By: Wendy Merrill
Professional women's empowerment has become the darling of social media. Every time I glance at my LinkedIn feed I see 3-4 more posts about women leaning in…women leaning out…men leaning in…men leaning out…basically a whole lotta leaning going on.
Don’t get me wrong…I absolutely love the fact that there is a lively debate and robust discussion going on worldwide about giving professional women our due. It is definitely our time and we must embrace the moment. That said, over the last several weeks there hasn’t been that much original content on this subject. The same buzz words have dominated social media in an endless loop. While I am thrilled to witness the high volume of commentary I can’t help but believe that it will take more than words to avail professional women of the resources that their talent and skills merit. It requires the education provided only through leadership by example.
If women begin to learn how to embrace our authenticity, celebrate our own inherent assets and resist the urge to conform to what tradition dictates, then a real shift will occur. I do not believe that the aggressive rallying cry of the early feminist movement is still relevant. Instead of lifting women up, I feel like this only serves to further polarize men and women…as well as create a dangerous divide among women. The glass ceiling is still firmly in place. No one argues that it’s not. I would say, however, that it has certainly shrunk from its original size and will continue to do so once we start embracing who we are and what makes us great.
The most effective way to do this is to exemplify our own unique brand of thoughtful leadership that so many women possess.
An example: during a group meeting, if a man directs a business-oriented conversation only to the other men in the room, it is essential not only that the female participant(s) “lean in” and join the discussion, but do so in a way that conveys savvy with eloquence and subtlety. This requires the ability to effectively analyze the situation, assess the “players” at the table, read the tone of the conversation, seize the right opportunity and visualize the expected outcome. For the working moms among us, many of us are very skilled at this process as it mirrors what we already do at home with our families. The only way to garner respect is to be smart and prepared.
Ignorance and fear are not going to be ushered out in one fell swoop. Reality dictates that it takes both time and maintaining reasonable expectations to achieve parity. A sea change might be a bit unreasonable. Expecting that all men…and women for that matter…will fully embrace all women professionals overnight for the powerhouses that we really are is a pipe dream. Enlightening our more traditionally-minded peers one step at a time through a skillful and tactical approach on the other hand, is totally achievable and well within our sights.
