Halla Tomasdottir: A feminine response to Iceland's financial crash

譯者: Sunny Kan Ngai Hang 審譯者: Shelley Krishna Tsang

It sure used to be a lot easier to be from Iceland,

我可以肯定倘若從冰島到來現在是比較方便的，

because until a couple of years ago,

因為，直到幾年之前，

people knew hardly anything about us,

幾乎沒有人知道任何關於我們的事情,

and I could basically come out here

我來到這裡，基本上

and say only good things about us.

只說對我們好的東西。

But in the last couple of years

但在過去數年

we've become infamous for a couple of things.

我們發生了一連串臭名昭著的事情。

First, of course, the economic meltdown.

首先，當然是經濟崩潰。

It actually got so bad

它實在糟得

that somebody put our country up for sale on eBay.

以至有人把我們的國家註冊在eBay上出售。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Ninety-nine pence was the starting price

99便士是起拍價

and no reserve.

沒有保留.

Then there was the volcano

然後有火山爆發

that interrupted the travel plans

打斷了你的旅行

of almost all of you and many of your friends,

和朋友所計劃的一切

including President Obama.

包括美國總統奧巴馬。

By the way, the pronunciation

順便說一下,發音的方式

is "Eyjafjallajokull."

是"Eyjafjallajokull."

None of your media got it right.

你們的媒體沒有一個能發音正確。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But I'm not here to share these stories

但我在這裡並不是為了

about these two things exactly.

分享這兩個故事;

I'm here to tell you the story of Audur Capital,

我要告訴你關於Audur Capital的故事;

which is a financial firm founded by me

一家由我和 Kristin成立的金融公司

and Kristin -- who you see in the picture --

--正如您在圖片中看到的--

in the spring of 2007,

在2007 年，春天

just over a year before the economic collapse hit.

於經濟崩潰前的僅僅一年多。

Why would two women

為什麼兩個婦女,

who were enjoying successful careers in investment banking

在投資銀行

in the corporate sector

的企業部門有成功事業

leave to found a financial services firm?

選擇離開公司去創立一個金融服務公司?

Well let it suffice to say

足以讓我們說:

that we felt a bit overwhelmed

我們覺得有能力征服

with testosterone.

那些睪丸酮(男人).

And I'm not here to say

這並非代表

that men are to blame for the crisis

男人是金融危機

and what happened in my country.

和我們國家發生的事情的罪魁禍首.

But I can surely tell you that in my country,

但我可以肯定告訴你，在我的國家，

much like on Wall Street and the city of London and elsewhere,

就像在華爾街和倫敦金融城或其他地方，

men were at the helm

男人都是

of the game of the financial sector,

金融部門的遊戲掌舵人.

and that kind of lack of diversity

而這種缺乏多樣性

and sameness

和單調

leads to disastrous problems.

導致災難性的問題發生.

(Applause)

(掌聲)

So we decided, a bit fed-up with this world

所以我們決定,有點背道而馳

and also with the strong feeling in our stomach

及我們心底也強烈的感到

that this wasn't sustainable,

這是不可持續的,

to found a financial services firm

對創立一個金融服務公司,

based on our values,

基於我們的價值觀.

and we decided to incorporate feminine values

所以我們決定把女性的價值觀

into the world of finance.

融入金融的世界.

Raised quite a few eyebrows in Iceland.

在冰島甚小數人贊同的.

We weren't known

我們不知道

as the typical "women" women

應否作為典型的婦女,

in Iceland up until then.

直到那時為止.

So it was almost like coming out of the closet

所以這些都是公開承認秘密

to actually talk about the fact that we were women

其實談談我們是婦女的事實

and that we believed that we had a set of values

而且我們相信，我們有一組價值觀

and a way of doing business

和經營方式

that would be more sustainable

去令我們相比過往的經驗

than what we had experienced until then.

而發展得更為持續的.

And we got a great group of people to join us --

而且有一個偉大的團隊加入了我們 --

principled people with great skills,

有原則以及極大的技能的人，

and investors with a vision

和具有遠見和價值觀

and values to match ours.

的投資者以配合我們。

And together we got through the eye of the financial storm in Iceland

和我們一起通過了金融風暴

without taking any direct losses to our equity

我們的股票或基金的客戶在冰島

or to the funds of our clients.

沒有任何直接損失.

And although I want to thank

雖然我要感謝

the talented people of our company

我們公司的人才

foremost for that --

最重要的是--

and also there's a factor of luck and timing --

也有運氣和時機的因素--

we are absolutely convinced

我們完全相信，

that we did this because of our values.

我們這樣做是因為這是我們的價值觀。

So let me share with you our values.

因此，讓我與你分享我們的價值觀。

We believe in risk awareness.

我們相信風險意識。

What does that mean?

這是什麼意思？

We believe that you should always understand the risks that you're taking,

我們相信您始終了解你所承受的風險,

and we will not invest

和我們不會投資

in things we don't understand.

於我們不了解的事情上。

Not a complicated thing.

這並不是一個複雜的事情。

But in 2007,

不過於2007年,

at the height of the sub-prime

它是在高度的次貸

and all the complicated financial structures,

和所有複雜的財務結構，

it was quite opposite

這是截然相反的

to the reckless risk-taking behaviors

我們在市場看到

that we saw on the market.

魯莽的冒險行為。

We also believe in straight-talking,

我們相信有話直說，

telling it as it is,

告訴它，它是，

using simple language that people understand,

使用簡單被人瞭解的語言,

telling people about the downsides

告訴人們談論的缺點

as well as the potential upsides,

以及潛在的不相上下，

and even telling the bad news that no one wants to utter,

甚至講沒有人願意說出的壞消息，

like our lack of belief in the sustainability

就像我們對於冰島的金融業務

of the Icelandic financial sector

持續的失去信任.

that already we had

這已經

months before the collapse hit us.

就在崩潰的幾個月前

And, although we do work in the financial sector,

而且，我們工作的金融部門，

where Excel is king,

是以Excel為王，

we believe in emotional capital.

我們相信情緒資本。

And we believe

我們相信

that doing emotional due diligence

情緒和勤奮

is just as important

是同樣重要

as doing financial due diligence.

因為做財務須要盡職。

It is actually people

實際上是人們

that make money and lose money,

賺錢和賠錢,

not Excel spreadsheets.

而不是一張Excel電子表格。

(Applause)

(掌聲)

Last, but not least,

最後，但並非最不重要，

we believe in profit with principles.

我們相信利潤與原則;

We care how we make our profit.

我們關心如何賺取我們的利潤。

So while we want to make economic profit for ourselves and our customers,

所以當我們想為我們和我們的客戶賺取經濟利潤,

we are willing to do it with a long-term view,

我們需要有長遠眼光。

and we like to have a wider definition of profits

而且我們希望對利潤有一個更廣泛的定義

than just the economic profit in the next quarter.

不只是在下一季度的經濟利潤。

So we like to see profits,

因此當我們投資,我們希望看到利潤，

plus positive social

加上積極的社會

and environmental benefits, when we invest.

和環境效益。

But it wasn't just about the values,

但它不只是價值，

although we are convinced that they matter.

雖然我們深信這是很重要。

It was also about a business opportunity.

它也是一個商機。

It's the female trend, and it's the sustainability trend,

這是女性的趨勢，它也是可持續發展的趨勢，

that are going to create

這將創建

some of the most interesting investment opportunities

這將創造出一些最有趣的投資機會，

in the years to come.

在未來的日子。

The whole thing about the female trend

關於女性的趨勢的整件事

is not about women being better than men;

不是說女人比男人更好,

it is actually about

它實際上是

women being different from men,

對婦女與男子不同的是，

bringing different values and different ways to the table.

表現出不同的價值觀和不同的方式。

So what do you get? You get better decision-making,

所以你得到了什麼？您得到更好的決策。

and you get less herd behavior,

你會得到更少的從眾行為。

and both of those things hit your bottom line

那些東西都達到您的底線

with very positive results.

和帶著非常積極的成果。

But one has to wonder,

但是人們想知道，

now that we've had this financial sector collapse upon us in Iceland --

在冰島已經有這樣的金融機構倒閉後--

and by the way, Europe looks pretty bad right now,

另一方面，歐洲現在看起來非常糟糕。

and many would say that you in America

且有許多人說美國

are heading for some more trouble as well.

正在同樣走向一些問題。

Now that we've had all that happen,

我們已經發生了這種情況，

and we have all this data out there

所有數據，

telling us that it's much better to have diversity

都告訴我們

around the decision-making tables,

作多樣性的決策是比較好的,

will we see business and finance change?

我們將看到業務和財務改變嗎？

Will government change?

政府是否會改變？

Well I'll give you my straight talk about this.

我會給你我的直接談論這一點。

I have days that I believe,

我有相信的日子,

but I have days that I'm full of doubt.

但我也有充滿疑問的一天。

Have you seen the incredible urge out there

你見過令人難以置信的衝動

to rebuild the very things that failed us?

去重建失敗的事物嗎？

(Applause)

(掌聲)

Einstein said

愛因斯坦說

that this was the definition of insanity --

瘋狂的定義是 --

to do the same things

做同樣的事

over and over again,

一遍又一遍，

hoping for a different outcome.

希望能得出不同的結果。

So I guess the world is insane,

所以我猜這個世界是瘋狂的，

because I see entirely too much

完全是因為我看到太多

of doing the same things over and over again,

一遍又一遍的做同樣的事情，

hoping that this time it's not going to collapse upon us.

希望這一次它不會使我們崩潰。

I want to see more revolutionary thinking,

我希望看到更多革命性的思想。

and I remain hopeful.

而我仍然抱有希望。

Like TED, I believe in people.

像 TED，我相信人。

And I know that consumers

我知道消費者

are becoming more conscious,

變得更加自覺，

and they are going to start voting with their wallets,

他們將開始用錢包投票，

and they are going to change the face

他們將從外改變

of business and finance from the outside,

商業和金融，

if they don't do it from the inside.

如果他們不從內部改變。

But I'm more of the revolutionary,

但是我相比改革者

and I should be; I'm from Iceland.

做得更多;因為我來自冰島。

We have a long history

我們有一個歷史悠久

of strong, courageous, independent women,

強而有力的、 勇敢的、 獨立的婦女團,

ever since the Viking age.

自從維京時代起。

And I want to tell you when

我還要告訴你

I first realized that women matter to the economy

當我第一次意識到經濟

and to the society,

和社會上的婦女問題。

I was seven -- it happened to be my mother's birthday --

我當時七歲 -- 恰好是我母親的生日 --

October 24, 1975.

1975年10月24日。

Women in Iceland took the day off.

冰島的婦女放了一天假期。

From work or from home, they took the day off,

從工作或從家裡，她們都在休假，

and nothing worked in Iceland.

而冰島什麼都運作不了。

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

They marched into the center of Reykjavik,

他們遊行到 Reykjavik 的中心，

and they put women's issues onto the agenda.

他們把婦女的問題放上了議事日程。

And some say this was the start of a global movement.

有人說這是全球性的運動的一個開始。

For me it was the start of a long journey,

對我來說這是一個漫長旅程的開始，

but I decided that day to matter.

但我決定做這一天的事。

Five years later,

五年之後,

Iceland elected Vigdis Finnbogadottir as their president --

Vigdis Finnbogadottir 當選為冰島人的總統--

first female to become head of state,

成為第一位女性國家元首，

single mom,

單身母親，

a breast cancer survivor

乳癌倖存者，

who had had one of her breasts removed.

她有一邊乳房被切除。

And at one of the campaign sessions,

並在一個會議上，

she had one of her male contenders

她被一位男性競爭者

allude to the fact that she couldn't become president --

暗示她不能成為總統;

she was a woman, and even half a woman.

她是個女人，甚至是半個女人。

That night she won the election,

那天晚上她在大選中獲勝，

because she came back --

因為她回來了 --

not just because of his crappy behavior --

不僅僅是因為他卑劣的行為 --

but she came back and said,

但她回來，還說，

"Well, I'm actually not going to breastfeed the Icelandic nation;

“嗯，我其實不打算哺乳冰島國會，

I'm going to lead it."

我要領導他們。“

(Applause)

(掌聲)

So I've had incredibly many

所以有許多令人難以置信的

women role models

女性角色模式

that have influenced who I am and where I am today.

從過去到今天在影響我。

But in spite of that,

但雖然如此，

I went through the first 10 or 15 years of my career

我的第一個10年或15年

mostly in denial of being a woman.

的職業生涯是經常拒絕做女人的。

Started in corporate America,

從美國公司開始，

and I was absolutely convinced

我是絕對相信

that it was just about the individual,

這只是關於個人，

that women and men would have just the same opportunities.

婦女和男人會有平等的機會。

But I've come to conclude lately

但我來最近得出結論，

that it isn't like that.

它不是那樣。

We are not the same,

我們是不一樣的。

and it's great. Because of our differences,

而這很好 -- 因為我們的不同，

we create and sustain life.

使我們創建和維持生命。

So we should embrace our difference and aim for challenge.

因此，我們應該接受自己的差異與及瞄準挑戰。

The final thought I want to leave with you

最後我想留給你們的

is that I'm fed up with this tyranny

是我已經受夠了這種

of either/or choices in life --

對於生活選擇非一即二的專橫 --

either it's men or it's women.

不管它是男人，或是婦女。

We need to start embracing the beauty of balance.

我們需要開始擁抱平衡之美。

So let's move away

因此讓我們擺脫,

from thinking about business here and philanthropy there,

在這裡做生意和在那裡搞慈善，

and let's start thinking about

而讓我們開始思考

doing good business.

做一門好生意。

That's how we change the world. That's the only sustainable future.

這是我們如何改變世界。這是唯一可持續的未來。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

(掌聲)