Kristine Faulkner

Faulkner’s stewardship of Cox’s flagship home security and automation service as the fourth product in the company’s bundle is an out-of-the-box triumph. Cox is surpassing goals and adding more features, and much of the success is directly attributed to her focus on the customer experience and integration with other Cox products. Faulkner is encouraged by the Me Too movement, but cautions it needs to be handled with care. “We must readily target offenders, yet not paint a broad brush or presume generalities,” she says. “We don’t want to stymie men’s willingness to be advocates, mentors and sponsors of talent in their organizations. We want their investment in people to continue—especially to advance toward more diverse representation and inclusion in the workplace.”

What are your thoughts on the industry’s current response to the Me Too movement, and its treatment of men who have been accused of sexual harassing and/or assaulting women and men? Are there other steps you feel should be taken?
The “me too” movement has been an encouraging signal and stimulus for women to more openly surface harassment hardships and experiences. We just need to continue to double-down—fostering openness, transparency, and appropriate limits of authority and dominance in in our organizations for all.

Do you see any potential backlash to the Me Too/Time’s Up movements?
Yes, there is notion that men can feel “under attack” given the force of these movements. We must readily target offenders, yet not paint a broad brush or presume generalities. We don’t want to stymie men’s willingness to be advocates, mentors and sponsors of talent in their organizations. We want their investment in people to continue—especially to advance toward more diverse representation and inclusion in the workplace.

Who is an inspirational woman you admire, and why?
I’d have to say Maya Angelou. I saw her speak at a WICT conference 10 years ago. In her writings and talks, her display of courage, tenacity and grace are principles I find captivating and heartening.

What’s been the most dramatic change in your sector of the business today vs. three years ago?
The world of smart home services has advanced greatly, enabling new possibilities for how people live. Home automation controls have become more mainstream, with more than 25% of the market now having at least one smart home device (it was single digits three years ago). Cable is very well positioned. The power of our networks and ability to “thread” smart home services into our broadband and entertainment experiences will bring customers effortless “peace of mind” and convenience for how they manage their homes and stay connected to loved-ones.

Honored For: