In a powerful conversation at the inaugural CNBC CEO Council: Leaders’ Library, General Motors CEO Mary Barra and former IBM CEO Ginny Rometty shared insights on navigating the corporate ladder as women, leading transformations, and bridging societal divides. The two accomplished CEOs, who have each broken barriers in their respective industries, delved into their personal journeys, highlighting how their views on gender and leadership have evolved over time.
Key Takeaways:
- Embrace Your Identity: Barra and Rometty both initially shied away from emphasizing their gender in the workplace, but they now believe that leading with "woman" is crucial to paving the way for future generations of female leaders – especially in fields like manufacturing and technology, where women are still underrepresented in leadership roles.
- Don’t Fear Motherhood: Both CEOs openly discuss the "motherhood penalty," a pervasive societal bias that can hinder women’s advancement in the professional realm. They advocate for a change in workplace culture to support working mothers and challenge the notion that motherhood hinders professional success.
- Confidently Take Risks: Rometty, who often questioned her abilities, learned to embrace risk as a learning tool, realizing that growth and comfort rarely coexist. Barra encourages women to raise their voices and to go for it, even when they lack 100% of the qualifications.
General Motors CEO Mary Barra and former IBM CEO Ginni Rometty at the inaugural CNBC CEO Council: Leaders’ Library event in New York City.
Scott Gries | CNBC
Embracing “Woman” as a Leadership Attribute
The conversation delved into the complex relationship between gender and leadership in corporate America. **”People can’t be what they can’t see,”** Rometty stated, explaining her shift from avoiding discussions about being a woman to embracing it as a defining characteristic. Initially, Rometty felt uncomfortable highlighting her identity as a woman, but **“I finally started to embrace it,”** she said. **”I talk about our differences; that we can leave a memory and a mark.”** Similarly, Barra, who rose through the ranks in manufacturing, initially felt self-conscious about her gender. However, hearing from young women who were inspired by her journey ultimately led her to understand the importance of embracing her identity. **”When I got the CEO job, people would come up to me and say, ‘So you’re the first female CEO of an auto company?'”** Barra recalled. **”But then I had the same situation [as Rometty], when someone came up to me after a meeting and said, ‘you know, my daughter is now working hard at math and science in middle school because she wants to be like you.’ And then I’m like, okay, I get it. I get it.”**
Motherhood as a Strength, Not a Weakness
Barra and Rometty both candidly discussed the challenges of being mothers in the professional world. Barra shared that she faced the expectation of leaving the workforce after having her children. **”I am a mom, I had two children, I had to juggle both,”** Barra said. But she emphasized the importance of being a role model for other women, **”so often, I see women saying, ‘Someday I’d like to have kids, so therefore I can’t do this.’ And I’m like, wait a minute, you know, you’re 23. And you’re already saying no to things?”** Rometty, who was raised by strong women who overcame adversity, highlighted the value of her own upbringing – **”It does prepare you to have the courage to endure things.”** She attributes her mother’s resilience in pulling her family out of poverty as a critical factor in her success, **”even when she had nothing,”** Rometty shared.
Confronting Fear and Embracing Risk
Rometty revealed that her early career was marred by self-doubt, admitting that she’d often say no to opportunities, **”because I was afraid I couldn’t do them.”** This stemmed from what she perceives as a common phenomenon for women, a hesitation to confidently pursue opportunities. **”If there’s 10 requirements in a job, a woman will look at it and say, ‘Oh, I only have nine of the 10. I can’t even apply for the position,’ where a man will have five or six and go for it,”** Barra said. Both CEOs recognize that women often hold themselves back, **”Women don’t raise their hand, because they’re a little, they’re a little unsure,”** Barra said, **”And then someone will eventually say what they were thinking. And then no one knows.”**
Rometty emphasized the importance of reframing risk as a learning opportunity, **”Growth and comfort will never coexist,”** she asserted. **”Every time I feel at risk and nervous, I’m learning. So this is good. It would let me take on riskier and riskier stuff. … This isn’t a bad ending. I’m gonna learn something. … It resonates with all humans, but I do hear it resonate a lot with women.”** Both Barra and Rometty urge women in the workforce to embrace their confidence and to **”have a point of view. And it’s okay if it isn’t what the group decides to do,”** Barra advises. **”You need to be heard, you need to have a voice. … I think one of the most important things that I’ve encouraged women is, is to go for it.”**
In a powerful conversation at the inaugural CNBC CEO Council: Leaders’ Library, General Motors CEO Mary Barra and former IBM CEO Ginny Rometty shared insights on navigating the corporate ladder as women, leading transformations, and bridging societal divides. The two accomplished CEOs, who have each broken barriers in their respective industries, delved into their personal journeys, highlighting how their views on gender and leadership have evolved over time.
Key Takeaways:
- Embrace Your Identity: Barra and Rometty both initially shied away from emphasizing their gender in the workplace, but they now believe that leading with "woman" is crucial to paving the way for future generations of female leaders – especially in fields like manufacturing and technology, where women are still underrepresented in leadership roles.
- Don’t Fear Motherhood: Both CEOs openly discuss the "motherhood penalty," a pervasive societal bias that can hinder women’s advancement in the professional realm. They advocate for a change in workplace culture to support working mothers and challenge the notion that motherhood hinders professional success.
- Confidently Take Risks: Rometty, who often questioned her abilities, learned to embrace risk as a learning tool, realizing that growth and comfort rarely coexist. Barra encourages women to raise their voices and to go for it, even when they lack 100% of the qualifications.
General Motors CEO Mary Barra and former IBM CEO Ginni Rometty at the inaugural CNBC CEO Council: Leaders’ Library event in New York City.
Scott Gries | CNBC
Embracing “Woman” as a Leadership Attribute
The conversation delved into the complex relationship between gender and leadership in corporate America. **”People can’t be what they can’t see,”** Rometty stated, explaining her shift from avoiding discussions about being a woman to embracing it as a defining characteristic. Initially, Rometty felt uncomfortable highlighting her identity as a woman, but **“I finally started to embrace it,”** she said. **”I talk about our differences; that we can leave a memory and a mark.”** Similarly, Barra, who rose through the ranks in manufacturing, initially felt self-conscious about her gender. However, hearing from young women who were inspired by her journey ultimately led her to understand the importance of embracing her identity. **”When I got the CEO job, people would come up to me and say, ‘So you’re the first female CEO of an auto company?'”** Barra recalled. **”But then I had the same situation [as Rometty], when someone came up to me after a meeting and said, ‘you know, my daughter is now working hard at math and science in middle school because she wants to be like you.’ And then I’m like, okay, I get it. I get it.”**
Motherhood as a Strength, Not a Weakness
Barra and Rometty both candidly discussed the challenges of being mothers in the professional world. Barra shared that she faced the expectation of leaving the workforce after having her children. **”I am a mom, I had two children, I had to juggle both,”** Barra said. But she emphasized the importance of being a role model for other women, **”so often, I see women saying, ‘Someday I’d like to have kids, so therefore I can’t do this.’ And I’m like, wait a minute, you know, you’re 23. And you’re already saying no to things?”** Rometty, who was raised by strong women who overcame adversity, highlighted the value of her own upbringing – **”It does prepare you to have the courage to endure things.”** She attributes her mother’s resilience in pulling her family out of poverty as a critical factor in her success, **”even when she had nothing,”** Rometty shared.
Confronting Fear and Embracing Risk
Rometty revealed that her early career was marred by self-doubt, admitting that she’d often say no to opportunities, **”because I was afraid I couldn’t do them.”** This stemmed from what she perceives as a common phenomenon for women, a hesitation to confidently pursue opportunities. **”If there’s 10 requirements in a job, a woman will look at it and say, ‘Oh, I only have nine of the 10. I can’t even apply for the position,’ where a man will have five or six and go for it,”** Barra said. Both CEOs recognize that women often hold themselves back, **”Women don’t raise their hand, because they’re a little, they’re a little unsure,”** Barra said, **”And then someone will eventually say what they were thinking. And then no one knows.”**
Rometty emphasized the importance of reframing risk as a learning opportunity, **”Growth and comfort will never coexist,”** she asserted. **”Every time I feel at risk and nervous, I’m learning. So this is good. It would let me take on riskier and riskier stuff. … This isn’t a bad ending. I’m gonna learn something. … It resonates with all humans, but I do hear it resonate a lot with women.”** Both Barra and Rometty urge women in the workforce to embrace their confidence and to **”have a point of view. And it’s okay if it isn’t what the group decides to do,”** Barra advises. **”You need to be heard, you need to have a voice. … I think one of the most important things that I’ve encouraged women is, is to go for it.”**
