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Best of Multimedia: How Women Can “Make It Happen”

A Wall Street Journal video interview with the CEO of a Fortune 500 company reveals insights for the next generation of female leaders.

Make it happen.” That was the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, celebrated around the world on March 8. And in the United States, March also happens to be Women’s History Month.

Inspired by these events, I decided to look at how well my gender has fared when it comes to leading corporations. Despite gains in education and the workplace, fulfilling the “make it happen” mantra has been tough when it comes to moving women into executive leadership. Just 3 percent of 2013’s incoming CEO class were women according to a recent Strategy& study. But there’s hope: The study predicts that women will make up about one third of incoming CEO appointments in 2040.

Denise Morrison, who as CEO of Campbell Soup Company is one of 24 women who are chief executives of Fortune 500 companies, offers some compelling advice for women hoping to gain an executive seat. As Morrison says in a Wall Street Journal interview, women need to understand the importance of building a network of people who will help them succeed: “[Y]our ability takes you so far, and your relationships take you the rest of the way.”

For more insights on practices that empower women at work, watch the full interview. (And, while Morrison’s remarks may have been intended for a female audience, they really apply to anyone—man or woman, at any level—who’s looking to achieve professional growth.)

Charity Delich

Charity J. Delich is the marketing & public relations manager of strategy+business.

 
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