Fletcher - Disrupters: success strategies from women who break the mold

Advance Praise for Disrupters

For the past 30 years, I have been building world-class diverse teams and engaging and developing women leaders. Dr. Pattis pragmatic approach to helping you become the CEO of your own career is sound and actionable advice that will lead to success in your personal and professional life.

JOYCE BROCAGLIA, FOUNDER OF EXECUTIVE WOMENS FORUM

Readable, thoughtful, and wise, Dr. Patti Fletchers Disrupters should be added to the business bookshelf of any woman or man who takes the challenges of diversity and inclusion to heart.

TERESA NELSON, PH.D., FOUNDING PRINCIPAL OF THE IMPACT SEAT AND PROFESSOR OF BUSINESS AT SIMMONS COLLEGE

Dr. Pattis book is your roadmap to live the life you want to live while achieving success as you define it on your own terms.

BARBARA CLARKE, ANGEL INVESTOR, VENTURE CAPITALIST, AND FOUNDING PRINCIPAL OF THE IMPACT SEAT

Ive known Patti for many years, and her passion for helping women is impressive. She speaks from the heart, focuses on results, and uses her vast experience to bring meaningful advice to women who want to change the world.

PENNY HERSCHER, FORMER TECH CEO AND PUBLIC COMPANY BOARD DIRECTOR

In Disrupters, Dr. Patti distills experience, insight, and evidence to show how women win and why some rules are just guidance for other people. If you plan to change the world, drink deep within these pages.

ROWAN GARDNER, CEO OF OZO INNOVATIONS LTD, UK

I write columns about entrepreneurship and crave intelligent insights. I can see Ill be using many quotes from Disrupters. Theres a plethora of information in this book. Signs of a great read are: turned-down corners, underlined sentences, and scribbles in the margins. This is one of those books!

EMMA SINCLAIR, MBE, CO-FOUNDER OF ENTERPRISEJUNGLE

Dr. Patti doesnt preach to the reader. She works with you to apply lessons learned from different women business leaders who have achieved success as they define it.

SUSAN DUFFY, HEAD OF CWEL, BABSON

Pragmatic, direct, tough, insightful, passionate, and thoughtful. These words describe Dr. Patti Fletcher as much as her great new book. Disrupters is helpful for women from all walks of life, and its no surprise someone as smart and talented as Patti has pulled it together in such a readable way.

BOB FITTS, FOUNDER AND PRODUCER OF SUP-X: THE STARTUP EXPO AND SUP-X RADIO

As someone whos bonded with Patti over shared challenges, frustrations, and triumphs, I can tell you this is a business book for real business women. If youre like me, youll find yourself nodding along or cursing under your breath. If youre tired of the ambiguous suggestions or utopian fantasies of other books, read Disrupters.

BOBBIE CARLTON, FOUNDER OF INNOVATION WOMEN

Ive dedicated my career to helping extraordinary women reach their full potential. I cannot stress enough the importance of the message and lessons from Disruptersregardless of their age or where they are in their careers. Buy this book now for the women leaders in your life!

JANE FINETTE, FOUNDER OF THE COACHING FELLOWSHIP

Entrepreneur Press, Publisher

Cover Design: Andrew Welyczko

Production and Composition: Eliot House Productions

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ebook ISBN: 978-1-61308-380-2

For Nana, Mom, Almas, Dad, Geri, Karen, Chris, Heather, Mimi, Bella, Gabby, and Winnie

contents

I m grateful for the opportunities Ive had in my career. Despite not having a lot of resources growing up, I was fortunate to land a role in TV at just 16. Over the past 20-plus years, Ive had the opportunity to work with National Geographic, OWN, ABC, and CNN. Ive traveled the world and been able to do journalism the unique way I wanted to.

I always said that I would never use my gender to land any kind of concessions. To date, Ive never felt that being a woman played a role in anything Ive achieved. Ive always felt that my work spoke for itself.

More than a decade ago, though, I had an incident that made me change how I think and feel about being a woman in the workplace. I got the news that my show would be picked up for a season. I thought that was great until I got the news that my male counterparts had their shows picked up for two or three seasons.

If it had simply been a matter of their shows having higher ratings than mine, I would have completely understood. That would have been a business decision. But they didnt. My show had ratings comparable to theirs, if not slightly higher in some cases. There was no justification for them not picking up my show for as many seasons as they did my white, male peers.

For the first time in my life, I felt that my gender and ethnicity went against me. My work did speak for itself, yet it wasnt being recognized. My numbers were just as good, if not better, and yet their shows had secured multiple seasons versus my one.

Why?

Growing up as an Asian-American, my culture taught me not to rock the boat; dont do anything that would jeopardize your job. At the same time, my father raised me to not let my gender be an inhibition.

I also felt guilty about wanting to ask for more. In fact, my talent agents beg me, Lisa, dont negotiate your contracts. Let us do it for you because, otherwise, youll do it for free. And theyre right! I love what I do so much that I would probably do it no matter how little the networks offered. I love my work.

So there I was, dealing with all of these conflicting emotions. One part of me felt angry that I was being passed over. Part of me chided myself for wanting to rock the boat; I should just be glad that I was even being picked up for a season and not worry about others being disproportionately rewarded. Then, of course, there was the guilt about not being appropriately grateful for what I had.

I didnt even have children at the time, but for some reason, I just imagined what advice I would give my daughter years from now if she found herself in my shoes.

There was no hesitation. I knew immediately what I would tell her: that she should stand up for herself and demand her worth. If she had done work comparable to others, then she should have comparable opportunity. I would want my daughter to fight for herself, just as I would my son.

In the years since that incident, I have had two daughters. I realize that standing up for myself is standing up for them. Just as my hero Connie Chung paved the way for Asian women like me in television, everything I do makes it easier for my daughters coming after me.

When I stand for myself, Im standing for women everywhere.

Im glad I did. When I met with the executives, I said, I think its very white and male of you to pick up these guys shows for several seasons and mine for one. My ratings are commensurate, if not higher. I also think its important for people to see a woman and an Asian hosting a show. I dont understand your justification for your decision.