To create the conditions in which women’s vision can flourish, organizations must learn to value diverse ways of knowing, encourage mindfulness, support webs of inclusion, and respect the power of empathy.
Organizations need to become more proficient at acknowledging diverse ways of knowing rather than continuing to privilege what can be quantified and empirically supported. We do not mean to suggest that intuitive ways of knowing should be preferred to rational analysis — an inversion of the present practice. Rather, the full spectrum of cognition — the rich complexity of means by which humans come to know — must be recognized as having potential value. This requires abandoning the common practice of asking anyone who makes a suggestion to immediately back it up with numbers. Instead, people should be encouraged to share insights that may still be in process or that may contradict expectations.
Even insights that are ultimately discarded can have value by leading to other fresh ideas, whereas overfocusing on numerical models forestalls this. Continue reading » »
My friend John Izzo is a fascinating person who combines an interest in spirituality with an interest in corporate life. His latest book, The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die, is based on 250 interviews conducted with people over 60 on what they learned about the keys to fulfillment in their professional and personal lives. Following is an edited version of our conversation:
This project—interviewing people over 60 about the secrets of life—sounds like great fun. I wish that I had done it! What gave you this idea? Continue reading » »
The strongest, most well-articulated vision will have little effect on your organization if you don’t enlist allies to support your view. Allies are people who are willing to listen, who try to help you when you ask, who give you feedback and explain your cause when you’re not in the room. Allies give you inside information and explain political motivations you may have overlooked.
Allies are different from friends in that your relationship with them always serves a specific purpose. Continue reading » »
Those plaques on the walls! Those inpiring mottos! Companies have wasted millions of dollars and countless hours agonizing over buzzwords and slogans that are hung on walls. There is a clear assumption that people’s behavior will change because the pronouncements on plaques are “inspirational” or certain words “integrate our strategy and values.” There is an implicit hope that when people—especially managers—hear great words, they will start to exhibit great behavior.
Sometimes these words or phrases morph as people try to keep up with the latest trends in corporatespeak. A company may begin by striving for “customer satisfaction,” then advance to “total customer satisfaction,” and then finally reach the pinnacle of “customer delight.”
When the female vision remains untapped, both women and organizations suffer. Women are unable to translate their best observations into action. What they see remains locked within them, and their connections with others can feel shallow and inauthentic as a result. What should be a source of power becomes a source of isolation and frustration. Without the female vision, organizations also lose power. Continue reading » »
