The 70’s was a time of vast changes. The movements were all coming together, civil rights, peace, women, all saying “there has to be a better way”.
Anyone out there remember the album for kids, actually for all of us that had songs like “free to be you and me”, “It’s alright to cry”, “parents are people”? What a break through time. Many of us in the work world have taken the philosophy from that time with us.
Respect, listening, and what we teach in our Total Leadership Connections program, that we are all connected and no one wins unless we all do are key elements of this time when we see the impact of one disaster, the oil spill, moving through our beautiful ocean to beaches as far away as Miami. We need these concepts now, more than ever before.
So, this week with the long week-end behind us start to look at the deeper meaning of what it means to be free, what it means to be an individual in a society that gives room for free speech, what are the components of leadership that we, as women, need to continue to bring into this time.
We are way past bra burning and blaming men for the plight of the planet. We are all in it together and the more we think in terms of interdependence, the more quickly we can move to that place where we can find solutions to our most pressing problems.
The web, blogging, responding to what is said can go viral in minutes. It truly is an amazing time. We have the ability to impact and influence. We must do it wisely. We are learning social boundaries. We can make ourselves known. Let’s do it by asking questions, adding to the knowledge base, giving unique examples to make a point.
I believe we are all seeking direction and looking for answers. The answers will come to us more from meaningful dialogue that from sitting quietly and listening to a guru. Right now we are all part of the whole and a new sense of self-empowerment means understanding that interdependence is more to the point than independence; that true freedom comes from all of us working together for the greater good.
As the sense of connected power spreads, the meaning of management changes; management means encouraging others to develop, to bring creative energy into full bloom. Leadership also changes and has a great deal to do with being the visionary, guiding the entire team, company, community to seek solutions that are lasting and that are the foundation for next generations to build cathedrals upon.
This is a time to b e free to be you and me and create a sustainable future together.
Sylvia Lafair
Sylvia Lafair, PhD, is President of CEO – Creative Energy Options, Inc., a global consulting company focused on optimizing workplace relationships through her exclusive PatternAware™ Leadership Model. Dr. Lafair is the author of Don’t Bring It to Work: Breaking the Family Patterns That Limit Success published by Jossey-Bass. As an executive coach and leadership educator, she has more than 30 years of experience with all levels of management from leading corporate officers of global companies to executives of non-profits and owners of leading family-owned businesses. She is now offering GUTSY Women Weekends, giving women the opportunity to dialogue and clarify next steps.
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