Powerful Conversations: Insights from leaders, coaches, and entrepreneurs on living a life that matters - Gender Equality In Corporate America w/ Julie Des Jardins

Gender Equality In Corporate America w/ Julie Des Jardins

11/26/19 • 48 min

Powerful Conversations: Insights from leaders, coaches, and entrepreneurs on living a life that matters

Opening the conversation about gender equity in and out of the workplace is the first step to creating productive and positive allies. Women have always been in positions that promote a culturally feminine leadership, often behind the scenes or beside strong men. Historian joins Powerful Conversations to discuss feminine modes of leadership in today’s political climate. Julie has written multiple books about strong women who changed history, including her most recent work about Missy Meloney, who you should definitely know. She has also recently started Credas, a consulting firm that helps American corporate companies introduce gender equity. Using Missy Meloney as a strong example, Julie explains why feminine modes of leadership are needed, especially in the current political climate. Having a culturally feminine way of leading allows for less divisive politics, leading to a wider voting pool and clearer objectives. Historically, women have lead from behind the scenes, advocating and encouraging for other women and male allies. In corporate America, women who climb the ladder and get to positions of leadership need to reject the notion they’ve joined a prestigious boy’s club. Instead, they need to help other women coming behind them rise the ladder with them. Change doesn’t happen when we have more women in leadership positions and leave it at that, change happens when we reimagine what these positions of leadership look like. For many women, this looks like being a mother and sharing the struggles they’ve gone through to get to the top. There is power in language, especially in gendered language such as “fireman” and “manhole cover”. When we remove gender from language, we’re removing a barrier and bringing more power and possibility for gender equality. The world has been built around men, but they weren’t the only ones who created it. Making your workplace more gender-neutral and equitable is possible. Julie genuinely believes that most people desire equity, they just don’t know how to get there. That’s why women need to be open to having the hard conversations with men so they can learn how to become a productive ally, instead of living in fear of saying the wrong thing. Have you heard of Missy Meloney? How do you make sure you’re a productive and encouraging ally? What does leadership mean to you? In This Episode: Why feminine modes of leadership are so needed, especially in our current political climate What it means to have a culturally feminine way of leading How there is power by being behind the scenes Why women in leadership roles need to help other women rise the ladder What power there is in the language we use How you can make your workplace more gender-neutral and equitable Why women have to create space for men to ask the hard questions so they can learn how to make positive changes to be a productive ally Quotes: “I would say in American corporate culture, there’s this idea that for a woman to succeed and move up the rungs of the corporate ladder, they have to get in with the boys and play the game like the boys are playing it. And that doesn’t always necessarily mean bringing the women up with you. I strongly urge successful women to reconsider that proposition.” (22:30) “To solve the woman in science problem or the woman in any workplace problem, you can’t just throw more women into that culture, stir, and think that the problem is going to be solved. It is a culture problem. You have to find a way, from the ground up, to reimagine not just what the scientist looks like, but what our very notions of science are at a fundamental level.” (28:02) “There are such subtle ways that we have infused these gendered presumptions into even the most seemingly neutral terms and concepts that this is something we need to start changing in work environments.” (36:46) “Intention means everything. Let’s have a meaningful conversation where everybody in the room, no matter what their perspective is, has to be mindful of where they’re coming from in the conversation.” (45:36) Links Find Julie Des Jardins on | Find Powerful Conversations on | | |

Previous Episode

Food Justice Rock Star w/ Anna Lappé

The state of our nation’s food industry is in complete disarray. From pesticide use to over-farming to ads for sugar-laden drinks and snacks targeting our children, we need to completely overhaul the system. is here to talk about food sustainability, health, and justice. Anna is a best-selling author and advocate for food justice and sustainability who is working to implement systemic changes to improve our food chain. While she’s making a lot of positive impacts and helping people realize the role they play in the food system, many don’t believe they can afford to eat healthy food. Anna knows that the real issue isn’t the cost of food: it’s the policies around housing, healthcare, and food, including the cost of living and what constitutes an actual living wage. Anna explains how the food industry has ended up in its current state of crisis. Sadly, it’s had a lot of influence from chemical companies and other industries seeking to keep the nation in the state that it’s in. She shares what we can do, as consumers, to help change the industry. Unfortunately, our current society isn’t truly built to allow us total control over our food choices. Unlike the European Union, America hasn’t banned many toxic chemicals, artificial flavorings, and antibiotics that seriously impact the quality of the food. We also don’t have easy access to fresh food markets like many European countries do. The biggest question Anna gets asked is where you’re supposed to find the time to create healthy meals for your family when you work full-time, have a commute, and frankly can’t afford a lot of the healthier choices. Anna has a lot of empathy for parents in this situation and encourages batch cooking and freezing of easy meals you can make when you’re short on time. Anna also explains what impact pesticide use is having on our nation’s biodiversity. We are in a state of crisis: from the very real climate threat to the insect population being just half of what it once was. It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Anna shares who her most unlikely partners are - farmers making complete organic changes to the way they farm. She also tells us how we can start to improve our and our family’s diets starting today. Do you eat organic food? How can you be a more conscious consumer? What ways can you start building your family’s healthy eating habits? In This Episode: Why the cost of food isn’t the main issue; we need to look at the policies around housing, healthcare, and food How the food industry and nutrition has gotten into the state it’s currently in What you can do as a consumer to help change the food industry What impact our built and economic environments have on our food choices Where you can find the time to make healthy meals for your family What impact pesticide use is having on our nation’s biodiversity Where you can start to improve your diet Quotes: “The real crisis in our food system isn’t a crisis in our food system, it’s a crisis in our democracy.” (4:14) “None of us, as individuals, should feel any sense of failure if we’re unable to make the meals we dream of having with our families.” (35:00) “The level at which we use pesticides in this country is creating a crisis for public health as well as for biodiversity, which I would argue is at the basis of public health.” (45:46) Links Find Anna Lappé on Find Powerful Conversations on | | |

Next Episode

What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table w/ Minda Harts

Black women exist in corporate America and the more we talk about, advocate, and acknowledge them and their differences, the better their experience will be. is here to talk about how black women can be their own advocates to advance in their life and career. Minda Harts is the CEO of The Memo LLC, a career development platform for women of color. She’s written the best-selling book, The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table, full of career advice for women to climb the ranks in their jobs. While Minda started losing her self-identity at work, her desire to stop sexism in the workplace was born. The more we open the conversation about workplace politics and sexism in the workplace, the more awareness, and eventually change, we bring to the problems. For women of color especially, having that sense of belonging in the workplace is vital. It impacts everything from self-belief to job performance. Minda shares some of the secrets she’s written about in The Memo about what women need to do in order to advance in business. Part of the future is about recognizing when a woman, especially a woman of color, is doing a remarkable job in their industries. Social media helps make these acknowledgments easier and more accessible. That’s one of the reasons Minda is so active on social media, particularly Twitter. She’s built an engaged following, community, and network who have helped further her career in a number of ways. Social media also helps women become their own personal advocates. But it’s not just through social media that women can advocate for themselves. When we speak up and ask for what we want, as many of our male counterparts do, we’re often surprised when we get it. Minda shares why you need to make a name for yourself at your workplace by attending social functions and putting yourself in the sight of key people who can help further your career. Do you feel like you’re flying solo at work? How can you start advocating for yourself today? Have you felt like you’ve lost a piece of your identity at work? In This Episode: How you can lose pieces of your identity when you go into a corporate workforce Why we need to talk about workplace politics and sexism in the workplace Why having a sense of belonging in the workplace can make a difference to your job performance What you need to do in order to advance in business Why it’s important to acknowledge the women, especially women of color, who are doing an exceptional job in their industries What power there is in being your own personal advocate Why you should be active on the social media platforms you enjoy to build a network Why you need to hold fast to your virtues and find the right audience for your work Quotes: “Success is not a solo sport. We can all be successful. I can help you get there faster and you can help me get there faster. Who wants to be at the table as the only one?” (7:41) “Even if I don’t think I might be worth whatever the amount is in my head, I know that I’m doing myself a disservice if I don’t ask for it. That’s the part of the equation you get to control: What you ask for.” (26:27) “One way or the other, we need to know if our companies are invested in our success and the only way to do that is to keep having those conversations and advocate for ourselves.” (33:32) Links Find Minda Harts on | Find Powerful Conversations on | | |