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Remarks Prepared for Delivery by
U.S.
Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Executive Women in Government
Washington, D.C.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Thank you, Maria [Vickers, President, Executive Women in
Government] for that very kind introduction.
I'm so glad to be with you. It's good to be among colleagues and
professionals who think strategically, manage effectively, and understand the
value of a great pair of shoes.
I'd like to chat with you today about the state of America's workforce,
the achievements and accomplishments of women to our country's workforce, and
the challenges that women leaders face.
Outside of Washington, many Americans do not fully understand the
important work of the Senior Executive Service. But, those of us who have
worked in the federal government understand and appreciate deeply what you do.
And I am here to thank you for your service to America. Like the women who
serve in our nation's military, you have taken an oath to serve this country.
And by serving your fellow citizens, you are helping to keep our country
strong, prosperous and free.
Over 30 years ago, when your organization was formed, there were only
about 100 women in senior positions in the federal government. Now there are
well over 4,000. Women have made tremendous progress. But there is still more
work to do. I'm proud to work for a President who recognizes, appreciates and
promotes talented, accomplished women. He appointed the first woman to head the
Department of Interior, the first African-American woman to head the State
Department and the first Asian Pacific American woman to serve in the cabinet
in U.S. history.
At the Department of Labor, half of our senior leadership team is
comprised of women. That's an all-time high and the best record, I believe, in
government.
These milestones are a reflection of the advancements that women have
made in the past 50 years. In 1948, women were less than one third of the U.S.
workforce. Today, we are close to half the workforce. And we're not stuck in
the bottom half. Women are increasingly assuming top management positions in
business and their participation in the professions is exploding. Women owned
businesses are growing at twice the national average. The driver behind these
numbers is the fact that women are accessing education, especially higher
education, in unprecedented numbers.
Today American women complete high school at higher rates
than men. And they are more likely to enter and graduate from college than men.
In fact, half of our college graduates today are women. Nearly
half of all law school graduates, 44 percent of all medical
school graduates and nearly 40 percent of all MBA holders are women. And let's
not forget community colleges, which provide valuable, marketable skills
training. 60 percent of all associate degrees today are awarded to women.
A look down the road reveals that women are positioning themselves for
even greater gains over the next twenty years. For example, last year women
comprised more than half of all
advanced degree holders under the age of 40.
The fact that women "get it" when it comes to education has translated
into substantial increases in earnings. 5 million net new jobs have been
created in the last two-and-a-half years. And the majority of these new jobs
require some understanding of technology and post-secondary education. The
trend is clear: our country is transitioning to a knowledge-based economy. And
the jobs of the future require higher education and higher skills.
Women understand that college graduates earn twice as much over their
working lives as those with no postsecondary education. And educational
achievement is helping women make steady progress in terms of their earnings
relative to men.
From 1979 to 2004, women's earnings as a percent of men's increased by
18 percentage points — up from 62 to 80 percent. The difference is
narrowing. There is always room for improvement. But part of the differential
is related to the fact that many women work part time — or interrupt their
careers-in order to take care of their families.
The fact that American women can make this choice is a
positive reflection on our economy, not a negative
one. In many countries in the world, women — and great numbers of
children, as well — are forced to work because they have no
other choice.
Women who choose to stay in the workforce need more options so they can
balance work and family needs. That's why this Administration supports giving
women in the private sector the same choices that women in the federal
government have. Currently, women working in the federal government can choose
comp time instead of paid annual leave. And flex time is also available. This
Administration would like to extend these choices — on a strictly
voluntarily level — to workers in the private sector.
Our economy can offer unprecedented labor market choice because it so
flexible. In many of the old countries of Europe, workers find a job and they
must hang onto it for life because new jobs are not being created.
By contrast, America's economy is strong and getting stronger every
day. We've seen 30 straight months of uninterrupted job growth, for a total of
5 million net new jobs created since August 2003. The unemployment rate has
fallen to 4.8 percent, lower than the 5.7 percent average unemployment rate of
the decade of the 1990s! More Americans are working than ever before. And the
economy grew at a solid rate of 3.5 percent in 2005 — stronger than any
major industrialized nation. In fact, our country has created more jobs than
the European Union and Japan combined.
This was made possible, in part, by strong leadership that encouraged
the climate for growth. And women are an integral part of the economic success
of our country.
As many of you just heard, my career has spanned the public, private
and non-profit sectors. The challenges presented in each of these sectors has
helped me grow as a leader — I learn something new everyday. But it also
taught me that there are certain common values and challenges shared by leaders
in each sector. Let me share a few of these with you.
First, there is no substitute for knowing the business of your
organization. That's true whether you're working in the private, public or
non-profit sector.
Second, it's important to understand the special culture of your
organization, and the subtle, unwritten rules of how things are done. This
often comes more naturally to women than to men.
And third, while technical proficiency is often an advantage, it is not
sufficient. Unless you understand the people in your organization and how best
to motivate them — you cannot be an effective leader and accomplish your
goals. Because the truth of senior management is that you work through other
people. That's why the so-called soft skills are so important to professional
advancement in a complex organization like the federal government. Managers
today are leaders. And leadership requires the ability to communicate, motivate
and inspire others to follow you.
Finally, managers in all three sectors share an important challenge
that is growing more important every year. Today, our society is
demanding more transparency and accountability on the part of its leaders and
its institutions. It doesn't matter if you're in the public, private or
non-profit sector. The public expects leaders in each of these sectors to
conduct themselves with integrity, honesty and accountability.
As public servants, we're used to this kind of challenge. But during
this era of heightened public sensitivity, it more important than
ever before to conduct the government's business in an open,
accountable and transparent manner. That's a key element of the President's
management agenda. And it's a goal that I know each of you, as senior managers,
share.
In this administration and throughout my career, I have had the
opportunity to work with very talented and dedicated women. They have taught me
so much and helped pave the way for other women to follow. So today, I'd like
to leave you with one more challenge.
Today, the federal workforce is undergoing an unprecedented
transformation. We are facing an enormous wave of retirements. The next peak of
this wave is expected between 2008 and 2010. This represents a great challenge
and a tremendous opportunity.
Today, women comprise 26.5 percent of federal employees in the senior
pay levels. So the impending wave of retirements will mean new opportunities
for women to advance within the senior career ranks of government.
I'd like to ask you to reach out and mentor other women who want to
serve in the senior levels of government. You have invaluable experiences and
insights to share. And mentoring is a great way to help other women access the
tremendous opportunities that government service offers.
So thank you for inviting me here today. And thank you for everything
you are doing to ensure that the doors of opportunity remain wide open for the
next generation of women.
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