WHY A WOMAN’S LEADERSHIP BOOK?
Many individuals ask me why I’m writing a woman’s leadership book. There are many reasons including my research, what I hear from female colleagues, my own experiences and the Catalyst leadership survey results on the front page of the New York Times in October 2005. It seems to me that leadership qualities, such as inspiration and problem-solving, are neither male nor female; instead, they are transformational and universal.
However nothing is ever as simple as we hope. At a time when successful organizations, business schools, and research studies indicate that diversity is a critical aspect of creative and innovative leadership, many female colleagues are, in fact, troubled because some organizations don’t honor transformational and nurturing leadership behaviors and competencies. These colleagues, who seek to be recognized for their spirit and sustaining leadership competencies, need models and tools that allow that leadership style to shine through the haze of guardian behaviors prevalent in some organizations.
The Catalyst study results released in 2005 for the United States and 2006 for Europe validate concerns that women are not “perceived as leaders who can lead at the top of an organization”. This is a view shared most surprisingly by both men and women. Many women now believe that they don’t have what it takes to ask for and receive a leadership position in their organizations.
Women can Take Charge
Transformational leadership begins with the individual. We cannot wait for our leaders and organizations to provide spirit, meaning, and purpose. My book, workshops, and consulting approach provide opportunities to reflect, dialogue, and explore our whole self through the lens of spirituality. Teacher, scholar and author of the book, Learning as a Way of Being, Peter Vaill said:
Genuine spirituality is the willingness to enter into a dialogue about meaning, within oneself and with others; to stay with it over a period of time; and to remember that so far, no one has found the compelling once and for all answer.
This book is for individuals who are on a journey to understand and cherish their spirit; honor their whole self; and bring their spirit to their work, families, and communities.
This book is for individuals who want to assume a significant role in accomplishing the organization’s mission and purpose in a manner that promotes vision, trust, competence, creativity, stewardship, sustainability, and servant leadership.
Women must feel free to bring their authentic selves and gifts to their work and leadership. Many of the women I work with feel overwhelmed in organizations that talk and lead over them. In fact, a woman in a global consulting firm related a story of how she is the only woman in her group. She said that neither her peers nor her leader listen to her in meetings. Unfortunately, I’ve heard this story many times, and I’ve experienced this situation myself as well. As a result of situations like this, some women have adopted what they consider “masculine” leadership characteristics to try to fit in and be promoted. Others, like those in the Catalyst survey, have decided they aren’t qualified to be a leader in a top corporate role. When women ask me what they can do as individuals to eliminate gender stereotypes, I suggest that there is one place to begin—authenticity.
Authenticity is often defined as a feeling that someone is truly being himself or herself. When we are with someone who is authentic, we feel comfortable and comforted, and we trust that we can achieve our purpose and live our values. One female CEO commented, “It’s back to consistency. The people look for consistency and consistency equals trust and belief and comfort.”
Women must believe in themselves and their competencies and bring this authenticity to their work lives. Only then will they begin to bring their spirit to work.
