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ELLEN JOHNSON-SIRLEAF
I've held positions at the World Bank and the United Nations. But in all of those positions, I served as a professional who happened to be a woman. In no way did I feel any different from any of the men. Here in Liberia, during this political campaign, there is still some reluctance on the part of men to accept the fact that you are equal to them.
As African women, we've had to compete more than women in developed societies But this has compelled us to be more aggressive in trying to reach the highest levels. We're knocking at the door, and there is a little crack in it. If I win, many other women will push on it. And then it's going to open.
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I believe women in leadership can be a little more sensitive to human needs, show more respect for life and dignity. In the past, I've been considered as one with a strong will, as a firm disciplinarian. But now, I'm most concerned with being a mother to Liberia. I want to heal the deep wounds of this nation, particularly among our youth. One must show loving care to them. One must be motherly to them, and make them feel wanted.
LATA KRISHNAN
I've been privileged to go from being a tech entrepreneur for 15 years to leading a nonprofit institution in the United States focused on social development in India. It's a drastic change, but what I learned as a tech entrepreneur has helped me build the AIF. My mother told me to be financially independ-ent; my father said, "Try everything once." I've combined those tenets to find opportunities to work outside my comfort zone--it has helped me evolve as an individual. Every few years, I do something that stretches me. Three years ago, I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro--it's 19,321 feet high. I'd never climbed even a hill before. I was the only female in our group; it was an incredible journey.
The opportunity to switch [careers] came after the 2001 Gujarat earthquake. My husband and I decided to help and wanted to make sure the money got to those who needed it, so I led the disbursement committee. Then our charter changed: there were so many fragmented efforts, we needed an organization that could serve India's needs for social development. I was asked to take over as president. I accepted because if one wants to make a difference, one has to jump in at the deep end.
My personal challenge is to work and raise two teenagers. There's no way to balance that; you have to prioritize. If your kids are important and your work is, too, you compromise on something else. I compromise on time for myself.
I believe it's possible for every woman to have her cake and eat it--managing a home life, children and a fulfilling career. The daily struggles of the balance will remain, but it's possible to do both. It's really important to enjoy what you're doing and feel you're a contributor.
JUDITH SHAPIRO
Never lose your sense of humor. Almost anything can be funny if you look at it in the right way. As an anthropologist, I also believe in being a participant observer. It's useful to step out of a situation and not take it personally. It's also really important to transcend gender stereotypes. You need to be supportive of your people, because leading is about serving. That's not a girly thing; it's what I believe a strong leader does.
KAHOKOTSUNEZAWA
Never say: "It didn't work out, but I did my best; oh well." I run a school for female would-be entrepreneurs, and it is striking how many of the women give up, saying, "But I did my best." If you do that, you will not get anything done.
The other mistake many women make is letting others influence their decisions too much. Today [in Japan] it's still considered crazy for a woman to start a business. Many women worry about what their husbands, family and friends say: "It's risky." "You could lose all your money." "Nobody else does that." Japanese women are used to having others make their decisions. But being a leader, you have to make a decision, for which you have to be responsible. You have to get used to that.
You should also never lose sight of the direction you want to take your business in. Over time, the direction could change, and you may have to let go of people who once were essential. That is one of the hardest things you must do. But you should consider it as a step that you must take to reach your goal.
But most important, as a leader, you need to share your experience with your team, and other women. My goal is to help Japanese women who want to keep working despite changes they experience in life. Today many women quit after having a child--or the second child, if not the first, because it's just too hard. It's expensive to hire help. I wanted to offer an alternative: why not start your own business?
We need role models. I started my company in 2000 and gave birth to my second child this past summer. A young woman on my staff recently said that, watching me trying to balance raising kids and running the business, she felt like she could do it, too. And that's the most important thing.
SHELLY LAZARUS
I don't really believe that men and women manage differently. There are as many different styles and approaches among women as there are among men. There are some really bitchy men. There are . People might expect women to be more sensitive, so they see what they expect to see.
People who are successful are passionate about what they do. I think other people are attracted to passionate people because they're able to communicate where they think it's important. One of the things I've loved is being able to work with people who have different ideas, who in many instances are much smarter than I am.
I don't have to have the answer. I like to work with people who like solving things together.
I think most people like to work in environments where their ideas are respected. But you can't fake it. You have to really care what other people think. You can always tell who's paying lip service.
SUSAN LYNE
Always leave a little something on the table. It's important advice in any business. A total win for one side in any negotiation is just wrong because it's almost always a pyrrhic victory. You end up with bad partnerships. And we have long careers, and it is very likely you're going to be meeting the same people at some point down the line, so it's important to make sure that nobody feels like they have been either embarrassed or beaten in a negotiation. I think you only get the best partnership if both people feel good about the terms.
I look to hire people who I think have the potential to take my job at some point. I firmly believe that you need to hire people who have leadership qualities and who are ambitious enough to want to soak up and learn everything you can teach them. You can never be afraid that someone is going to outshine you.
EILEEN COLLINS
In my business, a leader who gets too emotional loses credibility. The people I fly with have to have confidence in me. They have to know that I am levelheaded, that I can make a decision when we're in an emergency situation. But I'm also human. If I'm feeling emotional, I'll just check out for five or 10 minutes, go get my head on straight and come back with a more professional point of view. Of course, if there's an emergency in space, you can't say, "Hey, give me five minutes and I'll be back."
My last mission was the return to flight of the space shuttle this summer. I did not have any fear. I was very focused on getting the job done. My attitude was, it's time to go do this. I've never been nervous on any of my launches because we've been so prepared. In any field, you've got to go out and practice, get to know your subject.
It's hard to be a parent and an astronaut. But because I love being a parent and I love being an astronaut, I have lots of energy to do both. I think I'm a better leader because I'm a parent. I am more organized and have learned to set priorities because of my children.
I think that sometimes women more than men try to do everything. Men are more willing to assign tasks and say, "Do this and report back to me." Women who want to do it all themselves sometimes get burned out. I can't be a micromanager because I don't have time.
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