Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:00AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [3 ]
Carol is here.
Sandy/NASA Chat Host: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:03AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [4 ]
Welcome Carol! Thank you for joining us today! We are anxious to learn
about what being a CEO is all about.
Newman Elementary Mrs. LeSaout's 4th grade, Nancy Price age 10: . .
. . Thu, Apr 24, 11:05AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [5 ]
Did you take special courses in college for the job you have now?
Anne, Strath Haven MS, 14: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:05AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [6 ]
how many people work for you?
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:05AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [7 ]
Anne, 2200 people work for me around the world.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:06AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [8 ]
Nancy, I acutally have a degree in computer science. I started out thinking
I wanted to be in math, but when I took my first computer course I had
so much fun I never looked back.
Anne, Strath Haven MS, 14: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:06AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [9 ]
What's an entry level starting salary for one of your workers?
Shannon:5th grade: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:07AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . .
[10 ]
Exactly what do you do as a CEO? What is a typical day like for you?
Anne, Strath Haven MS, 14: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:07AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [11 ]
what are the responsibilites of your job
Anne, Strath Haven MS, 14: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:08AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [12 ]
how much money do you make each year?
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:08AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [13 ]
Anne, this is a really hard question to answer because there's so many
different kinds of jobs in Autodesk. We have people making every where
from the mid-twenty thousand dollar range to several hundred thousand
dollars in the company. Our best salaries, of course, are those people
who have engineering and technical degrees and so people in management.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:10AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [14 ]
Shannon, that's a really tough question because every day is different.
I spend a lot of time talking to our customers. I travel around the world
meeting with the partners of Autodesk and my employees. I meet withthe
press to tell them what our company is doing. And I spend a lot of time
working with my technical people to make sure we have great products.
Every day is different.
Anne, Strath Haven MS, 14: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:10AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [15 ]
how did you get to where you are now?
Shannon:5th grade: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:11AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . .
[16 ]
Can youtell me more about Autodesk? What kind of company is it? What are
your products?
Mary: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:11AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [17 ]
Hi Carol - I'm wondering if you have difficulties being a female in a
mail dominated industry and what strategies you have come up with to deal
with this?
Natalie,Brittany Hill MS, 14 : . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:11AM PDT (-0700
GMT). . . [18 ]
Where did you go to College?
Francesca: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:12AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [19 ]
We're wondering how you get to be a CEO and do you have to report to someone
- do you have a boss when you are CEO?
Anne, Strath Haven MS, 14: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:12AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [20 ]
Francesca how old are you?
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:13AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [21 ]
Shannon, Autodesk is the 4th largest P.C. software company in the world.
We make software tools that design the building you are sitting in, roads,
basically anything around you could be designed on our software. Most
of our products are actually quite complex because they do such important
jobs. Our typical customers are engineers and architects around the world.
We sell into a 130 countries. We have designed the tallelst building in
the world Kuala Lumpur. And we have designed Deep Flight 1, a underwater
one person submarine.
Daughters of Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:13AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [22 ]
What interests you about computers?
Natalie,Brittany Hill MS, 14 : . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:14AM PDT (-0700
GMT). . . [23 ]
Do you have a family , and if so does your job take away time from them?
Cindi, Durango, CO: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:14AM PDT (-0700 GMT). .
. [24 ]
Do you have a family and if so how do you handle such a big responsibility
and be with your family?
Newman Elementary Mrs. LeSaouts 4th grade, Ashlee Cody age 10: . . .
. Thu, Apr 24, 11:15AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [25 ]
Do you like sports?
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:16AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [26 ]
Mary, this is a really great question. I would have to be honest and say
yes, it is difficult being a female in a male dominated role. Most of
the high level functions that I attend I am the only female. There's a
lot of ways to deal with this sort of thing. The best way is to be always
prepared. I don't take a lot of little things too seriously. I keep a
sense of humor and I always spend time with those peers who are more open
to women in business. I don't take the extra time to try and convince
those people who live in the dark ages how important it is for women to
be in these roles.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:16AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [27 ]
Mary, this is a really great question. I would have to be honest and say
yes, it is difficult being a female in a male dominated role. Most of
the high level functions that I attend I am the only female. There's a
lot of ways to deal with this sort of thing. The best way is to be always
prepared. I don't take a lot of little things too seriously. I keep a
sense of humor and I always spend time with those peers who are more open
to women in business. I don't take the extra time to try and convince
those people who live in the dark ages how important it is for women to
be in these roles.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:16AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [28 ]
Natalie, I went to college for two years at William Woods University in
Fulton, Missouri and then transferred and graduated from the Univ. of
Wisconsin, Madison in 1971.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:18AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [30 ]
Well, I am the boss as CEO. My 8 year old daughter is very impressed because
she thinks I am like the principal. I do report to a board of directors
but we only meet 4 times a year. So as you can figure out by that most
of the time I get to run Autodesk as I please. That's the great thing
about being the top banana.
Miriam,17: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:18AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [31 ]
Did you always know what you wanted to do? What inspired you and who were
your role models?
Natalie,Brittany Hill MS, 14 : . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:19AM PDT (-0700
GMT). . . [32 ]
How did you get your start? In the beginning did you have a mentor?
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:19AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [33 ]
I like computers because they can do so many interesting things so quickly.
When I took my first computer course and wrote my first computer program,
it was to add up a thousand numbers and see how long it took. That was
over 20 years ago, so I would be embarrassed to tell you how long it took
20 years ago. But it was so much fun and seemed like so many possibilities
that I was hooked from the beginning
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:19AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [34 ]
I like computers because they can do so many interesting things so quickly.
When I took my first computer course and wrote my first computer program,
it was to add up a thousand numbers and see how long it took. That was
over 20 years ago, so I would be embarrassed to tell you how long it took
20 years ago. But it was so much fun and seemed like so many possibilities
that I was hooked from the beginning
Paquita Ramon, Mexico DF: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:20AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [35 ]
Adios. Tengo que ir a practica de lacrosse.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:20AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [36 ]
Natalie and Cindi, I have a great husband and a wonderful 8 year old daughter,
a cat and two dogs. And I don't get to spend nearly enough time with them.
I typically leave home every morning about 7:30 and I don't get home until
7:30 at night. I would like to be able to spend more time with all of
them, especially my daughter, and I'm very careful on weekends to play
with her and have fun with her as much as I can.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:21AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [37 ]
Ashlee, I like watching football a lot, especially the 49ers. And I like
to play tennis. When I was younger I was a pretty good softball player,
but way back then we didn't have all the neat teams that you guys get
to participate on now.
Natalie,Brittany Hill MS, 14 : . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:22AM PDT (-0700
GMT). . . [38 ]
I have heard something about computers not being able to function in the
year 2000. What is this all about?
Cindi, Durango, CO: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:22AM PDT (-0700 GMT). .
. [39 ]
Do ever wish you could stay at home with your daughter? Or do you every
feel guilty about not being at home with her?
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:23AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [40 ]
Miriam, no, I didn't always know what I wanted to do. In fact, if I would
have planned too carefully I never would have come a CEO because I never
would have dreamed it was possible. I did always want to do my very best
whether that was to try and get A's in school or to do a good job at work.
My high school English teacher and my grandmother were my role models.
My grandmother is 92 and is still an inspiration to me. I should tell
you that my mom died when I was 8 so she was a role model only for a short
time.
Natalie,Brittany Hill MS, 14 : . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:23AM PDT (-0700
GMT). . . [41 ]
Did you bring your daughter to work today?
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:24AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [42 ]
Natalie, I always loved math and science. I feel so lucky because nobody
told me that girls weren't supposed to like that sort of thing. It always
made me feel so good to solve the problem or do the experiment. And I
think that got me started believing that I could do anything.
Newman Elementary Mrs. LeSaout's 4th grade - All: . . . . Thu, Apr 24,
11:24AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [43 ]
Thank you for talking to us. Good luck.
Natalie,Brittany Hill MS, 14 : . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:25AM PDT (-0700
GMT). . . [44 ]
As a parent, what do you expect of your daughter. Do you want her to follow
in your foot steps.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:25AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [45 ]
Natalie, it turns out that most computer programs have dates in them that
only consider the last two numbers of the year. So in other words, 1997
just looks like 97 in the computer. Therefore, when we get to the year
2000, the computer could easily think that we have rolled back to 1900.
The reason this is important is because most programs do a lot of compare
around the date to know how old someone is or how long something has been
happening and the computer is going to get very confused when it goes
back to 00.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:27AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [46 ]
Cindi, I wish that I could stay home with my daughter more, but my daughter
is very busy at school and with her activities. And it's important that
she has a life as a person. I believe it's also important that she knows
how the real world works and that as you get older your life has more
responsibility. I don't feel guilty about my job. 2200 people in Autodesk
depend on me. I love my daughter very much and she knows that.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:27AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [47 ]
Cindi, I wish that I could stay home with my daughter more, but my daughter
is very busy at school and with her activities. And it's important that
she has a life as a person. I believe it's also important that she knows
how the real world works and that as you get older your life has more
responsibility. I don't feel guilty about my job. 2200 people in Autodesk
depend on me. I love my daughter very much and she knows that.
Brenda: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:27AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [48 ]
What don't you like about your job?
Daughters: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:27AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [49 ]
Carol, since you grew up most of your life without your mother, do you
feel more guilty about not being there as much for your daughter?
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:27AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [50 ]
Natalie, I did not bring my daughter to work today. I'm going to bring
her to work when she's a bit older. She comes to work with me one or two
times a year but not during the school year.
Marco: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:28AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [51 ]
Who are your competitors in this industry?
Natalie,Brittany Hill MS, 14 : . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:28AM PDT (-0700
GMT). . . [52 ]
Goodbye, we have to go back to class.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:29AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [53 ]
Natalie, great question. I most of all expect that my daughter will do
her very best and try hard no matter what she does. If she does that,
she will be successful no matter what path she takes. I don't really care
if she grows up to be a CEO or even wants to be in the business world.
I just care that she is happy, that she feels proud of herself and that
she tries hard every day.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:29AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [54 ]
Natalie, great question. I most of all expect that my daughter will do
her very best and try hard no matter what she does. If she does that,
she will be successful no matter what path she takes. I don't really care
if she grows up to be a CEO or even wants to be in the business world.
I just care that she is happy, that she feels proud of herself and that
she tries hard every day.
Sandy/NASA Chat Host: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:30AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [55 ]
Goodbye Natalie. Your questions were great! Thank you very much for joining
us!
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:30AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [56 ]
Brenda, sometimes when you are CEO people take pot shots at everything
you do. Some people think we get paid too much money, somem people think
we don't always make good decisions. It's the kind of job in a way like
President Clinton has, you can never please everybody all the time. And
I will tell you sometimes it hurts to be misunderstood or misquoted. I
also don't like all the travel that I have to do because it takes me away
from my friends and family.
Alby,Brittany Hill MS, 14 : . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:31AM PDT (-0700
GMT). . . [57 ]
We are from Blue Springs, MO. What city did you grow up in?
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:31AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [58 ]
No, I actually don't, because I did very well without my mom being around
me every day. She had a tremendous influenc eon me during those first
8 years as did her mother, my grandmother. I felt very secure in their
love and I believe I do the same for my daughter.
Mr. McKelvy'class: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:31AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . .
[59 ]
Do you have Americans working in your foreign offices or people from those
countries?And do you have any opinins about work ethics in other countries
compared to the U.S.
Daughters: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:32AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [60 ]
Carol, since you grew up most of your life without your mother, do you
feel more guilty about not being there as much for your daughter?
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:32AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [61 ]
Marco, we have many competitors all over the world. In the architectural
world, the competitors tend to be located in the country like Germany,
Japan, wherever we do business. In the mechanical world, we compete against
people like PTC, IBM, SDRC and the like. In our multimedia business we
compete against Microsoft and SGI.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:33AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [62 ]
Alby, I grew up in Alma, Wisconsin which had 1008 people when I lived
there.
Newman Elementary Melissa Reyes, age 9: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:34AM
PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [63 ]
How long have you been working?
Alby,Brittany Hill MS, 14 : . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:34AM PDT (-0700
GMT). . . [65 ]
How did you end up in starting college in Missouri?
Clarie: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:34AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [66 ]
Are there any women on your board of directors?
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:35AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [67 ]
Hi class, in almost all of our international locations we hire local staff.
I think it's very important to have people from each country selling and
servicing in their own countries. I find that people work hard all over
the world. They all want to have a better life. They all want to make
a difference for their families and they all want to be successful. In
fact, sometimes it worries me that many countries especially in Asia are
trying a lot harder to get great educations and to succeed then we are
here in America. I believe we take too much for granted in the US.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:35AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [68 ]
Hi class, in almost all of our international locations we hire local staff.
I think it's very important to have people from each country selling and
servicing in their own countries. I find that people work hard all over
the world. They all want to have a better life. They all want to make
a difference for their families and they all want to be successful. In
fact, sometimes it worries me that many countries especially in Asia are
trying a lot harder to get great educations and to succeed then we are
here in America. I believe we take too much for granted in the US.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:35AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [69 ]
Melissa, I got my first job when I was 15, working for the local bank.
I worked all through high school and college and got my first professional
job right after I graduated. So, I guess that adds up to 33 years (ouch!).
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:36AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [70 ]
Melissa, I got my first job when I was 15, working for the local bank.
I worked all through high school and college and got my first professional
job right after I graduated. So, I guess that adds up to 33 years (ouch!).
Miranda: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:36AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [71 ]
Did you work in another job at Autodesk before or did you come in as CEO?
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:37AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [72 ]
Alby, it turns out that the President of my hometown bank went to school
in Missouri and took me on a campus visit the spring of my senior year.
It was an all girls school which really appealed to me and to be honest
I had never seen such warm weather in March. I suggest you all pick tougher
criteria than that.
Alby,Brittany Hill MS, 14 : . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:37AM PDT (-0700
GMT). . . [73 ]
How many years do you plan to keep this job?
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:37AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [74 ]
Clarie, yes, I am the chairman of the board and a Senior Vice President
of Citibank, Mary Alice Taylor, is also a board member.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:37AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [75 ]
Clarie, yes, I am the chairman of the board and a Senior Vice President
of Citibank, Mary Alice Taylor, is also a board member.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:38AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [76 ]
Miranda, no, I came to Autodesk as Chairman and CEO.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:38AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [77 ]
Alby, as I said in an earlier question, I don't plan ahead that far. I
am having great fun in this job. I'm still learning how to be a better
CEO. And as long as I am having fun and learning, I don't have time to
think about what happens next.
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:40AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [78 ]
Good-bye, everyone. It's time for me to get back to work. I wish all of
you success, fun and most of all, happiness in your life. Please study
hard because if you study hard and do a good job you will have so many
options in life and then you can be in the driver's seat.
Jaye,15: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:40AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [79 ]
Where do you like to travel to?
Carol Bartz, CEO Autodesk: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:40AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [80 ]
Good-bye, everyone. It's time for me to get back to work. I wish all of
you success, fun and most of all, happiness in your life. Please study
hard because if you study hard and do a good job you will have so many
options in life and then you can be in the driver's seat.
Alby,Brittany Hill MS, 14 : . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:40AM PDT (-0700
GMT). . . [81 ]
Do you have any advice for people who want to become successful like you?
Sandy/NASA Chat Host: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 11:41AM PDT (-0700 GMT).
. . [82 ]
Thanks everyone! Your questions to Carol were terrific!
