Women in the LEAD

Great Leaders BELIEVE in PEOPLE

Having someone believe in us changes how we respond to the challenges of leadership. It's empowering. During these challenging times, insight from Margaret Wheatley's book, Finding Our Way: Leadership for an Uncertain Time affirms this truth.

"Leaders who have used more participative, self-organizing approaches tell of how astonished they are by the capacity, energy, creativity, commitment and even love they receive from people in their organizations. ...As leaders honor and trust the people who work for them, they unleash startling high levels of contributions and creativity."

Have you worked in such a place? I remember that wonderful feeling as a young leader at IBM. I had moved from a line management position to a regional staff assignment with an upward momentum firmly in my mind. My manager was amazing in how he so easily seemed to demonstrate his trust in me. It was as if he thrust me out and up in front of him to fly. His belief in me made all things seem possible. It opened up the way for contributions to be made and created a sense of responsibility inside me that I could no longer let fear hold me back. The best part is that he modeled LEADERSHIP for me every day. I still carry his influences.

Concerns for people have taken some drastic hits in recent years and certainly during the the current economic downturn. As we look toward a new year, we all have an opportunity to renew our commitment to those who look to us for leadership. To be at the top of our leadership game, we need to master the art of knowing people and drawing them together in ways that inspires innovation at a new levels and help them soar to reach their own potential. This is a leader's role and to achieve it, we  have to be conscious of our behavior and example. In my book,  Putting Our Differences to Work, I describe the significance...

People are the number one source of new thinking and new ideas needed for change and the betterment of business and society. Putting our differences to work means learning to work more effectively in ways that accelerate our capacity to innovate, influence, and bring value to the marketplace, workplace, and society. It is our intention and behavior that breathe life into the words and give them meaning.

Who believes in you?

How are you manifesting belief in others?

Warm wishes to you all...

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women in the Lead
www.globaldialoguecenter.com/women
author, Putting Our Differences to Work
The Fastest Way to Innovation, Leadership
and High Performance

Twitter @debbekennedy

WOMEN: Loving Our Earth; Loving One Another

There are compelling reasons for us to commemorate EARTH DAY 2010 with a special pause --- a recognition --- a full appreciation that what started with one person's IDEA to put the environment into our public consciousness and dialogue over 40 years ago has today turned into an event and a cause that is now  celebrated by over 500 million people around the world. 

To begin my personal tribute, Mother Earth, a beautiful original oil painting by Sally K. Green (shown on left) says it all for me. Sally writes about the work to set the stage...

"Inspired from my heart. I see Mother Earth asking us to do our part to love our planet -- to be better stewards of the earth and to love one another as we travel through."  --- Sally K. Green

To bring Sally's vision to life with a living example --- one that demonstrates how women are being better stewards of the earth and are loving one another as they travel through life, below is a video that you won't want to miss. The video tells a recent story about the Women's Earth Alliance, a remarkable organization that started with the vision of Melinda Kramer, a young woman with a very big dream. I had the good fortune to meet her just a few years back when her plans were just beginning to unfold. What you will see in meeting her and the accomplished, committed women working with her to change the world one village, one community at time, will warm your heart and make you want to get involved yourself.

Celebrate Earth Day by watching this remarkable story...

LEARN MORE ....

Women's Earth Alliance
WEA Team
Their remarkable history
How they work
Ways to participate
Make a special contribution
Twitter @WomensEarthAlly
Visit WEA website: http://www.womensearthalliance.org/

Sally Green's artistry, the Women's Earth Alliance West African Women and Water Training Program and the commemoration of Earth Day 2010 demonstrate still another affirmation that putting our differences to work is the fastest way to innovation, leadership, and high performance. Amen.

May we all love our Earth and love one another more.

Warm regards,
Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women in the Lead
www.globaldialoguecenter.com/women
author, Putting Our Differences to Work
The Fastest Way to Innovation, Leadership
and High Performance
Twitter @debbekennedy

 

WOMEN: Dr. Dorothy Height's Enduring Message to US

IN COMMEMORATION: The civil rights movement lost its founding matriarch early Tuesday morning. Dr. Dorothy I. Height, who fought for social justice and equality most of her life on behalf of women, people of color, and all people, died at the age of 98.

Just about a year ago, at age 97, Dr. Dorothy Height stopped at an airport enroute on a business trip to join us ONLINE.  "I wanted to stop by to say hello to all my sisters," she told us. She gave the memorable executive keynote welcome address at our ONLINE global women's conference, It's a NEW DAY! celebrating International Women's Day. It was powerful and timeless. She helps us see our strengths and the important role we play in creating a better world --- a message to keep with us.  We remain grateful to have been directly touched by her influence. LEARN WHY...

Learn more... 
Dr. Dorothy Height's biography of remarkable contributions in a lifetime dedicated to social justice for women, people of color, and all people: http://www.ncnw.org/about/height.htm

Visit our It's a NEW DAY! Center...
includes handouts, tool, links to inspire you.
http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/women/new-day.shtml

Do you have a special memory of Dorothy Height's influence on you? Keep it with you. Share it with others. Cherish it.

Warm regards,

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women in the Lead
www.globaldialoguecenter.com/women
author, Putting Our Differences to Work
The Fastest Way to Innovation, Leadership
and High Performance

Twitter @debbekennedy

WOMEN: Discovering Differences in Duet

It is interesting how GOOD we are for one another. I've believed this for a long time, but in the last few years, the reality of it has continued to show up on my path in new and different ways. Each of them linked by a common thread that when one DIFFERENCE meets another DIFFERENCE, a kind of magic takes place.

When I was writing my book, Putting Our Differences to Work, I wrote about many different kinds of "duets" of talent, reaching for the NEW, the UNIQUE, the EXCELLENT. One of my favorite stories came from the story of Helen Keller. The following is the excerpt:

Helen Keller was a remarkable person — an author, activist, lecturer, the first blind and deaf person to graduate from college, and leadership role model—and together with her remarkable teacher, Anne Sullivan Macy, demonstrated the power of putting our differences to work for over fifty years. In Take a Look at Yourself, a treasured old book now out of print, I read this account of one night when they came together to Denver on a tour. In reading it, you get a real sense about the experience of achievement from two leaders with very different points of view: Helen Keller stood on the stage, her fingertips on the violin of a great master, while he played “Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life.” She began to sway gently and to keep time with her free hand, as she caught the rhythm; and she turned to the audience, when the sweet mystery was done, to say, with tears in her eyes, “I have found life so beautiful!” Back in the shadows, out of the spotlight, getting none of the applause and wanting none of it, stood Mrs. Macy. One can imagine the joy in the moment of achievement from both student and teacher.

Quite by CHANCE...
 
This year, quite by chance, I was again introduced to another kind of differences in duet through the remarkable work of pianist and music educator, Jessica Roemischer. I first was blessed to meet with her across the miles for an interview. My conversation with her was so exceptional, we decided it needed a beautiful place to share it. So with Jessica's partnership we built an amazing multi-media exhibit at our WOMEN's GALLERY at the Global Dialogue Center.

I hope you come take a personal tour. VISIT NOW You will learn about the transformative power of piano duet improvisation. Jessica Roemischer describes the miracle this way, "The ability to express beauty through music is inherent in us all and unfettered by any limitation.”  The visual learning exhibit, my interview with her, and the videos will help you step inside the remarkable experience of being with her. Be sure to FIRST put your headset on as you look through the visual exhibit at the top --- and listen to Jessica Roemischer's rendition of "When You Wish Upon a Star." It will touch your heart!  VISIT NOW

What do you think about the miracle that happens in duet?
Can you think of experiences you've had?

Warm regards,

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women in the Lead
www.globaldialoguecenter.com/women
author, Putting Our Differences to Work
The Fastest Way to Innovation, Leadership
and High Performance

Twitter @debbekennedy