“You must be the change you wish to see in the world,” quoted by Mahatma Gandhi and opens the book entitled, Women Count, a Guide to Changing the World. Authored by Susan Bulkeley Butler and Bob Keefe, Susan empowers the woman to change thinking. To put into action “what we already know” and make changes that are not “temporary Band-Aids” any longer. Women only represent a fraction of the world’s leaders and furthermore, only make up about 3 percent of the CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies.
So, what is to attribute for this staggering fact? Well, I think many woman can justify why as well as men, but Susan makes a point I just cant argue. "Women know that to succeed they must depend on support from other women. Yet, based on research, women are not actively mentoring, developing, and promoting other women within their organizations." The truth is she is so spot on. I admit to first hand experience within my own organization, a Fortune 500 company, of the lack of female mentor-ship.
In her book, Susan suggests that to be women who count, we need to change our own equations. We need to stretch beyond the traditional roles and goals we have settled so comfortably in. Let's move beyond positions of support and into positions of leadership! And then the questions rapidy arise like, "What about my home responsibilities?" Who is raising my children?" and so forth. As Susan states, "The perception of success for women is different. To be a successful woman, you have to be a good employwee, a good mother, a good lover, a good friend, not to mention a good sister/daughter/aunt/PTA member." That just sounded exhausting, but a lot of women feel this way. Climbing the professional ladder has so many more facets involved- let's face it. But it does not need to be that way. Our life as a woman "must add up to achieve the public and personal perception of success." We as women must then decide clearly, and concisely what we want and get after it.
Susan explains "Education is the key to keep the pipeline flowing and spread the influence of women into those other areas." Of course we need to start early. We need to focus on mentoring those beneath us - it is no longer that we are a threat to one another or survival of the fittest. It must be a genuine outlook that we as woman want to raise up leaders, together! Some of Susan's thoughts are also that Woman need to create impactful experiences, allow young girls to believe it's cool to be smart, teach our upcoming female leaders to be entrepreneurs, learn to lead with integrity, teach with self-confidence and help the world.
It's time for us women to take responsibility and change our organizations!! Some questions Susan asks us to ponder:
- Are you developing your career path so you demonstrate the skills and capabilities of the position you aspire to obtain?
- Do you have an advocate who pushes you beyond your comfort zone so others can see your potential?
- Are you visible in your organization?
- Have you asked for or applied for the position that you want - even before you believe you are well prepared for it?
- Does your organization have a succession plan? Are you on it? Will it get you to where you aspire to be?
- Are you developing your replacement by giving her the right roles and responsibilities, no matter what level you are in your organization?
- Are you providing her the right visibility to be ready for your position?
Here are the steps Susan outline for us to change our organizations and change our world:
- Understand where woman are or are not in your organzation.
- Identify where woman can have a larger role in your organization as well as ways to get them into these key positions.
- Ensure women are visible within the organization, on committees, boards etc - they need to be involved in decisions.
- Use women in the organization as change agents, to help other women move up in the organization.
- Encouragement system to allow women to serve as mentors to other women.
- Get more women into the executive pipeline- perhaps even the CEO's office.
If you would like to read more of how Susan Bulkeley Butler encourages her fellow women to change the world, please consider her book. You will find much more information on creating a plan as well as tips on mentoring and being mentored. Check out: http://www.thepress.purdue.edu
The beauty of empowering others is that your own power is not diminished in the process.
-- Barbara Colorose
-- Barbara Colorose
