Q&A With Madeleine Albright

Madeleine Albright, the nation's first female secretary of state, calls her career "zig-zaggy."

From anyone's perspective, she's had many successes as she rose from a young Czechoslovakian refugee to the highest-ranking woman in U.S. history in the late 1990s and now to a best-selling author and businesswoman.

But she advises women that they don't need to have it all -- all the time.

Albright, 72, will offer her advice on diversity and women's leadership, as well as her political insights to some 2,100 people during her free speech at Clowes Memorial Hall at Butler University on Wednesday. All tickets have been distributed, but any open seats will be released at 7:15 p.m. for the free speech at 7:30.

Known as a tough negotiator in her roles as United Nations ambassador and then secretary of state under President Bill Clinton, Albright used an unusual tactic -- wearing pins that reflected the tenor of her talks. In her fourth New York Times best-seller book, "Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box," she explains how pins became a signature diplomatic tool for her.

Her collection of more than 200 pins, now at the William J. Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Ark., will be on exhibit at the Indianapolis Museum of Art from Nov. 7 to Jan. 30.

Albright, now chairwoman of global strategy firm Albright Stonebridge Group, answers questions about her life, work and politics:

What are the key messages you'll be delivering in your speech at Butler University?

First of all, I think I'm always asked to talk about my life. I try to make it something that shows some lessons of moving from here to there and opportunities one has to take and the choices one has as a woman. I'll speak of the importance of women's leadership.

I'm also going to talk about the importance of diversity because to me that's the essential magic of America. I came here when I was 11 years old as an immigrant from Czechoslovakia. Diversity in so many different ways, respecting gender, color, ethnic background and religion, is really important.

I think once you learn about other people, you have a much greater opportunity to understand and respect them, and that's ultimately what is at the basis of peaceful relationships.

What advice can you give women who want to become political power brokers?

First of all, they need to be very well- informed. You can't operate on the basis of smoke and mirrors. You have to really know what you're talking about. Once you do, women have to learn to interrupt in meetings or just generally to voice their opinions. To do that, you have to also be willing to debate the issues.

I also think they need to realize there are many advantages to being a woman, one being based on biology. Our life does come in segments and allows for fulfillment in different phases. So it's not necessary to do everything at the same time. As young women make their choices, they should not close the door on various options. My personal career was very zig-zaggy. It obviously never occurred to me that I'd be secretary of state. I did want to make a difference.

Given the subject of your recent book, "Read My Pins," explain how you used your pins in negotiations and what impact they had on others.

First of all, I discovered my niche is basically talking and writing about foreign policy in a way that is interesting and understandable to non-foreign policy experts. All my books, and this is my fourth, are based on that premise.

The way this last one started was, Saddam Hussein had invaded Kuwait, and when I got to be United Nations ambassador, the cease fire had translated into Security Council resolutions with sanctions we had to renew. My instructions from Washington were always to be very critical of Hussein, which I was, because he deserved it.

A column appeared in the papers in Baghdad that compared me to many things, but among them was an unparalleled serpent. I happened to have a snake pin, so when we were dealing with Iraq, I wore it. It was noticed by the press. So, I thought this was fun and I went out and bought a lot of costume jewelry to reflect what were going to be the day's events.

My totally favorite one is a heart that my daughter, Katie, made when she was 5. I wear it on every Valentine's Day. Now, she's 43.

Another pin, which actually ends the book, is very meaningful. I was in New Orleans four years ago. At a dinner, a young man came up to me with a box. He said his father is a veteran, had earned two Purple Hearts and was married for a long time to his mother. On his parents' 50th wedding anniversary, he gave her a pin. She died as a result of Katrina, and they wanted me to have it. I said I can't possibly accept, but they said this would be a great honor to her and them. It was a pin with two amethysts, two purple stones. I call it the Katrina pin.

Bren Simon, wife of the late shopping mall tycoon Mel Simon, provided support for your pin collection exhibit at various sites. What's your relationship with her?

Bren and I met many years ago. We both obviously have an interest in politics. She is on the board of the National Democratic Institute, of which I'm chairman. She is just a remarkable person, very smart and concerned about the same issues I am.

She has been the prime sponsor of the exhibit in New York and at Clinton Library in Little Rock. It will go to the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., later this year and then to the Indianapolis Museum of Art. I'm so excited about it.

Describe your work now as chairwoman of Albright Stonebridge Group.

It is a global consulting firm that operates to support social responsibility governance issues in emerging countries.

We help American corporations, primarily, to be able to work in foreign countries, so they can understand the environment where they are operating, whether it's related to regulatory or political issues. We do that because we think the U.S. is so interconnected with other countries. So our national security depends a lot on what's happening in other countries and their stability.

I also teach at Georgetown University in the School of Foreign Service, and I'm on a number of boards.

Do you think the current administration is on the right track to successfully end the conflict in Afghanistan?

First of all, there is no question that had the Bush administration paid more attention to Afghanistan, not just immediately after 9/11 but during a longer period, rather than diverting attention to Iraq, I don't think we'd be in this position. So President Obama had a very difficult hand of cards to pick up. He made the decision to add troops very carefully. The combination of military and civilian efforts in Afghanistan is moving in the right direction. But it's a very complex process. A lot depends on what happens in Pakistan and how NATO operates. It's on the right track, but it's obviously not done.

Do you think we're on the right track in terms of ending U.S. involvement in Iraq?

Yes, I do. There was a good turnout at the Iraqi elections. They're going to have to form a coalition government, so we will be watching that. President Obama has made clear, as did the military over there, that they see we are on track for getting all our combat forces out by August.