The Roles Women Can Play As Leadership Mentors

My daughter is what most would describe as a typical nine-year-old girl. She is bold, strong-willed and not afraid to test boundaries. Quite often, I find myself in a flustered stalemate with her, likely because she inherits those attributes from me.

Under our same roof lives my mother, a woman whose spirit — even through the fog of Alzheimer’s disease — emanates the unrelenting will of a girl who escaped early marriage in India 65 years ago, pursued an education and then built a multi-faceted career, unlocking a new life for herself and endless possibilities for her future family.

Negotiation and persuasion effectively altered the lives of women in my family so, even in moments of mania-inducing frustration, I encourage and revere my daughter’s ability to be a force of nature …

As leaders, regardless of our gender, it is incumbent upon us to venerate women who break the mold and celebrate their bravery. For those of us who are female leaders, we can lead by example and ostensibly advocate for ourselves and female colleagues when policies and practices disadvantage women. Here are a few additional actions we can take to champion the young women in our personal and professional communities:

• Strengthen the connections among women.
• Embrace mentoring moments, offering insight or support that may provide a needed boost of confidence or assurance.
• Negotiate communally. Acknowledge that each personal success is a collective victory for all.
• Encourage positive feelings about negotiation and a strong sense of self-worth.

Read the full article about girls in leadership roles by Geetha Murali at Forbes.