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WITI Women | Leslie Butterfield

WITI Women Survey Questions and Responses:

1. What was your first job in technology?
As a graduate student at the University of Minnesota in 1988, I had the opportunity to work on a research project that was a joint venture between the U of M and the 3M Corporation. Our goal was to create a software program to produce custom-fitted clothing. After several years of research and development, we sold the product to Levi Strauss who used it to produce custom jeans. At a very early stage of my career, this opportunity exposed me to software development, business development, product strategy and most importantly, teamwork in a business environment.

2. Who has been your most significant mentor? Why?
I have many mentors and tend to talk to different people about different issues. One woman has been a constant in my life since I was a girl. Nell Hillsley is a spiritual, creative and powerful woman from whom I find inspiration to make good choices, to help others along the way and to believe that there is a great purpose for my life that I am responsible to discover and fulfill.

3. What has been your greatest challenge and what strategies did you use to overcome obstacles?
Several times I ran into glass ceilings at companies where I worked. My method for breaking through has been to change companies or at least departments. In my experience, the ceiling is built of fear and a lack of understanding of my skill set. People tend to box others into past roles and find it easier to give the promotion to someone new or in some cases, someone who is a friend and typically of the same gender. As long as men dominate the top jobs, they will also tend to dominate the next level. I find it helps to start anew in my major career moves.

Leslie Butterfield answers these questions:
1. What was your first job in technology?
2. Who has been your most significant mentor? Why?
3. What has been your greatest challenge and what strategies did you use to overcome obstacles?
4. Who has been the most influential person in your life? Why?
5. What lessons have you learned that would be valuable to women beginning their careers in technology?
6. What new technology do you believe will have the most positive impact on the world in the next 20 years? The most negative impact?

On the lighter side:
1. If you could have dinner with any 2 people (living or not), who would they be?
2. What was the last book you read? What books do you love to recommend?
3. If you couldn't do what you are doing now, what profession would you choose?
4. What is your definition of success?

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