At the International Coach Federation Conference in Orlando, Florida, keynote speaker and best selling author Peter Block said, "Community is the structure of belonging." Then he followed it with, "We need the feminine influence in the workplace."
What? I did a double take. I (and every woman reading this post) have known this for 30 years -it becomes 'enlightening' news because it is coming from Peter Block? Thank you, Peter. I admire your courage for saying it, and, more importantly, meaning it.
I agree with everything Peter said - in fact, I agreed with it 30 years ago! But is this revelation coming too late? At a time when all else failed? Who was listening to the generations of women fighting for this recognition for the last several decades?
Will society view this wise statement more profound coming from a man rather than a woman? The wonderful, beautiful characteristics of a woman need to take a front row seat in the work place. Heck, they should be on stage.
Being feminine is a woman's birthright!
What's really needed in the workplace? Feminine Influence. "What does that mean?" The feminine is clothed with strength and dignity; she smiles in the face of diversity. She challenges without losing a friend. Women are in demand. Feminine qualities, recognized elements of success, are a sought after commodity.
Women understand the worth of building relationship. Communicating without need for status. Listening for what's not being said. Women know human nature. We are nurturing. We are tough - solid. What is it YOU do for the workplace?
Here is a sample of what feminine in the workplace looks like:
How will the feminine show up in the workplace? The ABCs (A-F) of the Feminized Workplace:
A - Authentic Women are genuine. We don't need lies or compliments to feed our egos. The successful woman listens to her intuition. She follows its guidance - responding accordingly. Whether it's during strategic planning or events taking us off our path, smart women receive their inner guidance with courage and trust.
When was the last time you didn't listen to your intuition? Did you regret it? Developing the discipline to follow your instincts is a worthy goal - with huge payoffs in business.
B - Brave & Bold Smart women have a strategic plan. We aren't afraid to carry it out. Having a definite plan gives us peace of mind. We use a plan to follow when the going gets tough, we hit a wall or we don't know what to do.
C - Conviction Successful women are at peace with themselves. We don't have to prove anything. Knowing this makes us confident, and secure in what we believe and the actions we take.
D - Discerning Successful women know what they want. We have a clear picture of what we are trying to accomplish. Whether it's to do with our career or life in general, we know what we're shooting for - what the overall objective is.
E - Engaging Women have great capacity for connection. Connection is the cornerstone for relationship. We see the strengths, not the limitations, in others. We want people to be who they are - regardless if it is on the job or not.
F - Focused Successful women are not willing to "pay the price." Women no longer need to choose in order to have a satisfying personal and professional life. We prioritize in order to achieve what we want.
As Mr. Block states, "The feminine is needed now more than ever in the workplace." I can certainly understand why.
