Episode 32 - Why You Need to Never Take No for an Answer, Cathie Black, Hearst Publications Chairman

From working side by side with Gloria Steinem, to convincing Oprah to start her own magazine, Cathie Black had the strong will to succeed in publishing. It was an exciting journey becoming a well-known media executive, but never easy. Cathie shares her management style and how she handled difficult situations, like when she started as a new CEO and one of her executives told Cathie he wasn’t going to report to her… Or the moment when Cathie was publicly criticized for hiring too many women, and how she handled this head on, openly with her staff and fellow media executives in the room. Tune into today’s episode to hear her harrowing stories that describe the perfectly indirect journey of an ambitious woman who always knew what she wanted to do and never took no for an answer.

In This Episode:

[02:00] The spelling of Cathie’s name seems to depict her personality perfectly. 

[06:00] What was Cathie’s first role when she moved to New York with very little money? 

[10:00] The moment when Cathie realized she was ready for bigger responsibility in her career. 

[16:05] What was it like to work with Gloria Steinem? 

[19:20] What Cathie did to meet Francis Ford Coppola? 

[23:32] How Cathie reacted when a team member told her he wasn’t going to report to her?

[29:49] How Cathie established her management style?

[38:05] The moment when Cathie was criticized for hiring too many women. 

[41:00] How Cathie convinced Oprah to start her magazine

Key Takeaways:

When asking for a promotion or a bigger salary, it’s important to have the right information and hold your ground. Stay firm!

Some women might not want a career and that’s okay. But the opportunities should be there for women, and Cathie made sure they were ongoing throughout her career. She always hired women in key roles when she thought they were a good fit for the job. 

Don't take no for an answer. Find a different way about it or around it or under it.   

You need refreshment. You need to restore whether it's with a family, without a family, by yourself, doesn't matter. Take time, take your vacation, make sure to pause to enjoy the journey. 

CONNECTIONS:

For more about Cathie Black, follow her on LinkedIn. Also, be sure to check out PubMatic.com. 

Check out our website, Potential to Powerhouse, for more details and to learn about past, present, and future guests. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and join our Facebook Community for a deeper connection with the P2P tribe.

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Until next time… High Five!