Former CEO Explains How She Balanced Work and Family Life
By Extra-Ordinary Women
Former Xerox CEO Ursula Burns, the first Black female CEO of a Fortune 500 company in 2009, has a unique perspective on the age-old struggle of working mothers to balance their careers and family life. While many women feel the pressure to “have it all,” Burns took a different path, leaning on her late husband Lloyd Bean for support in raising their two children, even if it meant missing some of their activities in favor of her career. She attributes much of her career success to this unconventional strategy.
In a recent interview with CNBC Make It, the 63-year-old Burns shared her perspective, saying, “I would not be able to be CEO of the company unless I outsourced the caring for my kids. I was not a believer that you had to go to all your kids’ games. I just don’t understand what that’s all about.”
This mindset didn’t always sit well with other parents, and Burns occasionally received negative feedback for her choices. However, she firmly believes that this approach was instrumental in her career trajectory. Even when she did attend her children’s events, she didn’t obsessively watch every moment but used the time to relax and work on a crossword puzzle.
“I wasn’t a helicopter mom,” she proudly states. “We did what we had to do.”
Burns led Xerox from 2009 to 2016, a pivotal period when the company split into two separate entities: Xerox and Conduent. She continued to serve as Xerox’s chairman until 2017.
What made her unconventional approach possible was a support network that included her husband, Bean, who retired early from his role as a research scientist at the same company to become a stay-at-home dad. Additionally, Burns’ sister lived nearby and often assisted with childcare duties.
Burns firmly believes that it truly does take a village to succeed in both career and family life, and she credits this collective approach for her ability to lead Xerox while simultaneously raising her children. “It takes a village, and we had the village,” she acknowledges.
In addition to her corporate leadership role, Ursula Burns made significant contributions to education and the economy. In 2009, she was appointed by President Barack Obama to help lead the White House National STEM program, which encourages students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. She later served as the vice chair of the President’s Export Council from 2015 to 2016.
Burns also served on the board of directors of several prominent corporations, including Uber, American Express, and ExxonMobil. In 2014, Forbes recognized her as the 22nd most powerful woman in the world.
Despite her rapid career ascent and the sacrifices she made, Burns takes pride in raising two “unbelievably good kids.” However, she does acknowledge that her career’s fast pace sometimes left her feeling disconnected from the everyday moments of her life, both at the office and at home. Her only regret is not being more present in those daily routines.
