WOMEN & LEADERSHIP
If there is a fact that gives me jitters and at the same sends shivers down my spine is; during our independence as a country, Singapore and Kenya were at the same level economically and facing the same challenges.
But look, how about today??
Singapore has "come a long way" in terms of female participation in politics, and there is still room to grow when it comes to women taking up leadership positions there. The Asian Tiger has made tremendous progress in terms of the percentage of women in Parliament.
Looking back at the early 1980s, the country didn't have a single female Member of Parliament. Now the country boasts to have got over 20 per cent, which is higher than the international average... so that is pretty good.
But look, how about today??
Singapore has "come a long way" in terms of female participation in politics, and there is still room to grow when it comes to women taking up leadership positions there. The Asian Tiger has made tremendous progress in terms of the percentage of women in Parliament.
Looking back at the early 1980s, the country didn't have a single female Member of Parliament. Now the country boasts to have got over 20 per cent, which is higher than the international average... so that is pretty good.
Here in Africa, Rwanda is a special model for women leadership though I am using Singapore since it's developed wholistically.
In Kenya certainly, we hope to see women growing in leadership positions, because that then allows women to fully develop their capabilities and contribute towards the growth & development of our country.
Oprah famously said that “We can't become what we need to be by remaining what we are”
We've got to change tact as a country and Singapore is a perfect model to look up to for growth and development in all aspects; economically, politically and so on. Kenyan women have made strides, with many taking part in fields that are traditionally dominated by men, such as science courses in university. I call for employers and families to support women, particularly working mothers.
It’s really not so much about a gender debate. Effective leadership comes from being able to access our masculine and feminine qualities and use them authentically, when they are needed most. But there are specific challenges that women need to move through to create real success in leadership, their business and in their lives.
When looking at entrepreneurship, women are taking the lead. In the United States, 30% of all businesses are owned by women. Female-owned enterprises have an economic impact of nearly $3 trillion annually - that translates into the creation and/or maintenance of more than 23 million jobs (Center for Women’s Business Research, 2009).
Successful women in leadership find that there are seven factors for creating lasting success in politics and so on:
Mental Attitude – Having a positive outlook, and turning your fears into your teachers, your weaknesses into your strengths.
Emotional Intelligence / Social Intelligence – Having the ability to feel your emotions and communicate them in a healthy way, when needed.
Flexibility – Having the ability to dance with the inevitable changes that leadership and life bring, while staying connected to the vision of your organization.
Leadership Skills – Having effective tools and skills to manage things such as time, energy, money, and communication. Plus, the organizational skills to make it all happen.
Perseverance – Staying the course even through hard times. Having the ability to remain committed and believe in yourself and your business, regardless of the circumstances.
Relationship Building – Giving up doing it all alone. Having the ability to create alliances that will mentor, support and grow you.
Taking Control of Your Life – Having the willingness to do the personal growth work. Identifying your strengths, weaknesses and being personally responsible for your life.
Your mental attitude is your power tool for success. It is like a muscle to build, so getting out of the habit of self-sabotage takes practice. As you start to notice the areas of your life that you hold an attitude of stress, frustration, disappointment, fear or negativity, you can start by just noticing that it is an attitude. Suspend judgement and begin to shift your attention to the new attitude you want to develop. Over time, the new attitude will become your habitual way of interacting with the world.
In Kenya certainly, we hope to see women growing in leadership positions, because that then allows women to fully develop their capabilities and contribute towards the growth & development of our country.
Oprah famously said that “We can't become what we need to be by remaining what we are”
We've got to change tact as a country and Singapore is a perfect model to look up to for growth and development in all aspects; economically, politically and so on. Kenyan women have made strides, with many taking part in fields that are traditionally dominated by men, such as science courses in university. I call for employers and families to support women, particularly working mothers.
It’s really not so much about a gender debate. Effective leadership comes from being able to access our masculine and feminine qualities and use them authentically, when they are needed most. But there are specific challenges that women need to move through to create real success in leadership, their business and in their lives.
When looking at entrepreneurship, women are taking the lead. In the United States, 30% of all businesses are owned by women. Female-owned enterprises have an economic impact of nearly $3 trillion annually - that translates into the creation and/or maintenance of more than 23 million jobs (Center for Women’s Business Research, 2009).
Successful women in leadership find that there are seven factors for creating lasting success in politics and so on:
Mental Attitude – Having a positive outlook, and turning your fears into your teachers, your weaknesses into your strengths.
Emotional Intelligence / Social Intelligence – Having the ability to feel your emotions and communicate them in a healthy way, when needed.
Flexibility – Having the ability to dance with the inevitable changes that leadership and life bring, while staying connected to the vision of your organization.
Leadership Skills – Having effective tools and skills to manage things such as time, energy, money, and communication. Plus, the organizational skills to make it all happen.
Perseverance – Staying the course even through hard times. Having the ability to remain committed and believe in yourself and your business, regardless of the circumstances.
Relationship Building – Giving up doing it all alone. Having the ability to create alliances that will mentor, support and grow you.
Taking Control of Your Life – Having the willingness to do the personal growth work. Identifying your strengths, weaknesses and being personally responsible for your life.
Your mental attitude is your power tool for success. It is like a muscle to build, so getting out of the habit of self-sabotage takes practice. As you start to notice the areas of your life that you hold an attitude of stress, frustration, disappointment, fear or negativity, you can start by just noticing that it is an attitude. Suspend judgement and begin to shift your attention to the new attitude you want to develop. Over time, the new attitude will become your habitual way of interacting with the world.
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