Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/292443
take risks, we second-guess ourselves. Before I applied for this position [as US Attorney], I hesitated to even apply and then finally decided to go for it, because what do I have to lose? Even if you don't get what you're aiming for, you learn a lot just by going through the process. KH: I have to pile on here because risk taking is absolutely critical to suc- cess and to learning. At Babson they try to teach young entrepreneurs how to take rational risks as a root to success, and also to embrace failure and to learn from failure. LH: But isn't it true—especially in fields that are traditionally domi- nated by men—that there's a sense that if we fail, it will validate an argument that women weren't cut for this? PJ: You'll validate that argument if you don't go back and try again. BL: Is there somewhat of an increased risk for women? The answer is yes, because sexism still exists in our country and in our fields. But we have to figure out where our communities are, figure out our support systems, understand the culture, and understand how to navigate the culture. LH: Are there certain aspects of your job in which you have to assimilate into a culture that is less expressive, less emotional, or— for a lack of a better word—more manly? LZ: With the FBI, the public seeks strength in the midst of chaos and crimi- nal activity, so you have to be strong. You have to be strong in order to meet the demands of your job, conduct the investigations, and catch the crimi- nals. There is not a lot of room for being nervous, for crying, for emotion, because you owe it to the public to seek justice and find the criminals that are out there. But there are areas where you can show emotion—having just gone through the Boston Marathon bombings, I've seen pictures of the victims. You're not human if you don't show emotion there. It brought tears to my eyes. But when it comes to human interaction, that's what makes us good at our job. It's human empathy. LH: How do you handle confrontations? CO: I look at it in terms of trying to figure out what the source of the confron- tation is, what is at the heart of the issue; then I address it head-on. I don't try to avoid it. I don't try to sugarcoat it. I don't try to let time pass and hope that it's going to get better. I'm honest and direct, but you also want to work with the person to find the solution. LZ: Empathy comes into play again. It softens things a little bit. It engages the other person. Coming up with a common solution, a common goal, as every- body said, is a sign of a good leader. CO: It's in the delivery. It's in the tone. It's in the manner, the body lan- guage. But it's really important to be nice. People want to be around positive, nice, welcoming, embracing individuals. I think it is critically important that women support women and encourage women, and really help to build each other up. LH: If you're trying to empower young women in your field, what advice do you give? KH: Just make the leap. Just do it. Barbara Lynch Founder and CEO, Barbara Lynch Gruppo For a chef, it doesn't get much better than winning the James Beard Award and Grand Chef status from Relais & Châteaux. It's even sweeter when that chef created her five- restaurant empire from scratch. Lynch is a legend in these parts—a modern-day female version of Horatio Alger, who grew up in the housing projects of South Boston, scored a random cooking job at a local rectory at the age of 13, and dreamed of becoming a famous chef one day. She did it, and now owns one of the most diverse, creative five-star restaurant groups in the country. She also founded the Barbara Lynch Foundation, dedicated to helping Boston's communities create healthy and inspired futures for its youth. She is married with one child. "WITH THE FBI, THE PUBLIC SEEKS STR ENGTH IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS. THER E IS NOT A LOT OF ROOM FOR BEING NERVOUS, FOR CRYING, FOR EMOTION." —LUCIA ZIOBRO Lucia M. Ziobro Assistant Special Agent in Charge, FBI Boston You know you are a leader when your office shows up to support you at a panel discussion (they hid in the back rows to avoid being photographed), but that is just the tip of the FBI iceberg for Lucia Ziobro. A former corporate lawyer, she has investigated the terrorist attacks of September 11, the attempted bombing of Times Square, the Russian spy network, numerous economic espionage and counterproliferation cases, and the Boston Marathon bombings. Ziobro is married with two children. Carmen M. Ortiz United States Attorney, District of Massachusetts President Barack Obama nominated Carmen Ortiz as the United States Attorney for the district of Massachusetts. She was the first Hispanic and first woman to represent Massachusetts as US attorney, a role in which she manages more than 120 attorneys in Boston, Worcester, and Springfield. She has overseen the criminal prosecution on arguably this state's most important cases—James "Whitey" Bulger, and most recently, the Boston Marathon bombings—as well as leading some of the largest civil settlements in US history. She is married with two daughters. Video production courtesy of DGA Productions Aaron Frutman: director of photography Griff Nash and Mark Scheffler: second camera Jeremy Bond: audio Location courtesy of Harvard University's Oberon Theater Makeup by Tavi de la Rosa and Kristy Szeman Hair by Louise Rusk/Mizu 110 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM 106-111_BC_F_Women_LateSpring14.indd 110 4/7/14 4:18 PM