87 total views
The title of this stock photo is, “Arrogant earnest woman defending her nation.”
Funny, not funny, that’s not at all what I see. I see a confident, happy woman, proud to fight for her country.
What’s your take?
Not long ago one of my colleagues attended my weekend retreat. At its conclusion, she told me that while the information was life-altering for her, what really blew her away was her experience of my huge heart and my capacity to empathize, especially given my reputation as being extremely ambitious, a real go-getter.
I was stunned by both her candor and its content. I cringe to think that this fellow professional couldn’t (wouldn’t?) place my capacity to feel in the same equation as my ambition — she, like most of our culture, is of the opinion that to have ambition in the form of fame, fortune or position is absolutely in-congruent with what it means to be feminine, what it means to be relationally oriented.
Did she mean I had to choose? I could either be feminine or ambitious? That I couldn’t be both? Or, at least, not at the same time? And as for my so-called reputation — I truly believe we earn those and that we’re in charge of them so if I seem very ambitious it’s because I’m, well, very ambitious.
I set the bar very high because I, for one, refuse to die with my song still inside me.
I’ve never, even for a moment, suspended my femininity in my quest for success. As a matter of fact, I attribute my success to my femininity.
Coincidentally, soon after this incident an equally ‘high performance’ colleague suggested I read Anna Fels’ article, Do Women Lack Ambition? in the Harvard Business Review www.hbr.org. Fels, a psychiatrist, cites overwhelmingly conclusive evidence substantiating that this assumption is the cultural norm. Reading the research left me both appalled and relieved; the latter because it still holds true in 2009 and the former because it validates my own observations.
It’s most likely that this colleague of mine wasn’t even conscious of what she’d said — that’s how it is with cultural tendencies — they’re so much a part of who we are that we don’t even notice them. Which is what makes them so dangerous, to begin with.
Found this article valuable? PLEASE REMEMBER TO LIKE IT.
You can follow me on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Instagram and Pinterest.
Want to know about all things WomenThink™? Join our community or email us at nancy@womenthink.com.
__________________________________________________________________________________
WomenThink™ partners with leaders of public, private, and non-profit global organizations to transform their female workforce into a high-performing LeaderForce™; attracting, developing, and retaining the best female talent as a result of creating an uncommon culture of equitable empowerment.
For more than 29 years, WomenThink’s CEO, Nancy D. Solomon, has been a force for change and the go-to women’s leadership expert in traditionally male-dominated industries such as technology, banking, and finance, worldwide.
She is a bold, courageous, and unapologetic advocate for women and has helped thousands remove the barriers to their fulfillment and success.
As a result of their work with us, our clients build and sustain a vibrant, robust force of female leaders, equipped to manage the helm, and the highest offices of corporations across the globe. Our clients include Microsoft, Target, Acura, Amazon, Nordstrom, Wellpoint, and Westin and, as well as many passionate individuals.
Schedule a meeting with us to begin the conversation of how we can accelerate your current transformation initiatives, as well as identify the future of leadership for your organization.
Known as The Impact Expert, she is the main stage speaker, expert trainer, and veteran coach who helps leaders solve key issues related to leadership development, employee engagement, and advancing women. She is the author of the acclaimed book: Impact! What Every Woman Needs to Know to Go from Invisible to Invincible and is currently working on her next book.