OMAHA, Neb. – Billionaire Warren Buffett says a key part of why he is optimistic about the nation’s economic future is that America has begun to unleash the potential of women.
Buffett wrote an editorial for Fortune magazine about the role of women that appeared online on Thursday:
In the flood of words written recently about women and work, one related and hugely significant point seems to me to have been neglected. It has to do with America’s future, about which — here’s a familiar opinion from me — I’m an unqualified optimist. Now entertain another opinion of mine: Women are a major reason we will do so well.
Buffett says most of America’s prosperity was created using only about 50 per cent of its talent — the men. So he’s confident the country will prosper as more and more women excel in the workforce.
No manager operates his or her plants at 80% efficiency when steps could be taken that would increase output. And no CEO wants male employees to be underutilized when improved training or working conditions would boost productivity. So take it one step further: If obvious benefits flow from helping the male component of the workforce achieve its potential, why in the world wouldn’t you want to include its counterpart?
Buffett plans to discuss the topic at an event at the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s business college at 11 a.m. Central Thursday that will be broadcast online at Fortune.com.
He is getting ready to face more than 30,000 Berkshire Hathaway shareholders this weekend.
