As we approach International Women’s Day 2022, I pause to reflect on what it feels like for me to be a woman in this part of history.
Over the last 2 years I’ve been fortunate to live through and survive a world pandemic which has provided many stark opportunities to live more consciously and compassionately. I know this is not the case for all women, some experienced increased domestic violence, others were discriminated and disadvantaged in their work roles and others were overwhelmed with working from home, home schooling, isolation, while some experienced disease and painful loss of their loved ones. There are so many stories, and I can only truly share my own.
I am now an optimist. I was not born this way. I was born in a traditional, migrant family where females had less rights than males. When males were born there was celebration when females were born there was commiserations. Males were able to have social lives, education, careers and were served in their home life. Females were subservient with their primary roles as child bearers, cooks, cleaners with no careers or personal identities. For the first 18 years of my life, I quietly fought for my own personal freedom to have an education, have a voice and to have a choice on the life I could live. For nearly a third of my life I was a captive and a victim. With the help of my teachers and brother I set myself free.
In the last 2 years we have become more inclusive and diverse than in any other time in my life. We work from home, our gender roles in our families have evolved, we are no longer seen as just our work role/identity we are now seen as real people with pets, children, and life passions/hobbies. The work institution and work biases that were carried over from last century are diminishing. Out-dated male dominated power continues to decline and is replaced by current day inclusive, diverse, progressive, collaborative and respectful leadership. We have more women in leadership roles than ever before in my lifetime. The #metoo movement and our current Australian leaders like Ash Barty and Grace Tame are awesome examples of women’s strength, courage and leadership.
Being a CEO in my own organization has provided me with challenges and joy. It is the first time in my career that I have allowed myself to take a lead role. My leadership in the past has been to support others and be a leader alongside others. Being a CEO has helped me grow my leadership capabilities – in areas that have surprised me. I have truly embraced being surrounded by an awesome A team of people of all ages and backgrounds living remotely from Europe to country Victoria. I am learning how to leverage off the expertise of our team and when to lead and when to follow and most importantly when to step back and allow the creative magic to happen. I love learning with and from our team and love seeing us all grow as we grow our business.
Today, my Coaching clients are more diverse with people of all ages and backgrounds, and I love seeing how their world is opening and celebrating diversity, inclusivity and equity.
People of all ages are awakening, becoming more conscious and growing. People who fail to evolve are becoming obsolete in some environments. Equity and freedom are core values for me. I see in my 16-year-old daughter and her friends a strong, articulate passionate generation. I am grateful for the strong, compassionate and inclusive leadership I am now experiencing and contributing to, I feel more like a victor than ever before. I am hopeful for the future.
