Murray Hill Institute’s 10th Anniversary Conference:
Women Leading in the 21st Century

What do women in leadership roles today share with an early 20th century Antarctic explorer?  A gift for leadership, and the ability to bring positive results out of challenging circumstances. 

Murray Hill Institute celebrated its 10th anniversary with a conference held at the Princeton Club on April 24, 2010.  The theme of the conference was “Women Leading in the 21st Century.”  The topic clearly resonated with the attendees, judging from the energetic and excited discussion that took place throughout the day.

Margot Morrell, the keynote speaker, began the day with an inspiring account of how Sir Ernest Shackleton, a man of tremendous self-discipline, courage, and character, brought his men to safety after they were stranded in Antarctica for nearly two years.  Margot used anecdotes and quotations from Shackleton’s diary and recollections of his men to explore the questions of “How does one become a leader?” “What makes a great leader?” and “How does one survive and thrive during a difficult time?”  Margot deftly illustrated how her study of the historical sources related to this expedition led to an analysis of leadership qualities that can be applied to any situation in life.

Shackleton was able to marshall the best in his men, many of whom were beset with personal difficulties, through:

• Commitment--Shackleton led by example, and never let others do what he himself would not do. 

• Connecting  He kept up morale by simple, moving, and optimistic speeches. He never gave into pessimism and helped his men keep their eye on the goal: getting home.

• Caring  He made things as easy as possible for his men in those difficult circumstances, taking some of the most difficult and unpleasant jobs on himself.

• Can-do attitude.  Shackleton’s refusal to give in to personal discouragement gave hope to his men. He was the embodiment of his own statement: “Optimism is the true courage.”

This riveting account of Shackleton’s leadership was followed by a panel discussion of various aspects of corporate leadership. Elizabeth Scarborough, Managing Director of Société Générale Corporate and Investment Banking, spoke of the challenges that she faced as an American woman in a leadership position at a French bank.  She stressed the importance of building teamwork--finding out what people like and are good at and helping the team focus on the over-arching goal. She has found it effective to use humor to diffuse stress when tension is building up, and emphasized the importance of valuing what each person contributes.

Adora Chew, Executive Director of Sales—Accessories—US, Chanel Inc., New York, spoke about the corporate culture at Chanel. She related how Coco Chanel, a visionary entrepreneur, set the foundational mission in 1910—to establish a house of style that would create luxury goods of lasting value. Working in a company largely run by women, Adora described characteristics that many women share that make them strong leaders: they are expert multi-taskers, are nurturing, and have empathy for co-workers and clients alike. She described the ideal work environment: as one in which the leader brings a clear vision to the team, values group achievement with an “all for one, one for all” culture, and ensures that each team member is given credit for achievements.

Heidimarie Echtermann-Toribio, Managing Director, Financial Institutions Solutions, Barclays Capital, Inc. shared leadership lessons she had learned while serving in a range of corporate and community service roles. She spoke about the power of interdependence, learning to communicate mutual trust, managing change and its accompanying anxieties, and determining how to focus one’s own time and talents to fulfill one’s goals.

The conference attendees enjoyed visiting with the speakers and with each other during lunch.  The afternoon panel brought together leaders in the non-profit sector. Diane Kenney, President, The Bottomless Closet, described her transition from corporate life to becoming President of the Board of a non-profit.  She described this role as being a “cheerleader,” directing 200 volunteers, and ensuring that everyone is heard, committed, and supported.  The Bottomless Closet helps women make the transition from welfare to the working world by supplying them with interview outfits and support.  Diane described how working with this initiative and seeing how grateful the women are for the basics of life has personally inspired her and helped her have a deeper appreciation of the value of work.

Amira Zahid, Founder and Trustee of the Dahesh Museum of Art, gave a compelling account of her family’s emigration from Lebanon and described how her family began the Dahesh Museum in the early part of the 21st century.  The  museum faced fierce attacks by the press because of its Arabic heritage.  Amira described what to do when faced with such an attack:  face the storm; prove oneself, stay close to the ideal, and disseminate true knowledge to confront the bias and discrimination. By showing that art is a universal language, the museum does important work in bridging cultures. Amira described her view of leadership as being about experiences and how we manage life.

Annie Hinton, Co-Founder and President of Brady’s Smile, Inc., was eagerly pursuing a Wall Street career at Goldman Sachs when her life suddenly changed. Brady, her baby boy, was born with severe disabilities that kept the entire family in and out of the pediatric intensive care unit for the next two years.  Brady lived only until his second birthday. Throughout this time, Annie noticed what a big difference simple things make to families spending days upon days in a hospital. She and her husband began a non-profit in Brady’s memory, supplying parents and young patients with fuzzy blankets and “Brady Bags” filed with healthful snacks, puzzle books, water bottles, and small toys and games. Annie described the process of setting up a non-profit, and how she tackled the legal and financial side step by step, calling on her professional contacts and finding people who had different skill sets to help. 

The conference participants were clearly energized after hearing from these remarkable women leaders. They had an opportunity to share their insights and discuss what they had heard in light of their own experiences during a small-group breakout session. The Murray Hill Institute Board of Directors extends its sincere thanks to the speakers, the participants, and the team of dedicated volunteers who helped to make this event a success. Special thanks are due, as well, to Banco Santander for their Bronze Leaf Corporate Sponsorship.

Murray Hill Institute will sponsor an informal follow-up workshop in October 2010. That event will focus on identifying and developing the personal traits needed to be an effective leader.

Margot Morrell

Kathy McGarry

MHI Volunteers greeting guests

See more photos from conference...

We are grateful to Banco Santander for their Bronze Leaf corporate sponsorship.