Ideas worth spreading

What female military leadership can teach us about overcoming self-doubt

20,184 views |

JoAnne S. Bass |

Partner Content

• October 2020

What challenges arise for women climbing the ranks in leadership, and what can they do to overcome them? TED's current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers sits down with Chief Master Sergeant JoAnne S. Bass, the first woman in history to serve as the highest-ranking non-commissioned member of a US military service, for a look inside the Air Force and how she got to where she is today.

What challenges arise for women climbing the ranks in leadership, and what can they do to overcome them? TED's current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers sits down with Chief Master Sergeant JoAnne S. Bass, the first woman in history to serve as the highest-ranking non-commissioned member of a US military service, for a look inside the Air Force and how she got to where she is today.

Commissioned by and created in partnership with Ideas Studio, the branded content arm of TED Partnerships

About the partner

About the speakers

JoAnne S. Bass

JoAnne S. Bass

Chief Master Sergeant JoAnne S. Bass represents the Air Force’s highest-ranking enlisted leader, serving over 600,000 Airmen. She is the first woman and the first person of Asian-American descent to be elevated to her position. She has defined her priorities as people, readiness and culture --- all working to accelerate change.

Whitney Pennington Rodgers

Whitney Pennington Rodgers

TED current affairs curator

See speaker profile

Whitney Pennington Rodgers is an award-winning journalist and media professional.

Commissioned by and created in partnership with Ideas Studio, the branded content arm of TED Partnerships