The many achievements of Frances Hesselbein were celebrated and discussed in a Women’s History Month panel discussion on March 13 in JFK Auditorium.
Born in Johnstown, Hesselbein was an American businesswoman and writer who served as CEO of the Girl Scouts from 1976-90. She is credited with developing the circular management style and encouraging diversity within the organization.
The event included a screening of “Defining Moments,” a documentary about Hesselbein’s life, followed by a panel discussion featuring leaders inspired by her legacy.
“She never set out to be a leader,” said Associate Professor of Communications Kelly Rhodes, who moderated the event. “But she fully embraced the organization and she lived out what she said.”
Throughout Hesselbein’s life, she remained committed to strong, moral values that included respecting and valuing others.
“Hesselbein’s leadership has taught me how to go from ‘I’ to ‘we’ and from ‘we’ to ‘service,’” said Sarah McArthur, Editor-in-Chief of Leader to Leader and one of the panelists at the event.
“It’s about serving the mission of the organization. Frances once said, ‘To serve is to live.’ It is not about me, it is about we.”
As a female CEO during the 1970s and ‘80s, Hesselbein held a high-level leadership position in a male-dominated field. Yet her gender provided her the opportunity to break boundaries within the business world.
“The idea of collaboration between men and women is really paramount,” said Beverly Jacobson Schler, who served as producer of the film on Hesselbein’s life and was one of the panelists at last week’s event.
“The way Frances talked about it, you walk into a room of women leaders. Later, you walk out of a room of leaders who happen to be women.”
Rhodes believes that today’s aspiring female leaders need more role models like Hesselbein.
“I think women need to see examples of other women in different roles doing different tasks and breaking barriers,” she said.
“It is important to see Hesselbein’s work and hear from these panelists because they understand how to become a leader.”
Hesselbein was named one of Forbes’ 50 Greatest Leaders and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She died in 2022 at age 107.
