Jane Never Had a Mentor
I have been spending the last few weeks enjoying the Windy city. The architecture, the people, and of course the food! As I spend time talking to the local Chicagoians I find the same thing here that I find in Atlanta and throughout my travels across the country. It is clear that all women want to be successful. I don’t believe any woman plans to be unsuccessful. Of course as my mother use to tell me, “you can’t win them all.” And we know that mom’s right but we still have to try don’t we, LOL? If you have success on one end of the spectrum and dare I say it FAILURE on the other end, then there must be a great deal of room in between.
In our world, this “room” feels like a jungle. It is a jungle because as women we are in seemingly uncharted territory. It is only in recent years that women have taken their rightful reign in the executive suite. Nonetheless, business is not easy. It can be ruthless, cutthroat and unfair. Ask Hilary Clinton and Sarah Palin!
That said, attaining success is a journey in the jungle for men, too. Many men, however, still see themselves as Tarzan – the brave, bold hunter – and us as Jane. Honestly, I’m not exactly sure how to describe Jane’s role. In the story, it highlights Tarzan’s brawn and Jane’s beauty. I doubt Jane had a mentor!
While this story takes place in a more primitive culture, how many of us lack mentorship and support like Jane did? I’m a firm believer that women need to mentor and support each other’s growth, while also learning to work together. I’m not talking about some soft, fluffy nonsense sisterhood, no! I mean strong, focused sense. There is tremendous value in those of us who have broke the glass ceiling to help other women learn the tricks of the trade. The glass ceiling even in 2008 is still pretty thick; we need as many coordinated hammers pounding away at it as possible. As the saying goes, if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
As the weeks and months go on I will be sharing with you my experiences on this journey and I hope to encourage you on yours.
http://www.skirtsintheboardroom.com
In our world, this “room” feels like a jungle. It is a jungle because as women we are in seemingly uncharted territory. It is only in recent years that women have taken their rightful reign in the executive suite. Nonetheless, business is not easy. It can be ruthless, cutthroat and unfair. Ask Hilary Clinton and Sarah Palin!
That said, attaining success is a journey in the jungle for men, too. Many men, however, still see themselves as Tarzan – the brave, bold hunter – and us as Jane. Honestly, I’m not exactly sure how to describe Jane’s role. In the story, it highlights Tarzan’s brawn and Jane’s beauty. I doubt Jane had a mentor!
While this story takes place in a more primitive culture, how many of us lack mentorship and support like Jane did? I’m a firm believer that women need to mentor and support each other’s growth, while also learning to work together. I’m not talking about some soft, fluffy nonsense sisterhood, no! I mean strong, focused sense. There is tremendous value in those of us who have broke the glass ceiling to help other women learn the tricks of the trade. The glass ceiling even in 2008 is still pretty thick; we need as many coordinated hammers pounding away at it as possible. As the saying goes, if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
As the weeks and months go on I will be sharing with you my experiences on this journey and I hope to encourage you on yours.
http://www.skirtsintheboardroom.com
...While this story takes place in a more primitive culture, how many of us lack mentorship and support like Jane did...
Mentorship is so very important to young women striving to make a name for themselves and sadly enough there just aren't enough people stepping up to plate. I try to mentor my younger female relatives as much as they will allow me to. It is about legacy and posterity for the next generation so that they will not have to re-invent the wheel. This is one reason I am thankful for the people who have paved the way before me.