Tribute to Geraldine Ferraro, businesswoman.

• Author: Soder, Dee
• Position: DIRECTOR REMEMBRANCE - Reprint

Ed. Note: Geraldine Ferraro, the Democratic Party nominee for Vice President in 1984 and the first woman to appear on the Presidential ballot for a major political party, died in March 2011 at the age of 75. When not holding public office or running for a political seat she had a thriving set of involvements in the business world, including serving as a corporate board member CEO and board adviser Dr. Dee Soder worked closely with Ferraro and provides the following tribute to her leadership talents.

Gerry Ferraro was a political trailblazer, but many people don't know she was also a very savvy business executive, board director, and a great coach. For several years she worked with me and others at the CEO Perspective Group advising several star executives and directors--helping them to go onto even more success. Politics, however, was her passion, and she left our firm to run against Chuck Schumer in the 1998 Senate primary race.

When I approached Gerry to join us, coaching was still a new concept, and I expected her to say no. initially, she did--saying she wasn't qualified. Plus she didn't want to be a figurehead but to "make a difference." And she did. Whether she was talking to a room full of corporate directors or to a chief executive, her advice was practical, insightful and long lasting. Indeed, I often incorporate it into my coaching. Some of her wisdom follows:

* Directors need to be better prepared for the "what its." For a best-practices symposium put on by a national organization, Gerry led a discussion on actual crises involving boards, directors and CEOs, providing many tips. She believed in preparing for the unexpected, especially regarding people.

* Tell people about a problem early enough that it can be prevented. Her examples of Congressional issues escalating due to tardy communication struck a chord for people then and are even more relevant now.

* There are times one has to strongly disagree with a colleague or friend in meetings. But there is a way to maintain that friendship and still voice your views. "When I had to disagree with Tip O'Neill, I would tell him my views before the meeting plus always talked with him later"--a variant of the adage to respect others and they will respect you. Gerry's examples were memorable and often illustrated the importance of follow-up.

* Making your point effectively in hoard and other meetings depends on timing, presence, and clarity of communications. Gerry often noted that most...