Betsy Myers

Betsy Myers Betsy Myers is currently speaking and leading workshops around the world on the changing nature of leadership. In addition, she is on a nation-wide book tour to promote her book, Take the Lead: Motivate, Inspire, and Bring Out the Best in Yourself and Everyone Around You, which was released September 2011.

In May 2011, Betsy was appointed Founding Director of the Center for Women & Business at Bentley University. Officially opening this fall, the center will focus on educating students about their leadership potential while conducting research about how and why companies should promote and retain women. Betsy will work to build relationships with corporations and share information about putting these practices into place.

With deep experience in the corporate, political and higher education arena, Betsy served as a senior adviser to Barack Obama’s Presidential Campaign. She joined the campaign in January 2007 as the Chief Operating Officer tasked with the challenge of building a $100,000,000 organization and established the campaign with a business operational model and customer service mentality.

Ms. Myers also represented the campaign as a senior adviser and as Chair, Women for Obama. She traveled extensively in 2008 speaking to undecided voters and particularly on women’s outreach. These efforts included a working partnership with Women for Obama and the DNC’s Women’s Leadership Forum. She spent significant time working on unity efforts — meeting with Clinton supporters across the country hearing their concerns and inviting them to join the Obama efforts.

Prior to this appointment, Myers was the Executive Director of the Center for Public Leadership (CPL) at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She came to CPL in 2003, with a track record of strategically building and realigning organizations. Betsy focused the Center’s teaching and research around personal leadership and the fully integrated person. This centered on her strong belief and conviction that the hardest person we will ever manage is ourselves. This culminated in a partnership with CPL and The Hoffman Institute. The results and impact were immediate and staggering. She also increased the Center’s efforts around women and leadership while working closely with the Harvard’s Women’s Leadership Board (2000-2007).

A senior official in the Clinton Administration, Betsy was the President’s senior adviser on women’s issues. As Deputy Assistant to the President, she launched and was the first Director of the White House Office for Women’s Initiatives and Outreach. She played a critical role in Clinton’s re-election effort in 1996 and figured prominently in shaping the Administration’s legislative agenda on issues such as domestic violence, reproductive choice, breast cancer, and women in business.

Ms. Myers also served as the Associate Deputy Administrator for Entrepreneurial Development in the U.S. Small Business Administration. She implemented the SBA’s national requirements under President Clinton’s Welfare to Work Initiative and was responsible for the agency’s technical assistance, management, and distance learning programs. In a previous post, Myers was the Director of the Office of Women’s Business Ownership at the SBA. She served as an advocate for the 7.8 million women entrepreneurs in our country. Currently, Betsy serves on the Council of National Advisors of Springboard Enterprises. Springboard is a national, not-for-profit organization that educates, coaches, showcases and supports high growth women-led businesses that are seeking venture capital for expansion.

Prior to joining the Clinton Administration, Betsy spent six years building Myers Insurance and Financial Services based in Los Angeles. She specialized in the small business and women’s market providing insurance and retirement planning.

 A Public Service Fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School, she graduated with a M.P.A. in 2000, and then served as the School’s Director of Alumni Programs and External Relations before directing the Center for Public Leadership.

Leadership Creates a Feeling

Research and statistics indicate that as many as one in two American workers feel disconnected in their workplace. This accounts for $350 billion of lost productivity each year. At the same time, American companies spend millions a year on leadership development programs. Leadership speaker Betsy Myers challenges us by asking, “Are we teaching the right practices to our future leaders?” Her newest book describes an often counterintuitive view of leadership. When people “feel” valued, supported, appreciated, included, and understood, they are inspired to do their best work. The job of any leader is to bring out the productive feelings of their people. Myers describes seven principles that serve as a road map for any leader who aspires to bring out the best in their people. This is not just the right thing to do, but is a proven strategy to profitability and success.

Authentic Leadership & the Leader in You

The leader in each of us is realized the moment we say, “This is the real me.” What is the pearl that each of us is adding to the world and how do we identify that special quality? During the past 50 years, leadership scholars have conducted more than 1,000 studies to determine definitive styles, characteristics, or personality traits of the ideal leader. None have produced a clear profile or consistent skills, traits, or styles that led to success; rather, leadership emerged from our life stories. Authenticity is an understanding of our personal story and what gives us meaning in our lives. We trust leaders who are authentic and not trying to be someone else. In this session, leadership speaker Betsy Myers will take listeners through the journey of authentic leadership, what it looks like for each of us, and how we can help others around us live their most authentic life.

Women & Leadership

In this provocative presentation, keynote speaker Betsy Myers discusses important research and thinking around women in leadership. She explores the history of the movement for equality and shares insights gleaned from her work with Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, and Bella Abzug. Tracing her own career path from the financial services industry to her roles in the Clinton Administration, the Harvard Kennedy School Center for Public Leadership, and the Obama Presidential Campaign, Myers brings perspective from her experiences as a successful female leader. She helps audiences understand what it will take to continue closing the confidence gap, how to confront the balance question (“Is it really possible?”), the different leadership styles of men and women, and leadership necessary for the next generation of women.