Editor's note: This article was written when Portia Archer '98 was the COO of the NBA G League. She is currently the CEO of the Women’s Tennis Association.
At an event hosted by Columbia Business School's Silfen Leadership Series, she shared insight on her career achievements and how tomorrow's business leaders can succeed by building and nurturing relationships.
In her current role, Archer leads the operating activities and commercial growth of the league through oversight of content and media distribution, fan development and engagement, global partnerships, and strategic initiatives. During her tenure, the G League has experienced unprecedented growth and expansion in the United States and across the globe, including 32 teams and four new franchises.
Archer, who has also served in executive leadership roles at NBC Sports Group and the British Broadcasting Corporation, noted that continuously learning from the experiences of her peers has been important to her career success. She also said these relationships can be critical to breaking barriers in any field.
“Nurturing and developing relationships while you're here at CBS is one of the key things that can be used as a tool to break the glass ceiling,” Archer said, noting the challenges women often face in male-dominated industries, such as pay parity and representation at the leadership level. Building relationships can often open the door to valuable employment opportunities and critical information about a particular role, according to Archer.