Tuesday, July 27, 2010
The Woman Label—Do you wear it?
My Google Reader is all a twitter with news of TED: WOMEN—chatter ranging from the joyful to the discontent. TED (Global) is a nonprofit conference which brings forth big ideas (“ideas worth spreading) in the world of technology, entertainment, and design. As a community, it is rather exclusive (both the price point and the application process make it so). That said, it’s a system thinker’s dream, and (because all of the talks are online), each year around this time my productivity goes down because the new TED talks go live, and I sit, watch, and think for three fabulous days.
I also have a passion around women centric design (putting women at the center of the product/service/experience process) so when TED: WOMEN was announced, I immediately decided I needed to be there (I even wrote it down on a yellow stickey which I carry around in my wallet). What attracted me was this nugget: “The cross-disciplinary, cross-generational program will focus on how women think and work, communicate and collaborate, learn and lead— what this means and why it matters to all of us.”
Many hailed the event, excited for a 2 day opportunity to think with and about women in the world. Other’s worried that by slapping the “woman label” on it and creating a separate event, they were creating a value distinction. “Making special allowances,” wrote Michelle Tripp, “is the equivalent of saing one group isn’t as able, isn’t as driven, isn’t as intelligent, as therefore needs a hand up…. will the original TED be viewed as the pinnacle event, with presenters at the top of the thinking in their fields, and TEDWomen being viewed as the also-rans?”
I have had this conversation with women business owners more time than I can count. The primary concern is that the SBA and Federal government lump “women” into the general category of “minority” which has close ties to “disadvantaged.” Both terms wreak of weakness and otherness, and what confident, intelligent individual (whether male or female) wants to be associated with that!
That is the loudest message. Sadly, because there is this far more powerful message and trend: the emergence of women’s economic equity will be the single most powerful demographic shift/change of this century and perhaps even of the century that came before it. Influence author Maddy Dychtwald observes that “in the coming decades, countries that harness women’s economic power will win; those that fail to do so will lose.” Business guru Tom Peters advised corporations to “forget the internet, forget India, invest in women.”
So the question is: are you going to be part of the loud, but small thinking? Or are you going to wear your woman label and be part of some big thinking?
And I realize how hard this is. In the past two years, I have had a number of conversations with two very glittery, sparkly start ups, both looking to follow in GlobalGiving’s footsteps and both looking for advice on their supply chain operations. Making small chat, one guy asked me (rhetorically I think) if I felt like I was playing small by working with a women’s fund. Another, who had made two successful exits from two very integral, evolutionary ventures (and hence my surprise at his lack of cognition about the feminine), commented: “I know you’re doing great work with women and girls, but don’t you want to be part of something bigger?”
Ummmm….Duh?
While I patiently explained (in my best belittling voice) this revolution, it made even me cringe. Even the early majority of the women label struggle with it. They come to our Women’s Leadership Series, they completely connect with the themes, trends, and statistics, and yet, they still ask: “Where is this happening? Because I still don’t feel it in my workplace.” Keep in mind, that we’re not claiming it loudly and publicly, because we’re still caught in the little, but loud, thinking. So, I have to wonder if those us in the know of this silent revolution, all wore our woman label one day, like a giant pink tshirt, I’m betting we might finally see it.
So, with this said, I don’t think TED: Women is creating a “lesser than” conference. I think they are creating space to examine the single most powerful force of the century and I would be super psyched to be part of that. How about you?
