Comments on: Interview with Sallie Krawcheck, CEO of Citigroup’s Global Wealth Management

By: Daniel

Daniel — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:14:34 +0000

For a somewhat less flattering account of Ms. Krawchek's rise to prominence, see the following insider comment at http://robbieallen.com/blog/mit-sdm/2005/03/sallie-krawcheck-chief-financial.html:

"Yes, Sallie's a capable and interesting girl. Married for the first time in 1990 to John Binnie, then VP at Salomon Brothers and her boss. After treating her husband quite badly while she was at Columbia Business School she divorced him in 1994 or thereabouts to marry Gary Appell, her boss from Donaldson Lufkin Jenrette. Joined Sanfodr Bernstein, had an affair with another senior professional there and, once he had been useful to her promotion at the firm, she then dumped him — after he had left his wife for her — and stayed with her current husband. Of note: shortly after Sallie became CEO and Chairman of Smith Barney, her first husband John Binnie, who had risen to head the CIticorp FIG group, left that firm for MOrgan Stanley. A very capable woman — but not a happy woman. One who uses sex as one of her big weapons."

By: ACC

ACC — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 03:51:26 +0000

"No one needs a career" may be the most presumptuous and ludicrous statement ever posted. Some people need a career more than they need anything else. Unfortunately, far too many people don't realize that until after they have kids and are expected to give it up. Often those who do end up making everyone around them so miserable that the kids wish mom would return to work just to give them a break.

By: hugh Shull

hugh Shull — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 06:18:06 +0000

I actually knew Sallie's first husband, John Binnie. He was another investment banker. I am sure he worked his ass off too. Good guy. And she was a lovely girl back in college. This is all more complicated than a few quick replies to interview questions. She isn't an abnormally hard working person for that business, nor is she an ogre for "ignoring" her kids. I respected her candor about the tradeoffs.

By: Deal Journal - WSJ.com : The Most Important Women in Finance

Deal Journal - WSJ.com : The Most Important Women in Finance — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:14:38 +0000

[...] women to choose their husbands carefully since the fourth one looks "tacky." She told Forbes last year, "When women get up there and talk to you about work life balance, they are lying to you. I [...]

By: Lisa

Lisa — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:42:34 +0000

Sallie told my entire class of Associates (200+) at Citi that she was a terrible wife and mother but very good at her job. She said to stay at Citi, we had to recognize that we were making a sacrifice and the sacrifice could not be work. Honest, but not someone I admire.

By: Caitlin

Caitlin — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 21:43:08 +0000

Jayson, the poster above you was not actually saying that women didn't succeed because they were tired. It was Sallie Krawcheck who said that and the poster was actually mocking that statement.

No one is denying that you work hard but if the housework is so easy, why aren't you doing half of it on top of your full time work? Your mother did all of it on top of her full time work so it should be a cinch for you to do half of it! ;-)

But really, every job and every couple and every family is different. It's a matter of works for the individuals. In some families it might be appropriate for one person to do all of the housework, in other families not.

But no, I don't believe that stay-at-home parents do the equivalent work of a $134,000 job either. But then there are plenty of million dollar executives who don't deserve their remuneration either. It's not always about how hard you work, unfortunately.

By: Marg

Marg — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 02:25:07 +0000

I am facing work and home as a single unit. My adult children (son lives away) and my support group has dwindled. When the company is in OT(not a 'green frienldy employee company who understands the need for family and self time), there's comflict. You bite the bullet, keep yourself looking petty, relaxed, cuddle with your boy friend/husband/other when you find the time. Exercise, rest, and eating good healthy food helps and a blog or sound off board. nothing wrong with a little blush or lip color to make you feel beter, especially if you have good skin and take care. Nothing wrong with smelling good either!

Some people are just lucky finding and succeeding in a job that is a 'right fit'. I work and often the company is not satisfied–they want more.

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 16:26:11 +0000

I don't think good parenting is when a parent smothers a child with attention. That's silly.

I think it's very healthy for children to see happy parents. And if they're working full-time and happy in their careers, even better.

However, when parents demonstrate–I mean, come on, children aren't stupid–that careers are more important than parenting, it is an issue. You raise your children, you don't outsource the job.
Outsourcing parenting, what will we think of next?

Of course the parents don't have to be related biologically–that's obvious.

However, you can't tell me a child would be fine with the love and attention of their nanny over their mom and dad.

Seriously, all things being equal, kids do better with a mom and dad. That's all I'm saying.

By: dk

dk — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 08:40:39 +0000

When I wrote you cannot have it all, I actually did not mean you cannot have a career and kids. More like you cannot be Supermom and SuperCEO. When I was a small child my mom worked. I can still remember, very fondly, my daycare centers. It was so much fun. I am an only child. And there were people to play. We did crafty stuff, I could never have done at home. There was tons of colored paper, pens, games and so on. And in the evening I would tell my mother about my "work day". And I was happy. Later my mom stopped working and this was not a good idea. Frustrated, bored moms are much worse than happy working ones, even if my mom gave her best. And all this mom must stay home stuff is something we developed in the last 200 years. My grandfather saw his mother maybe 5 minutes every other day and his dad when he did something bad. He and his brothers were cared for by a nanny.He was happy never the less. My other grandfather probably never saw his parents either, because they were working on the fields all day and from an early age he had to help.
Children don't need biological parents. They need security and the feeling to be loved and cherished by someone. I was loved by my mother, I knew that, she did not need to demonstrate that to me 24h. I was loved by my father too, even if he is this hazy presence in my childhood, because he worked long hours, but still I was daddy's little girl. When he was there, he was there. This was enough. Kids get raised by grandparents, adoptive parents and new parents, because of divorce, this is not the end of civilization. I pity all the children, who are the sole attention of their mother, on a guilt trip to do everything right and suffocate the child's independence with 24h care. The best parent is a happy parent.

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 19:14:11 +0000

SacHickey,

"Focused attention" is not parenting. Being there for your kids is.
Scheduling your parenting time is such a ridiculous concept–It's truly funny, but in a very sad way.

"Quality Time" is a line with no substance and most use it to relieve them from their feelings of guilt. And, no, the nanny is not a parent.

Let's say it again: You can't have it all. You can't. You have to sacrifice something. It's a choice. What does one value more?