Ginni Rometty: IBM CEO on Leadership, Power, and Adversity | Lex Fridman Podcast #362

Ginni Rometty on Running IBM

In this podcast, Lex Fridman interviews Ginni Rometty, former CEO of IBM. They discuss the challenges of running a large company like IBM and the importance of enduring values.

Challenges of Running a Large Company

• Enduring as a company requires making unpopular decisions for long-term success.

• The biggest challenge is changing how work gets done in such a big company.

• Bureaucracy is often associated with size, but it's important to focus on being essential and doing mission-critical work.

Enduring Values

• It's important to determine what should endure even if it needs modernization.

• The core of IBM is doing things that are essential to the world, such as running infrastructure at scale and securely.

• Being essential means being determined by others rather than calling oneself essential.

Changes at IBM

• Today, IBM is primarily a software and consulting company focused on hybrid cloud and AI. Consulting makes up one-third of the business.

Overall, Ginni Rometty discusses the challenges of running a large company like IBM and emphasizes the importance of enduring values like being essential and doing mission-critical work. She also talks about changes at IBM over time, including its current focus on software and consulting.

Introduction

In this section, the speaker talks about the challenges of leading a big company and the importance of speed.

Leading a Big Company

• It is easy to fall into the trap of doing things the same way because people are used to it.

• Speed is crucial in industries like theirs.

• When taking over in 2012, there were many trends happening at once, making it difficult to keep up.

• The speaker used to tell people to go faster but realized that they needed to change how work was done.

Changing Processes

In this section, the speaker talks about changing processes and training employees on agile methodology.

Agile Methodology

• The blunt club approach involves reducing layers of management for faster decision-making.

• However, this approach has limitations when dealing with hundreds of thousands of employees.

• To implement agile methodology correctly, small multi-disciplinary teams must work from outside-in and take feedback before pivoting.

• Hundreds of thousands of employees were trained on agile methodology.

Flattening Organizations

In this section, the speaker discusses flattening organizations and reducing layers of management.

Reducing Layers

• The speaker reduced layers of management by half for faster decision-making and more autonomy for employees.

• This approach also provides clarity on where the company is going since decisions are not filtered through multiple layers.

Unpopular Decisions

In this section, the speaker talks about making unpopular decisions as a leader.

Sacrificing for Long-Term Goals

• Leaders have to make unpopular decisions when running a company that endures a century or more.

• Sacrifices may include job changes or reductions or changing philosophies in certain areas like semiconductors.

• Leaders must make difficult decisions during times of crisis and understand that it is not a popularity contest.

Conclusion

In this section, the speaker concludes by discussing the psychological challenges of being a new CEO.

Psychological Challenges

• It can be challenging to step in as a new CEO and make difficult decisions.

• The speaker believes that there are leaders for different situations, and sometimes, leaders have to be autocratic.

Introduction

In this section, the speaker talks about how much needed to change when they took over and the importance of having a platform.

The Need for Change

• When the speaker took over, they knew that a lot had to change.

• As they got into it, they realized that even more had to change.

• They needed a platform because they had always done their best work when they had one.

• The speaker mentions different platforms such as mainframe systems, PCs, middleware, and service platforms.

Skills Inventory

• When the speaker took over, only two out of ten people had modern skills for the future.

• This was a big problem because things were changing so quickly in the industry.

• The speaker mentions that every big company has had to change and go back to what makes them essential.

Hiring and Training

• To operationalize these changes, it takes time and effort to engineer belief in new skills.

• Hiring is a long topic in itself but it involves hiring for willingness to learn rather than just expertise.

Changing Views on Hiring

In this section, the speaker talks about how their views on hiring have changed over time.

Early Views on Hiring

• 40 years ago, the speaker was always in a hurry when interviewing people for jobs.

• They used to think that hiring experts was the way forward.

Revelation on Hiring Experts

• Over time, the speaker realized that if someone is an expert at something and has been doing it for 30 years, the odds of them wanting to change are low.

• This is a problem in a dynamic industry.

Changing Views on Hiring

• The speaker's view on hiring changed when they realized that aptitude does not equal access.

• They now hire for willingness to learn and curiosity about the work rather than just college degrees.

Building Skills

In this section, the speaker talks about how they changed their approach to skills development.

Finding New Talent Pools

• When the speaker needed cyber people, they couldn't find them even though unemployment was almost 10%.

• They realized that schools were not teaching the right things.

Corporate Social Responsibility

• The speaker did a review of corporate social responsibility and found a talent pool in a low-income area high school with a community college.

• This led to changing their whole view on skills first.

Hiring for Willingness to Learn

• The number one thing the speaker would hire for now is somebody's willingness to learn.

• They think of building skills rather than buying them.

Humility and Passion

In this section, the speakers discuss the importance of having a combination of humility and passion. They talk about how experts sometimes lack humility, which can hinder their ability to learn new things.

Beginner's Mindset

• Experts who have been in their field for too long may lack humility.

• It is important to have a beginner's mindset and be willing to constantly learn.

• Hiring people who are willing to learn new things is crucial.

• Some people may not understand certain aspects of mission-critical work, such as security and auditability.

Skills First

• The speakers emphasize the importance of skills first when it comes to hiring, promoting, and paying employees.

Constantly Learning

In this section, the speakers discuss how AI is changing the future of business and how companies need to constantly learn and take risks in order to keep up with these changes.

Unknown Future

• Nobody really understands what the future will look like with AI.

• Nobody is really skilled in AI because it is constantly evolving.

Taking Risks

• Companies need to take risks in order to keep up with changes brought on by AI.

Finding the Right Balance

In this section, the speakers discuss finding the right balance between showing people how to do something and letting them find their own way. They also talk about leadership qualities that are important for role modeling values-based decisions.

Role Modeling Values-Based Decisions

• It is important for leaders to role model values-based decisions.

• Leaders should be unequivocal when it comes to certain areas, such as stopping inappropriate behavior in the workplace.

Finding the Right Balance

• As a company grows, it becomes harder for leaders to show people how to do things and they have to let go of some control.

• The right balance between showing people how to do something and letting them find their own way depends on the scope of work.

IBM's Think Academy

In this section, Ginni Rometty talks about the compulsory education program she implemented at IBM called the Think Academy. She explains how it was designed to transform the entire company and make everyone understand the changes that were happening.

Compulsory Education Program

• The first Friday of every month was made compulsory education for everyone in the company.

• Ginni taught the first hour of every month for four years.

• Ginni explains that she prepares a lot because it gives her confidence and allows her to be present in the moment.

• She also mentions that she tends to push everything to the last minute, which causes anxiety but brings out better performance.

Importance of Understanding Concepts

In this section, Ginni Rometty talks about why understanding concepts is more important than memorization. She shares her personal experience as a student and how it influenced her approach to learning.

Understanding Concepts

• Ginni explains that as a child, she was not good at memorization and always wanted to understand how things worked.

• She says that hard work and preparation give her confidence and allow her to be present in the moment with people.

Being Present in the Moment

In this section, Ginni Rometty talks about being present in the moment with people. She shares how preparation gives her freedom to really listen and help others.

Being Present in the Moment

• Ginni emphasizes that being present in the moment with people is important.

• She explains that preparation gives her the freedom to really listen and help others.

Hard Work and Power

Ursula Burns talks about the role of hard work in her life and how it led to her success. She also discusses the concept of power and how it can be used for good.

The Role of Hard Work

• Ursula Burns shares her background, including her mother's struggle as a single parent with four children.

• She emphasizes the importance of hard work in her family, citing examples from her great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother.

• Burns believes that hard work is deeply rooted in her background and has always been associated with taking care of oneself.

The Concept of Power

• Burns believes that power is often associated with negative stereotypes but argues that it is necessary to do good.

• She explains that power can be used for different purposes: for oneself, for others, or for society.

• Burns encourages listeners to think about their own experiences with power and what they have learned from them.

Leadership Lessons Learned

Ursula Burns shares some leadership lessons she has learned throughout her career.

Leadership Lessons

• Leaders need to be able to communicate effectively and inspire others.

• Leaders should not be afraid to take risks and make mistakes.

• Leaders need to be adaptable and willing to change course when necessary.

• Leaders should focus on building relationships with their team members.

Plan B: Always Be Able to Take Care of Yourself

In this section, the speaker talks about her belief in always being able to take care of oneself and how it has helped her throughout her life. She also discusses the role of financial stress and adversity in driving success.

Taking Care of Oneself

• The speaker believes that one should always be able to take care of oneself and not rely on others.

• This belief stems from a personal experience where she only had 25 cents left during her freshman year.

• The speaker thinks that being able to take care of oneself is both a practical skill and a self-belief.

Adversity and Success

• The interviewer asks if financial stress and desperation played a role in the speaker's success as CEO.

• The speaker mentions that adversity teaches an important lesson - there is always a way forward, and it's in your control.

• The speaker believes that easy times don't result in growth, which is why some parents worry when their kids have never experienced bad times.

Growth and Comfort Never Coexist

In this section, the speaker talks about how growth and comfort never coexist. She shares a personal story about how she learned this lesson mid-career.

Growth vs Comfort

• The title for this section comes from advice given by the speaker's husband - "growth and comfort never coexist."

• The speaker shares a personal story about how she was offered a big job but initially declined because she didn't feel ready for it.

• Her husband convinced her to take the job by pointing out that she was her own harshest critic and that she had more skills than others who thought they could do the job.

• The speaker believes that feeling uncomfortable is necessary for growth, even if it's not always visible to others.

Embracing Discomfort and Self-Criticism

In this section, the speakers discuss the importance of embracing discomfort and self-criticism in order to grow and learn. They also touch on the balance between confidence and humility.

Embracing Discomfort

• Being uncomfortable can lead to growth.

• Self-criticism is not solely a property of women in the workplace.

• There is a balance between self-criticism and confidence that one must navigate.

The Importance of Humility

• Overconfidence can hinder long-term growth.

• Asking questions and understanding enough is all you need to know when taking on new jobs.

Meeting Her Husband

In this section, the speaker talks about how she met her husband while working at General Motors.

Meeting Her Husband

• She met her husband through a blind date set up by someone who owned the house she was living in during her time at General Motors.

Good Power: Leading Positive Change

In this section, the speakers discuss what good power means and how it can be achieved through embracing tension, respect, and celebrating progress over perfection.

What is Good Power?

• Good power involves doing something hard or meaningful in a positive way.

• Embracing tension instead of running from it can bridge divides that unite people.

• Celebrating progress over perfection can prevent polarization or paralyzation.

Writing a Memoir with Purpose

In this section, the speaker talks about how she wrote her memoir and what it means to write a memoir with purpose.

Writing a Memoir with Purpose

• The speaker wrote a memoir that is not just a scientific description but also includes stories from her life to bring it alive.

• She talks about building a foundation when young and shares five principles on how to drive change in a good way.

• The speaker discusses navigating tensions, doing it respectfully, celebrating progress, finding better jobs for more people through OneTen, and being in service of something.

• She emphasizes the importance of being in service of something rather than just serving.

Principles for Driving Change

In this section, the speaker shares some principles for driving change.

Principles for Driving Change

• The first principle is being in service of something.

• Being in service of is different from serving.

• The second principle is building belief by hoping people will voluntarily believe in an alternate reality and use their discretionary energy instead of ordering them.

• The third principle is about focusing on how and skills while enduring change.

Good Tech Responsibility

In this section, the speaker talks about good tech responsibility.

Good Tech Responsibility

• The speaker believes that everyone is now a tech company regardless of their field.

• She emphasizes the importance of taking responsibility for the long term when inventing something and looking at its upside and downside.

• The speaker talks about the implications of AI ethics and how it is important to bring technology safely into the world.

• She emphasizes that when an older company has been around for a while, they realize that society gave them a license to operate.

The Power of 'We'

In this section, the speaker talks about the importance of collaboration and empathy in achieving meaningful goals. She shares her personal experience of transitioning from focusing on herself to caring about others.

Transitioning from Self to Others

• Focusing on others is a gradual process that involves developing empathy and recognizing that our actions affect many.

• The decision to care about other human beings is a deliberate action one takes.

• This transition can happen gradually as people realize they cannot achieve their goals alone and start thinking more about what they are trying to accomplish.

Embracing the Power of 'We'

• Crossing over from "me" to "we" can be a pivotal moment in one's life.

• Being a role model for others comes with responsibility, which includes embracing the power of "we."

• This transition may involve pivotal moments but is often gradual.

Resisting the Corrupting Influence of Power

In this section, the speaker discusses how power can corrupt individuals and emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with people who will hold them accountable.

Avoiding Corruption

• The speaker agrees that power can corrupt individuals and emphasizes the need to be careful who you surround yourself with.

• Surrounding oneself with people who will hold them accountable is crucial in avoiding corruption.

The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion

In this section, Ginni Rometty talks about the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. She emphasizes that having a diverse team leads to better results and explains how it is important to authentically believe in diversity.

Diversity Leads to Better Results

• Ginni believes that having a diverse team leads to better results.

• She values different views and thinks that inclusion is key.

• Inclusion is a choice that can be made every day.

Authentic Belief in Diversity

• It's important to authentically believe in diversity for it to work.

• Diversity should be broadly defined beyond surface-level characteristics.

• Different people from very different walks of life getting together is beautiful.

Balancing Stakeholders

In this section, Ginni Rometty discusses balancing stakeholders when making business decisions. She explains how she has always been vocal about multiple stakeholders and how it's common sense for companies who want longevity.

Balancing Multiple Stakeholders

• Ginni believes that balancing multiple stakeholders is common sense for companies who want longevity.

• Short-term and long-term trade-offs need to be considered when making decisions.

• IBM was one of the originators of the semiconductor industry, but they were losing money manufacturing their own chips. Shutting down would have affected some of the most important systems powering banks today.

IBM's Reinvention

In this section, Ginni Rometty talks about the importance of separating research and development from manufacturing. She also emphasizes the significance of maintaining values and honoring promises when working with clients.

Separating Research and Development from Manufacturing

• IBM separated research and development from manufacturing to maintain focus on high-performance chips.

• The company found a way to take manufacturing elsewhere while still maintaining research and development.

Working with Clients

• When working with clients, it is important to honor promises and act with values over a long period of time.

• Forming great relationships with clients involves being in service of their needs.

• Working in service of clients' needs can make it easier to work with competitors if necessary.

IBM's Reinvention

• Ginni Rometty felt a sense of urgency during her tenure as CEO due to the large number of people depending on IBM, including employees, shareholders, and clients.

• The board understood that IBM needed to reinvent itself or risk becoming extinct. This was perhaps the largest reinvention IBM ever had to undertake.

IBM's Transformation Journey

In this section, Ginni Rometty talks about IBM's transformation journey and how they managed to make it through a big transformation despite facing criticism. She also discusses the acquisition of Red Hat and how it helped IBM find its way on Cloud.

Flat Growth Despite Divestitures and Currency

• Despite divestitures and currency, the growth was flat.

• It was not great but considering the big transformation that IBM went through, it was pretty miraculous to have made it through that.

• Ginni Rometty had great conviction that what they were doing was the right thing for IBM to live at second century.

Acquisition of Red Hat

• The acquisition of Red Hat is the foundation of what is IBM's hybrid cloud play today.

• It took quite a hit for even being the largest software acquisition ever but it was the right thing to do.

• Red Hat is a big piece and an important part of that software portfolio.

Hybrid Cloud Play

• Today, IBM is 30% consulting and 70% software cloud AI which includes hybrid cloud and AI.

• A lot of mission-critical work wasn't tuned for consumer world so they looked for what their best option would be which led them down hybrid cloud.

• The real world would turn into things on traditional that you'll never move because it doesn't make sense. There'll be private clouds for all benefits of the cloud but they just don't have infinite expansion.

Moving from Consumer to Enterprise

In this section, the speakers discuss the challenges of moving from consumer-facing businesses to enterprise businesses. They also talk about the importance of relationships with enterprises and how it is difficult for companies to move down from enterprise to consumer.

Challenges of Moving Down from Enterprise

• It is very hard to take something from the enterprise and come on down.

• Consumer-facing businesses need to be simple, consumable, and low cost.

• Companies need different muscles for innovation-driven technology business.

Importance of Relationships with Enterprises

• Companies need relationships with enterprises in order to build up their enterprise business.

• Lenovo is an example of a company that is good at both PC world and selling into the enterprise.

Consulting Business

In this section, the speakers discuss what consulting entails and how IBM's consulting business operates.

What Consulting Entails

• Consulting is a broad spectrum that covers everything in the space between giving advice and running systems.

• IBM's consulting business lives at the intersection of business and technology.

• The company gives recommendations and implements them using its technology.

Improving Business through Technology

• IBM's consulting business helps clients get more value out of their technology by improving their business processes.

• The company applies technology solutions all the way through implementation.

IBM's Acquisition of PwC Consulting

In this section, Ginni Rometty discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by IBM's acquisition of PwC Consulting.

Balancing IPO vs. Acquisition

• At the time, PwC was considering both an IPO and an acquisition.

• The challenges of being a private firm versus a public firm were significant.

• IBM had to build a new business model that clients would see as valuable and be willing to pay for.

People Aspect

• One of the biggest challenges was acquiring hearts, not parts.

• There was a risk that employees could leave and destroy value.

• Consultants care about delivering value to end clients, which is something Ginni felt she understood well.

Business Model

• The business model had to live at the intersection of people aspect, whether they were private or public, and the unique value proposition offered by IBM.

• Other companies had failed in similar attempts.

• It was hard but ultimately successful.

Personal Side

• This was a big leadership decision for Ginni Rometty after being at IBM for a long time.

• She felt comfortable with it because she knew enough about service to clients and believed in what they were doing.

• It wasn't terrifying but there were many challenges along the way.

The Importance of Perseverance

In this section, Ginni Rometty talks about the importance of perseverance and how it helped her team succeed during a difficult time.

Perseverance is Key

• Ginni gave her team a plaque with a quote from Thomas Edison: "Many of life's greatest failures are people who gave up right before they were going to be successful."

• Governor of Texas once said that passion and perseverance are what led to her success.

• No matter how bad things got, Ginni's team never gave up. They kept changing until they found the right way to make their model work.

• Maya Angelo said, "You won't remember the specifics of this, but you'll remember how you felt." Ginni believes that her team remembers how they felt during that difficult time.

Building the Right Team for Acquisition

In this section, Ginni Rometty discusses building the right team for acquisition and how it helped them succeed.

Finding the Right Team

• During the acquisition, Ginni knew that having recognizable leaders would help new members feel more comfortable joining.

• PWCC had many dedicated leaders who played an important role in their success.

Successful Negotiation through Collaboration

In this section, Ginni Rometty talks about successful negotiation through collaboration and empathy.

Win-Win Negotiation

• The acquisition was a win-win because both parties cared about providing value to customers.

• Collaboration and empathy are key to successful negotiation. Both parties should walk away feeling satisfied, not just one.

The Love for Engineering

In this section, Ginni Rometty talks about her love for engineering and what drew her to the field.

Problem Solving

• Ginni loved the logic and problem-solving aspects of engineering.

• She was drawn to computing because of her desire to learn something new.

Childhood Dreams and Experiential Learning

In this section, Ginni Rometty talks about her childhood dreams of becoming a doctor and how she ended up in engineering. She also discusses the importance of experiential learning and how it has influenced her leadership style.

Childhood Dreams

• Ginni Rometty initially wanted to become a medical doctor but could not pass human reproduction as a course.

• She then pursued engineering and eventually transitioned from a technical role to a management/leadership role.

Experiential Learning

• Ginni believes that the best way people learn is through experiential learning.

• She implemented initiatives such as "Code Off" where everyone on her team had to learn how to build cloud applications regardless of their job title.

• To help people understand AI, she organized something called a Cognitive Jam where employees could volunteer to work on projects related to improving products, doing something for clients or addressing social issues with AI.

• Even as CEO, Ginni still tries to get her hands dirty in something because she thinks it's important to have an understanding of what you're leading.

IBM Deep Blue vs Kasparov Chess Match

In this section, Ginni Rometty talks about the significance of the IBM Deep Blue vs Kasparov chess match in 1996 and 1997.

• The IBM Deep Blue vs Kasparov chess match was one of the first demonstrations of using a game to bring something (AI) into people's consciousness.

• Ginni initially thought of it as a demonstration of supercomputing rather than AI because chess has a finite number of moves and the machine's ability to crunch through them quickly was more impressive.

• However, she acknowledges that the match was a big milestone in AI history because it put into people's consciousness the idea of man vs machine.

The Power of AI

In this section, Lex and Ginni discuss the power of AI and its ability to accomplish tasks that were once thought to be only possible for humans. They also touch on the topic of human emotions in AI systems.

The First Moment in AI

• Lex recalls the moment when a computer beat a human at chess in 1995, which reinvigorated the dream of creating intelligent machines.

• He describes how it was awe-inspiring to see a machine beat a human at something that was previously thought to require intelligence rather than computation.

• Lex notes that this achievement made people wonder if the human mind is just algorithms.

Continuous Progress in AI

• Despite continuous progress in AI, every time an algorithm passes a benchmark or wins a game, people tend to dismiss it as brute force algorithms.

• However, there will come a time when we have to contend with AI systems that exhibit human-like emotions and feelings. This will raise difficult discussions about how we should treat these beings and what role they have in society.

Regulation vs Uses of Technology

In this section, Ginni and Lex discuss their views on regulating technology and why it's important to regulate its uses rather than the technology itself.

Regulating Uses Not Technology

• Ginni believes that efforts to regulate technology are a fool's errand because technology itself is not inherently good or bad. Instead, we need to regulate its uses since how it's used or taught can be good or bad.

• Lex agrees with Ginni's view and notes that technology is a reflection of humanity. It's taught by what man has done in the past, so bad stuff in the past will teach bad stuff for the future.

Watson and Natural Language Support

In this section, Ginni and Lex discuss their experience with Watson and its ability to understand natural language.

The Importance of Watson

• Lex describes how Watson brought AI to the forefront of people's consciousness by humanizing it through its ability to play Jeopardy against two human opponents.

• He notes that Watson was one of the first demonstrations of natural language support and reasoning over lots of data. Its ability to access a lot of information and come up with a conclusion on its own makes it an important tool for helping humans make better decisions.

Challenges of Implementing AI in Healthcare

In this section, the challenges of implementing AI in healthcare are discussed.

People Challenges

• The biggest challenges around implementing AI in healthcare are people challenges.

• Do people trust it? How will they use it?

• Doctors are busy and may not have time to learn a new way of doing things.

• Starting with simple problems can help build trust.

Change Management

• Putting AI on top of existing processes without changing them is a mistake.

• Human change management is critical for successful implementation.

• Consultants need to rethink how things should work with AI.

Watson's Impact on the Future of AI

This section discusses Watson's impact on the future of AI and its evolution from a standalone product to an ingredient used in various applications.

Lessons Learned

• Watson brought AI back into focus for the world and has since inspired many innovations.

• IBM rebuilt Watson many times over and made it more modular, leading to its current use as an ingredient inside other products.

Value as an Ingredient

• Today, Watson is more about AI inside many different things rather than being a standalone product.

• Thousands of clients still use Watson components today.

• It became a platform and an ingredient that went inside other products.

Ethical Questions Surrounding Artificial Intelligence

This section discusses the ethical questions surrounding artificial intelligence and its role in carrying out successful missions.

HAL 9000

• The idea that HAL 9000 was named after IBM is fake news.

• The role of HAL 9000 raises an interesting ethical question about the price humans are willing to pay for a successful mission.

AI Ethics and Transparency

In this section, the speakers discuss the importance of AI ethics and transparency in developing AI systems that benefit society.

Developing Ethical AI

• The development of ethical AI requires considerable attention to ensure that it mirrors everything we love and not just what we don't love.

• Open sourcing some aspects of work or having an open-source competitor can create a forcing function for transparency in how things are done.

• Knowing the people involved in developing AI is important as opposed to hiding behind a company wall.

Importance of Transparency

• Transparency is good for everybody, especially when it comes to revealing the complexities of what a company is facing.

• Public conversations about the transformative impact of AI on society are necessary.

• Trust and transparency principles should be followed when developing AI systems.

• People won't trust technologies unless they have transparency into them.

Challenges with Developing Ethical AI

• It's not possible to prevent evil or bad things by creating a set of cold mathematical rules since it's all fuzzy and gray areas.

• People need to know who trained an AI system, what data went into training it, how it was written, if it's being used, etc., to trust the technology.

Imposter Syndrome in Leadership

In this section, the speakers discuss imposter syndrome in leadership roles.

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

• The speaker discusses whether she suffered from imposter syndrome when taking on leadership roles.

Imposter Syndrome and Self-Discovery

In this section, the speaker talks about imposter syndrome and how to overcome it. She also discusses her journey of self-discovery.

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

• The speaker believes that imposter syndrome is natural for everyone, especially when taking on bigger jobs.

• To overcome imposter syndrome, one must believe in themselves and their right to be there if they have prepared for the moment.

• Confidence is key in overcoming imposter syndrome.

Journey of Self-Discovery

• The speaker's self-discovery has been a gradual process where she looks back on past experiences and learns from them.

• Knowing oneself is important in discovering who you are.

• There are different moods that make up a person, but self-awareness is what makes a difference.

Gender Expectations in Career

In this section, the speaker talks about societal expectations regarding gender in her career.

Gender Expectations

• The speaker chose to never look at gender expectations in her career.

• Working hard was viewed as the way to get ahead during the seventies and eighties when she was growing up.

• The companies she worked for valued equal opportunity and diversity, which became part of her culture.

• Although there were times when being a woman mattered, it did not hold her back.

Being a Woman in Engineering

In this section, Ginni Rometty talks about her experience as a woman in engineering and the challenges she faced.

Challenges of being a woman in engineering

• People would comment on things like her looks, weight, or clothing that they wouldn't have commented on if it was someone else.

• There is pressure on women to succeed because their success or failure is seen as a statement for the whole gender.

• This pressure can be a burden and people need role models to look up to.

Benefits of being a woman in engineering

• It's easier to be recognized for good work when there are fewer women in the field.

• Going into engineering teaches problem-solving skills that are useful in any job.

Representation Matters

In this section, Ginni Rometty talks about representation and how it matters for people to see others who look like them succeeding.

Importance of representation

• Seeing someone who looks like you succeed can be inspiring.

• Ginni Rometty's group OneTen aims to put 1 million black employees into the middle class without college degrees by providing them with upwardly mobile jobs and the right skills.

• Black leaders often feel like their success or failure reflects on their entire country, which can be a burden.

The Power of Role Models

In this section, Ginni Rometty talks about the power of role models and how they can inspire others.

The power of role models

• Role models can inspire others to achieve their goals.

• Lex Fridman's podcast is a way to showcase the humanity behind people's accomplishments and show that they are flawed human beings trying their best.

• Ginni Rometty appreciates being asked hard questions and believes that podcasts like Lex Fridman's can bring valuable insights to people.

Finding Work-Life Balance

In this section, the speaker talks about how she had to learn to set boundaries in order to achieve work-life balance. She also discusses her admiration for people who are able to balance work and family responsibilities.

Learning Work-Life Balance

• The speaker believes that determining one's own work-life balance is important because companies and bosses will take as much as they can from you.

• The speaker realized that if she needed work-life balance, she had to set boundaries for herself.

• The speaker admires people with children who are able to balance their emotional pain with their job responsibilities.

Choosing Not To Have Children

• The speaker and her husband chose not to have children because they were comfortable being great aunts and uncles.

• This choice made it easier for the speaker to focus on work since there were fewer people she had to take care of.

Empathy For Those With Family Responsibilities

• The choices the speaker made informed many of the policies she put into place because she had empathy for those who still had family responsibilities.

• The speaker started a program of returnships after realizing that many men and women didn't feel confident returning to work after taking time off for parental or family reasons.

Ginni Rometty on Authentic Leadership and Relationships

In this section, Ginni Rometty talks about authentic leadership and relationships. She emphasizes the importance of relationships in fueling perseverance and success, and how they should be based on giving rather than getting.

Authentic Leadership

• Ginni praises Mary Barra as one of the more authentic leaders out there.

• Ginni and Mary exchange wisdoms, despite working for different companies with huge challenges.

• Many women CEOs are supportive of each other, creating a very supportive environment.

Relationships

• Relationships are not transactional; they should be based on what you give, not what you get.

• Even after stepping down as CEO, Ginni's friends from her time as CEO remain close to her.

• Many women dedicate their time mentoring others to help them become leaders.

Advice for Young People

• Leaving something a little bit better is a life well-lived.

• Ask more questions than give answers; focus on being a sponge.

• Patience is key; let life unfold instead of rushing towards an unknown destination.