Leadership, Truth, Brand – Begins in the Home
Women, Leadership, Brand, Truth
There is a famous question in The Book that leads and directs my life. A question asked by a man named Pontius Pilot. His question; ‘What is truth?” Remarkably, that question from 2000 years ago is still being asked today, and like 2000 years ago, we have leaders today still trying to define Truth. They tell us what it means and then lead us based on their own perceptions of truth. In today’s business, truth is elusive because we have taken the concepts of right and wrong, correct and false, good and bad and replaced it with Political Correctness. Today we are saying to have an “A” in life is elitism, to have a “C” is good and acceptable, and to have an “F” means you are not accountable and someone else is to blame for what has gone wrong. Can you be a leader and have a life that has a short term purpose? Can a leader lead when there are no consequences for the results of that leadership? Can there be a real leader that can lead and not understand Truth?
The new buzz of the moment is “This is the Century of the Woman,” or “Women in Leadership,” or “Women deserve to be in Charge.” I am all about equal pay for equal work, and of course I support equal opportunity when the qualities for leadership are the same, but I am not about false promotion because of gender or the creation of a new ‘Good Old Boys Club’ we can call the ‘Good Old Gals Club.’ Women do lead, women are CEO’s and success is not determined by a company position in life but rather by the purpose for which we are living. For some women, their greatest purpose is their family, and I believe those women are the most important leaders of all. The crucible for all Leadership begins in the home. We develop and mentor our leaders of tomorrow by giving them a living visual example of what leadership looks like while their minds are still forming in their younger years! We can teach our leaders of tomorrow that the answer to being a leader is not to conform to the world, but rather to be transformed into what can lead the world. Mothers and fathers can start the process now, they can tell their daughters and their sons that fitting in is not the only answer. Parents can create a training ground for leaders by giving our children challenges and showing them that failure is a reality. Not everyone gets a ribbon, only those who persist, who have discipline, who can endure and who have character traits that equate to good leaders can ultimately become tomorrow’s true leaders. Parents can be examples of important traits that include service, humility, community, purposeful compromise and a desire for knowledge by turning off the gadgets, TV and text and in their place engaging their children in conversations of value and promoting the characteristic of accountability.
The last 50 years in America has been a time of change for women in corporate America. The traditional roles of women have changed. There are more single parent households, more women in the work force out of economic necessity and now more women are leading top American companies. Yes, there are 21 female CEO’s in the ranks of the Fortune 500, and I can assure you they are there because of hard work, a CAN DO ATTITUDE and a clear understanding of who they are. Should there be more women in leadership roles? Well of course but because they are qualified, no other reason. I know that 21 is more than was there 10 years ago, and I am confident that more and more women will lead our companies in the future. Not because of their gender, but because they are capable leaders and they bring added value to the businesses they lead.
Female leaders today are criticized for being in business and then they are chastised for not being at home. In the end, todays and tomorrow’s leaders, female or male need to KNOW TRUTH. They need to develop the character for leadership and most of all, they better know their BRAND. When you know who you are, why you are here and what you want to accomplish, then you can speak out boldly, you can accept criticism as a means to get better and you can fight for what is RIGHT- not just what will be accepted.
Yes women can “Lean In,” yes women can help other women learn to lead, and yes women can be capable and strong company leaders. Do I agree with everything in Sheryl Sandberg’s book? No. A mentor once told me that if there are 8 people sitting around a conference table and only two are discussing what to do – then nobody should expect a great result. So, no, I don’t agree with it entirely, but it’s a good and worthy read. I have heard opinions about this book left and right and even blogs and reviews written about it – with a disclaimer attached saying that the reviewer has not read the book. Step 1: Read before you review.
The free enterprise system is looking for great leaders that create shareholder value for the public companies they lead. If you want to lead, sit on a board position or run a company – focus on excelling at your work, excelling in your personal life, and discover and properly communicate your BRAND. This is true for women and for men. Whether you are at home, or at work, your role and purpose in life has value.
Thank you for all the women who are sharing their experiences in life and at work by writing inspirational books. We can all benefit by being well read and learn from the mistakes and success of others. In the end, you are unique, there is no one else like you in the entire world, and knowing Truth leads to Worthy Character. The people who possess these traits have solid Brands, and those Brands will shine whether you are leading a company of 10,000 or a family of 3.
Image | Brand | Fashion
Mila@modaimageconsulting.com | www.ModaImageConsulting.com
Direct: (615) 218.6831 | Office: (615) 567.6969
Consultations are always complimentary!