Dr. Abdi's Camp

Many of you know I am a great admirer of Dr. Abdi, and wrote about her as a model of connectivity in my recent book, HUM.

The camp run by Dr. Hawa Abdi and her daughters was attacked. Thousands of Somalis living in peace, with free access to education and medical care, are now threatened. Help Dr. Hawa rebuild and provide security in her community: http://www.vitalvoices.org/news/2013/07/emergency-appeal-dr-hawa-abdi-camp-attacked

Women Harnessing and Sharing Their Power

Yesterday I had the great fortune to work with 27 amazing women entrepreneurs from developing nations around the world through a Vital Voices partnership with Fortune and the U.S. State Department. Our session was the kick-off of an intense month in the U.S. for each of them as they work with high-powered mentors in their fields. One of the great strengths of the Vital Voices leadership model is that it emphasizes their responsibility to share what they learn when they return home and mentor other women in their own countries.

Each of these women has a unique and compelling story, whether she's from Kazakhstan, Bosnia, Burma, or Nigeria, and whether she's founded a nonprofit to help poor children, a mining company, or her own financial services organization. What was most striking, however, was how much these women, meeting one another for the first time, had in common. Each had strongly-held values about honesty, integrity, and helping others. Each felt called to "do more," had overcome extreme adversity, and yet remained enthusiastically optimistic.

These women are building a network among themselves and with the U.S. leaders they meet over the coming weeks that will expand their connections in unimaginable ways. Vital Voices has wisely applied the research on how "weak ties"--those we connect with beyond our immediate circle, are often the source of new ideas and opportunities.

These courageous women are the embodiment of connective change. In our opening session, they identified the traits of the best social systems they have experienced, and as you'd guess, in spite of their different backgrounds, they agreed on what makes a connective organization on any continent and in any industry--one characterized by trust, cooperation, encouragement, accountability, fairness, clear goals, and positive feedback.

I can hardly wait to see what impact each of them has as a result of her experiences in this program. Already successful, each will blossom in unexpected, positive ways. Thank you, Vital Voices, for again giving me the privilege of working with your amazing participants in this program.

Women Leading Connective Change in the Middle East-North Africa (MENA) Region

Being back in Jordan to continue work with the MENA Businesswomen's Network, I am in awe of the intelligence and tenacity of these women. Business leaders and entrepreneurs from 10 countries, they are dedicated to helping more women become business leaders and entrepreneurs, contributing substantially to the economic vibrancy of their communities and the entire region.

As I am in the process of writing a book about Connective Change--choices that link people to one another in pursuit of shared, positive goals--it is so affirming to witness Connective Change as the natural style among these amazing women. With so many obstacles to overcome, they doggedly focus on the positive and the good--what CAN be done if they remain clever, collaborative and creative. It is a gift to be in their presence and drink in their enthusiasm for what is possible as well as their celebration of what has already been achieved.

Thank you, Vital Voices, for providing me the opportunity to share with and learn from these diverse and determined women. I was asked at lunch what makes me happy. Without hesitation, I replied that feeling relevant makes me happy. And being here, coaching these leaders, without a doubt makes me feel both useful and happy.

Thoughts on Women and Power

Riham Helmy, Vital Voices participant from Egypt, with Sherry Schiller

Last week I had the pleasure of working with two amazing groups of women through Vital Voices. One group is composed of 26 dynamic entrepreneurs from developing countries, in DC for a partnership of Vital Voices, the US State Department, and Fortune the Most Powerful Women.

I had the opportunity to lead seminars with these inspiring women for two days, including a session on shaping organizational cultures and leading change. It’s always so interesting how universally applicable my work is on organizational culture and leading change. The participants came from different continents and different industries. Their organizations ranged in size and age. And yet they all had experienced connective and disconnective cultures, and were grateful to learn a model to understand and shape culture. Similarly, our work around leading change was built on strategies to create greater purpose and harmony. They found these strategies practical and insightful, whether they were going to apply them in a manufacturing company in China or a micro-enterprise in Haiti.

All of these women are multi-talented, courageous, and dedicated to improving their communities and countries. One of our participants, Thembe Sachikonye, is engaged in the first independent news reporting and commentary in her country, Zimbabwe. I think you’ll be fascinated by the newspaper article she published about her experiences here last week. “Thoughts On Women and Power” by Thembe Sachikonye, News Day – Zimbabwe (excerpt). Click on the article title link for her complete story.

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Thoughts on Women and Power

At the beginning of this week I sat in Washington DC, in a room with 25 emerging women leaders between the ages of 25 and 45, from countries all across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, who are participating in the Vital Voices Global Partnership.

Without exception each woman appeared in some way to be a change agent, often going where others had not gone before, and taking risks that required courage and commitment to achieve uncommon goals.

Vital Voices Global Partnership is an NGO that identifies trains and empowers emerging women leaders and social entrepreneurs around the globe, enabling them to make use of their potential to transform lives and accelerate peace and prosperity in their communities.

By equipping women with management, business development, marketing and communication skills, the partnership helps women to expand their enterprises, provide for their families and create jobs in their communities.

Thinking about it later, I realized that the leadership potential, the resolve and the intelligence and education I witnessed in that room were not unique to this space and this time.

In each of the countries represented by these women, there are 25 others, 250 others, 2 500 others and many more who, while they may not be in one room at the same time, are still as capable and effective as the ones congregated in Washington.

They too are agents of change, pioneers, trailblazers and icons of empowerment. What do all of these women have in common?

Let me know what you think about these issues.

Vital Voices

Last night I had the great privilege of attending Vital Voices 10th Anniversary Global Leadership Awards, entitled, “A Decade of Investing in Women to Improve the World,” at the sold-out Kennedy Center Opera House. The entire evening was moving, from Secretary Clinton’s passionate plea for justice for women throughout the world to the awardees’ moving stories of their struggles against impossible odds in addressing issues like human trafficking. The recent program for women leaders in the Middle East and Northern Africa where I shared my work on Connective Change was cited as an illustration of Vital Voices’ courage to go where it is needed when it is needed.

The Global Trailblazer Award for Voice of the Decade was awarded to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from Burma. This was particularly meaningful for me because nine years ago I met with the members of her party in Yangon to help them with envision and strategize for her release, as well as a more democratic nation afterwards. She was released from prison later that week, although, as we know, not permanently. In her comments last night, Suu Kyi encouraged us to keep an eye on Burma and hold it accountable for implementing the inclusiveness it's leaders are promising.

The musical tribute that closed the ceremony was a choral piece, “Walk On,” written by Bono as a tribute to Aung San Suu Kyi. Talking about the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, he said, “Suu Kyi, with an idea too big for any jail and a spirit too strong for any army, changes our view—as only real heroes can—of what we believe is possible. She’s a character of great grace. Her struggle has become a symbol of what’s best about our humanity and worst.”

From actors like Sally Field, journalists like Tina Brown and Wolf Blitzer, political leaders like Senator Kay Baily Hutchinson and the amazing awardees from all over the world, the message was clear: “A society that values its women will be healthy and strong. Women must have a vital voice in the decisions shaping their future.”

Working with purpose and harmony, the Vital Voices global partnership launches its second decade. I am proud to be on their team. See more at Schiller Center for Connective Change.