The Wisdom of Women Leading Women

SMITH BRAIN TRUST – BET Networks executive Donna Blackman applauds the courage of women who speak up about sexual harassment in the workplace. But she is cautious when it comes to giving advice to people who might face retaliation. "You don’t want to judge people as weak or strong," she told an overflow crowd at the Smith School’s seventh annual Women Leading Women event on March 1. “If I lose my job today, I would be OK. But not everyone has that experience.”

Blackman says targets of abuse should do what works best for them. “Handle it in a way that makes you feel whole, that enables you to look yourself in the mirror and say, ‘I’m OK with the decision that I’ve made,’” she said. “Be conscious about the decision that you make.” Blackman is Senior Vice President, Business Operations, at BET and a Smith School executive MBA alumna. Below are more insights she shared during an hourlong conversation moderated by Smith School professor Nicole Coomber. Full video (49:33) | Event summary...