Designed for Destiny

Playing to Win — Linda Cohn

Women Leaders: Influencing the Future

Women Leaders: Influencing the Future

Recently, I took a quantum leap and did something I had not done before.  I asked my 95 contacts on LinkedIn to “Recommend Me” as a leader in the staffing/recruiting industry.  Many of the comments came from people I had worked with more than 10 years ago, and to say the least, I was awed and humbled by their comments. The most interesting comments, though, were submitted by the people who have worked for me.

I was interested to find out how others viewed me as a leader. Their comments compelled me to stop and think about the very nature of leadership and the role of women as leaders.  How do we lead? Do we lead differently than our male counterparts? What are the most desirable traits in leaders, and how do women manifest these traits?

Continuing on LinkedIn, I took a few minutes to view the recommendations of women leaders that I admire. As I read the recommendations for these female leaders, I began to notice commonalities. There were a few characteristics used to describe these women that came up over and over again.  They were:

Professional
Creative/Solutions-Oriented
Mentor/Trainer
Inspiring
Caring

To see traditionally masculine qualities like “professional” and “solutions-oriented” listed next to conventionally feminine qualities like “mentor” and “caring” was extremely satisfying. It made me think that we are beginning to view some feminine qualities as leadership qualities.

Male and Female Leadership:  Is there really a difference?

I asked some colleagues of mine that are currently working for women about their experiences with women in leadership. I wanted to see what they would say. Here is what they said:

“One of the female leaders that I admire partners her intelligence and heart in making recommendations and decisions.”

“…the ability to delegate is important. There are times when women are more focused on doing than delegation. Often times [women leaders] get a reputation for being tough…but actually if they are comfortable in their role, they make excellent leaders.”

“When I have worked for a woman, I find that they are more interested in what is best for me, whether that be about work/life balance issues or even opening the doors for promotional opportunities.”

“The kind of leader I like is one that gives clear direction, has vision, guidance, mentor/coach, confidence in the team to deliver and doesn’t micro-manage. What I have found is that women are more motivating and a guiding influence. Men as leaders are more political in their decision-making and often leave you to figure it out on your own.”

The women leaders whom I have known have had three distinct qualities: dedication, passion and compassion – not necessarily in that order. They have cared about the people on their teams, and are always eager and ready to assist those people in achieving their success.”

These are varied opinions, to be sure, but everyone I spoke with thought that women have, in general, learned to utilize their unique characteristics in order to lead. Today, women are using the very qualities that were previously considered strictly feminine to influence personal performance in their teams.

The Challenge

The challenge of incorporating women into leadership comes from our collective corporate past. Corporate America has been built and led with the perception that soft (feminine) skills are less effective. In her book, Disappearing Acts: Gender, Power, and Relational Practice at Work, author Joyce Fletcher asserts that soft skills and business skills are inextricable. It makes sense.  In my experience, employees who feel respected and cared about are more productive. They’re happier.

Have you ever seen the happy cow commercials? The cows in these commercials are happy, and RealCaliforniaMilk.com is asserting that happy cows make a better product. Women are skilled at relational management. They let their employees know when they are doing a good job, and create company cultures that are productive. I have seen it happen. When employees feel significant, they have a tendency to catch the company vision and produce higher-quality work. Women are also skillful when conflict arises. Emotional intelligence is a benefit to subordinates, superiors and production.

What the Experts are Saying

The Harvard Business Review published an article called “Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership” by Alice H. Eagly and Linda L. Carli. They assert that “Women occupy 40% of all managerial positions n the United States.  But only 6% of the Fortune 500’s top executives are female.  And just 2% of those firms have women CEO’s…Women’s leadership style – characterized by innovating, building trust and empowering followers – is ideally suited to today’s business challenges.” They note, “Leadership style issues:  Many female leaders struggle to reconcile qualities people prefer in women (compassion for others) with qualities people think leaders need to succeed (assertion and control).”

Obviously, we still have ground to cover in the percentage of leadership positions women hold. Joyce Fletcher in Disappearing Acts asserts that women are being overlooked for leadership roles because of the types of skills they utilize in order to achieve success. It is not that those skills are any less effective than the masculine traits their counterparts are utilizing to produce performance. Our present corporate culture has put limits on how female leadership is perceived and how far women advance.

Where Are We Now?

There is hope, though. It looks as if the new economy is having an effect on corporate structure.  We could soon have less “tiered” structure models and more team-based structures. Just the place for women to thrive in the future!  We are all becoming more and more interconnected, more collaborative, and the ability to communicate is paramount. In this new economy, women who are able to utilize their emotional intelligence, communication skills, and ability to mentor…just might lead the way!

Linda Cohn: Playing to Win

The world of sports is often thought of as a man’s world. This was certainly the case when Linda Cohn became the first US female sportscaster on a national radio network (WABC) in 1987. When Linda Cohn began with ESPN in 1992, it was a boy’s club. There were no make-up artists, no dressing rooms, not even an outlet in the bathroom to plug a blow dryer into. A pioneer for women sportscasters, Linda Cohn has paved the way with a firm resolve to follow her passion for sports and 17 years later is still going strong on Sports Center.
Recently, Linda Cohn released her memoir, Cohn-Head, A No Holds Barred Account of Breaking into the Boys Club. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with Linda about her career and glean wisdom from her occupational experiences on a predominantly male playing field.

Tabitha: Linda, this issue of our magazine is going to focus on women in business. I couldn’t think of a better person to talk to than a woman who wrote a book about breaking into the “boys club”! You have really broken down barriers in your field, and I think there will be a large portion of our female readership who can really relate to you…

Linda: One of the reasons that I wrote the book was because of the [kind of] women you touch and you are connected with. I think there are a lot of women out there of all ages, who have been pioneers in their own field - and I think they can relate to what I dealt with (working with a lot of men and trying to still be a woman, etc.). That is something that I am proud of because I knew it would connect with people.

Tabitha: You really did write a book for everyone. Your sports fans, I know, love it… but I was surprised to find so much life information in the book. I was surprised to see so much of your life laid out in the book, and am now passing it on to other women in my life. [Whether they are sports fans or not!]

Linda: Well, thank you, Tabitha for that… and that’s one of the comments I got a lot from people when I was on the book tour. They said “Wow, I can’t believe you opened up your life like that!” [Laughing] Well, guess what? It’s a memoir, and isn’t that what memoirs are all about?

It [the book] definitely connects with guys, and that whole kind of sporty thing and the obsession with teams…but I wanted to include my personal life because women are always struggling with career, family, husbands, no husbands, what do I want, am I being selfish, am I not being selfish, aren’t I asking for what guys get all of the time…the satisfaction I get from being a mom…I don’t want to give that up…sacrifice because of my children… These are the issues that women are looking for guidance with. Women aren’t looking for that typical “talking head” on television that has had nannies all of their life… That is not someone that the everyday woman in business can relate to. I feel that is why I connect with them, because I never had a nanny. Just because I am on TV…doesn’t mean that I fit the stereotype!

Tabitha: While we are talking about that struggle…. I was really surprised to find that you turned down your first offer from ESPN. After reading your book, it’s obvious that your children are a priority for you. What advice do you have for women who are trying to build or maintain a career and balance that with family?

Linda: Well, Tabitha, that is a really good point, and as I look back, it was the right decision. What I tell young people and young women is that any decision they make - they have the power to make it the right decision. Meaning, for instance, when I made that decision [to turn down ESPN], was I disappointed? Yes! Did I cry? Yes! At that time, when I was in Seattle, I had to make a family decision.

So, I said to myself, “Ok, how can I use this situation? I am in Seattle, in my first TV sports job at a real commercial network (CBS), and I can hone my skills. I can be better than ever. I can become the best sportscaster I can be by being in Seattle…and I can slow down my life.” I was on this treadmill…it was like - “What else can I conquer, and how quickly can I do it?” Again, it slowed me down. I make jokes about it, but I was able to have my daughter, my first child in Seattle, because I fit it into my schedule. [laughing] Isn’t that crazy? Look at how much has changed for women in 18 years! Aren’t women “fitting” childbearing into their schedule now? Aren’t they “fitting in” getting married? It’s almost become a business relationship!

Tabitha: Times really have changed! What about in your field? Do you think women are getting more opportunities now in sportscasting? I know that some of the networks have cut down on it, but are we going to continue to see women on the sidelines, or are they going to be, like you, viewed as anchor material? Are they really getting more opportunities, and are they being hired for their looks?

Linda: You know, most TV executives tend to pick the “safe choice”- and I think some of them are a little messed up. Because they think the average sports fan needs to see some kind of eye candy on the sidelines. I always make this joke - and I get a good laugh, but I believe it sincerely. I have more guy friends than girlfriends, and they know where to get their eye candy…and it’s not on the sideline of a football game.

I always tell young women who want to get into the business to please aim higher. Yes, there are a handful of sideline reporters out there that I truly respect…but I believe they should be anchors. I tell young women to be analysts. Be someone with an opinion - because you are knowledgeable!

Is there still a long way to go, Tabitha? Absolutely, because the people in hiring positions are still predominantly male and still think that women can’t have an opinion in sports.

…But there were a handful of men that gave me a chance. That took a chance on me throughout everything - from the man who put me on the men’s hockey team in my high school to the men in my career - they took a chance on me because they believed in me. Hopefully, we are making strides, and yes, compared to 20 years ago, men are giving women a chance. Now, men have to take it to the next level and say that women can be more than sideline reporters.

Tabitha: Well, let me ask you this: What do you think it was that those men in power saw in you? What do you think made them say, “Let’s give Linda Cohn a chance. I believe in her.”? What do you think it was that prompted them to even put their reputations on the line in some cases?

Linda: I think it will always come down to not being a phony, Tabitha. What they saw in me first and foremost was, “WOW! She really does love sports! This isn’t something that she has just picked up because it’s going to increase her chances to be on television.” They saw that I had a true sports passion, I had the knowledge, and I knew how to write.

Tabitha: It’s true. When people watch you, it’s obvious that you have a drive and passion for what you do. Can you explain the role your passion has played in your continued success and how your fans relate to you through that passion?

Linda: That’s a great question. I think I relate to the typical sports fan….Why? Because I am the typical sports fan. What is a sports fan? A sports fan is very emotional. A sports fan [loves] a rollercoaster ride. I love being a sports fan. I can deal with the lows because the highs are so fantastic! I think that is why I connect with the viewer out there. That’s why they sense that I am the real deal…and I’m not acting or a talking head. It’s helped me in real life because I use that passion in everything that I do.

Tabitha: I checked out your website, lindacohn.net (and cohnheadfans.com); and wow…What an amazing place for your fans to connect with you! Can you tell me a little bit about it?

Linda: I am very excited about it and I have Jeff and Don at AscendWorks to thank for it. I met with Jeff and Don and the gang there and told them about my vision. They created an amazing place where I felt I could connect to my fans…and that is what I so want to do. Because, you know, at ESPN, there is the “great” from being at ESPN, and there is that “not so great.” And the “not so great” is that I’m an employee, and so I have to do what they tell me to do. Because they pay my salary, right? They tend to keep us all in a cave - unless for some reason they decide to let us out of the cave once in a blue moon. But I am not a person that belongs in a cave. I need an outlet. Yes, I host SportsCenter, but it’s still kind of scripted, and it’s still structured, and they frown upon me having an opinion. Because to them I am a host - I’m not an analyst. But guess what? I am opinionated. That’s why this website, to me, was my avenue to share my opinions with my fans. My fans also have opinions - and that’s why I love having an interactive website. It’s not just about me saying “Blah blah blah”, it’s about them having a personality, having a venue to blog, having a place to send their pictures so everyone, all my members can see.

I have the IPhone, which is great, and I can do everything on my IPhone - the blog
entries, Twitter, Facebook…even when I am here at the mall with my daughter on her 18^th Birthday!

Tabitha: Tell her Happy Birthday, by the way!

Linda: I will…she’s having a grand old time spending all of her mom’s money!

Tabitha: [Laughing] Excellent! That’s the only way to go! …Let me ask you this…the message that I got out of your book, as a woman, was: “Pursue your dreams! Just go for it.” What is your highest message to your daughter as she is looking to her future at 18?

Linda: That’s the message.

Tabitha: That’s it?

Linda: Yeah! Go after it! Just go after it. I mean, go after your dreams. The big mistake that a lot of people make is that they see the dollar signs early on in other positions and in other fields. I never want to look back and say I didn’t try.

That was my big thing in my head. I don’t want to look back and say that I didn’t do what I can to get a break to be lucky. (That’s one of the things I preach a lot - put yourself in a position to be lucky.)

And that’s because you know, there was always a back-up plan. You know if I wasn’t going to be a sportscaster, maybe I could be a PR person on one of my teams, or any sports team. That was my back up plan. Or if that didn’t work, I might have done something else within a team, to be connected to sports in some way. So maybe you wouldn’t have your dream job, but you have a different link that will get you to your dream or that will at least keep you connected to something that drives you - something that you are passionate about. That’s my message, and that’s what I tell my daughter, Sammy. Go for the sky, and then there are always back up plans, which guess what, are pretty damn good.

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I think it is important to note, that Linda schedules time to spend with young women who are aspiring sportscasters on a regular basis. She regularly invests time into the next generation of sportscasters, and is considered a leader behind the camera as well as in front of the camera. It reminds us all as we are climbing to our own career goals that it is important to help the next generation come with us.

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Linda is available as a speaker for corporate events. To book Linda as a speaker at your next event click here.

Designed for Destiny

Throughout history, women have made a significant difference with our hands, our minds and our courage. Once women joined the workforce at large, the impact was inevitable. Women have changed the face of business, and made significant contributions in a variety of industries.

A considerable number of women entered the work force during World War II. Women by the millions took factory jobs to make up for the domestic manpower shortage. After the war, the number of working women dropped, but by 1950 it was climbing again, at the rate of a million a year. By 1990, the work force was 47 percent female and 53 percent male, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many view this as one of the most important and desirable social and economic transformations of our lifetimes. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, and until this recession, women remained less than 49 percent of the work force. However, that percentage has now passed 49 percent and may cross the 50 percent threshold for the first time. As we cross this threshold it only makes sense to assess where we stand and set goals for the future.

Women have carved out a place for themselves in the workforce, and often have detached themselves from native qualities that have the most leadership potential. In her book, Designed for Success, Dondi Scumaci reviews the qualities that are widely understood to be leadership qualities, and juxtaposes them against the descriptions women most often face at work. Feminine descriptions such as catty, nurturing, empathetic, and aggressive are not associated as qualities suited for a role at the leadership table. Today, women are ready to re-assess the qualities that have brought them this far and look forward to the qualities that will take them further.

Silence is Golden, but Negotiation is Priceless

Women are still reluctant to ask for what they want in a work situation. In her book, Ms. Scumaci asserts that women tend to take the first salary offer from an employer rather than negotiating. Women have a tendency to view this as confrontational, and Ms. Scumaci predicates that men negotiate salaries more readily because they view it as a challenge rather than a confrontation. Lack of negotiation can lead to resentment later on when responsibilities in the workplace become greater and the real work begins. Many women are left feeling taken advantage of because they didn’t assert their true salary expectations during the interview process. Women who make no apologies for their expectations and have the courage to ask for the salaries they want and need are the top earners today. You will never get what you want if you don’t ask for it!

Listen and Grow

Women will continue to progress in the workplace, and in our developing roles we must be able to effectively take constructive feedback from peers, leadership, and people that we trust to be honest with us. We also have to be willing to accept the information given to us and use it to become more effective leaders in the workplace. Growth is always contingent on our willingness to be confident enough to admit when change is needed.

Woman, Market Thyself

Marketing. Women all over the world have entered the marketing field and are marketing their companies’ products. Why, then is it so hard market oneself? It is essential that women in the workplace develop a plan to strategically market themselves in order to develop, grow and position their careers for an ever-changing marketplace. Women need to establish strong personal branding both in and out of the office environment, and share their successes with peers. Your mother may have told you not to “toot your own horn,” but if you want people to notice your successes in a fast-paced environment, you had better pull out your tuba and get busy.

Communicate, Lead, Mentor

Most of us these days think of ourselves as self-actualized communicators. Have you, however, ever worked for someone that you felt was aggressive? In one scenario in this book, there is a female leader that led her team by intimidation. Her employees were afraid to speak to her or even ask questions.  Due to this, the morale and productivity in the department was extremely low. This is how she wanted to be viewed, and she did not realize that this behavior would have such a negative impact on her organization. She honestly thought she was leading…because she thought that fear was a motivator and that if her employees viewed her as invulnerable, she would earn their respect. The opposite was true. Women don’t need to be aggressors in order to get people to listen or cooperate.

Conversely, I can remember a point in my career back in 1996 when I worked for a female SVP. Initially, though she was knowledgeable in her field, she seemed intimidating.  This woman saw leadership qualities in me and gave me an opportunity that I never thought was possible at my level. She saw abilities in me that had not been activated and gave me a chance. We started a new division within the organization. With her continued mentorship and my willingness to push myself, we put together the number one direct hire administrative division of the company in Dallas. Though I don’t work with her any more, she remains a strong professional influence in my life to this day.

Can you see the difference?  Both women were getting things done, but the woman who encouraged me was creating a future for her company, for me, and for herself. Mentorship is a win-win proposition. Women need to capitalize on our best qualities to become the leaders who will open doors for the next generation. We should encourage our employees to be a part of the decision-making process, and mentor them as we lead. The returns are worth it.

Dondi Scumaci has written a useful book that asks women to take an honest look at the way we do business. If you are a woman or a man who works with women, I highly recommend that you read this book. Everyone can benefit from the advice and wisdom within. I did. I sincerely look forward to what the future has to hold for women in the workplace. As we press into this new economy, we will need the tools that Dondi Scumaci presents to thrive.