Charlotte Beers: How Women Can Win in a Male Dominated Workplace

Charlotte Beers

Charlotte Beers’ illustrious career began in product management for Uncle Ben’s and took her to the heights of advertising and government. She was the first woman senior vice president at J. Walter Thompson Advertising in the firm’s 106-year history, leaving to become CEO of the advertising agency, Tatham-Laird & Kudner, where she tripled billings. She then became Chairman & CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, where her leadership was renowned. Harvard Business School still teaches their bestselling case study on leadership titled “Charlotte Beers at Ogilvy.”
Beers eventually returned to J. Walter Thompson as Chairman. From 2001 to 2003, she served as Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy & Public Affairs. She was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the State Department’s highest honor. Her latest book is called I’d Rather Be in Charge: A Legendary Business Leader’s Roadmap for Achieving Pride, Power, and Joy at Work.
In this interview, Charlotte talks about how women can compete against men at work, the factors that tend to keep women out of management roles, and more.
New studies show that the workplace is still heavily dominated by men. How did you build your career and compete in a male dominated work environment?
The key to success in advertising and marketing is ideas. Ideas tend to be gender neutral. I was good at idea generation and helping people get their ideas out. The other thing that matters in an agency is understanding and motivating clients. I came from the client side so I had comfort there. I think those two things kept me from being classified as “the girl”.
But equally important was the way I presented myself and built relationships. I was often the only woman in the room and the men would give me direct feedback – some of it not polite. But I would immediately take it in and understand what they meant. In today’s workplace, I think that women have a hard time getting that type of direct and open feedback. We are so politically correct. Most women managers tend to be distant from the men at the top. That’s something we have to overcome.
What, ultimately, keeps women out of the inner circle of management?
Relationships. ‘But women are more adept socially’ you must be thinking. Yes, but relationships at work are a whole different ball game. Men get these kinds of relationships. And they set the rules of engagement – especially at the top. When a woman brings her uninformed concept of what a productive relationship is, it makes her look less like a leader.
Another problem is that many women leaders copy men. I know I did for a while, but if a method is going to work, it has to come from the center of who you are and what you want and a rock bottom assessment of what you can offer. It’s much harder finding your own model of how to be a leader, though men are given their model practically at birth. It’s not fair, but there you are. But I promise you, women are going to set a whole new standard in authentic leadership.
Why aren’t women getting the recognition they deserve in the form of pay and advancement?
In the realm of tasks, reports, projects, good old down and dirty getting it done, women do an excellent job. But that ceases to be the point at any manager’s level. The work then becomes about propelling projects forward, getting your ideas heard, imposing them on a reluctant group, even. That’s a very different skill set, one which women have had less opportunity to develop. Women, for all their verbal excellence, are uneasy with “guts ball’ – putting it all out there, exposing their commitment and passion, pushing their audience.
Particularly in even the daily presentations, this is needed to project real authority. Some women try to do this by being severe, looking tailored and buttoned up. This may project “I mean business,” but it doesn’t communicate the kind of fervor and persuasion skills needed to be seen as a leader. Authority, or taking charge, is messy, uncomfortable, edgy, challenging. It can feel foolish, daring, or pushy. This is the nature of leadership, and women have to get ready for it and comfortable with it.
What do you do if you are stuck at work and don’t know what to do next with you career?
I think the most important thing to do, if you are stuck and want to grow, is to be an ambassador for your own brand. Get out of your own department. Go and meet, relate to and ask questions of colleagues in other departments. Even the ones you don’t normally have access to. You should ignore the limitations imposed by the company culture. You should take on unexpected projects. Volunteer for things. Show genuine interest in the work that goes beyond your normal territory. You have to take responsibility for your career to breakout.
What are your top three pieces of advice for young women in the workplace?
First, don’t take it personally. In most business situations – meetings, presentations annual reviews – many emotions and feelings will be expressed, but they aren’t personal.
Second, be authentic. Know and respect what you are about and what you truly believe in, not just what is on your resume.

Third, learn to keep your own scorecard. Don’t let other people tell you who you are. You will be reviewed, but your most important assessment is how you feel on your own. It is extremely important, especially to women to know what people think of them, but don’t hold it as the truth. Be sure it fits with your own self-assessment.
And here’s a fourth idea. Women think being taken seriously as leaders means they have to be serious all the time. That’s not true. You don’t have to be serious all the time. But you should behave like a leader, which means replacing modesty with bravery. Women must accept the seriousness of their leadership roles, but they should lighten up.

What goes into turning a company around? How do you know when it’s time for a change?
Picking what to change and what to keep in a business turnaround is key. As a CEO, knowing who you are and learning how to speak in such a way that people will follow you, even if they are not invested in it is essential. Very few people who are candidates for being leaders have trouble with strategic thinking. Where they fall into uncertainty is how difficult the relationships are.


Dan Schawbel is a Gen Y career expert and the founder of Millennial Branding, a Gen Y research and consulting company. He is also the #1 international bestselling author of Me 2.0: 4 Steps to Building Your Future and was named to the Inc. Magazine 30 Under 30 list in 2010. Subscribe to my updates: Facebook.com/DanSchawbel.