Dr. Gerberding’s “The Three V’s” 1 “The first ‘V’ principle is that learning is vital.” 2 “The second ‘V’ principle is that every life is valuable.” 3 “The third ‘V’ principle is valiant leadership.” an organization that provides business insights and supports talent development for women globally, she’s had the opportunity to serve as a visible role model that women can make it to the top and influence their organizations. Dr. Gerberding shared some of her principles which she calls “The Three V’s” with the attendees at the sold out 3 May Woman of the Year awards ceremony in New York City. Following are excerpts from her remarks: “The first ‘V’ principle is that learning is vital. Everyone in this room knows we are facing amazing health challenges that don’t have easy solutions. For us, learning isn’t a luxury, learning is truly vital to our individual and collective success. We simply have to keep learning and evolving to make an impact on the lives of people we serve.” “The second ‘V’ principle is that every life is valuable. As we tackle our big healthcare challenges, we can’t ever lose sight of the individual people whose lives truly depend on our work. We must champion their cause and fight for equitable access to the benefits that good health and well-being provide.” “The third ‘V’ principle is valiant leadership. This type of leadership requires collaboration and nego- tiation. It requires complex multitasking. It requires emotional intelligence and shared values. It requires recognizing that a winner-takes-all outcome may not be the winning outcome.” “Collectively, these attributes are hard to find in any one leader. But in my experience, when I do find such a leader, more often than not that leader is a woman. That is why it is so critical that we include more women around the table when important decisions about the toughest problems are being made.” “We don’t have to be superheroes. But if we keep the three ‘V’s’ in mind, we can become a united force for change.” Summer 2018  |  31