Betsy Bernard, former AT&T president, spoke Monday about the significance of leadership, integrity and communication in the workplace. Bernard, who ranked 12th in FORTUNE magazine’s “50 Most Powerful Women in Business,” opened her lecture with her definition of integrity. “It’s the morality that you carry in the back of your head and at the bottom of your gut,” Bernard said. Bernard spoke to an audience of more than 60 University students, faculty and Baton Rouge residents in the Union’s Cotillion Ballroom. The Women’s and Gender Studies Program, the E.J. Ourso College of Business and the Commission on the Status of Women co-sponsored the event. Bernard said managing and business rely on continuous feedback. “Everyone wants to know how they’re doing, and it’s the manager’s responsibility to tell them,” she said. “Make it constant. Don’t wait until the big evaluation.” Bernard said she believes in “360 degree feedback,” which means that individuals receive feedback not only from their employers but also their co-workers and other peers. “My experience is that people are really rational and want to do the right thing,” she said. “If you can engage in dialogue, you can find out what to change and how to change it.” During the question and answer session after her lecture, Bernard said students should enroll in public speaking courses and apply for internships to gain experience in their fields and develop communication skills. “They’re great building blocks,” she said. Becky Ropers-Huilman, women’s and gender studies program director, said she wanted to present a female leader who exemplifies the values and perspectives the program represents. “Leadership and activism are the main focus areas in women’s and gender studies and our agenda,” Ropers-Huilman said. “Leadership and integrity are topics that affect every single one of us every single day.” LSU System President William Jenkins welcomed the audience to the lecture. “Leadership is so critical,” Jenkins said. “I’ll never deny that leadership makes a difference in so many areas.” Adam Gallow, business freshman, said he enjoyed listening to Bernard speak about leadership and integrity. He said he can apply her concepts of communication in the workplace to real life situations. Chao Liu, electrical engineering graduate student, said he attended the lecture because Bernard is a successful businesswoman who has years of experience in her field. “It was great,” he said. “She’s a good speaker, and I hope she comes back.”
—–Contact Angelle Barbazon at [email protected]