钟彬娴在清华学子时代论坛上的演讲 Andrea Jung(1).doc

演讲稿 钟彬娴在清华学子时代论坛上的演讲 andrea jung(1) goodafternooneveryone.icanttellyouhowhonorediamtobeherewithyoutotalkaboutmythoughtsonleadershipandtosharemyexperiencesasoneofonlyahandfulofwomentodayrunningamajorglobalcorporation.asilookoutatallofyou.someatthebeginningstagesofyourcareers.somewellalongtheroadtoyourfuture.whereveryouareonyourownpersonalpathicanpromiseyouaworldofopportunityandexcitement.anythingyouchoosetodoiswithinyourreach.howfaryougowilldependonhowhighyousetyourdreamsandhowhardyouworktoachievethem.butwhateverpathyoutake,thefoundationprovidedbyagoodeducationwillmakesuccessethatmucheasier,ipromiseyou.ihavesharedmyexperiencesonleadershipwithmanydifferentgroupsofpeopleallovertheworld.butbeinghereinthecountrywheremyparentsandgrandparentswereborn-acountrytowhichicontinuetofeelstrongemotionalandintellectualties-isanenormousprivilegeandadreametrue.iconsidermyselfarelativelyrecentmemberofanewgenerationofbusinessleadersfacedwithadizzyingpaceofchangeandaglobaleconomicandpoliticalenvironmentthatareredefinedbythedayinthistumultuous21stcentury.iwasofferedthejobasceoofavonfouryearsago,andithascertainlybeenanexperienceofalifetimeformeeversince.wevehadaspectacularsuccess,modernizingeverythingaboutthepanyfromtoptobottom.withsalesthatthisyearwilltop$6.7billionusdandastockpricewhichisatanall-timehigh,wevecertainlyhadsomeincredibleresults.avonhasbeennamedoneoffortunemagazinesmostadmiredpaniesandwevemadebusinessweekslistoftheworldsmostvaluablebrandsforthreeyearsinarow.youmaynotrealizethis,butavondoesbusinessin143countriesandwesellourproductsthroughmorethanfourmillionindependentsalesrepresentativesthroughournow-famousdirectsellingdistributionmodel.ofallthecountrieswhereavondoesbusiness,chinaiswithoutdoubtourfastestgrowingmarket.avonenteredchinain1990,andwewerethefirstinternationaldirectsellingpanytoopenourdoorshere.overtheyearswehaveadaptedoursellingtechniquestotheuniqueneedsofthechineseconsumer.today,wesellourproductsinavarietyofdifferentways,withbroaddistributionthrough5,000independentbeautyboutiques,ownedandoperatedbyentrepreneurswhoarebuildingsuccessfulavonbusinesses.themajority-morethanthree-quarters-ofthesebeautyboutiqueownersarewomen,inkeepingwithavonsfoundingprinciplesofprovidingbusinessandfinancialopportunitiesforwomen.thisisreallythecoreofourbusinessvisionanditisconsistentfrommarkettomarketallovertheworld.today,avonisproudlyknownasthecompanyforwomenineverycountryinwhichwedobusiness.andourabilitytoprovidewomenwithbothqualityproductsandasignificantearningsopportunityhasbecomeanimportantpetitiveadvantage.itisoneofthereasonsourbusinessinchinahasgrownsorapidlyrightfromthestart.overthepastfouryearswehaveexperiencedrobustsalesgrowthof30%annually.in2003,weexpecttoachievetotalsalesof$150millionto$200millionu.s.dollars.wehavebecomethenumberonebrandofskincareforchinesewomen,andwerealsooneoftheirtopthreefavoritemakeupbrands.ourfacilitiesinclude74branchesin27provinces,plusa$41millionstate-of-the-artglobalmanufacturingfacilityinguangzhou.goingforward,ourstrategyforavonrecognizeschinaasthenumberonemarketintheworldforfutureexpansion,reflectingourstrongmitmenttobringnewbusinessopportunitiestoentrepreneurialwomenineverycornerofthisgreatcountry.asilookbacktoallthatwehaveacplishedoverthepastdecadeandparticularlyoverthepastfouryears,ithasbeenarealperiodofbreakoutsuccessforourpany.breathtaking,butalsoexhausting.therollercoasterridehasopenedmyeyestomanythings.abouttheincreasinglyplexdemandsofrunningabusinesstoday,aboutmyownpetenciesandtheneedtoconstantlychallengeandrenewmyownmitmenttobeingabetterleader.ihadnoideaatthemomentibecameceothatiwouldexperiencesuchgreatfortuneandsuchgreatchallengebothatthesametime.andhowenormouslymylifewouldchangeasaresult.noideawhatprivilege,yetwhatresponsibilityeswithbeingthefirstwomantoleadthepany,tobeconstantlyscrutinizedasoneoflessthanahandfulofwomenceostoday-whatitwouldbeliketobalancemychineseculturalbackground-whattheresponsibilitiesoftheofficewouldentailinthisunparalleledenvironment.andwhatitwouldmeantobeabusinessleaderthatcoulddistinguishhimorherselfintodaysworldwherethegameischangingbytheminute.asireflectonmyrapidrisetothetopasoneofthefewwomenrunningamajorglobalcorporation,ihavefoundmyselfthinkingagreatdealaboutmychineseheritageandhowenormouslyfortunateiamtohavebeengiventhisverypreciousgift.iwasraisedinatraditionalchinesefamilywhereachievementwasnotdemanded,butexpected.myfather,borninhongkong,wasasuccessfularchitect.mymother,borninshanghai,wasthefirstfemalechemicalengineerinhergraduatingclassattheuniversityoftorontoincanada.theyarrivedinamericanotspeakingawordofenglishbutthroughhardwork,bothwereabletofulfilltheirfullpotential,andtheirsuccesshassetawonderfulexampleforme.myparentswerealways,andcontinuetobetoday,thesinglebiggestinfluenceinmylife.theyraisedmybrotherandiwitharespectforthevaluesandtraditionsofourchineseheritage,yetalsowithanunwaveringmitmenttobringusupwithalltheopportunitiesforhighereducationandadesiretoprepareustoadapttoamericansocietyandtosucceedinthisworldofgreatchange.mybrotherandiweregivenalltheopportunitiesofouramericanfriends-thesameschools,thesametennislessons,thesamepianoteachers.butwehadthewonderfuladvantageinmymindofaculturalheritagethatwewerealwaystaugh