Speak up - the world needs women leaders

 “No guns allowed.”  

This was the first sign we saw as we entered the Pennsylvania Convention Centre.  It quickly brought home the difference between living in Canada vs. living in the United States.  No wonder there are so many shootings there.  It is obviously a norm that you may carry a gun.

Because Michelle Obama was speaking, security was tight, as it should be. Heaven forbid someone took a shot at her.

One of the reasons I wanted to go to the conference was just to witness how other groups manage their events, but my lowly 200 does not remotely compare to the 12,000 there.  Imagine 12,000 women and a few brave men in one room!

I am still digesting all that I learned that day, but overall the message was that it’s time for us to speak up as women, to find our place at the table and if we are not going to do that, then move over so another woman can.

Given all that is happening in the US – politically, the shooting in Vegas, floods, and earthquakes, there was a serious undertone at the event.  It doesn’t mean that there wasn’t laughter or fun, but people were aware of the strife and suffering around them. It was hard to deny.

Brené Brown tackled it head-on.  She lives in Houston and shared that her home was one of four on her street that had survived the hurricane, but only because they’d recently rebuilt with a stronger foundation.  Her husband went out on his kayak to try and help people, and as she said, “it doesn’t matter how you voted, we are here to help.”

Brené advocated that now is the time to come together, to help each other, regardless of our colour, faith or political stripes.  “People, she said, are hard to hate close up. Move in closer.”

She also encouraged the audience to connect with one another.  “Be civil and talk.” she advised.  She wants us to walk through the world with a strong back, soft front, and a wild heart.

The conversation between Michelle Obama and Shonda Grimes echoed the same sentiments.  No one was denying the recent tragedies.   Michelle was relaxed and real, especially when, with great humour, she described the challenges of raising teenage girls. Listening, you felt, she’s just like us. 

Before becoming First Lady, Michelle was a typical working mother, juggling all the different roles and she spoke of the time constraints women face but also said that she would start her day with exercise. She was determined to eke out this time for herself.

Asked what was next for the Obamas, she answered with a smile, that right now they were just chilling, given the pace of their lives for the past ten years. 

She is writing a book which will come out next year and wants to focus her energy on making life better for young girls. Often, she said, “there are rules that slowly suffocate young girls.”  They are like thin cuts, paper cuts that leave scars and eat away at their self-esteem.

She also wants to see training for future women leaders and more women entering politics.  “It is important to make way for new people. The seats, she observed, belong to the country, not the people elected.”

As she described her childhood, where her conversation at dinner was respected, not dismissed, you can see why she is so grounded.   The session ended with Barack Obama coming on screen to celebrate their 25^th wedding anniversary, which brought a big sigh from the women in the room.

Just being in the same room as Brené and Michelle was almost an out-of-body experience.  It was hard to believe that they were there, talking to us. They were funny, real and authentic, advocating for the strength of women.  As Brené said, true belonging is the courage to believe in yourself.

New look. New feel. New direction.

We did it.  Whew.  Nothing like a deadline to make you move and make it happen.  Yesterday our new website went live!

We started our rebranding discussions back in March.  After 15 years of operation, we decided that Company of Women needed a facelift.  As an adolescent, our views on what we needed to do had changed, and it was time for the organization to represent the new reality of doing business today.

Gone are the pinks and purples that represented our femininity.  We are women in business and we’re here to stay and to be taken seriously. We’ve gone with an edgier look – lime green and blue.  Our logo is no longer just our signature.  We are more than that and the symbol of the mountains reflects the journey we are on.  

Each mountain represents the three pillars of our organization – business development, leadership and personal development.   After working on the Good Enough book for three years, in which we explored why women don’t feel good enough about themselves, it became clear that without confidence, we can’t achieve what we wish for ourselves.   So in addition to focusing on business development, we also want you to have the tools and faith in yourself to be successful.

And talking of success – our new slogan is Success on your own terms.   No more comparing yourself to others. No more living someone else’s dream. No more striving for other people’s definition of success.  It is all about you and what you want out of life, and we’re behind you every step of the way.

The smaller triangle in the middle represents leadership.  It is smaller because not all of us are leaders, yet we wanted to foster women’s leadership because this is the way to the future; to changing the world we live in.

So there you are – a quick snapshot of our new look and programming focus.  Yesterday we launched the new website, so we start October afresh, moving forward.

It is a bit nerve wracking and a lot of work.  I’ve had to let go of my need for perfection, because while we have hopefully ironed out the kinks, there are bound to be some teething problems.  Please be patient.

I’ve always said you are never alone when you own.  Well that is so true.  None of this would have happened without the facilitation, input and creativity of other others. My thanks to my team for helping us pave this new future.  And a special thanks to my daughter Megan, who worked tirelessly to create the new website. 

Go check it out – www.companyofwomen.ca

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What do you think it takes to be a leader?

Yesterday I had the distinct pleasure of being the opening keynote speaker at the International Women’s Day celebrations in Cambridge.

I was asked to share my story and talk about the ways women lead.  Starting my talk with a photo of myself at three, wearing my kilt, like the good Scottish lassie that I was, I went on to talk my career path and how receiving the ATHENA Award, was a pivotal point in my leadership journey.

As I explained to the audience of over 100 women (and two men), up until that point I had not really seen myself as a leader, more someone who saw a gap in service, would recruit people to help, and we’d roll up our sleeves and get the job done.

The ATHENA award was started by Martha Mayhood Mertz, who when she joined the board of her local chamber of commerce, found herself to be the only woman. Knowing that there were equally qualified women who deserved to be there, she set about to establish a leadership award that would honour women. Thirty five years later, over 7,000 awards have been presented around the world.

As I showed the audience my sculpture, I explained that each element was symbolic. The base is marble, representing the strong foundation of the individual, the bronze body represents the ability to withstand whatever comes your way, the arms reaching out speaks to how a leader reaches out to people and the crystal at the top illustrates how the leader has a clear vision and can see all aspects of a situation. 

The ATHENA Foundation did research to determine what are the key and common characteristics of women who had received the award.  And this is what I shared in my presentation, tying the attribute to a Canadian woman, most of whom I have met and know.

Courageous Acts  - These women are the trailblazers in our midst, who despite the risk involved, choose to take the road less travelled, paving the way for others.  

Fierce Advocacy - Likely we all know someone who has turned a tragedy into triumph by challenging the system and working steadfastly to change whatever had befallen them.   

Learning – Leaders are life long learners.  They see the value and importance of always learning, gaining more information and are never satisfied with the status quo.   They are curious.

Giving back – Often the women would be connected to foundations, charities or causes, giving of their time, resources and expertise. 

Relationships – As women we are very much about building relationships. We work hard to foster, build and maintain relationships – both professionally and personally.

Collaboration – This is one skill set that women often bring to organizations, business and boards – our ability to involve others, to partner up with others and to see the merit and respect diverse perspectives.

Authenticity – Being who you are and comfortable in your own skin, authentic leaders treat everyone with respect.  They are the real deal and build trust within their organizations.

Celebration and joy – In our fast-paced lives, it’s important to pause and celebrate our successes along the way.  When we have gratitude for what we have, we find joy.

I couldn’t resist using the last attribute to showcase Company of Women, because that is what we are all about.  We’re the cheerleaders for women business owners – there to celebrate your wins, and support you over the near-wins.

I ended with a challenge to the women to look at themselves as leaders, and left them with this quote – “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more. You are a leader.”