Women in Leadership Panel Highlights Mentorship, Risk-Taking and Resilience

Stony Brook University President Andrea Goldsmith led the April 15 Women in Leadership Presidential Panel Discussion. Photos by John Griffin.

Leadership is often non-linear, and often begins before someone even realizes they are leading.

Those ideas were voiced throughout the "Women in Leadership" panel, which highlighted the power of perspective, persistence and purpose in times of change, bringing together women from business, academia and the nonprofit sector to reflect on their own careers.

The April 15 event in the Sidney Gelber Auditorium was part of a series of presidential panel discussions that brought national leaders to campus to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping the future during the Inauguration of President Andrea Goldsmith.

"Leaders are made as much as they are born or at least they are encouraged as much as they are born," said Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of New America and a former director of policy planning at the U.S. State Department, the first woman to serve in that role. She also served as dean of Princeton's School of Public and International Affairs and was a professor at Harvard Law School. "There is often someone else who says of course you can do it."

Goldsmith opened the discussion by emphasizing the importance of shared experience and the impact of learning from these leadership journeys.

"I am thrilled and honored that this group of outstanding leaders have joined us to participate in my inauguration panel focused on 'Women in Leadership,'" she said. "I know the audience, particularly our students, will find this panel to be invigorating, and motivating."

Marilyn Simons was among the panelists for the Women in Leadership Presidential Panel Discussion.

The president also framed the discussion as an opportunity for the university community to learn from lived leadership experiences.

"I know that our attendees spanning from all facets of our special university, students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners, will take away pieces of wisdom and feel deeply motivated listening to your perspectives," Goldsmith said.

Panelists included Marilyn Simons, a two-time Stony Brook alumna and co-founder and chair of the Simons Foundation; Barbara G. Novick, who co-founded BlackRock and helped build it into the world's largest asset manager; Maria Klawe, president of Math for America and former president of Harvey Mudd College; and Slaughter. Each described careers that evolved in unexpected ways.

"I was pretty undirected," Simons said. "But I was a hard worker and I loved learning and I was offered opportunities and I said yes. That's how my life unfolded."

Novick described a similar path, shaped early by an environment where expectations were not limited by gender.

"Growing up, it never occurred to me that there was a difference, career wise, of boys versus girls," she said.

Yet, describing a very mathematical job in which she was successful but unhappy, she added, "Being good at it doesn't mean you have to like it," Novick said.

From left: Anne-Marie Slaughter, Barbara Novick, President Andrea Goldsmith, Marilyn Simons and Maria Klawe.

Klawe emphasized the importance of connection in driving change.

"The easiest way to actually make an impact is to connect networks that aren't connected," she said, noting that bringing new voices into existing conversations can shift thinking

For Slaughter, clarity often came from recognizing what she did not want.

"Refusing to do something I didn't want to do was more important than knowing what I thought I did," she said.

Goldsmith noted that leadership often develops through action rather than intention. "When I think about my own leadership, it was just seeing something that needs to get done and you do it because it's important and you care about it," she said.

The panelists agreed that in order to become a successful leader, you must lead with resilience and intention.

"I just keep going. Just one foot in front of the other," Simons said.

She added that leadership is strengthened by those around you. "I do feel like I have key people around me who complement or are helpful guidance," she said.

Novick described challenges as motivation. "If they say it can't be done, that's like putting the challenge down," she said.

Slaughter described the need for resilience as a leader in the face of criticism. "If you want to be a leader, you're not going to be liked all the time," she said.

Equally important, she said, is the ability to confront criticism directly and to learn from it.

"You may have an argument in which you are 98% correct and the other person is 2% correct. Focus on that 2%. You might say it is possible that I didn't tell you or I didn't do something. Run toward the criticism," she said.

Mentorship also was described as a powerful influence on their own career trajectories and in supporting future leaders.

"Mentoring is not just giving advice. It is also a kind of blend of what we might also call sponsorship," Slaughter said.

Simons founded the Stony Brook Women's Leadership Council, a mentoring program for outstanding undergraduate women, where she currently serves as chair. She reflected on how early opportunities shaped her path and why she is committed to mentoring others.

"Just being tapped on the shoulder and asked to do something gave me a lot of opportunity," she said. "I don't think that I've ever done anything as rewarding as mentoring young women."

In closing, the panelists offered advice to audience members, encouraging future leaders to act with purpose, integrity and openness to change.

"If you get invited to have a seat at the table, take that seat at the table," Simons said, referencing advice given by President Barack Obama during a graduation speech.

Goldsmith concluded by addressing the university's broader mission to develop future leaders.

"This has been such an inspiring and powerful discussion," she said. "At Stony Brook we are educating future leaders, and we have bold visions and aspirations that require outstanding leadership across all levels of the university."

"Together, we will build pioneers and leaders who will make an impact on Long Island, New York City, the state and the world."

- Beth Squire