TED2015
Dame Stephanie Shirley: Why do ambitious women have flat heads?
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Dame Stephanie Shirley is the most successful tech entrepreneur you never heard of. In the 1960s, she founded a pioneering all-woman software company in the UK, which was ultimately valued at $3 billion, making millionaires of 70 of her team members. In this frank and often hilarious talk, she explains why she went by “Steve,” how she upended the expectations of the time, and shares some sure-fire ways to identify ambitious women …
Dame Stephanie Shirley - Entrepreneur and philanthropist
In 1962, Dame Stephanie "Steve" Shirley founded Freelance Programmers, a software firm with innovative work practices -- and (mainly) women employees. Full bio
In 1962, Dame Stephanie "Steve" Shirley founded Freelance Programmers, a software firm with innovative work practices -- and (mainly) women employees. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
When I wrote my memoir,
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Quan vaig escriure les meves memòries
00:14
the publishers were really confused.
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els editors estaven prou confusos.
00:18
Was it about me as a child refugee,
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Tractaven sobre la nena refugiada?
00:22
or as a woman who set up a high-tech
software company back in the 1960s,
software company back in the 1960s,
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O sobre la dona que als anys 60 va fundar
una empresa de software d'alta tecnologia
una empresa de software d'alta tecnologia
00:28
one that went public
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que va obrir el capital
00:30
and eventually employed over 8,500 people?
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i donà treball a més de 8.500 persones?
00:34
Or was it as a mother
of an autistic child?
of an autistic child?
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O sobre la mare d'un nen autista?
00:39
Or as a philanthropist that's
now given away serious money?
now given away serious money?
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O la filantropa
que dóna grans quantitats de diners?
que dóna grans quantitats de diners?
00:43
Well, it turns out, I'm all of these.
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Resulta que sóc totes aquestes.
00:46
So let me tell you my story.
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Així que us explicaré la meva història.
00:51
All that I am stems from when
I got onto a train in Vienna,
I got onto a train in Vienna,
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Tot el que sóc és conseqüència
de quan vaig pujar a un tren a Viena
de quan vaig pujar a un tren a Viena
00:58
part of the Kindertransport that saved
nearly 10,000 Jewish children
nearly 10,000 Jewish children
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part del Kindertransport que va salvar
aproximadament 10.000 nens jueus
aproximadament 10.000 nens jueus
01:03
from Nazi Europe.
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de l'Europa Nazi.
01:05
I was five years old, clutching the hand
of my nine-year-old sister
of my nine-year-old sister
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Tenia cinc anys, m'aferrava a la mà
de la meva germana de nou anys
de la meva germana de nou anys
01:09
and had very little idea as to
what was going on.
what was going on.
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i no sabia ben bé què estava passant.
01:13
"What is England and
why am I going there?"
why am I going there?"
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"Què és Anglaterra
i per què hi estic anant?"
i per què hi estic anant?"
01:18
I'm only alive because so long ago,
I was helped by generous strangers.
I was helped by generous strangers.
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Estic viva sols perquè fa molt de temps
em van ajudar uns estranys generosos.
em van ajudar uns estranys generosos.
01:26
I was lucky, and doubly lucky
to be later reunited
to be later reunited
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Vaig tenir sort i més sort encara
per poder reunir-me més tard
per poder reunir-me més tard
01:30
with my birth parents.
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amb els meus pares.
01:32
But, sadly, I never bonded
with them again.
with them again.
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Però, tristament, mai vaig tornar
a connectar amb ells de nou.
a connectar amb ells de nou.
01:39
But I've done more in the seven decades
since that miserable day
since that miserable day
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Però he fet més en set dècades
des d'aquell dia miserable
des d'aquell dia miserable
01:43
when my mother put me on the train
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quan la meva mare em
va fer entrar al tren
va fer entrar al tren
01:45
than I would ever have dreamed possible.
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del que mai hagués pogut somniar.
01:48
And I love England, my adopted country,
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Estimo Anglaterra, el meu país adoptiu
01:51
with a passion that perhaps only someone
who has lost their human rights can feel.
who has lost their human rights can feel.
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amb una passió que sols potser algú
que ha perdut els drets humans pot sentir.
que ha perdut els drets humans pot sentir.
01:57
I decided to make mine a life
that was worth saving.
that was worth saving.
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Vaig decidir fer que valgués la pena
haver-me salvat la vida.
haver-me salvat la vida.
02:04
And then, I just got on with it.
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I després, vaig posar fil a l'agulla.
02:07
(Laughter)
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(Rialles)
02:11
Let me take you back to the early 1960s.
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Deixeu-me portar-vos
a principis dels anys 60.
a principis dels anys 60.
02:15
To get past the gender issues of the time,
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Per superar els problemes de gènere
d'aquella època
d'aquella època
02:19
I set up my own software house at one
of the first such startups in Britain.
of the first such startups in Britain.
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vaig fundar la meva empresa de software,
una de les primeres del Regne Unit.
una de les primeres del Regne Unit.
02:26
But it was also a company of women,
a company for women,
a company for women,
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Però també va ser una empresa de dones,
una empresa per a dones
una empresa per a dones
02:32
an early social business.
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un negoci social primerenc.
02:35
And people laughed at the very idea
because software, at that time,
because software, at that time,
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La gent es reia de la idea
perquè en aquella època
perquè en aquella època
02:39
was given away free with hardware.
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el software es regalava amb el hardware.
02:41
Nobody would buy software,
certainly not from a woman.
certainly not from a woman.
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Ningú compraria software,
i menys d'una dona.
i menys d'una dona.
02:45
Although women were then coming out
of the universities with decent degrees,
of the universities with decent degrees,
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Tot i que les dones sortien
d'universitats amb diplomes respectables,
d'universitats amb diplomes respectables,
02:51
there was a glass ceiling to our progress.
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hi havia un sostre de vidre
que frenava el nostre progrés.
que frenava el nostre progrés.
02:56
And I'd hit that glass ceiling too often,
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Havia trencat aquest sostre massa sovint
03:00
and I wanted opportunities for women.
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i volia oportunitats per a les dones.
03:04
I recruited professionally qualified women
who'd left the industry on marriage,
who'd left the industry on marriage,
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Vaig contractar dones qualificades
que havien deixat l'empresa en casar-se
que havien deixat l'empresa en casar-se
03:09
or when their first child was expected
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o en esperar el seu primer fill
03:11
and structured them into a
home-working organization.
home-working organization.
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i les vaig estructurar
en una organització de treball a casa.
en una organització de treball a casa.
03:16
We pioneered the concept of women
going back into the workforce
going back into the workforce
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Vam ser pioners en el concepte de dones
que tornaven al treball
que tornaven al treball
03:21
after a career break.
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després d'una aturada professional.
03:23
We pioneered all sorts of
new, flexible work methods:
new, flexible work methods:
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Vam ser pioners en l'ús de mètodes
nous i flexibles de treball
nous i flexibles de treball
03:27
job shares, profit-sharing,
and eventually, co-ownership
and eventually, co-ownership
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treball compartit, participació
dels beneficis i, inclús, copropietat
dels beneficis i, inclús, copropietat
03:32
when I took a quarter of the company
into the hands of the staff
into the hands of the staff
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quan vaig deixar un quart de la companyia
en mans del personal
en mans del personal
03:36
at no cost to anyone but me.
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sense cost per a ningú, excepte per a mi.
03:41
For years, I was the first woman this,
or the only woman that.
or the only woman that.
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Durant anys vaig ser la primera dona tal
o la única dona que això.
o la única dona que això.
03:47
And in those days, I couldn't work
on the stock exchange,
on the stock exchange,
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En aquells anys
no podia treballar en la borsa
no podia treballar en la borsa
03:51
I couldn't drive a bus or fly an airplane.
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no podia conduir un autobús
o pilotar un avió.
o pilotar un avió.
03:55
Indeed, I couldn't open a bank account
without my husband's permission.
without my husband's permission.
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No podia ni obrir un compte bancari
sense permís del meu marit.
sense permís del meu marit.
04:01
My generation of women fought
the battles for the right to work
the battles for the right to work
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La meva generació de dones
va lluitar pel dret a treballar
va lluitar pel dret a treballar
04:05
and the right for equal pay.
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i pel dret a la igualtat de sou.
04:10
Nobody really expected much
from people at work or in society
from people at work or in society
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Ningú no esperava massa
de la gent a la feina o en la societat
de la gent a la feina o en la societat
04:14
because all the expectations then
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perquè totes les expectatives
04:16
were about home and
family responsibilities.
family responsibilities.
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estaven posades
sobre responsabilitats familiars i a casa.
sobre responsabilitats familiars i a casa.
04:20
And I couldn't really face that,
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Jo no podia solucionar això
04:23
so I started to challenge
the conventions of the time,
the conventions of the time,
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així que vaig començar a desafiar
les convencions del moment
les convencions del moment
04:29
even to the extent of changing my name
from "Stephanie" to "Steve"
from "Stephanie" to "Steve"
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fins l'extrem de canviar el meu nom
d'"Stephanie" a "Steve"
d'"Stephanie" a "Steve"
04:35
in my business development letters,
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en les cartes empresarials
04:36
so as to get through the door
before anyone realized
before anyone realized
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per aconseguir que ningú se n'adonara
04:39
that he was a she.
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que en realitat era una dona.
04:40
(Laughter)
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(Rialles)
04:44
My company, called Freelance Programmers,
and that's precisely what it was,
and that's precisely what it was,
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L'empresa, Freelance Programmers,
ja que érem programadors autònoms
ja que érem programadors autònoms
04:51
couldn't have started smaller:
on the dining room table,
on the dining room table,
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no podia haver començat més petita,
en la taula del menjador
en la taula del menjador
04:56
and financed by the equivalent
of 100 dollars in today's terms,
of 100 dollars in today's terms,
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i finançada amb l'equivalent
de 100 dòlars actuals
de 100 dòlars actuals
05:01
and financed by my labor and
by borrowing against the house.
by borrowing against the house.
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i finançat pel meu esforç i un préstec
sobre el valor acumulat de ma casa.
sobre el valor acumulat de ma casa.
05:08
My interests were scientific,
the market was commercial --
the market was commercial --
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Els meus interessos eren científics
i el mercat era comercial.
i el mercat era comercial.
05:14
things such as payroll,
which I found rather boring.
which I found rather boring.
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Trobava prou avorrides
coses com fer les nòmines.
coses com fer les nòmines.
05:18
So I had to compromise with
operational research work,
operational research work,
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Així que vaig haver de comprometre'm
amb el treball d'investigació operacional
amb el treball d'investigació operacional
05:23
which had the intellectual challenge
that interested me
that interested me
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que tenia el desafiament intel·lectual
que m'interessava
que m'interessava
05:27
and the commercial value
that was valued by the clients:
that was valued by the clients:
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i el valor comercial
que els clients valoraven.
que els clients valoraven.
05:34
things like scheduling freight trains,
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Coses com organitzar trens de mercaderies
05:40
time-tabling buses, stock control,
lots and lots of stock control.
lots and lots of stock control.
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horaris d'autobusos, control d'existències
i més i més control d'existències.
i més i més control d'existències.
05:46
And eventually, the work came in.
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I al final el treball començava a arribar.
05:50
We disguised the domestic and
part-time nature of the staff
part-time nature of the staff
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Vam disfressar la naturalesa domèstica
i a temps parcial del personal
i a temps parcial del personal
05:54
by offering fixed prices,
one of the very first to do so.
one of the very first to do so.
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oferint preus fixos,
uns dels primers a fer-ho.
uns dels primers a fer-ho.
05:59
And who would have guessed
that the programming
that the programming
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I qui hagués pogut endevinar
que la programació
que la programació
06:02
of the black box flight recorder
of Supersonic Concord
of Supersonic Concord
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dels enregistradors de les caixes negres
dels vols de Supersonic Concord
dels vols de Supersonic Concord
06:06
would have been done by a bunch
of women working in their own homes.
of women working in their own homes.
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havia estat fet per un grup de dones
que treballaven a casa?
que treballaven a casa?
06:11
(Applause)
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(Aplaudiments)
06:19
All we used was a simple
"trust the staff" approach
"trust the staff" approach
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Tot allò que utilitzàvem era
un senzill "confia en l'equip"
un senzill "confia en l'equip"
06:24
and a simple telephone.
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i un simple telèfon.
06:26
We even used to ask job applicants,
"Do you have access to a telephone?"
"Do you have access to a telephone?"
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De fet, es preguntava a les candidates:
"Tens accés a un telèfon?"
"Tens accés a un telèfon?"
06:34
An early project was to develop
software standards
software standards
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Un projecte primerenc fou
desenvolupar estàndards de software
desenvolupar estàndards de software
06:37
on management control protocols.
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en protocols de control de direcció.
06:39
And software was and still is a
maddeningly hard-to-control activity,
maddeningly hard-to-control activity,
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El software era i és encara una activitat
difícil de controlar i exasperant
difícil de controlar i exasperant
06:45
so that was enormously valuable.
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així que tenia un valor enorme.
06:47
We used the standards ourselves,
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Utilitzàvem els estàndards
06:49
we were even paid to update
them over the years,
them over the years,
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i inclús ens pagaven per actualitzar-los
al llarg dels anys.
al llarg dels anys.
06:52
and eventually, they were adopted by NATO.
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Al final, la OTAN els va adoptar.
06:58
Our programmers -- remember, only women,
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Les nostres programadores, sols dones,
07:02
including gay and transgender --
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incloent gays i transsexuals,
07:05
worked with pencil and paper
to develop flowcharts
to develop flowcharts
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treballaven amb bolígraf i paper
per desenvolupar organigrames
per desenvolupar organigrames
07:10
defining each task to be done.
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per definir els treballs a fer.
07:14
And they then wrote code,
usually machine code,
usually machine code,
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Escrivien codi, normalment codi de màquina
07:18
sometimes binary code,
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a vegades codi binari
07:20
which was then sent
by mail to a data center
by mail to a data center
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que després s'enviava per correu
a un centre de dades
a un centre de dades
07:25
to be punched onto
paper tape or card
paper tape or card
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per a ser perforat
en una cinta de paper o targeta
en una cinta de paper o targeta
07:29
and then re-punched,
in order to verify it.
in order to verify it.
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i després es tornaven a perforar
per verificar-se.
per verificar-se.
07:34
All this, before it ever got
near a computer.
near a computer.
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Tot això molt abans
que es creés el primer ordinador.
que es creés el primer ordinador.
07:37
That was programming in the early 1960s.
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Això era programar
a principis dels anys 60.
a principis dels anys 60.
07:43
In 1975, 13 years from startup,
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En 1975, 13 anys
després de crear l'empresa,
després de crear l'empresa,
07:48
equal opportunity legislation
came in in Britain
came in in Britain
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la llei d'igualtat d'oportunitats
va arribar al Regne Unit.
va arribar al Regne Unit.
07:51
and that made it illegal to have
our pro-female policies.
our pro-female policies.
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I això feia il·legal
la nostra política pro-dones.
la nostra política pro-dones.
07:58
And as an example of
unintended consequences,
unintended consequences,
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Com exemple de conseqüències involuntàries
08:02
my female company had to let the men in.
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la meva empresa de dones
va tenir que deixar entrar als homes.
va tenir que deixar entrar als homes.
08:06
(Laughter)
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(Rialles)
08:11
When I started my company of women,
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Quan vaig començar l'empresa de dones
08:13
the men said, "How interesting, because
it only works because it's small."
it only works because it's small."
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els homes deien: "que interessant,
sols funciona perquè és petita".
sols funciona perquè és petita".
08:20
And later, as it became sizable,
they accepted, "Yes, it is sizable now,
they accepted, "Yes, it is sizable now,
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I després, quan va créixer,
afirmaven "Sí, és més gran ara
afirmaven "Sí, és més gran ara
08:26
but of no strategic interest."
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però sense interès estratègic".
08:30
And later, when it was a company
valued at over three billion dollars,
valued at over three billion dollars,
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Més tard, quan l'empresa es valorava
en més de tres bilions de dòlars
en més de tres bilions de dòlars
08:37
and I'd made 70 of the staff
into millionaires,
into millionaires,
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i havia fet milionàries
a més de 70 treballadores
a més de 70 treballadores
08:41
they sort of said, "Well done, Steve!"
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deien: "Ben fet, Steve!".
08:45
(Laughter)
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(Rialles)
08:49
(Applause)
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(Aplaudiments)
08:53
You can always tell ambitious women
by the shape of our heads:
by the shape of our heads:
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Pots distingir les dones ambicioses
per la forma dels caps.
per la forma dels caps.
08:58
They're flat on top for being
patted patronizingly.
patted patronizingly.
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Tenen la part de dalt plana
per les palmellades amb condescendència.
per les palmellades amb condescendència.
09:01
(Laughter) (Applause)
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(Rialles) (Aplaudiments)
09:07
And we have larger feet to stand
away from the kitchen sink.
away from the kitchen sink.
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I tenim els peus més grans
per estar lluny de l'aigüera.
per estar lluny de l'aigüera.
09:12
(Laughter)
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(Rialles)
09:13
Let me share with you
two secrets of success:
two secrets of success:
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Deixeu-me que us digui
dos secrets de l'èxit.
dos secrets de l'èxit.
09:17
Surround yourself with first-class people
and people that you like;
and people that you like;
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Envolta't de persones de primera classe
i persones que t'agraden
i persones que t'agraden
09:23
and choose your partner
very, very carefully.
very, very carefully.
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i elegeix el teu company amb molta cura.
09:30
Because the other day when I said,
"My husband's an angel,"
"My husband's an angel,"
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Perquè l'altre dia quan vaig dir
"El meu marit és un àngel",
"El meu marit és un àngel",
09:33
a woman complained --
"You're lucky," she said,
"You're lucky," she said,
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una dona es queixava
i deia: "Tens sort",
i deia: "Tens sort",
09:35
"mine's still alive."
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"el meu encara viu".
09:37
(Laughter)
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(Rialles)
09:45
If success were easy,
we'd all be millionaires.
we'd all be millionaires.
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Si l'èxit fora fàcil,
tots seriem milionaris.
tots seriem milionaris.
09:51
But in my case, it came in the midst
of family trauma and indeed, crisis.
of family trauma and indeed, crisis.
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Però en el meu cas, va arribar
en mig de trauma familiar i crisi.
en mig de trauma familiar i crisi.
10:01
Our late son, Giles, was an only child,
a beautiful, contented baby.
a beautiful, contented baby.
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El nostre difunt fill, Giles, era un nen.
Un nen preciós i feliç.
Un nen preciós i feliç.
10:09
And then, at two and a half,
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Aleshores, als dos anys i mig
10:13
like a changeling in a fairy story,
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com si l'haguessin canviat per un altre
10:16
he lost the little speech that he had
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va deixar de parlar el poc que sabia
10:20
and turned into a wild,
unmanageable toddler.
unmanageable toddler.
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i es va convertir en un infant
salvatge i incontrolable.
salvatge i incontrolable.
10:25
Not the terrible twos;
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No era com la resta de nens de dos anys.
10:27
he was profoundly autistic
and he never spoke again.
and he never spoke again.
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Tenia autisme sever
i no va tornar a parlar mai més.
i no va tornar a parlar mai més.
10:36
Giles was the first resident in the first
house of the first charity that I set up
house of the first charity that I set up
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Giles va ser el primer a viure
a la primera casa de l'organització
a la primera casa de l'organització
10:41
to pioneer services for autism.
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que vaig fundar per començar
a crear serveis per autistes.
a crear serveis per autistes.
10:45
And then there's been
a groundbreaking Prior's Court school
a groundbreaking Prior's Court school
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Després ha estat l'escola
innovadora Prior's Court
innovadora Prior's Court
10:48
for pupils with autism
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per alumnes amb autisme
10:50
and a medical research charity,
again, all for autism.
again, all for autism.
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i una organització benèfica
d'investigació mèdica també per l'autisme.
d'investigació mèdica també per l'autisme.
10:54
Because whenever I found a gap
in services, I tried to help.
in services, I tried to help.
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Perquè sempre que trobava una bretxa
en els serveis, intentava ajudar.
en els serveis, intentava ajudar.
11:01
I like doing new things
and making new things happen.
and making new things happen.
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M'agrada fer coses noves
i fer que coses noves passin.
i fer que coses noves passin.
11:06
And I've just started a three-year
think tank for autism.
think tank for autism.
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Acabo de crear un programa de tres anys
d'estudi per a autistes.
d'estudi per a autistes.
11:13
And so that some of my wealth does go back
to the industry from which it stems,
to the industry from which it stems,
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I així part de la meva riquesa
torna a la indústria de la que prové.
torna a la indústria de la que prové.
11:18
I've also founded
the Oxford Internet Institute
the Oxford Internet Institute
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He fundat el Oxford Internet Institute
11:22
and other IT ventures.
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i altres empreses de TIC.
11:24
The Oxford Internet Institute
focuses not on the technology,
focuses not on the technology,
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L'Oxford Internet Institut no sols
es centra en la tecnologia
es centra en la tecnologia
11:28
but on the social, economic, legal
and ethical issues of the Internet.
and ethical issues of the Internet.
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sinó també en els aspectes socials,
econòmics, legals i ètics de l'Internet.
econòmics, legals i ètics de l'Internet.
11:35
Giles died unexpectedly 17 years ago now.
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Giles va morir inesperadament
ara fa 17 anys.
ara fa 17 anys.
11:42
And I have learned to live without him,
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He après a viure sense ell
11:46
and I have learned to live
without his need of me.
without his need of me.
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i he après a viure
sense la seva necessitat de mi.
sense la seva necessitat de mi.
11:51
Philanthropy is all that I do now.
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La filantropia és tot el que faig ara.
11:54
I need never worry about getting lost
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No cal que em preocupi per si em perdo
11:57
because several charities
would quickly come and find me.
would quickly come and find me.
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perquè les organitzacions benèfiques
de seguida vindrien i em trobarien.
de seguida vindrien i em trobarien.
12:00
(Laughter)
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(Rialles)
12:12
It's one thing to have an idea
for an enterprise,
for an enterprise,
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Una cosa és tenir una idea d'una empresa
12:16
but as many people in this room will know,
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però com molts de vosaltres sabeu
12:19
making it happen is a very difficult thing
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que ocorri és una cosa molt difícil
12:22
and it demands extraordinary energy,
self-belief and determination,
self-belief and determination,
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i requereix una energia extraordinària,
confiança i determinació,
confiança i determinació,
12:30
the courage to risk family and home,
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la valentia d'arriscar família i casa
12:34
and a 24/7 commitment
that borders on the obsessive.
that borders on the obsessive.
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i un compromís 24/7
que està prop de l'obsessiu.
que està prop de l'obsessiu.
12:39
So it's just as well
that I'm a workaholic.
that I'm a workaholic.
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Així que també sóc una addicta al treball.
12:43
I believe in the beauty of work when we
do it properly and in humility.
do it properly and in humility.
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Crec en la bellesa del treball
quan el fem correctament i amb humilitat.
quan el fem correctament i amb humilitat.
12:50
Work is not just something I do
when I'd rather be doing something else.
when I'd rather be doing something else.
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El treball no és sols una cosa que faig
quan m'agradaria fer una altra cosa.
quan m'agradaria fer una altra cosa.
12:57
We live our lives forward.
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Vivim les nostres vides cap endavant.
12:59
So what has all that taught me?
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Què m'ha ensenyat tot?
13:04
I learned that tomorrow's
never going to be like today,
never going to be like today,
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He après que demà mai serà com avui
13:07
and certainly nothing like yesterday.
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i de segur que gens com ahir.
13:10
And that made me able to cope with change,
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Això m'ha fet capaç de viure amb el canvi
13:14
indeed, eventually to welcome change,
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i, al final, a donar-li la benvinguda
13:18
though I'm told I'm still very difficult.
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malgrat que em diuen que sóc molt difícil.
13:23
Thank you very much.
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Moltes gràcies.
13:25
(Applause)
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(Aplaudiments)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Dame Stephanie Shirley - Entrepreneur and philanthropistIn 1962, Dame Stephanie "Steve" Shirley founded Freelance Programmers, a software firm with innovative work practices -- and (mainly) women employees.
Why you should listen
In the austerity of post-World War II England, jobs were few, and opportunities for women to earn a wage were even fewer. So, on her dining room table, Stephanie Shirley founded the kind of company she'd like to work for -- one that posed challenging, rewarding tasks, built around flexible work rules that made it possible to have a real life. Her software company, Freelance Programmers made her one of the richest women in England (and one of the few to have earned her own money). Initially employing only women -- Shirley often bid for contracts as "Steve" to compete in the male-dominated industry -- the company was eventually valued at $3 billion, while 70 of the staff became millionaires when it floated on the stock market.
But money wasn't Shirley's object. "A lot of people go into business to make money," she told the Guardian. "I really didn't; I went in with a mission for women. Conversely, I was determined never, ever to be poor again." Freelance Programmers became the FI Group became Xansa; it was acquired by Steria in 2007.
Shirley retired in 1993, but she hasn't stopped pushing for progress in the fields she loves. For instance, she works tirelessly to push forward research into autism spectrum disorders, as well as to study and improve the IT industry and the role of the internet in society. She told the Guardian, "I do get committed, and I don't just give my money; I try to give of myself."
Dame Stephanie Shirley | Speaker | TED.com