Brave Girls: Raising Young Women with Passion and Purpose to Become Powerful Leaders by Stacey Radin

Author:Stacey Radin [Radin, Stacey]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Atria Books
Published: 2015-01-05T16:00:00+00:00

The Social Renegade

Social renegades are a spectrum of women from the outspoken firebrands to the quietly self-aware. Some have blazed trails and marched for women’s equality; others have taken a stand in a subtler way, going up against the status quo in a company to embrace new thinking, or impacting corporate culture by purposefully creating a more inclusive, sustainable environment. Women and girls discover and express themselves in many ways; the key is providing opportunities for them to practice their communication skills early on, so they become ingrained and automatic.

Opportunities for girls to learn to leverage their strengths and find a style of communication that reflects their unique personalities are desperately needed. The goal is not to force quieter introverts to be gregarious and boisterous; it is to empower girls to stand up for what they believe in, express their views with strength and clarity, and experience being heard. They must be encouraged to communicate authentically, whether that’s in an outspoken and extroverted manner or with quiet passion. When girls and women discover their “true” voices, regardless of decibel, they become equipped to challenge traditional thoughts and behavior, leading the way for others to follow suit, and opening doors of possibility to create change. The earlier girls are exposed to situations requiring them to communicate fearlessly, the more likely they are to mature into women who are unafraid to have a voice even when faced with resistance from others. Renée, one of my clients, was a prime example. She’d climbed the corporate ladder from an administrative position at a well-known global investment bank and securities trading firm to managing director of fixed income. Renée strongly believed the bank needed a women’s network, as the men in her company tended to eclipse everyone else in visibility and networking. Despite knowing she would encounter apprehension and resistance from male managers, she made a case for her initiative and received backing from her department head. She assembled a small committee that spent months identifying specific goals and objectives based on need and interest; for a year and a half they sponsored networking events, hosted a lecture series featuring influential keynote speakers, developed a leadership-development mentorship program, spearheaded charity work, and connected women who didn’t know one another despite having worked just a few desks apart for years. Her concept was wildly successful, and soon her model expanded to other areas of the investment firm; not long after that, branches from all over the world were calling to inquire about starting a chapter. A year later when she asked for a raise—something many female professionals are hesitant to do—her request was approved.

Stifling authentic voices also thwarts communication skills, compromising the chances of a girl or a woman being taken seriously by others. All along the age spectrum, females tend to soften their statements, qualifying statements with “I think” or inserting the proverbial “like” or “um,” diluting the power of their ideas. They respond to questions with “I know this sounds silly, but . . .

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