Making Waves: A Leader Who Happens to Be a Woman

Abstract The author discusses her work with Lisa Lutoff–Perlo, an author in this issue of Leader to Leader . Lutoff–Perlo rose in the corporate ranks to be CEO of Celebrity Cruises. The latter’s leadership journey is told with the background of the author’s work with the late Frances Hesselbein, our founder and longtime editor‐in‐chief. Toward the end of her life (she passed away in 2022 at 107), she and the author shared the title. She writes, “I shared with Lisa Frances Hesselbein’s response when introduced as a ‘woman leader’ as if her gender was the most important attribute of her leadership.” Frances would reply to the introduction that she was rather “a leader who happens to be a woman. I am a leader first.” With that simple statement, “we immediately understood that her focus on being a leader was more important to her than her gender.” And she notes that Lutoff–Perlo, “through diligence, determination, and a lot of heart, courage, and smarts ‘scaled the corporate ladder’ and become a great leader. More than that, as one who includes, inspires, and encourages she raises the rest of us up with her.”