Posts Tagged ‘courageous leadership’
Unsought Leadership: How Anita Hill Called Out Workplace Harassment and Changed Everything
“Was there ever any domination that did not appear natural to those who possessed it?” John Stuart Mill, 18th century economist
If you’re a woman over 40, you’ve probably had an Anita Hill Moment. That aha when you realized those suggestive comments, undesired gropes, and surreptitious ass-pats you’d long endured in the male-dominated workplace had a name: sexual harassment.
If you’re under age 40, you probably grew up knowing not only about sexual harassment as a concept, but also that it is a prosecutable offense you shouldn’t put up with it for one minute. You’ve probably had training about it in your workplace, and know how to report it safely if it rears its ugly head. So whether or not you realized it, you’ve had your Anita Hill moment too.
All because of unsought leadership.
She’s Doing It: Joanne Tombrakos Taking the Non-Traditional Route
I can’t wait to read Joanne Tombrakos’s new and first novel, The Secrets They Kept and you are going to see why below. After reading Joanne’s story, I think you’ll join me in running out to buy her book. At least I hope so.
Joanne and I met at an 85 Broads breakfast a couple of years ago when we shared our stories of making purposeful life transitions. I’ve admired her writing on her blog ever since. And just look at how she’s applied the 9 Ways Power Tools!
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When Gloria Feldt extended the invitation for me to be profiled in this column I quickly accepted. And who wouldn’t? After all this was Gloria Feldt. Best selling author and activist for whom I hold such high esteem.
I was honored. I was excited. Until the waves of nausea washed over me. What was I doing that was worthy of a profile in this column? Certainly not curing cancer or feeding the starving in Africa.
Not a particularly commanding statement when invited to write on a blog whose subject matter is about women and power.
But forced, as I have been to think about it, the truth is I am doing it. My way…
Irish Women Leaders
Do you know about Mairead Corigan and Betty Williams who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 for leading peace marches where Catholics and Protestants together protested against the violence that was splitting the country? Or Grace O’Malley, a famous 16th Century pirate, seafarer, trade, and chieftain? What about Maria Edgeworth, 18/19th century Irish Writer perhaps a precursor to Virginia Woolf’s notion that women need a room of their own; Edgeworth said: “Some people talk of morality, and some of religion, but give me a little snug property.”
These and many other fascinating women leaders are chronicled on this Famous Irish Women website. The graphics are quite charming, cozy Irish country home style. But the stories tell of grit and glory, wisdom and courage. Take a look and give a tip the hat.
More likely, you have heard and seen Mary Robinson, Ireland’s seventh president and the first woman to serve in that capacity. “I was elected by the women of Ireland, who instead of rocking the cradle, rocked the system,” she said. Elected in 1990, she served until 1977 when she became the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, a post she held from 1997 to 2002. Continuing to rock the systen through her work to advance peace, human rights, and women’s leadership in all arenas, Robinson, a lawyer, is a founding member and currently the Chair of the Council of Women World Leaders.
Read MoreTHE 6 C’S OF WHY WE MUST EMBRACE CONTROVERSY
Recently I spoke to the first “class” of Progressive Women’s Voices, an exciting new program of the Women’s Media Center, where I serve on the board. I was asked about the lessons I learned leading a social movement where I worked a great deal with the media and messages as vehicles of social change. Here are my comments:
Once, soon after we arrived in New York, my husband Alex and I were on the corner of 57th and 8th talking rather intensely with our realtor. A homeless man approached us and asked, “Will you give me the money for a lobster dinner?” We paid no attention and went on talking about our apartment options.
“Will you give me the money for a lobster dinner?” the man repeated a little louder. Again, we didn’t respond. Again the man made his request. At this point, my Brooklyn born husband quipped back, “What’s the matter, a hamburger isn’t good enough?” The man pulled himself up to full height, puffed out his chest, and precisely enunciated every word as he retorted: “Answer the question as asked!”
The lesson is this: when you are making change—and with Progressive Women’s Voices (PWV), we’re changing the way the media portrays women and women’s stories and issues–we do not answer the question as asked. We determine what we want the question to be and start there.
Your passion for your substantive areas of expertise and the power of your knowledge are key elements to enable you to frame the questions as you think they should be. That’s the obvious part.
But the most important thing is that you must also learn to embrace controversy, not run away from it if you want to use your message to get your ideas into the political and cultural bloodstream. Here’s why:
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