| Women should not be afraid of or feel guilty about | | | | Not if you have the right support system (see #8, |
| taking a leadership role--in their organization, in their | | | | below). Real leaders integrate their passion for |
| community, in their own lives. What could you | | | | change into their lives. The only thing you may have |
| accomplish if you were leading your life instead of | | | | to sacrifice is your toleration of others' placing unreal |
| simply living your life? | | | | or unfair demands on you. |
| 1. Avoid the Imposter Factor: Fear that Others Will | | | | 6. It's OK to Focus on Small Issues, Instead of High |
| Find Out I'm Not Really a Leader | | | | Ideals |
| Ask others what they think of your leadership | | | | Someone once told me that one of the strongest |
| abilities. You'll be surprised at the positive response! | | | | leaders she knew was working on her local Little |
| You use leadership skills every day-managing your | | | | League board, trying to make the league run more |
| work group, getting the kids to school on time, | | | | efficiently and to inject more fun into the games. |
| supporting your favorite charity. Believe that you are | | | | Leadership can be as big as moving a government to |
| a leader-your friends and colleagues already know | | | | pass civil rights legislation; it can be as "small" as |
| you are. | | | | teaching a group of girls that they can be |
| 2. Get Rid of the Guilt: I Don't Deserve to Be a | | | | entrepreneurs if they choose to. As long as it's a high |
| Leader | | | | ideal for you, you can take a leadership role in making |
| Why not? Leaders aren't an alien species sent down | | | | it happen. |
| to show us the way. They are everyday people like | | | | 7. Think of Your Self |
| you and me. Think about a leader in your life-not | | | | Leaders are not totally selfless-in most cases their |
| someone famous, just someone you know that | | | | passion for change grows because they are |
| you'd follow anywhere. Do you think they thought | | | | personally connected to the issue. The Elizabeth |
| they were a great leader? Do you think they knew | | | | Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is the leading |
| that you'd be using them as an example of great | | | | organization funding research and treatment of |
| leadership? Of course not. | | | | pediatric AIDS. Elizabeth Glaser founded it after she |
| 3. Stop Looking for Leaders Who Look Like You | | | | discovered that she and her two children had |
| It's hard to strive for leadership when there are few | | | | become infected with HIV. |
| examples that look like you. Katharine Graham saw | | | | 8. Asking for Help is OK |
| no other women CEOs of Fortune 500 companies on | | | | Oh really? Star athletes have coaches, elected |
| her way to becoming the first. Madam C.J. Walker | | | | officials have staff, great scientists have research |
| saw no other African-American women millionaires on | | | | assistants. Leaders cannot do what they do on their |
| her way to becoming the first. Sally Ride saw no | | | | own; they know it's OK to ask for help. |
| other American women in space on her way to | | | | 9. You Don't Have to Influence the "Big" Stuff |
| becoming the first. It certainly makes it more difficult | | | | If your passion is to change a small piece of your |
| to lead where no one like you has gone before, but | | | | own world...go for it! Exercise your leadership muscle, |
| it's not impossible... | | | | and soon you'll have influenced a whole range of small |
| 4. What's So Special About You? | | | | stuff, which will add up to something big. |
| You don't have to be special to be a leader. You just | | | | 10. You Don't Have to Be Famous |
| have to have a passion to change something- that | | | | I'm sure you can think of some great leaders that no |
| you still haven't made time to take that class you | | | | one else has ever heard of-relatives, co-workers, |
| wanted to take; that your child's school won't have | | | | teachers-people that you would follow anywhere. |
| an art program next year; that women still don't | | | | Great leadership doesn't start with being famous; it |
| receive equal pay for equal work. The issue may be | | | | starts with leading your self to the brink of change in |
| large or small-it's the size of your passion that makes | | | | that one area you're passionate about. Then sticking |
| you a leader. | | | | with it to make that change happen! |
| 5. Realize that Leaders Don't Have to Make Sacrifices | | | | |