FranklinCovey Blog | Women Executives

A Business Case for Women

Thursday, July 16th, 2009 | Executive Mama | 1 Comment

Ernst & Young (E&Y) presented a white paper at Davos that shows that companies with more women executives make more money than their less female-populated competitors as measured by EBITDA, return on invested capital, and net profits.  Very cool!  However, I’m not thinking that just any woman in the role makes a difference.  Obviously, the woman needs character and competence and leadership capability and a whole host of things we can explore on later posts.  For today, here are some questions related to the E&Y study to consider if you are a woman that aspires to an executive role: 

• 1. Do you know how EBITDA is measured? Or even what the acronym stand for?
• 2. What about return on invested capital or net profits?
• 3. How does your company currently stand in terms of cash flow, revenues, profits?
• 4. Any idea what Davos is?

 My point is this:  One of the main responsibilities of an executive is fiduciary responsibility.  › Continue reading

Tags: Acronym, Business Acumen, Business Case, Davos, Economic Times, Executive Role, Fiduciary Responsibility, Financial Decisions, Good Advice, How To Read A Financial Report, Jennifer Colosimo, John A Tracy, Leadership Capability, Net Profits, Ram Charan, Report Author, Report Executive, Return On Invested Capital, Velocity, Women Executives, World Economic Forum

Executive Mama

Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 | Executive Mama | 5 Comments

I’ve worked since I was 15 years old.  Some years I worked because I wanted the challenge, the recognition, the opportunity to contribute-and some years I worked because I wanted to eat!  I’ve waited tables, stocked grocery shelves, sold Prom dresses, taught speech communication at a Big 10 university, re-designed processes for a manufacturer, created a gazillion communication and change management plans . . .for IT systems, mergers, reorganizations.  I’m married, with two daughters.  I read, I lead a Girl Scout Troop, I workout (not enough to make up for the Girl Scout cookies), and I’m a Vice President at FranklinCovey.

 That’s what this blog category is about:  Being an Executive Mama. Choosing to be an executive mama.

 Women have more choices as to how to mix career and family than any previous generation.  And yet, some don’t aspire to leadership roles, particularly executive roles, because of the perception that the only acceptable executive style is paternalistic command and control.  Others want executive status and a rich family life, possibly including children, but don’t see a path to doing both AND living to tell about it.  This blog will encourage realistic optimists to make conscious choices about their leadership style, strive for executive influence in influential organizations including business and government, and to provide a map as to the decisions to be made in order to earn the right to be called both “executive” and “mama” in the same lifetime.

 Next week:  No whining.

 Author: Jennifer Colosimo, Vice President of Sales and Delivery Effectiveness at FranklinCovey

Tags: Career, Change Management, Choices, Conscious Choices, Executive Roles, Executive Style, Family, Franklincovey, Girl Scout Cookies, Girl Scout Troop, Grocery Shelves, Jennifer Colosimo, Leadership Roles, Leadership Style, Life Balance, Mama, Mergers, Optimists, Perception, Reorganizations, Speech Communication, Two Daughters, Vice President, Women Executives, Work Life Balance, Working Mom, Workout