钟彬娴在清华学子时代论坛上的演讲 Andrea Jung(2).doc

演讲稿 钟彬娴在清华学子时代论坛上的演讲 andrea jung(2) wewentonelementaryschoolfieldtripstopulpplants,wheretheytaughtushowpaperwasmade.paperwasinventedinchina,momsaid,afterwerelayedtheprocessinawe.ourfavoriteneighborswereitalianandinvitedusoverforspaghetti.whenwecamehomeandraved,dadwouldremindusthatmarcopolobroughtpastahomefromchina.notitalian.chinese.andsoitwent.andhowwonderfultheyweretoinstillinusthesenseofprideinourheritagethatwehaveneverforgotten.whenifirstbecameceo,afamousamericantelevisionjournalistinterviewedmydadandaskedhimifhealwaysknewiwouldbesuccessfulinbusiness.no,hesaid,quitetothecontrary,heworriedforyearsthatraisingmetobearespectfulchinesedaughterwouldhindermyabilitytopeteinaworldwithwhatheconsideredtheaggressive,cutthroattraitsoftypicalamericaceos.infact,hepassedonalettertomethatikeep,translatedfromchinesetoenglish,inmydeskdrawer.theletterreads:remember,therearedistinctivequalitiesthatsetapartthesuccessfulchinese.strivetoexcelinallyoudo;beasuperbparentwillingtocurtailyourownpleasureforthesakeofbetternurturingyourchildren;begenerous,fair,tolerant,eagertolearnfromothercultureswhilesharingyourown.butbeyondtheseattributes,remembertohaveanabsenceofarroganceandboastfulness;haveunfailingcourtesy,forbearance,sensitivityofothersfeelingsandaboveall,theabilitytodiffuseyourangerandgrievance,notbysurppressingthembutbytransformingthemintohelpful,positiveemotions.inanageandenvironmentofpretension,youhaveapreciouschineseculturalheritagewhichweareproudtopassdowntoyou.andso,withmyparentsdefinitionofdistinguishedleadershipinmydraweratalltimes,ihavepushedforwardtoredefineaggressiveasassertive,yethopefullyneverabrasive,toinsurethatimtoughenoughtomaketheharddecisions,butneverunfairly,alwaystreatingpeoplewell.remindingmyselfatalltimestohavethehumilityandsensitivitywhichisexpectedinthechineseculture,adaptedtotheneedsofthepressingbusinessenvironmentwhichrequiresahealthydoseofoutwardlyexpressedconfidenceandcourage.inaway,myownexperiencesreflectthoseofmanywomeninthebusinessarenawhostruggletoretainthebestofwhotheyarewhilecarvingoutasuccessfulmanagementcareer.duringmyvisithere,ihavemetandtalkedwithsomanywomen,andiamtrulyheartenedthatthedoorsofopportunityarebeginningtoopenforwomenineveryfield.butialsoknowthatrealchangeisaslowprocess,soiamhopefulthatmyownexperiencesasawomanandasaleaderwillprovideavaluableperspective.asthepanyforwomen,avonsmitmenttoprovidingdevelopmentalopportunitiesforwomenissecondtonone.asyoumightexpect,avonhasasolidrepresentationofwomeninseniormanagement.infact,thiswasoneofthereasonsijoinedthepanyadecadeago,workingmywayuptheranksthroughareasofincreasingresponsibility.butinterestingly,ithasonlybeeninrecentyearsthatthepanyforwomenhasalsoemergedasthepanyforwomeninseniorleadershippositions.untilthelastdecade,womenwerenotwellrepresentedintheexecutivesuite.withfewexceptions,middlemanagementwasaboutasfarastheycouldgo.herewasapanywithvirtually100%womencustomersandsalesrepresentatives,yetcapablewomensimplycouldnotgettothetop.thisnotonlyprovedunfair,italsoprovedtobeapoorbusinessdecision.thelackofwomeninmanagementcametohurtavon.between1975and1985,morethantwelveandahalfmillionwomenenteredtheunitedstatesworkforce.theseworkingwomenhadtobeservedinnewways.but,atthattime,avonsleadershipteamwasstillmadeupentirelyofmen.womensvoiceswerentheardasweplannedourmarketingstrategyandasaresult,salesinourlargestmarketsuffered.fortunately,avonlearnedtochange.menandwomennowworktogetherasequalbusinesspartners.theylearnfromeachotherandrespecteachother.westillofferourmaleexecutivesanoutstandingcareeropportunity,butnowwomenhaveanequalchancetosucceed.today,sixoutofelevenofavonsboardofdirectorsarewomen.mynumbertwoexecutiveisawoman.almosthalfofourmanagementstaffaroundtheworldarewomen.andimportantly,wehaveputinplacespecialprogramstodevelopthenextgenerationofwomenwhoarebeingtrainedandpreparedtobeegeneralmanagersinmarketsallovertheworld.iamequallyexcitedaboutourprogresswiththedevelopmentofthenextgenerationofavonswomenleadersinchina.womennowaccountfor78%ofourtotalworkforcehere.evenmoreimpressive,75%ofourmanagersandsupervisorsarewomen,and30%ofourmostseniorexecutivearewomen.withavonsreputationforpromotingwomenandmyowncareersuccess,iamoftenaskedforadviceonhowpeoplecanpreparethemselvestobetheleadersoftomorrow.infact,overmycareer,ihaveetobelievethatthereareindeedsomeveryspecialqualitiesthatdistinguishallleaders-andhelpthemstandoutintodayspetitivearena.firstispassion.youhavetolovetheworkyoudo.youhavetobeexcitedtoetoworkeveryday.theytaughtusthefourprinciplesofmarketingwheniwenttoschool:product,price,place,promotion.buttheydidntteachusthefifth,mostcriticalprinciplewhichasfarasimconcernedispassion,thekeytobeingtrulysuccessfulasaleaderoverthelongrun.nomatterwhatcareerpathyouchoose,ibelieveyouhavetolovewhatyoudo.myownpersonalexperienceprovesthispoint.therewasatimeinmyavoncareerwheniwaspassedoverforapromotiontobetheceo.ihadajoboffertobetheheadofanotherpany,butawomanirespectedgavemesomegoodadvice.shetoldmealwaystofollowmyheart,notmyhead.soifollowedmyheartandstayedatavon.intheend,igotthepromotion,butmostimportant,ihavealwayslovedmywork,andthathasmadeallthedifference.thenextdistinguishingqualityofleadershipiscompassion-caringaboutpeople.inmyfouryearsasceoatavon,ivehadtomakesometoughdecisionsanddifficultcalls-eliminatingjobsandclosingfactories.actionsthataffectgoodpeople.thehorriblepartofthejob.butibelievewedemonstratepassionandtreatpeoplefairly,withrespectanddignityduringthosetoughdecisions.anditistheresponsibilityforthoseofuswantingtheprivilegeofbeingtomorrowscorporateleaderstohonorthemitmenttopassionandtheprotectionofthehumanspirit,inspiteofthepressuresanddemandsofbusinesstoday.alongwithpassioneshumility.manypeoplearesurprisedtolearnthisisoneofavonscorevalues.noneofushasalltheanswers.andallofusmustlistentoeachother,becauselisteningmakesusstronger.oneofthethingsivelearnedaboutmyselfisthatitendtobeimpatientinsolvingproblems.insteadoflisteningtotheopinionsofothers,itryrightawaytofindsolutions.ihavehadtolearnthatotherpeoplecangivemevaluableinputandthatlisteningmakesmeabetterleader.tobeabetterlistener,inowbringemployeesfromallovertheworld-includingchina-tonewyorkcityfourtimesayeartoheartheirsuggestionsforhowtoimproveourbusiness.imeetwiththemforafulldayandspendmostofmytimelistening.thisisoneofthemostimportantthingsido.balanceisanotheressentialleadershipqualityintodaysplexworld,anditsaqualitythatisespeciallycriticalforwomenwhoarejugglingmanyandsometimespetingroles.asaworkingmotherwithtwochildren-mydaughterlaurenis14andmysomejamieis6-iconstantlystrugglewiththeissueofbalance.peoplealwaysaskmehowidoit,andmyansweris.itsnevereasytobalanceworkandfamily.illgiveyouanexample.ibelongtoanexecutivemitteeofceosfromthebusinessworld.recentlywewereinvitedtowashingtonforameetingwiththepresidentoftheunitedstates.thiswasveryexcitingtome.whatanincredibleopportunity.theonlyproblemwas,themeetingoccurredatthesametimeasmydaughtersfirstbigtripawayfromhome.itwasabigmomentforherandherfriends-togoonamultipledaytrip-andmydaughterneededmetobethere.whatshouldido.therewasneveradoubtinmymind.thepresidentwouldntknowifiwasthereornot.butmydaughterwould.soiwenttothebuswithherandineverlookedback.itdidntaffectavonthatididntgotothewhitehouse.butialsotellwomenthatitisevenallrightifyourjobdoessometimesesecondtoyourpersonalpriorities.sometimesthejobismoreimportant.butsometimesyourfamilyhastobemoreimportant.therearetwofinalqualitiesofdistinguishedleadershipthatiwanttosharewithyoutoday.thesemaybethemostimportantqualitiesofallandhowluckywearethatbothareafundamentalpartofourchineseculture-somethingwealllearnfromourparentsvirtuallyfromthedayweareborn.firstisperseverance.imtalkingaboutsimplehardworkandamitmenttostaythecourseevenwhentimesaretough.intodaysfast-pacebusinessenvironment,unexpectedchallengeseatyoufromalldirections,withnoendinsight.sometimesireadarticlesaboutmyselfandmycareerpathanditmakesitsoundsoeasy.butbelieveme,ithasntbeeneasyforasingleday.iworkfarhardernowthanieverhaveinmylife.ivehadtoembraceconstantchange,andeverytimeithinkivefinallymasteredthesituationanewchallengeesalongihadntanticipated.therewillbemanydayswhenthechallengeseachofyouconfrontwillseemoverwhelming.weallhavethosedays;theygowiththeterritorywhenyouaretryingtoachievesomethinggreat.perseveranceandhardworkwillseeyouthroughthetoughtimes.myparentsinstilledthesequalitiesinmeandithasmadeallthedifference.sometimesiwatchyoungamericansquitwhenthingsaredifficult,andialwaysadvisethemtotryagain.andagain.andagain.nevergiveupuntilyouachieveyourgoal.thatswhatdistinguishesthosewhomakeittothetopfromthosewhodont.hardworkisessential.butallthehardworkintheworldwonttakeyouanywhereunlessyouknowwhereitisyouwanttogo.thatswhyitssoimportanttohaveadream.thisisthefinalimportantqualityofleadership.everythinggreatthathaseverhappenedinthisworldbeganwithadream.avonhasbigdreams.infactourpanythemethisyearisdreambigger.wewanttobenumberoneinbeautyworldwideandnumberoneinsatisfyingourcustomersandsalesrepresentatives.wewanttobethebestplacetowork.wewanttobetheleaderinphilanthropy.andwewanttobeoneoftheworldsmostsuccessfulpanies.ihaveapersonaldreamaswell.mydreamistomakearealdifferenceforwomenallovertheworldandtohelptransformlives.everytimeawomanopensanavonbeautyboutique,wearemakingherdreamofbusinessownershipetrue.thisisthedreamofunlimitedopportunitythisisthedreamofhope.itisalsothedreamofchina-whereeverythingispossibleandsuccesscanbeasgreatasthesizeofyourimagination.inmanywaysthedreamofchinaisreallythebiggestdreamofall-anditsadreamweallshare.andwerenotalone.thedreamofchinahascapturedtheworldsimaginationsincethebeginnin