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Let’s Re-Write the “Single Story” of Women’s Leadership
Mil NiepoldFounder and President, The Mara Partners
IMPACTv ConferenceOctober 22, 2015
US State Department
From This …..
US State Department
To This….
US State Department
To This….
Initiative for Inclusive Security
WHERE ARE WE?Leadership Today
Some Inconvenient (Leadership) Truths
Negotiations are a major tool society uses to address vital issues, but:– Women are significantly under-represented– Results in skewed perspectives– Ignores “societal perfect storm” in which
negotiations occur
The Cynicism Trap
But Stakes Could Not be Higher
Today’s “operating environment” is:• Conflict prone • Boundary-less• Lawless• Depleted
CAN ANYONE HELP?Bright Spots in Women’s Leadership Today
Yes, but…
Prepare to be:• Disliked (Harvard Business School)• Ignored (Cecilia Ridgeway)• Underpaid (Institute for Women’s Policy
Research)• In the minority (World Economic Forum)
Strategies for Resetting the Table
Step 1. Improve Who’s at the Table“I’m not sure how bringing the warriors together around the table actually results in peace”.
Amb. Swanee Hunt
Getting a Seat at the table:• Northern Ireland: women formed a political party just 6 weeks
before the negotiations in order to have a seat at the table• Yemen: women found male relatives to escort them to negotiations• Papua New Guinea: World Bank provided childcare to ensure
women in mining communities could participate in the community meetings
Step 2: Answer the “Why Women?” Question Carefully
Multiple Choice Quiz:Fork in the (Pre-Negotiating) Road
Why should men have more women at the negotiating table? Because of:
a. Parity/equity/women’s rightsb. They need more coffee brought in c. It is required (quotas, constitutions, etc.)d. Women flirted with theme. It is the secret to a successful negotiation (impact/reaching goals, innovation)
And yet….
• According to University of Lausanne Professor, John Antonakis “the good styles of leadership come more naturally to women”
• Like it or not, you’ll still need more “ammunition” to get in the room
Ammunition: AKA The “Business” Case • Research shows that increasing women’s
voice/agency/decision-making authority, etc. improves organizational performance, governance, innovation and human development outcomes. World Economic ForumWorld BankMcKinseyGoldman SachsOxford University
• “Gender Inequality Costs As Much As the American and Chinese Economies Combined”
Step 3: Communicate the Case Clearly
• http://resetthepeacetable.org
GHANA & HUMAN TRAFFICKINGWomen’s Leadership Case Study
Women and Trafficking
• 80% of trafficking victims are women & girls• Gender sensitive approaches to trafficking are
victims’ services• 2 countries in the world have put women on the
front lines (Ghana and Nicaragua)• Strong case for women in prosecution/border
protection/legal/police roles (women in these roles are less corruption and trafficking thrives in corrupt environments)
Conclusion: What my Fitbit Taught Me about Women’s Leadership
• I need to walk more• I already walk a lot• Standing up is the first step
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