[hewlett packard] is the street now turning on patricia

The cards may now be turning against the woman who forced out Carly Fiorinina, of whom Robert Cihra, analyst with Fulcrum Global said, "The Street had lost all faith in her and the market's hope is that anyone will be better." Enter Patricia Dunn and soon exit Patricia Dunn.

Patricia Dunn:

If I could change something about my job it would be: "Managing a global company is a 24X7 responsibility. If I could make the sun go down at the same time all over the world, my job would be close to perfect."

Her early thoughts about working for a bank were well captured in a quote that she gave to “Fortune” magazine saying, “I thought I’d rather take chloroform and die.” As she was temping, she kept in mind her dream of being a foreign correspondent, but eventually took a permanent position with BGI.

Dunn worked her way up and through the corporate ladder, wearing many hats along the way. She points out that it helps to be in the right place at the right time, but she has paid her dues with a staggering 25 years behind her at BGI. She also never underestimates the presence of luck. “I worked very hard. And I have been very lucky.”

Life Goal: "To be a successful person, not simply a successful business person, says Dunn. "For me, this means having a successful family life, which I value hugely."

Most super-ambitious people have two major failings - they can't delegate and they look over their shoulder. There are always all sorts of grumblings about successful people but with a personality like Patricia Dunn's, especially complicated by the fact that it is mainly males against her, leaving Fiorinina aside, it's a major mistake to overreact and leave oneself exposed, as she has done. For those who might have admired her chutzpah, her verve before, now start question her judgement.

There's one other truism in business - that it's still easier to wind up a seasoned businesswoman than it is a seasoned businessman. Femininity is always going to be vulnerable in the long run.

It’s good that she can now go back to her family and nurture it as she would wish to do.