Page 90 - How We Lead Matters

Favorable Odds

People respond differently to being offered a promotion. Some are visibly
elated, some feign modesty, and some can’t help conveying the feeling that
it’s about time. But in one particular case, I was dumbfounded.
I had just offered one of the most talented women in my company a
prestigious title, significantly more responsibility, and a hefty raise. She was
perfect for the job, and I was pleased to be making headway in my desire to
create more opportunities for women. “I am honored that you’d think of me,
Marilyn,” she said, “but I can’t make more money than my husband. It would
kill him.”
I made it a point when I took the helm at Carlson to create a meritoc-
racy. That certainly wasn’t the environment during my father’s era. When a
group of high-performing women created a council to talk about how to
make the company more welcoming to women, my father accused them of
trying to start a “pink collar union.” That was typical of the time. Today,
Carlson’s CFO, Trudy Rautio, and 40 percent of our executives are women.
I am convinced that the organizations and nations with the greatest
advantage will be those which worry less about gender and more about tal-
ent. No one will be arbitrarily excluded from developing and contributing at
Carlson—that includes husbands, too.

Marilyn Carlson Nelson 73