WORK Takeaway
Before leading the WNBA, Engelbert was CEO of Deloitte.
OUT TAKES HIP PARENTING My coolness factor with my kids has gone up considerably since the day I was announced as commissioner. RISE TO THE TOP I never aspired to fill a box called “CEO” or to hold the title of commissioner, but I did always aspire to lead. FUTURE THINKING My job is to build leaders below me so that, when I’m done with the work, the next generation is ready to step up.
Cathy Engelbert
I have this theory that you must be your best in your ordinary moments so that you can be great in extraordinary moments. Having played and captained lacrosse and basketball teams, I do think that practice, practice, practice makes perfect. It was a big deal to me to come into this role. It gave me not only the responsibility of running the WNBA—the only women’s professional sports league to last more than 23 years—but also the potential to transform the entire ecosystem around women’s sports, women’s empowerment, and women in society. Less than 1 percent of all corporate sponsorship dollars go to women’s sports, and less than 4 percent of all media coverage goes to women’s sports. Sports can really move the needle on how women are recognized.
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF NBA PHOTOS
The commissioner of the WNBA knows that sports can change the world.
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