2020. What a year it has been. We’ve all experienced what it truly means to live in a VUCA- volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous- world. From a global pandemic to social and political unrest there have been literal and figurative storms everywhere. They haven’t seemed to end. Will they end? And in all this, what does a leader do? Our 2020 book of the year suggests that true leaders go Upstream. Whether in a crisis or not, the quest to solve problems before they happen- as the subtitle of the book indicates- is a noble calling, especially during times where
“You mean there has never been a girl President?” my almost ten-year-old son asks. “No.” I say. “And there has never been a girl Vice President?” he inquires. “Until now?” “Yes.” I say. “Well, Paigey could be either one day.” And he turns his attention to something else. His matter-of-fact way of stating that his sister- or any girl for that matter- could be President or Vice President of the United States just makes sense to him. In his frame of reference, there never having been one is what doesn’t. But the realization that something just doesn’t make good sense,
This year, I have the opportunity to take part in Leadership Greater Hunstville. This program focuses on educating and equipping business leaders to also be community leaders through intense exposure to all facets of the community. “Human Services Day” took place this week. It focuses on understanding the needs of the community and the not-for-profits that help meet these needs, many of which focus on helping marginalized people. The day began with a poverty simulation (CAPS), and we spent most of the afternoon hearing from a variety of not-for-profit entities in the community. One of the not-for-profit leaders participating said
“Grow in my current role.”& “Personal growth.” “Financial security.” & “Growth in earnings.” These are two sets of responses gathered working with our clients and with Horizon Point and MatchFIT team members when posing the question, “What do you want out of your career?” as a part of our Leaders as Career Agents Process. Which pair do you think came from men and which one do you think came from women? Although not a scientific study, I have seen over and over again how the majority of men focus on the financial aspects of career growth and plans whereas women
Pay disparity has long been a topic, most notably with discrepancies in pay between women and minority groups. The #metoo movement and #blacklivesmatter movements have brought this issue even further to the forefront. And rightly so. Payscale published its annual Gender Pay Gap Report in March, stating that, “Since we have started tracking the gender pay gap, the difference between the earnings of women and men has shrunk, but only by an incremental amount each year. There remains a disparity in how men and women are paid, even when all compensable factors are controlled, meaning that women are