Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz is speaking with Fortune Managing Editor Andrew Serwer, and she’s taking questions from the audience. Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit attendee and tech editor Stephanie N. Mehta is sitting in the front row, with dispatches from the Four Seasons Resort Aviara.
But first, she pooh-poohed talk of her salty language: “I don’t think it’s that interesting, personally.”
Women on boards
As she was coming up in business, Bartz admits she wasn’t exposed to the business of the board, “I didn’t know what a friggin’ board was.” (More of that uninteresting language!) And she contends companies need to be more creative about where they solicit new members. “I would say the high potential people have more time, more energy, and are so anxious to serve,” she says.
Get your passport stamped
Bartz offers plain talk on globalization: She says executive teams need to get out of the office and get on planes. And go somewhere besides France. “Make sure you have local people that you respect and who are part of your management team. Be maniacal about asking questions.”
How does Bartz prep for a trip abroad? “You have to be very well read. I read their fiction. I read their religion. I read their history. If you’re an interested person you’re an interesting person.”
Even if your think your way of speaking isn’t that interesting.
