents men and women engaged in creating high-quality media and harnessing the power of women in all forms of media to empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and drive positive change.
Ms. Fuller is on the advisory board for the Women in Politics Institute at American University and is the President of the American University Alumni Association Executive Board. She is a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives and teaches as a guest lecturer on non-profit management at American University.
Prior to joining the Alliance for Women in Media, Ms. Fuller previously served as the executive director for Tysons Tomorrow and as the chief staff executive for the National Association of Women Business Owners.
L(L): Describe your first “real” job.
EMF: I did high- end fundraising for nonprofits around special events. Think movie premieres, fundraisers, black tie galas… I worked for a firm in DC to execute and manage everything around those events.
It was an exciting time – it was right when the Clintons had come into office in DC. There were a lot of progressive organizations that saw this as a great opportunity to raise money on good causes – in particular, I remember Rock the Vote and other election-related initiatives. It was a terrific experience to actually get to attend some of these events as a young person, but I had to wear black tie dresses 4 out of 7 nights a week!
L(L): What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned on careers?
EMF: I have to say I’ve been very lucky in the opportunities I’ve had access to. I wasn’t afraid to go for positions with the highest amount of responsibility and I tried not to focus solely on money – a good strategy if you plan to work with nonprofits! In school, I always was that person who would want to run for class office, or be an RA – I sought opportunities for leadership. But when I got out of school, I saw that some of my friends had higher starting salaries than I did and I had to appreciate that the decisions I made were the right ones for me.
If you have a decision between two jobs, think beyond the money and prestige. Take the job that gives you the biggest opportunities for growth, responsibility and leadership. When you are 30 or 40, those are the jobs that will make your resume stand out. While everyone else took the safe job working at the big firm, you worked your way up to 2nd in command at a ten-person organization and got to travel to 17 countries, etc. - that will distinguish you among others.
I realize it’s a hard time for jobs right now. I admire people who can find the best opportunity in a bad situation. You shouldn’t shy away from the unconventional choice or the harder choice – it pays dividends in the future.
L(L): Who are your role models and mentors? How have those relationships helped shape your career?
EMF: At this point in my career, there are many women and men I look up to I was recently named a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives, an organization of thousands of organizational and nonprofit leaders. Each year around 100 Fellows have an annual retreat and that opportunity to sit around with people who have similar positions and responsibilities is tremendously valuable.
The thing about formal mentorship programs is that sometimes they don’t feel very organic. Sometime it feels a little bit like a blind date. Sometimes those relationships are successful and sometimes they’re not. Of course you shouldn’t just rely on these programs - I think that you have to take advantage of relationships with people you meet that feel like natural relationships. Often you can speak more freely with people who don’t work within your organization. I would encourage people to go outside established mentoring programs.
L(L): So, on that note, what advice would you give Levo Ladies about finding and building a relationship with a mentor? What can they do to make that relationship feel more organic and rewarding for mentors?
EMF: Be aware of her preferences: For instance, if she doesn’t like being called a mentor formally, recognize and work around that.
Don’t meet in her office. Get out of her workspace. It’s hard to have an honest conversation about something that’s so important and personal as your career when it feels like you’re just doing another meeting, when she’s penciled you in for 15 minutes on her calendar, and her computer and phone are sources of interruption.
Come prepared — With questions, with samples of your work, and with 2 or 3 things you want to get out of the meeting.
A lot of people come in looking for job offers or recommendations, and that’s okay. You don’t need to shy away from that. If you’ve had a good conversation with someone and asked all the right questions, it’s perfectly fine to say “I saw this job and it seems like a great opportunity. Do you think I would be a good fit for it?”
Above all – if there’s a specific thing you’re looking for, don’t wait for the mentor to bring it up. I think a lot of people have this expectation that mentors will run the show – but often mentors are busy and the reality is you need to take the bull by the horns and structure that conversation so you get the outcome that you really want.
L(L): What is one piece of advice you would give to young women starting their careers?
EMF: Something I’ve had to learn for myself is – when you’re ready to look for your next job, often you’re really looking at what you don’t want to do anymore versus what you do want to do.
I had always assumed it would be the opposite – that you would be searching for that perfect fit of what you want. But, after you’ve had your first one or two jobs, I think the reality is that you learn: “I don’t want to have to answer the phone 80% of the time. I don’t want to have to be the person managing logistics for others. I want to be the one who gets to travel and own my work.”
That’s been very helpful. When I think about what’s next, I think about what I don’t ever want to do again and what I want to make sure is included in the next opportunity. Sometimes the stuff we don’t want to do can suck everything away. When considering each new job, thinking about what skills and abilities you don’t want to do on a daily basis is a good way to ensure you’ll be happy in your next endeavor.
One other thing. Just as we know in the media industry, image is everything. Women always have more work to do to build, create, and maintain their image than men do, as ridiculous as that is. That’s challenging. Something I’d stress to young women today is, just how water cooler gossip could sink someone’s career 10 or 20 years ago, today everyone has their own online brand. Some fun picture of you doing keg stands during some night in college night may have more impact on you than male colleagues. Women have to be particularly vigilant about their personal brand online – what they post, what they tweet. People should be very careful about how they maintain their personal brand.
[Editor’s Note: For any Levo Leaguers in media, make sure to visit Alliance for Women in Media. AWM has free community membership and weekly news briefs on career progress for women in media.]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyzgtoWJKB1rnojvoo1_250.jpg)
![Part Three of Three : L(L) Speaks with Alliance for Women President Erin M Fuller on Leadership and Work-Life Integration.
Erin M Fuller is the President of the Alliance for Women in Media, the longest established professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. With nearly 10,000 community members, the Alliance for Women in Media represents men and women engaged in creating high-quality media and harnessing the power of women in all forms of media to empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and drive positive change.
Ms. Fuller is on the advisory board for the Women in Politics Institute at American University and is the President of the American University Alumni Association Executive Board. She is a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives and teaches as a guest lecturer on non-profit management at American University.
Prior to joining the Alliance for Women in Media, Ms. Fuller previously served as the executive director for Tysons Tomorrow and as the chief staff executive for the National Association of Women Business Owners.
L(L): What information do you think is most valuable for women to know about leadership, and about how to be an effective leader?
EMF: I’ve taken a lot of leadership classes and training, but really – I chafe a little at the idea that leadership is different for women than it is for men.
I think leaders are different by definition and there aren’t universal similarities that are true for all women leaders. Everyone’s heard that generalization that women are great at relationship building, nurturing, and collaborating but we all know women who are very successful but not collaborative. On the other hand, we see images of really cold and dreadful female leaders – think of the Miranda Priestly character in The Devil Wears Prada. I don’t like that there’s a dichotomy that the only people who are successful have to be that character.
Generation Y is lucky in so many ways. For the most part, you women have grown up with so much more diversity than previous generations and have seen women in far more advanced roles. You see leaders as leaders and not through a gender-based lens.
Leadership is about respect. I always think that you know it’s time to leave a job when you look at your boss and think, “I could do that job better than that person.” Ideally you want to look at someone and think “How on earth does she do what she does? I have no idea how she’s able to manage it so gracefully.” There’s a huge amount of leadership that is learned over time and you have to be patient and respect that.
The last thing I’ll say about leadership is it doesn’t hurt to have a sense of humor. To acknowledge the absurd or ridiculous that happens in one’s career. To be in charge doesn’t mean you’re not supposed to be able to laugh at what happens.
L(L): You’ve worked a lot with women leaders in the fields of politics, media and business. Within these distinct fields, what do you view as the biggest challenges women face?
EMF: The women’s movement isn’t over. It’s frustrating sometimes to hear how people approach this issue. For the first time in 2010, we lost ground in the Congressional elections. Today there’s a sense that because decades ago we burnt bras and now we have a few leaders like Carly Fiorina and Hillary Clinton, we’re done.
But we can’t be satisfied with having just a handful. In politics, we have a practice that women don’t run for office until their families are grown up. They don’t want to expose their kids and their personal lives to all the mudslinging that happens in political campaigns – especially to female candidates. As such we miss out on a whole bunch of seniority and leadership opportunities in our lifetimes. This is where gender equity is struggling.
As for media and business – we know media lags behind other industries. Only 3% of media companies have female CEOs. Generally speaking, women tend to shy away from opportunities where they are profit and loss concerns on the table, where there’s money to be made. We see a lot of women go into HR and Marketing, but you don’t make money in those functions. It’s often in sales and revenue generating parts of business where you’re more likely to make money and where there are more opportunities to be leveraged.
L(L): You’ve said before that one of your goals is to make gender-based organizations and the issues they face relevant to younger women. What is difficult about getting today’s young women energized around gender-based issues?
EMF: It is harder today to engage younger women in traditional gender based organizations – a lot of times people think, “Aren’t we done with that?” Sure, women make up 51% of the workforce – but you have a glass ceiling and a sticky floor. And the idea of work-life balance doesn’t help – I see it as a total myth.
L(L): Why is work-life balance a myth?
EMF: You stick around a job that’s become comfortable because you see it as the way you can balance everything.
We have the opportunity to bring enthusiasm around a whole new set of issues involving work-life integration. Young women don’t want to have to feel they are torn between work and home. I am a mom and I understand the conflict and stress involved. I think there’s a real opportunity for Generation Y to redefine work-life balance.
Work is more flexible now. Everyone has a smartphone. You have email access 24/7. If you really need someone, you text them. Whether you have to work at your desk or be in a cube – the bottom line is that work has crept into crevices beyond 9 to 5. For me –if I have to make a phone call at 2pm to get my kid on a summer camp list, I’ll do that and that’s okay. I know I’ll still be checking my e-mail at 9pm.
For aspiring young women today, I think work-life balance is an illusion and work-life integration is a reality. The good thing for young women to know is that greater autonomy comes the longer you work somewhere. If you’re the boss, you can set your own schedule.
Honestly, what you’re doing at 24 is not what you’ll be doing at 30, when you’re going to be grappling with more family issues. Some things have gotten better in the last decade – for instance, Dads are so much more hands-on. But it’s still really hard. I get paid to be an advocate for women – but I’ll tell you, I kill myself to drop my kids off to school, make nutritious meals for them, and do my own work. It’s really challenging. I would never give up my kids and I would never give up my job.
It’s such an exciting time to be working and to be part of so much newness going on – I’d hate for young women who also want families to give that up. We’re going in a new direction for what it means to be working.
L(L): Okay, last question. Ones to Watch. Most Powerful Women. Most inspiring. So many lists are out there… Who is on your list?
EMF: I’ll give you just a handful of my personal favorites: women across all types of media. Here goes!
Beyonce, Adele, Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig, Amy Poehler, Samantha Bee, Rachel Maddow, Hannah Storm, Katie Couric, Gayle King, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Michelle Obama, Suzanne Collins (author of the Hunger Games trilogy), and (as for literary characters) Katniss Everdeen.
[Author’s Note: For any Levo Ladies working in media or affiliated industries, check out the Alliance for Women in Media, which has free community membership and weekly news briefs on career progress for women in media.]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lz6mrw45mL1rnojvoo1_1280.jpg)
Part Three of Three : L(L) Speaks with Alliance for Women President Erin M Fuller on Leadership and Work-Life Integration.
Erin M Fuller is the President of the Alliance for Women in Media, the longest established professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. With nearly 10,000 community members, the Alliance for Women in Media represents men and women engaged in creating high-quality media and harnessing the power of women in all forms of media to empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and drive positive change.
Ms. Fuller is on the advisory board for the Women in Politics Institute at American University and is the President of the American University Alumni Association Executive Board. She is a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives and teaches as a guest lecturer on non-profit management at American University.
Prior to joining the Alliance for Women in Media, Ms. Fuller previously served as the executive director for Tysons Tomorrow and as the chief staff executive for the National Association of Women Business Owners.
L(L): What information do you think is most valuable for women to know about leadership, and about how to be an effective leader?
EMF: I’ve taken a lot of leadership classes and training, but really – I chafe a little at the idea that leadership is different for women than it is for men.
I think leaders are different by definition and there aren’t universal similarities that are true for all women leaders. Everyone’s heard that generalization that women are great at relationship building, nurturing, and collaborating but we all know women who are very successful but not collaborative. On the other hand, we see images of really cold and dreadful female leaders – think of the Miranda Priestly character in The Devil Wears Prada. I don’t like that there’s a dichotomy that the only people who are successful have to be that character.
Generation Y is lucky in so many ways. For the most part, you women have grown up with so much more diversity than previous generations and have seen women in far more advanced roles. You see leaders as leaders and not through a gender-based lens.
Leadership is about respect. I always think that you know it’s time to leave a job when you look at your boss and think, “I could do that job better than that person.” Ideally you want to look at someone and think “How on earth does she do what she does? I have no idea how she’s able to manage it so gracefully.” There’s a huge amount of leadership that is learned over time and you have to be patient and respect that.
The last thing I’ll say about leadership is it doesn’t hurt to have a sense of humor. To acknowledge the absurd or ridiculous that happens in one’s career. To be in charge doesn’t mean you’re not supposed to be able to laugh at what happens.
L(L): You’ve worked a lot with women leaders in the fields of politics, media and business. Within these distinct fields, what do you view as the biggest challenges women face?
EMF: The women’s movement isn’t over. It’s frustrating sometimes to hear how people approach this issue. For the first time in 2010, we lost ground in the Congressional elections. Today there’s a sense that because decades ago we burnt bras and now we have a few leaders like Carly Fiorina and Hillary Clinton, we’re done.
But we can’t be satisfied with having just a handful. In politics, we have a practice that women don’t run for office until their families are grown up. They don’t want to expose their kids and their personal lives to all the mudslinging that happens in political campaigns – especially to female candidates. As such we miss out on a whole bunch of seniority and leadership opportunities in our lifetimes. This is where gender equity is struggling.
As for media and business – we know media lags behind other industries. Only 3% of media companies have female CEOs. Generally speaking, women tend to shy away from opportunities where they are profit and loss concerns on the table, where there’s money to be made. We see a lot of women go into HR and Marketing, but you don’t make money in those functions. It’s often in sales and revenue generating parts of business where you’re more likely to make money and where there are more opportunities to be leveraged.
L(L): You’ve said before that one of your goals is to make gender-based organizations and the issues they face relevant to younger women. What is difficult about getting today’s young women energized around gender-based issues?
EMF: It is harder today to engage younger women in traditional gender based organizations – a lot of times people think, “Aren’t we done with that?” Sure, women make up 51% of the workforce – but you have a glass ceiling and a sticky floor. And the idea of work-life balance doesn’t help – I see it as a total myth.
L(L): Why is work-life balance a myth?
EMF: You stick around a job that’s become comfortable because you see it as the way you can balance everything.
We have the opportunity to bring enthusiasm around a whole new set of issues involving work-life integration. Young women don’t want to have to feel they are torn between work and home. I am a mom and I understand the conflict and stress involved. I think there’s a real opportunity for Generation Y to redefine work-life balance.
Work is more flexible now. Everyone has a smartphone. You have email access 24/7. If you really need someone, you text them. Whether you have to work at your desk or be in a cube – the bottom line is that work has crept into crevices beyond 9 to 5. For me –if I have to make a phone call at 2pm to get my kid on a summer camp list, I’ll do that and that’s okay. I know I’ll still be checking my e-mail at 9pm.
For aspiring young women today, I think work-life balance is an illusion and work-life integration is a reality. The good thing for young women to know is that greater autonomy comes the longer you work somewhere. If you’re the boss, you can set your own schedule.
Honestly, what you’re doing at 24 is not what you’ll be doing at 30, when you’re going to be grappling with more family issues. Some things have gotten better in the last decade – for instance, Dads are so much more hands-on. But it’s still really hard. I get paid to be an advocate for women – but I’ll tell you, I kill myself to drop my kids off to school, make nutritious meals for them, and do my own work. It’s really challenging. I would never give up my kids and I would never give up my job.
It’s such an exciting time to be working and to be part of so much newness going on – I’d hate for young women who also want families to give that up. We’re going in a new direction for what it means to be working.
L(L): Okay, last question. Ones to Watch. Most Powerful Women. Most inspiring. So many lists are out there… Who is on your list?
EMF: I’ll give you just a handful of my personal favorites: women across all types of media. Here goes!
Beyonce, Adele, Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig, Amy Poehler, Samantha Bee, Rachel Maddow, Hannah Storm, Katie Couric, Gayle King, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Michelle Obama, Suzanne Collins (author of the Hunger Games trilogy), and (as for literary characters) Katniss Everdeen.
[Author’s Note: For any Levo Ladies working in media or affiliated industries, check out the Alliance for Women in Media, which has free community membership and weekly news briefs on career progress for women in media.]
