Page 9 - Holly Carney Issue (3)

Celebrating Women

By Saundra Pelletier

Women are the complex enigmas we wish men could be. assertiveness, arrogance and confidence, patience and im-
Our ability to use emotional intelligence is superior to any mediate gratification. Yes, we can.
other learned skill in our society. However, society has The part of the brain that controls memory and emotion has
tricked too many of us into believing there is nobility in eleven percent more neurons in women than in men, indicat-
putting ourselves second. We have been taught that our ing that "women's intuition" is real. Women can sense when
kids should come first, that our husbands and their careers someone else is upset. We can read a room and know what
should have precedence over our own dreams, and that we're up against. We understand when to adjust our style
being a pleaser is the preferred behavior for a woman. If we and exert positive pressure to get a better outcome. We also
would embrace the idea of putting ourselves first, we could understand loyalty and the importance of helping people
realize that this is the best way to give more quality back to become emotionally invested in our endeavors as we can
the people and passions we most care about. be both an effective team member and a leader at the same
time.
Women possess two
unique gifts: intuition It's time
and multitasking. If for the women
we utilize these ex- of the world to
traordinary abilities unite to redi-
while focusing on rect our efforts
our core values and toward putting
our long-term goals, ourselves first
we can exceed even so that we may
our own expecta- have more to
tions. give back to
Certainly women ourselves and San Diego
who have children others. Instead Woman
would like the label of focusing on
of "great mother," but how far we still
in motherhood, we have to go to 9
have nowhere to go achieve equality,
but down in the eyes we can simply
of society. Women step into our
are expected to rightful places
be good mothers. as leaders in our
Instead of striving for relationships,
society's approval, our careers, and
think about what our world. We
you would like your should live our
children to say about you in an interview and what examples daily lives with the knowledge that we are building not only
you have given them to follow. our own runways but a platform for those who will follow us.
Women's superior abilities can easily translate to success
in business. According to the Center for Women's Business We are here to make a difference, and though we may feel
Research, more than 10 million women own and lead busi- like we are advancing inch by inch, those inches are lead-
nesses today and the number of majority-women-owned ing to miles of progress. We can inspire other women to
firms continues to grow at two times the rate of all other embrace their own individual and unique power so they will
businesses. And the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that not feel invisible but instead invincible. So celebrate yourself,
women represent about fifty percent of the national work- ladies. You are powerful and magnificent creatures!
force. It is our time to stand and be counted not only in the
work world but also in our families, our communities, and our Saundra Pelletier is the author of “Saddle Up Your Own
government. White Horse: 5 Principles Every Woman Needs to Know”, a
Can we do it? When comparing women and men, women keynote speaker and success coach. For more information,
are better able to simultaneously manage several critical visit www.saundrapelletier.com.
projects and deliver exceptional results on all of them. We
understand the delicate balance between charm and
July/August 2008