SmallBizResource Blog -- Women in Business

Wednesday's Woman: Juliet Carlson

Posted by Gayle Kesten Wednesday, Sep 17, 2008, 01:07 PM ET

I'm not the type who begins a new book by peeking at its end. But for no reason whatsoever that's precisely what I did when I received my review copy of "How We Lead Matters: Reflections On a Life of Leadership."

The book -- a compilation of barely page-long lesson-bearing anecdotes that made for easy, enjoyable reading -- was written by Marilyn Carlson Nelson. Carlson Nelson is chairman and former CEO of Carlson, whose myriad brands you no doubt know: T.G.I. Friday's, Regent, Radisson, and Carlson Wagonlit Travel, to name just a few.

Carlson Nelson is an incredible businesswoman whose stories include having to sign her name "M.C. Nelson" to disguise the fact that she was a she, and being given a coveted office only to learn it was to keep her pregnancy out of sight. My favorite story, though, is one from Carlson Nelson's college days, when she had to debate economic philosophy with another student -- in French, no less. "I painstakingly translated my points and rehearsed until I could recite my side of the argument fluently...At the end of my energetic and colorful presentation, the audience applauded widely," she wrote. Positive she'd get a great grade, Carlson (minus the Nelson at that time) was floored when the opposite transpired. So she confronted her professor, who indeed confirmed that she gave a brilliant performance. "But," he told her, "your facts must equal your passion."

Carlson Nelson could truly be Wednesday's Woman in her own right, but I think she'd be OK with me giving that honor to her daughter, Juliet, instead. It's Juliet's words that comprise the last chapter of her mother's book, and they're from a speech she gave to her senior class; later that year and just a few weeks into college, Juliet was killed in a car accident.

In her book, Carlson Nelson gave permission to share Juliet's speech: "Better that you pass it on," she wrote. With that, I offer to you an excerpt that I thought would bear meaning to working women who are so caught up in the doing that the big picture escapes us.

"The Journey, Not the Arrive Matters"

Do you ever feel that you are constantly getting ready for something? In the morning hurry up, rush, get ready for school...get ready for exams...practice hard...get ready for the game...get ready for college...get ready for work...get ready...get ready. Set goals...work toward them. Everything, everywhere points towards some one moment or place out there. When you are "out there" you will be happy, successful, fulfilled. Everything will be wonderful...there, then, when?

There's a quote from a Frenchman named Montaigne which gave me the title for my speech. "The journey not the arrival matters." Montaigne was a philosopher and a realist. He was not goal-oriented. To him it was the journey itself we should treasure. I think he was speaking of life. Life is a journey we all take, and in a sense never finish.

Let me say immediately that I am not against goals. On the contrary, they are very important milestones along the way. Nevertheless, few of us can ever be sure of our destination. I'm simply recommending that we go about our lives with a purpose. That we do not forget to value this moment today. If only we would look on today not only in the context of our journey but as an end unto itself.

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The Wednesday's Woman series is written for today's community of hard-working, small-business women, featuring profiles, industry trends, research, work/life balance issues and other topics of interest. Send your ideas to Gayle Kesten.

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