257. ShowOff Project - The Vision

 

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This is a very special project.
I'm calling it the SHOW OFF project. 

Where I'll be showing off everyday women from my world, in short episodes.

As part of celebrating International Women's Day.
 
And I'm kicking off this special series by sharing my vision.
Something I've been skirting around for years.
 
You see, I've been tired. Exhausted.
Yes, we've had the pandemic.
Yes there's war.
And floods.
And trouble everywhere.
Many reasons to be weary. 

But this tiredness was from lack of vision.
Or rather, a denying of my purpose.
 
And today I'm sharing my personal story and why.
 
You see, for years I've mentored, coached and cheered on leadership.
But I succumbed to the mainstream message that says that's too intangible. It's okay for corporate or executive coaching, but not women in general.
"Why don't you niche down and help women grow their businesses", came the advice.
And so I did.
And for the last few years, online, I've been doing that.
 
But it goes a little further than that.
I kinda wound my life down over a decade.
Playing and operating smaller each year.
But not really seeing it.
I could call it out in others, but didn't see it in myself.
 
After escaping a very oppressive anti-women-in-leadership culture, 
I went from teaching and inspiring leadership, to the "practical" job of marketing, branding, business growth and productivity.
And yes I loved it.
And excelled at it.
But it was a pressure, not so much a pleasure.
 
Because I was born to empower and inspire women to lead.
 
And so I make, formally, an announcement today...
I'm back on track.
I'm taking up my calling.
Embracing it fully.
Yikes.
 
I commit to empowering women.
Inspiring them.
Equipping them.
Teaching them.

To lead.
 
I guess the original calling came to me 29 years ago. When my dad gave me a new book for Christmas, called Developing the leader within, by John C Maxwell.

And that book put into words what I knew to be true.
What I knew my calling was.
 
I'd done a long architecture degree.
I'd operated as an exec in a corporation.
And I was in the position of National Training & Development Manager.  And so I quickly developed my own LDP (Leadership Development Program).
 
I was a fish in water.
 
I've always had a thing for leadership.
Despite being shy, which I now see was caused by a shaming pattern in my family and the religious culture I was born into.
 
I was often getting in trouble for being 'bossy'.
 
The same behaviour would have attracted praise in a boy... doesn't he show leadership potential, they would have said.
 
But I had no clue about gender. Or gender inequality.
 
I loved seeing great leadership in action.
Historical figures.
Contemporary figures.
 
And I never distinguished between gender.
But the last few years has laid on my heart the very great need of the planet for a new kind of leadership. A new flavour. An entirely new species of leadership.

Gender equality of leadership is not just about numbers, but about effectiveness.
About heart.
About the survival of the human race.
 
Women do one thing beautifully. Biologically.
We grow life. We nurture. We give birth.
And through women, as the Dalai Lama so prophetically said at the Vancouver Peace Summit a decade ago, the world will be saved by the western woman.
 
What he meant is that women naturally bring a greater focus on nurturing and connecting. In other words, love - which is the cure of the wounds of our time.
 
So here's my vision...
I'm owning it.
 
And this month I'm releasing my new website, my new programs and speaking up louder than I ever have before.
 
I have an agenda… the thing I came for at this time in history – to empower women to consciously lead their worlds.

I believe every woman across the globe should be given this opportunity.
 
“If you want to lift up humanity, empower women”, by Melinda Gates - is one of my absolute favourite quotes.
 
Because when you empower women, humanity rises.
 
History proves the 3.5% rule... a small minority can actually change the world.
 
8 billion human beings..    
280 million influencers...        
9.8 million leaders...            
343k leader of leaders...               
12k leader mentors...
420... leader awakeners...
15... initiators
 
Doesn’t matter what you call them, but get the picture? 
See the possibility?
 
If I can influence 15 people right now...
... and then 3.5% spread that influence....
The vision can spread.

Women can affect conscious leadership everywhere.
 
Brand leaders.
Thought leaders.
Industry leaders. 
Leaders for the Environment.
Leaders for Education. Art. Health. Science. Politics...
Leaders in Families.
 
Real, high consciousness INSPIRATIONISTS. People who are living smack bang in their high calling – building compassionate and powerful brands, incomes and impact from their unique wow. 

New Leaders. New World.
 
Actually changing the world, from the inside out, not just talking about it.
 
How will we do it?
 
By awakening WOMEN to:
Stop reacting. Stop following. Stop comparing.
And start consciously leading.
 
By re-imagining leadership.
By re-defining leadership.
And change the picture we have of pinstripes, corporate blue suits and boardrooms, or war rooms.
 
By calling forth WOMEN to BE the leaders their worlds are absolutely craving for. Because when women awaken the wow inside them, the results are phenomenal. When women are switched on to the magic they can create and cheer each other on... the earth smiles.
 
So I hope you enjoy these Special Edition episodes throughout March.
 
The whole purpose of this March project is to use International Women’ Day and Women's History Month as an opportunity to celebrate women… to ‘show off’ about them, which is something we are usually uncomfortable with.
 
My desire is to bring a little insight, encouragement, inspiration and even a little joy and beauty at a difficult time on the planet.  And, most importantly, to help me on this mission to re-imagine leadership for women.
 
Not for the sake of gender equality, although that is noble.
But for the sake of humanity.
 
I hope you enjoy.... SHOW OFF MONTH.


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