Today I met with a company executive at an ad agency in town, and she and I immediately hit it off after five minutes into the conversation. We were set up to meet by her company founder and didn’t really have more context than the fact he thought “you two should meet”.
Maybe it’s one of those kismet moments, or it’s an intuitive networker who knows how to connect people. Whatever the reason, we will develop a friendship from our chance encounter this morning.
She asked me what I thought of Sheryl Sandberg and it was refreshing to find we both felt passionately in agreement with certain things, such as the likeability factor in women, and the fact that she is speaking to a priveleged woman, and that some women who lean in might get fired. We also disagreed with Sheryl’s stand on women who leave corporate america to be a mom – we both agree that it’s okay for women to have the choice and we embrace it for every individual choice.
Aside from Sandberg, overall we had slightly varying opinions about making female issues “female issues”. But I have to admit, I admired her immediately for the fact that she was being authentic and real and she didn’t feel like there was a women’s issue for her to battle. I told her I could see why – she is completely comfortable in her own skin. That said, she mentioned she was intimidated about the title of CEO, and she was open to a support group of female execs in town whom I think she might enjoy.
It does change my lens a bit on women’s issues or women’s leadership. In the end, we don’t want to make it about a gender, but we do want to be able to be who we are and feel good about it – not apologetic, not labeling ourselves with negative adjectives such as b i t c h if we are too strong, and not feeling like we don’t deserve the position we are in.
Thanks, Jane.
Comments are closed.