Lessons From Women Leaders Thanks for your Oct. 22 cover story, “Women & Power.” As an organizational psychologist emeritus, I spent my career investigating the acquisition and use of power by executives, and I found that, on average, women are superior to men in constructing, maintaining and employing power by means of elaborate social networks. Moreover, in this new Information Age, these network abilities will be more fruitful than the old boys’ clubs. As knowledge becomes the new driver—and not labor, machines or money—women will gain equality in power by enlisting their carefully woven webs. George Graen Bentonville, Arkansas
Thanks for your extensive coverage on successful women leaders from different walks of life. With their intelligence, will and determination, women can do better than men, and the sky could be their limit. Time and again, women have proved it. Thanks for reminding everyone. Lata Vishwanath Singapore
Your article on successful women in different fields was very good. Brava for all of them, but you should have mentioned the number of women presidents who have served throughout Latin America, the macho stronghold: Lidia Gueiler (of Bolivia, who handled the transition from military dictatorship to democracy), Mar?a Estela Per?n (of Argentina, who was a disaster), Violeta Chamorro (Nicaragua), Mireya Moscoso (Panama), Michelle Bachelet (Chile) and now Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (Argentina, again). Is the United States ready to follow? Ronald Steers McKinney Col Los Olivos, Mexico
The fact that most of the Asian female leaders have been relying more on their eminent family backgrounds than on their own competence is undeniable. I don’t object to the way women get their power, since I’ve seen many of them doing well compared with Asian male leaders. However, the recent reform in some countries where every government office is earmarked for women concerns many people. Excessive reservations to create egalitarianism can bring about domestic conflict that could affect international affairs. As a man, I want more women to be in high positions in politics than they are now. We have to make gradual and sustainable efforts to encourage more women to exert their underestimated political potential, but not in a radical and destructive way. Song Bawoona Ansan, South Korea
Congratulations, Newsweek, on your great cover story and especially on the piece “What I Learned,” which gave an excellent report on leadership and provided exceptional life histories. The highlight for me was Betsy Myers’s essay, which gave us basic tips on working better every day. This issue should be a best seller. And I have found a new mentor! Eluard Puccini Sáo Paulo, Brazil
Your cover story correctly portrays changing times. The women in your feature have proved their mettle against insurmountable odds in their respective fields, which were, until a few decades ago, taboo for women. The most striking inclusion in this story was Kumari Mayawati, the gutsy political leader from Uttar Pradesh, India. While the women from the First World come from a more advanced, liberal and accommodating social system for women, Mayawati had to live and struggle in a conservative, feudal, caste-bound social milieu that still remains a stark reality in India. Present-day economic progress has hardly broken the centuries-old bondage of the caste-oriented mind-set of India’s Brahmanical class. Yet the way Mayawati has fought against these restrictions proves she is a gutsy leader. It’s no surprise that she has emerged as the voice of the voiceless in India. Pramod K. Kureel New Delhi, India
Your article “My Journey to the Top” was wonderful and deserves acclaim. I was glad to find Mayawati, an inspiring leader, among your choices. She has championed the cause of Dalits, the lower-caste groups in India. Her phenomenal rise to power—becoming chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, despite belonging to the same deprived group—is a miracle. Her forging of an alliance between the minorities and the upper castes to win elections created a revolution in Indian politics. India could make great strides if freed from the tentacles of the caste system, and Mayawati is doing her bit for this change. But she falls short of being an ideal leader: as chief minister, she spent huge amounts in building statues of Dalit icons instead of investing in the health, education and economic development of her state, which remains the most backward of all in India. She’s made a good start but has a long way to go. Vivek Kaul Bangalore, India
You are right to profile Mayawati as one of eight outstanding women leaders the world over who has reached the top by overcoming all odds. She has been a crusader against social discrimination, especially against the depressed and oppressed classes, to which she herself belongs. Hers has been a long battle against heavy odds, against powerful and economically influential people. She has fought valiantly against them all to secure an honorable place for her downtrodden compatriots. She embodies their aspirations. A wonderful orator, she mesmerizes the audience by her spirited speeches. Unlike some other politicians in India today, she is not pampered by sycophants and does not read out speeches written by others. A politically mature woman, known for her common sense, I think she deserves to be prime minister of India. Anatharamaiah Srikantaiah Bangalore, India
I congratulate you! Your cover story’s depth and formidable, incisive reporting made it a first-class job. I had the pleasure and privilege of meeting a woman you featured, Chanda Kochhar, deputy managing director of India’s ICICI Bank, when she visited Sri Lanka on a lecture tour. Her deep knowledge of banking and global finance was awesome. She was firmly in control not only of her bank but of our meeting, and left us in total admiration of her. Her clarity in dealing with the many banking issues we raised, the international standing of these issues relative to Sri Lanka and her clinical examination of the industry here and where it was heading were lessons on current limitations and on what needs to be done. Banking here is guided by men; we’ve had women managers, but that’s as far as they got. In that mind-set, to experience the personality and power of Ms. Kochhar was amazing. I hope that through your exposure, women here will get opportunities to forge original tracks for their organizations. Regrettably, we are still male-dominated despite the fact that we had one of the first female heads of state in the world. Steve A. Morrell Deputy Business Editor, The Island Colombo, Sri Lanka
I enjoyed the articles in your Oct. 22 cover story, but I must voice my discontent with your selection of powerful, high-profile ladies. I am disappointed you did not cover any of the remarkable women in the U.S. Army whose success stories are rarely publicized. My own leader is a general officer who has received accolades, including GCN’s 2006 Defense Executive of the Year. Army leaders share integrity, honor, ingenuity, dedication and passion. They inspire those of us in their ranks to follow them with sacrifices that most people never hear about. Please tell your readers the inspirational stories of military women of power—leaders who have brought social change in a subculture of society that is often misunderstood. Leanne N. MacAllister 5th Signal Command Mannheim, Germany
India’s Masala Movies It was heartening to see Indian film producer Ronnie Screwvala’s picture on your Sept. 10 cover. Your report, “Bollywood Big Time,” gives an excellent account of the transformation taking place in the industry, which has so far dealt only with formulaic stories—song-and-dance melodramas. In fact, if a discerning moviegoer were to see one Bollywood film, he would not need to see another: all the others have similar sequences and themes. These are films made for the masses. But the average Indian film’s budget is not $150,000, as you report—many B-grade films cost $300,000 or more. Top stars charge anywhere from $1 million to $3 million each. Five years ago “Devdas” cost $13 million to produce. Only a handful of songless, danceless and unique art films are made at lower budgets. They win awards at film festivals but they are not popular with the masses. Raj Bharadwaj New Delhi, India
Your Bollywood cover story depicted well the changing face of India’s film industry and lauded Ronnie Screwvala as the equivalent of Hollywood’s Jack Warner. This is unprecedented recognition of a producer in the Indian context, where film-crazy people are obsessed only with film actors and seldom bother with producers. I’m glad you touched on our regional-language films—other than mainstream Hindi films made in Bollywood—but disappointed you didn’t elaborate on the recognition received by Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil and Kannada films. These films do not aim at box-office profits but attempt to show real life. Tamil films nowadays even challenge Hindi films in overall entertainment and are watched by all of south India. Hyderabad, where Telugu movies are made, has one of India’s best film studios. Regional films can be technically good and realistic, unlike Bollywood’s escapist melodramas. Suresh Kumar Parappurath Bangalore, India
With India’s rich history in music and dance, Bollywood films fill a deep emotional need even as they play a leading role in India’s economy. Film stars have such an overwhelming psychological hold over the minds of ordinary Indians that they often make godlike icons out of them. But Bollywood has never really made a mark on global cinema. India’s filmmakers satisfy themselves by repeatedly churning out the same musicals that mesmerize audiences. Besides, Bollywood professionals have come under the cloud of underworld and crime syndicates. Several leading names have been linked with mafia dons and illegal activities. The authorities acknowledge this menace but have failed to break the nexus. In any case, even today, hardly anything new is happening in the Bollywood film industry. If some Bollywood personalities are making it on the covers of reputed international publications like NEWSWEEK IT is because of the efforts of a few people who seem to think differently. But such creative minds, though in a minority, have existed throughout the history of Indian cinema. What seems to be making a difference this time is the use of modern technology in filmmaking and better public relations. Otherwise, there is not much to write about regarding the creativity of Bollywood. R. K. Sudan Jammu, India
Ending Corruption in Brazil Brazilians have had enough of the disgraceful behavior of their politicians (“Brazil Cries ‘Enough!’,” Sept. 24). But we’ve become so accustomed to their shameless trickery that we overlook the wrongdoing of those who should uphold the ethical standards of public office. Decades of corruption have weakened us. We have a pseudodemocracy; people are not equal. The laws are great, but principles are not upheld by those in power. Our failed democracy operates under a buddy system: unscrupulous congressmen hold each other’s political careers in their hands —each knows the misdeeds of the others. They are allies not in making the country better, but in the sick satisfaction of grabbing all they can while in power. Only now are we slowly moving forward. The Senate episode you refer to is just one more scandal that got shoved under the rug. Now we are looking to the Supreme Court. When the guilty are sent to prison, it will be the beginning of democracy and a demonstration that power and money does not put people above the law. Only then will national faith be restored. The message from the court should be clear: you do wrong, you pay for it. Charles M. Phelan Natal, Brazil
Selling Democracy in Africa? I was a little taken aback by your Oct. 1 article “A Reward for Good Behavior.” I have lived in Africa for 22 years as an expat wife, first in west Africa and now in South Africa. It doesn’t take an expert to let the rest of the world know that democracy isn’t really on the agenda of African leaders. It is a thin veneer covering a continent that is rife with corruption and political abuse. However, it appears that the veneer is shiny enough to deflect the truth blinding most of the world. You may have elections and candidates riding donkeys and elephants to appease the Western mind, but the leaders and their governments are far from democratic, no matter how they got there. It is a shame that we would actually encourage democracy to be sold. Democracy is about ideals and hard work and sacrifice that cost countries like the United States much more than the billion that Mo Ibrahim has set aside to line the already stuffed pockets of African heads of state. The word commonly used here on the continent is “bribe.” Isn’t that what Ibrahim is offering? As a mother of two teenagers, I equate it to rewarding my children for only cheating on half the test because they could have cheated on the whole thing. Africa and its leaders need to learn to play fair and govern fair—there is no need for rewards. Perhaps Ibrahim could read “Saving the World Is Within Our Grasp” (Oct. 1) and donate his hard-earned money to one of Bill and Melinda Gates’s foundations, where it would do more than buy another villa in the south of France or a 24-karat gold bathtub. Debbie Macaulay Johannesburg, South Africa
A Gory Gang-War Picture I cannot express my disgust at the way in which you displayed that poor woman in San Salvador in the “Gang Warfare” photo essay (Oct. 1). How would you like to see your daughter or sister depicted in a photograph with her pants pulled halfway down, smears of blood and a caption saying she’d been “raped and murdered … by a rival gang”? Distasteful and disrespectful are understatements. You should put people’s dignity above selling magazines, no matter who those people are or were and the circumstances in which they lived and died. Alex Garcia Campinas, Brazil
