The gender lens…

March was Women’s History Month.  You might remember March 8^th commemorated International Women’s Day.  I appreciated the reminders on our many social media sites.  According to Wikipedia: 

International Women's Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. 

A celebration well deserved, however… 

I acknowledge the historical view that men have dominated leadership roles in many walks of life.  It is all too common for political parties, partisanship, corporations, and other institutions to be instituted by men.  But - we should be posing the question, “Is that good?” 

I wish we were less caught up; less judgmental; less myopic in matters of gender and other human characteristics.  Is it just me?  It feels like every day requires going to battle with someone over something. 

Women have made the most significant impacts on my life.  Starting with my Mom, who I watched firsthand throughout my early childhood and continuing into the initial months of my marriage. The physical, mental, emotional, and financial strength she demonstrated during her prolonged suffering from terminal cancer are indescribable.  And yet, she remained gentle throughout her ordeal: 

There is nothing so strong as gentleness.  Nothing so gentle as real strength. 

                   Saint Francis de Sales 

I think she died with a degree of comfort, “passing the torch” to my young bride.  My wife (whom I write about often) is the strongest and most capable person I have ever known.  Yet, I didn’t think of my Mom and I don’t think of my wife simply through a lens of gender.  There have been many great women who are great people and great leaders that I gladly followed – still do: 

Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence. 

                        Dean Nohria 

If our modern societies need to stop and set aside one day or one month to celebrate the great women of the world, what does that say about the rest of the year?  I worry about some women in the spotlight today acting less like my Mom and my wife and more like men.  The U.S. Representative for Colorado’s 3^rd congressional district as an embarrassing example.  

But I’m not making a political statement.  I worry about all the testosterone-laced, win-at-any-cost messaging so pervasive today.  I would welcome women of the world stepping forward and changing our course; leading as women.  Women being coarse is not the way my Mom or my wife would do it; Laurie Beth Jones either: 

In this country, negative information is free. Positive information you have to search for… 

I hunger for change – and I don’t care what the gender is of those leaders we seek.  I’d like to believe women like my Mom and my wife, joined by men with shared values, can come up with a better way: 

We have it in our power to begin the world over again… 

                   Thomas Paine 

What if every day throughout every month was International Women’s Day?  What if we measured advancement not by gender but by improvements in our physical and mental health; increased longevity of our family relationships; a return of civility in our country; and attaining a degree of world peace? 

Gentle strength shouldn’t entail just one special day or merely one month.  As a man, I’m ready to follow great and gentle leaders everyday - regardless of gender - needed now perhaps more than ever. 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.