Rising Up Is The New Leaning In Of Leadership For Women
Like many women in 2013, I was excited and motivated by Sheryl Sandberg's book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. At the time, Sanders was the chief operating officer at Facebook and was named the first woman on the company's board of directors in 2012. Prior to that, she was Vice President of global online sales and operations at Google. Her message to women in business was to 'lean in,' take opportunities, and challenge gender norms.
However, after seeing the progress and lack of since then, I believe we need to shift from individual ambition to collective action. Sandberg's question, 'What would you do if you weren't afraid?' resonated deeply with me at the time, and I eagerly answered by starting my own business, becoming both a founder and a CEO. However, despite my personal connection to that question, I continued to observe dismally slow progress in increasing women's representation in C-suite positions, particularly those linked to revenue generation.
As I grew my company, and most recently when I wrote my own book, Changemakers Wanted: Your Blueprint for Lasting Impact and Ethical Change, I asked myself what we could do to create change. How can we not only place more women in key leadership roles but also unite under a common vision that transcends mere title acquisition? How can we address systemic issues like childcare or the pay disparities between top corporate executives and the majority of the organization's workforce? Can we foster collaborations to provide more in-work childcare centers, alleviating the burden and unpredictability of daycare while seeing a shared propensity toward the new return-to-office initiatives?
In my book, I outline a structured blueprint that will provide steps for each woman to Rise Up. It involves constructing an actionable map that aligns our strengths and themes with purpose and measurable goals. This blueprint contains three analytical stages and results in a strategic action plan. You begin by evaluating your strengths, goals, wants, needs, and barriers. Next, you outline a clear strategy. Then, you measure your progress and adjust when necessary based on the work you've done in the evaluation process. You stay aware of trends and market dynamics. Next, you define key performance indicators that will help you gauge your success, and you take action by using the insights from the first three stages to develop a plan to take you to the next level.
Finally, by leveraging the foundation you've built and the strengths you've identified, you can navigate toward success in whatever way you define it. Yes, it takes work and introspection, and I am certain that when we do it, and when we each operate at our highest capability, we can unite with a shared message and mission to truly change the world! Remember, we can do hard things. This is completely possible.
The Lean In movement inspired a generation to assert themselves without apology as they pursued success. Now, it's time to unite to drive systemic change in leadership. It's time for the next step. Let's take it together.
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