Dean's Executive Leadership Series

Patricia Sellers Shares Fortune with Students and Alumni

Dean's Executive Leadership Series 
October 10, 2006

Patricia Sellers speaks with Dean
Livingstone at the Dean's Executive
Leadership Series

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The Graziadio School was honored to present Patricia Sellers, editor at large for Fortune magazine, as the first speaker in the 2006-2007 Dean's Executive Leadership Series on October 10, 2006.  Ms. Sellers shared a rare insider's perspective from her personal interviews with some of today's most prominent business icons, including Ted Turner and Martha Stewart.

Ms. Sellers also imparted her observations on what makes a successful business leader.  She advised students and alumni to think of their career not as a ladder, but as a jungle gym—you may have to "swing" to a comparable job in another area, or even swing down to get broader experience.  When you think of your career as a ladder, you can miss a wealth of other peripheral opportunities, she explained.

Patricia Sellers mingles with Pepperdine
students and alumni

Ms. Sellers, who oversees Fortune's annual "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" issue, additionally discussed how women view power differently than men.  "Women tend to think about power horizontally, they think about power as influence.  Men think very much in terms of climbing the ladder… the next big job."  When asked what she believes sets the women on Fortune's list apart from their competitors, she responded, "They don't let the job define them.  They define the job."

The evening wrapped up with a one-on-one interview with Dean Livingstone followed by a question-and-answer period with the audience.  The next Dean's Executive Leadership Series is scheduled for January 9, 2007, featuring Brian Frons, President of Daytime for the ABC-Disney Television Group.