Key Takeaways
1. Your Origins Don't Define Your Destiny
"Where you are is not who you are," she told us time and again.
Poverty's grip. Ursula Burns grew up in the impoverished Lower East Side of Manhattan, a world of sepia tones, persistent odors, and constant struggle. Her single, immigrant mother, Olga Racquel Burns, shielded her three children from the harsh realities of welfare, food stamps, and dilapidated tenements, instilling instead a fierce determination to transcend their circumstances. This foundational belief became Ursula's guiding principle.
Mother's sacrifices. Olga, despite earning a meager $4,400 in her best year, prioritized education, sending her children to parochial school for a safer, better learning environment. She bartered office cleaning for medical care and took in other children to supplement her income, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to their future. This relentless effort, coupled with the kindness of strangers like Dr. Gertstein, provided a crucial, if unconventional, support system.
Resilience forged. The challenging environment, though difficult, instilled resilience and a strong moral compass. Ursula learned to navigate dangerous stairwells, avoid gang conflicts, and witness institutional neglect, all while her mother taught her the importance of self-reliance, order, and compassion for those even poorer. These early lessons shaped her character, proving that one's starting point does not dictate their potential.
2. Education is the Ultimate Equalizer
"Mom saw education as a way up and out of the projects," I said. "She made whatever sacrifices were necessary to see to it that I got a good education."
A path discovered. Despite initial guidance counselors suggesting limited career paths like teaching or nursing, Ursula's strong math scores on the PSAT led her to discover engineering. The public library's Barron's Profiles of American Colleges revealed chemical engineering as the highest-salaried occupation for new graduates, solidifying her academic direction and her goal to financially support her mother.
Opportunity programs. Her acceptance into Brooklyn Polytechnic (now NYU) through the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) was pivotal, covering full tuition and providing a stipend. This program, designed for economically and educationally disadvantaged students, allowed her to pursue a mechanical engineering degree without accumulating debt, a stark contrast to the $80,000 she would have owed otherwise. HEOP's support extended beyond finances, offering crucial counseling and a community of peers.
Bridging the gap. Initially underprepared in advanced math compared to her tech-school educated classmates, Ursula quickly caught up through diligent study and collaborative partnerships. This experience highlighted the importance of:
- Targeted support: HEOP's continued counseling.
- Peer learning: Study groups with diverse students.
- Personal drive: Her commitment to excel.
Her success, despite initial disadvantages, underscored the transformative power of accessible education and personal effort.
3. Embrace Every Opportunity, Zig and Zag
"If someone said to me, 'We need an engineer, Ursula. Can you do this?' I inevitably replied, 'Sure, I'll try it.'"
Unconventional path. Ursula's early career at Xerox was characterized by a willingness to take on any engineering project, rather than focusing on a rigid career ladder or title. She viewed Xerox as a "family business" and was driven by the love of problem-solving and analytical work, not by corporate politics or personal advancement. This "zig and zag" approach allowed her to gain diverse experience and build a reputation for reliability.
Learning from difference. Her early experiences, like listening to her preferred music in her car despite societal expectations, taught her to be comfortable in her own skin. She mentored other minority women, advising them to navigate a system not designed for them without losing their identity or technical capabilities. This self-acceptance and adaptability were crucial in a predominantly white male corporate environment.
Value of varied roles. Her willingness to move between different engineering projects, from designing raster output scanners to business planning, exposed her to various facets of the company. This broad exposure, combined with her strong work ethic, laid the groundwork for her future leadership roles, demonstrating that a flexible, task-oriented approach can be more beneficial than a narrow, title-driven one.
4. Mentorship and Sponsorship are Crucial Catalysts
"I'm not talking about you just sitting there and ripening. What I'm talking about is you seeing more, doing more, so that you can experience and therefore understand a lot more situations."
Early champions. Ursula's career trajectory was significantly shaped by key mentors and sponsors. Wayland Hicks, Xerox's number two executive, recognized her potential after she bluntly challenged a statement in a meeting. He became her first major sponsor, offering her an executive assistant (EA) role that exposed her to global operations and diverse leadership challenges, despite her initial reluctance.
Immersive education. Working as an EA for Wayland and later for CEO Paul Allaire provided an "immersive education" in leadership. She observed their distinct styles: Wayland's hard-driving intensity and principled approach, and Paul's calm, understated, and strategic decision-making, particularly during a critical insurance liability crisis. These experiences taught her invaluable lessons:
- Strategic patience: Paul's ability to slow down and compel others to speak.
- Emotional control: Managing her bluntness and tone.
- Team reliance: The necessity of experts in a crisis.
Vernon Jordan's guidance. Civil rights veteran and Xerox board member Vernon Jordan became a pivotal godfather figure. He offered "tough love," critiquing her presentation style and challenging her to think beyond personal grievances to business perspectives. Vernon's mentorship broadened her horizons, introducing her to influential figures like Bill and Hillary Clinton, and teaching her the importance of balancing defiance with strategic conformity to achieve impact.
5. Lead with Clarity, Courage, and Collaboration
"The role of a leader, I’d picked up some years ago from my friend and mentor Ken Chenault, is to define reality and give hope."
Defining reality. Ursula adopted Ken Chenault's mantra, emphasizing the importance of clearly articulating the company's challenges and successes without sugarcoating. This bluntness, though sometimes perceived as abrasive, fostered direct communication and saved time, encouraging open debate within her leadership team. She believed in confronting problems head-on, rather than allowing "terminal niceness" to mask mediocrity.
Collaborative leadership. She learned to temper her impatience and rely on her team's expertise, especially as CEO. Instead of pretending to know everything, she actively sought input from specialists like CFO Larry Zimmerman, General Counsel Don Liu, and marketing head Christa Carone. This approach fostered a culture where team members felt empowered to speak up, fill gaps, and even lead on issues within their domain, recognizing that a leader's strength lies in integrating diverse talents.
Balancing stakeholders. Her leadership during the 2000 crisis, when Xerox faced near-bankruptcy, exemplified her ability to balance the needs of shareholders, employees, and the community. She negotiated with union leader Gary Bonadonna with full transparency, presenting the stark choice between job cuts and company collapse. This collaborative, empathetic approach, focused on shared understanding and mutual trust, allowed Xerox to implement painful but necessary changes while preserving its core values.
6. Diversity is a Strategic Imperative, Not a Quota
"If my race and gender worked for me instead of against me, I’ll take it."
Breaking stereotypes. As a Black woman in engineering and corporate leadership, Ursula was often "the only" in the room, facing astonishment and unconscious bias. She used her unique position to challenge stereotypes, proving her competence through hard work and over-preparation. Her visibility became a platform to inspire other women and minorities, demonstrating that success was attainable despite societal barriers.
Advocating for change. Ursula actively participated in and helped found the Black Women's Leadership Council (BWLC) at Xerox, recognizing the need for a dedicated space for Black women's issues. This group, along with other affinity groups, pushed for data-driven insights into promotions and challenged inappropriate workplace behaviors, ultimately becoming a positive force for diversity within the company. Xerox's early commitment to diversity, initiated by founder Joseph Wilson, created an environment where such advocacy could thrive.
Beyond optics. While acknowledging the symbolic importance of her role, Ursula emphasized that diversity must be systemic, not just tokenism. She highlighted the persistent pay disparities for women and minorities and the need for affirmative action to accelerate change. Her work on the President's STEM task force also exposed the deep inequalities in education that disproportionately affected minority students, underscoring that true diversity requires addressing foundational societal issues.
7. Navigate Crisis with Facts and Humanity
"Humans are generally resilient if they know what the reality is and have some idea what the future is going to look like."
Facing near-death. In 2000, Xerox plunged into a severe liquidity crisis due to botched sales reorganizations and billing system consolidations, threatening bankruptcy. Anne Mulcahy, the newly appointed president, tasked Ursula with reducing costs by an unprecedented $2 billion, a challenge Ursula met by methodically dissecting every aspect of manufacturing and the supply chain. This period demanded intense focus and a willingness to make difficult decisions.
Strategic cost reduction. Ursula's team meticulously analyzed all costs, from labor to transportation, benchmarking against other industries to identify efficiencies. Key strategies included:
- Union negotiation: Transparent discussions with union leader Gary Bonadonna led to workforce reductions and concessions, preserving the company's long-term viability.
- Outsourcing: Moving manufacturing to partners like Flextronics saved $250 million, despite initial cultural resistance to relinquishing internal production.
- Layoffs: Implementing across-the-board reductions through early retirements and buyouts, carefully balancing impact across diverse employee groups to avoid discrimination.
Human-centered approach. Despite the draconian cuts, Ursula and Anne prioritized a humane approach, offering extended transition periods, job retraining, and outplacement services. Ursula's personal connection to many employees, particularly in Rochester, made these decisions agonizing, but her belief in balancing shareholder returns with employee well-being guided her. This crisis taught her the critical importance of slowing down, gathering facts, and communicating transparently to foster resilience and trust.
8. A Global Perspective Fuels Growth and Understanding
"I was 100 percent foreign in Japan, and it was hard to avoid feeling like an 'alien,' the terminology used for non-Japanese in the airport where the immigration lines were divided into 'Japanese' and 'Aliens.'"
Early global exposure. Ursula's extensive travel for Xerox, particularly her five-year stint managing the joint venture with Fuji Xerox in Japan, profoundly shaped her global perspective. Despite the cultural shock of being a tall, Black businesswoman in a uniform society, these experiences taught her the nuances of international collaboration, body language, and the challenges of cross-cultural communication. This early exposure was crucial for her development.
Leading in Europe. Her three years running the European Mid-Range Copier Group from London further expanded her international leadership skills. This role demanded significant independence, managing diverse teams across multiple countries, and navigating different business cultures. Living abroad with her family also broadened their horizons, exposing them to new experiences and strengthening their bonds.
Globalization's complexities. As CEO, Ursula championed Xerox's global operations, recognizing that a worldwide customer base of 7 billion far outstripped the 320 million in the US. She consistently argued against "America-only" sentiments, emphasizing that:
- Economic viability: Manufacturing closer to markets reduced costs and currency risks.
- Value export: US companies exported not just goods but also values like intellectual property rights and workers' protections.
- Competitive necessity: Limiting focus to the US market would be shortsighted and hinder growth.
Her experiences underscored that global engagement is essential for both corporate success and the spread of American values.
9. Redefine Success Beyond Traditional Metrics
"I believe that my mother’s measure of success should be added to the business lexicon—leave behind more than you take away."
Beyond the lists. Despite being named to "Most Powerful" and "First Women Leaders" lists, Ursula felt a "survivor's guilt" and recognized that traditional measures of power (organization size, revenue, market cap) were limited. She advocated for a broader definition of success, one that included social impact, education, and environmental responsibility, inspired by her mother's profound influence on many lives despite her lack of traditional power.
Access as privilege. Her journey from the projects highlighted the critical role of opportunity and support, not just individual ambition. She acknowledged that her success was aided by social programs and white male sponsors, a privilege denied to many. This realization fueled her concern for the growing disregard for the poor and the institutional neglect that traps families in cycles of poverty, emphasizing the negative impact of limited access.
A balanced perspective. Ursula believes in a capitalist system that rewards effort and accomplishment but critiques the current American model for its growing inequality. She advocates for "inclusive capitalism," where businesses play a direct role in ensuring:
- Basic necessities: Decent health care, good education, safe housing, nutritious food.
- Worker support: Living wages, training, child and elder care.
- Environmental sustainability.
Her involvement with organizations like the Ford Foundation, Mayo Clinic, and MIT reflects her commitment to these broader societal goals, demonstrating that CEOs can be motivated by more than just profit.
10. Inclusive Capitalism: Business as a Force for Good
"Businesses today are recognizing that they can and should play an active role in defining, enabling, and ensuring a just and healthy society."
Corporate responsibility. Ursula firmly believes that corporations, as integral parts of society employing millions, have a responsibility beyond just profit. She observed a significant shift, particularly after George Floyd's murder and the COVID-19 pandemic, where companies like Pepsi-Cola and Walmart pledged millions to social justice causes. This marked a departure from past reluctance to engage in social debates, driven by a recognition of their influence and the need to listen to employees.
A new coalition. The challenges of growing inequality, autocratic governments, and the pandemic have laid the groundwork for a "sea change in capitalism." Ursula envisions a new grand coalition involving businesses, governments, NGOs, and educational institutions to redefine US capitalism towards an inclusive model. This collaborative effort aims to extend the opportunities and benefits of the capitalist system to everyone, ensuring a more just and healthy society.
Beyond the bottom line. While acknowledging that CEOs are well-compensated, Ursula asserts that they are equally motivated by building good, profitable, sustainable, respected, and socially responsible companies. The Business Roundtable's expanded definition of corporate responsibilities to include employees and communities, even after her retirement, heartened her, signaling a significant and responsible shift towards a more holistic view of corporate purpose.
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