While we can appreciate the wisdom of the ancient Chinese proverb, "When women wake..." we now get to be facing forward together, waking up into a new Reality that wants to transcend separation, while still celebrating the differences. I envision a new story of Integrative Business, blending the best of wisdom and commerce, beyond gender.
How do we really co-create that awesome blend of feminine-masculine, inner-outer, higher purpose & healthy profit? It's a potentially delicate subject. And essential to be talking openly about this.
I've been smiling and wondering how it lands whenever I say, "I am not a feminist. I am an integrationist," while being a stand for the importance of positive change that really needs to emerge, including getting more women in leadership roles and fully empowered. Most of the time, it opens up a healthy conversation with both men and women. I'm curious about how we lean in to creating a new culture together. Not women trying to succeed in the paradigm of the old boys club, and not male-bashing jokes at women's leadership conferences! While we’ve evolved beyond the 1980's pantsuit, I’m disheartened hearing my millennial clients having it “worse” in some ways than what I left in 1995. This is not what I imagined the world would be like by 2023. How about you?
What will truly encourage the best potency of feminine and masculine energies expressing in both genders, for the higher good of all people?
Having conscious, evolved people in leadership is paramount (which is about essence, not just gender). What if we could truly enjoy clinking glasses in a more integrated, authentic human club? Don't we all want to infuse more healthy nourishment, compassion, integrity, thoughtful decision making and smart relationship building into how our world is run?
If we join our amazing hearts, brains and hands more, we can stir up a revolution. This is great news for alert human beings willing to embrace change. Rest assured that this all starts with more self love and breathing room in your own life, not working harder to heroically save the planet or a hostile take over of our business culture. Your first step for the evolution of humanity could be a pedicure and an afternoon off.
Also, this is about being enthusiastically for positive evolution, not angry activism against anything. Let's have fun co- creating the new world with this. Meet me for pedicures and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc at six. As more of us support each other to create harmony and soul satisfaction within our own lives, we will fuel harmony in the world. Are you in?
I've had the privilege of speaking at Women's leadership conferences, and appreciate the value of women's empowerment programs, of course! I care. At age 9, Gloria Steinam was one of my heroes. We've been looking at this issue from both sides now for a while (see archive below). I'd like to say that we are well beyond trying to be like an old patriarchal model to succeed, yet there's evidence of work habits, cultures that are still damaging to our souls and coming from what some call "hyper masculine" achieving energy.
As I stretch to embrace what is the Inspired Leadership edge wanting to emerge for our future, there's an insistence about integration and wholeness. Genuinely healthier, sustainable success, not just 5 minutes of "mindfulness" a day and then hopping back on the rat wheel.
Other leading female voices have been banging the drum about Leaning in, (Sheryl) and Thrive. (Arianna).
New business study statistics report "women will achieve parity with men by the year 2084." Whaat? At the Wisdom 2.0 conference (2014), there was discussion about not enough women in tech. They sited how some "feminists" had complained that men advocating more women in top jobs was stealing the podium/voice away from women. Ouch. We all need to be in this together. What good is accomplished when men who are trying to say the right things for the right reasons get chastised rather than celebrated.
Aside from metrics about gender gaps, we see too many people and business cultures not waking up inspired, and thus missed opportunities for the way life could be! The heartening news is that more and more people are waking up to something greater and a willingness to go for it.
Something in us wants to shift, deeply.
I am deeply curious about what it takes and delighted to bring my best questions, learnings, tools, support, wisdom, and playful spirit to explore this further with you- individually, for your team, culture and yep, for the evolution of our society and humanity. I do see future generations enjoying a wonderful new story, and grateful to be awake in this opportunity for us all, with you.
I would love to hear any thoughts or Qs you have.
From 2011 archive:
Will smart women continue to opt out of working harder (and sacrificing more) to climb to the C-suite if they feel it’s still the patriarchal game?
We’re still hearing, (either as a lament or as advice) that “successful” women make to the very top by being like men. Not like wonderful men we admire and adore. More like this ball-busting, workaholic stereotype that’s insulting to both genders.
A few years ago, I wrote, “What do we want to keep pushing for?…how long shall we measure success as parity with old story corporate male… liberation in the 21st century needs to also seek beyond climbing that ego-driven ladder, tune within– do the deep work of listening to our souls, embracing our sacred feminine nature.” (see essay below)
Now I’m shaken up again. We are being invited to expand beyond personal fulfillment, professional accomplishment and wake up to a much larger understanding of what being your best self truly means.
What if we need to shift the questions from “Why can’t women…. or “How do we get more women promoted?” to
What could be so compelling that women would do whatever it takes to get into top leadership roles?
I sense that we need a deeper, higher Why.
Consider expanding from individual success and...
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