Choose To Challenge
Happy International Women’s Day!
Today we celebrate the contributions, gifts, and unlimited potential of women and girls around the world! Seeing women in all their differences and vast potential, we recommit to making the workplace a welcoming space for all women to be themselves, not diminished or marginalized.
During this pandemic, women have done what they often do: Hold families and communities together, taking on even greater responsibilities to support the people they love. Too often this work in homes and neighborhoods goes unrecognized just as the value of empathy and cooperation go undervalued. But imagine the world without these efforts and qualities. Not only would it be a world lacking love and care, but it would also be a much less functional world.
When author Kate Raworth calls for a fundamental shift in the way we understand the economy in Doughnut Economics, she includes a call to fully account for the value of these domestic and community contributions that enable the functioning of society and the economy. This month is the perfect time to read her book and choose to challenge economics models and practices that are inadequate and short-sighted and to embrace new ways of thinking that will serve us all better.
This year's theme for International Women’s Day is #ChoosetoChallenge, inviting us to challenge gender bias and call out inequality in the world, in the systems where we work, and yes even in ourselves. This means standing up for fairness and helping to create equitable gender norms in our workplaces, homes, and communities. From challenge comes change, so let's all choose to challenge. Collectively, we can help create a better and more inclusive world, a loving world!
Declaring What I Desire
Today, the words of two women remind me to declare what I desire, to speak the good I want to see in the world with courage and boldness because this is the only way to get what we want.
“A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That’s why they don’t get what they want.”– Madonna
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”– Anais Nin
What do I want? I want love not fear to be the norm for all workers in workplaces everywhere.
That's what I desire. And together with you and many others around the world, we are working to make this a reality.
We know when this happens customers are better served, better value is produced, more of society's vexing problems get solved, communities flourish, and team members are gratified to be and do and give their best. The positive effects ripple across homes and communities each day. Today we remember that women are essential to this change.
It's time to #ChooseToChallenge!
How will you #ChooseToChallenge to bring the changes you desire to see for women and girls?
