The Future of Your Community Lies In Your Hands

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of attending the 2010 Women's Leadership Symposium at UCCS where Frances Hesselbein was the keynote speaker.  She has authored 20 books, and spends a good portion of her time speaking at military bases and universities.  She was the Chief Executive Officer of the Girl Scouts of the USA from 1976 to 1990, and is responsible for turning the organization into one of diversity and inclusiveness.

There were over 200 in attendance, including 6 panelists from varying walks of life who addressed questions about women in leadership and talked about their personal commitments to supporting other women leaders.

I arrived unsure of what I might learn, yet I came away from the meeting refreshed with a belief that my dreams are worthy and attainable.  I spoke with and listened to a number of women about leadership opportunities and the progress women have made over the past few generations.  I came away with a revived opinion of who I am and who I want to be.

"Be aware of your thoughts, for they become your words.  Be aware of your words, for they become your actions.  Be aware of your actions, for they become your habits.  Be aware of your habits, for they become your destiny."  This was how Mrs. Hesselbein opened her speech.  She spoke to us about how her choices have made a difference in the lives of other people, and how we too can make a difference in our communities.

Lessons I took from the meeting include:

• We learn and develop by working with other people, therefore we should include people from all backgrounds into our networks, and grow our garden of friends for the benefit of all included.
• The children are our future, and we should give them all of the tools that we can to help them become sociable adults.  
• Ask questions about the status quo, and have the courage to challenge it and change it for the good of everyone involved.  We can make a difference!
• Find a woman to be your mentor, and in return, mentor another woman or a girl.  It is by teaching and learning from one another that we strengthen our goals and one another.  
• Women can be most cruel to other women, and this is our greatest setback.  We should respect the choices of other women, even if they are different from our own.
• Although many younger women (including myself) have misunderstood the feminist philosophy to mean that we can have it all (family and career), we need to have the courage to make a choice and stand by it.
• Women have a tendency to internalize their feelings.  Self-mutilation and eating disorders are evidence of inner turmoil.  We need to find a way to let the emotions out rather than bottle them inside. Choir, theater, band, sports, running, martial arts, whatever it may be - find it and use it!
• Have the confidence to stand up and do what is right.  Whatever you think, you will become.
• Never stop being a student.  Never stop being a teacher.  
• Mrs. Hesselbein quoted a mentor of hers: "We live in a nation that pretends to care about its children, but it does not."  We must gather the tools to change this, and take better care of our children.  They are our future.