During a recent gathering of 600 dynamic women working for social and economic justice (2011 Women’s Funding Network Annual Conference), I facilitated a discussion  with my friend and frequent co-pilot, Ellen Landis, founder of Sharevision. The discussion was on donor activism (which later turned into a great conversation on power!) with the goal to create a safe space for women to vocalize their engagement and feel more confident and empowered to be the social change leaders they are.  As well, we had an intentional sharing of donor activism work from a mind, body, and spirit focus which helps people enter the “activist” conversation from different perspectives.

For that hour and a half these 40 women were able to share their successes, their challenges, their personal and professional triumphs and tragedies with each other. And, when it was over, almost all of the women remained to engage with each other like old friends with so much to learn from each other.  

The format of the donor activism work session was exercises that could be done with staff, donors, community leaders, Board members, etc.  One of the fun tools we used, that I am sharing, was the attached Donor Activist Bingo game.  We had the attendees go around and inquire of each other whether they were associated with or had used one of the action items (i.e. been a vocal advocate for an issue or has donated time to a campaign or made a bequest to an organization and told someone about this).  After this exercise, attendees were directed to find and listen to one other person talk about their proudest successful activism activity.  Finally, attendees were asked to move to another person in the room and imagine that she/he was a mentor in their life, describe what the mentor represented for them in their activist life, and then tell their success story again to their ‘mentor’. This is a good ‘get to know the people in the group’ exercise.  

I hope you found this helpful and feel free to let me know how it went!

When we think of human rights activists, we are often challenged to name five women across the globe who have fought for those in their community, state, or nation.   Roots to Resistance is bringing forth the images and stories of 12 remarkable women activists, bringing their stories to life via a web based platform, postcard distribution to schools and organizations, and a four city touring exhibit with Denise Beaudet, the award winning visual artist and creative activist. An art and activism project featuring the portraits of 12 women doing activist work in the world, the project is a political postcard campaign that will link people around the globe.

These incredible 4x9 foot portraits are done on recycled wood, wrapped in and connected to plants and nature. Denise portrays these women in their true activist flame and spirit; sharing the stories of their communities, their hearts and the extraordinary effect that their powerful life forces have had on the planet.

 Featured Activists include:

Natalia Estemirova-Chechnya-Murdered Human Rights Journalist
Malalai Joya-Afghanistan-Woman's Rights Activist
Chouchou Namegabe – Congo – Journalist/Women’s Rights Activist
Zapatista Woman-Mexico Environmentalist/Indigenous Rights Activist
Vandana Shiva-India-Eco Feminist/Environmental Activist
Rebecca Gomperts-Netherlands-Environmentalist/Reproductive Rights Activist
Dita Indah Sari-Indonesia-Labor Activist
Aung San Suu Kyi-Burma-Human Rights Activist
Wangari Maathai-Kenya-Environmentalist
Marina Silva-Brazil-Environmentalist
Yvonne Margarula-Australia-Civil Rights Activist
Maria Gunnoe - U.S. -Native American Human Rights Activist

Denise and selected installations were presented at this year’s Women’s Funding Network Conference in Brooklyn. To learn more about the Roots To Resistance project and the global political postcard exchange visit: http://www.facebook.com/rootstoresistance.

I had a wonderful time celebrating with my sisters Dorothy and Heidi this past month.  I am amazed at how much good we manifest when we are together – so much magic and promise and creativity.    I tend to believe that these attributes are present all year and am glad that the holiday season allows more folks to express them more freely. 

Certain environments allow us to really let our spirit be fully honored and celebrated. The trick is to create as many of these ‘spaces’ and ‘places’ for ourselves!  

One such place that is doing a fabulous job of building the strength of spirit for girls is the Girls Athletic Leadership School.  Imagine walking into your jr high school and seeing words like power, flexibility, balance, focus, and motivation as the mantras on the wall.  (I am not sure I had even talked about those words until college during an anatomy class about muscles and force!)

Well for 120 middle school girls in Denver this type of school setting is a reality every day!   I got to visit the school and the energy was fabulous.  They have been through their first three months of school and by all accounts the program is having a positive impact and being received with excitement by the parents and students involved. 

At Dorothy’s 50th birthday party I read this pledge that was hand written on the wall at the Girls Athletic Leadership School as we were all sharing words that tribute my sister and her art and life.  Now re-reading it, I thought it also could serve as a New Year’s resolution.  Enjoy and feel free to post an additional pledge statement! 

When you fly around the world and gain or lose 14 hours in the air, it does makes you wonder about time.  When I returned to the US, I made my own time zone for a few weeks where I simply allowed myself to imagine that there actually was 38 hours in every day.  Talk about prosperity consciousness!

What does it mean to connect to this expansiveness of time?  What does this feel like?  How do I embrace this amidst the pace of the office, the organization, the city, the home I reside in?  Time is in direct competition with money as one of the resources people seem to want more of.

I hear from my clients;  “How do I make time to plan?” “I have no time to work out!” “ I never have enough time to…!” There are so many resources on time management that are immensely helpful and typically left-brain focused.  I welcome people to use some of these body, mind, spirit practices to embrace a new twist on time;

1.  Sashay like an elephant – my wise Shiatsu teacher offered this metaphor of rolling one’s hips not only as a way to gently energize the lower chakras but to also embody a style of walking that inhibits rushing.

2.  Embrace time as prosperous – some of my clients enjoy the reframing of their thoughts to affirm “There is always enough time for me to manifest all of my desires.”  “When I make time to plan (or ________), I feel more poised and relaxed.”  “With every deep breath I take, I give myself more time and space.”

3.  Schedule what matters – I am in awe of the simplicity of this and how it works.  Put on your calendar set times for reflection, reading, exercise, romance, etc.  Give these the same importance as meetings or conference calls and see what happens.

4.  Practice full awareness – Be fully present where you are.  Seems simple but really focus on listening and being where you are when you are there.  Drive when you are driving, focus on chewing when you are eating, listen to your office mate in the meeting as opposed to all the other activities you are pulled to do.  My friend Kristi who works at the Center for Mindfulness has a huge slab in her living room that says “You Are Here”.  I love this reminder.

You are here – right now reading this blog and embracing a new relationship with time.  Soak it up.

*Please note that the words Qi and Chi are often used interchangeably in Chinese medicine.  I am taking liberty with the true definition of Qi and simplifying the incredible depth of this concept to allow for broader embrace of ‘life force’ as a term we can all extend and radiate to others.  My simplified  definition of Chi = the life force energy that comes from a strong body, mind, spirit connection (it’s home can be sourced from the area that resides in the area behind and a few inches below your belly button and is called the don quoi) that is available through breathing, movement, and meditation.  People with a vibrant life force or lots of chi radiate health, bliss, and/or a positive energy that is enticing to be around.  

In a room full of women leaders I remind them that power is not a bad word – only the abuse of power is.
Power is simply the ability to motivate people to do what you want them to do; to influence others. Power is manifested by how you communicate and how others receive you.

Often power is a subjective experience. There are three factors which influence the perception of power:
• Power of position – hold title and/or authority/access
• Power of wealth – have or are connected to wealth
• Power of knowledge or expertise – master of facts and arguments

Power of wealth and power of title or the ‘corner office’ are places that women and people of color have not traditionally had access to. Centuries of structural and systemic sexism or racism have kept us out of these spheres.

There are hundreds of folks who have spoken and written on the ‘light’ topic of “The history of patriarchy and the creation of race as a construct for domination.” Feel free to read bell hooks, Gloria Steinem, Barbara Jordan’s speeches, and others., and others.

Without equal access to positions of power or power stemming from wealth (which women and people of color generally do not have) what is the best access to power in this framework? For many of us it is the third frame or knowledge, data, and expertise.

Having knowledge and data gives you the power to think, to rationalize, and to make the best choice so that you and your organization can be successful. You are more likely to get a CEO or leader to commit to a project if you make your case using established facts, data, and by explaining how the choice will impact society, the staff, and the constituents the organization serves.

We can all work toward the three ‘stations’ of power being broadened with smart community organizing, increased social capital, and the changing of who sits in the corner office.  In the meantime, and on this auspicious day of celebration of International Women's Day, let’s also keep framing a powerful story and case that offers what we stand for rather than what we are against.

P. S.  For those of you who have a spiritual or physical understanding of the connection of sport and one's physical health and how this shape one's approach toward power, feel free to check out an organization I serve on the U.S. Board of and their brilliant launch of International Sports for Women's Rights Day. 

Each time I have had the opportunity to lead a board retreat or staff management seminar, the question comes up from at least one of the women attendees – “How can I keep my confidence at a consistent and /or higher level in _____ situation?”

I had the privilege of being an athlete and playing numerous sports roles such as coach, sports administrator, and colleague to many world class athletes.   I know the sensation of ‘walking like I own the earth’ – feeling that I could accomplish almost anything no matter what the odds.  This is just one of many elements that all of us can model from being around athletes as a participant and/or fan. 

Here are three characteristics of high performance athletes and some cues that I find the most helpful to offer folks who may not have had the chance to compete or may have overlooked the connection between their performance on the field to their work product and practice. 

1.  Visualizing Success – Every athlete goes into a game imagining they will win.  They have practiced the same skill for hours on end, they believe in their abilities, and they have visualized success.  As part of a team, they have a level of surrender and trust that their teammates also have the skills for success.  This positive team attitude is led from the top (coach, manager, owner) and expressed on the field by the captain. 

Application – whatever your next ‘performance’ at work is, visualize what a ‘win’ looks and feels like.  Be specific!  Perhaps it is people applauding a speech, staff being motivated to work smarter, a proposal being approved, a check or new client coming into the office, etc.  Model this behavior in how you stand tall and proud, how you look people in the eye with confidence, and how you express a “captain’s positive attitude” to others around you.  Your self-esteem is an extension of what you say and think about yourself so choose your thoughts and words wisely. 

2.  Discipline and Goal Setting– I can remember at age 12 having a list of drills and exercises that I would do every day.  Each time I got to 10, I would push myself to get 15 with a new twist on the drill.  There is something to setting a goal and then seeing what happens when you ask yourself to do more or to do it in a unique way.  Putting your goals in writing and reviewing these regularly reminds you why the ‘daily drills’ are important. 

Application –Each time you create something (speech, letter, budget, etc), pay attention to the detail and see how you can bring the product to a new level.  When you have finished your project, read it one more time before you go to sleep and one more time when you get up.  Repetition and ‘practice’ makes you better. Put in writing what your goal and intention is for a project, for your career, for your organization, etc.  Review your goals with loved ones and encourage them to support you in ‘doing the drills’ to achieve success.   

3.  Risk Taking and Empathy – There is nothing like sports to teach you compassion.  When a good softball batting average is .350, this means you miss 65% of the time.  Same with basketball with the best player making her shots 40% of the time.  There is no team or player that has not experienced a loss and then gotten up and played the next time with a desire to win. 

Application – Possessing empathy for people when someone loses, understanding the feeling of being on both sides of an issue, having a willingness to take risks; this is the type of emotional intelligence that employers and leaders look for in members of a successful team.  When you enter a conversation or negotiation, imagine what it feels like to hear it from the other side of the table.  Express yourself with words that honor the experience of the recipient.   As well, when the opportunity arises to move a step closer to your goal, don’t hesitate to ‘grab the ball’!

There’s an athlete in each of us because confident performance truly is a state of mind.

 

My dear friend Alysia Tromblay told me about talking with her two young boys, ages 2 ½  and 3 ½ , about kindness.  After she shared with them what it means to be kind, they started witnessing the acts of kindness around them and speaking aloud “That was so kind of …”  Now she is working with them on the concept of intention.   When she hears her 3 ½ year old say “I want this or I want that”, she asks him “So what is your intention regarding what you want?”

He and all of us ask “What does that mean Mommy”?  We learn that intention is an opportunity to bring a reflective thought process to consider actions through the lens of consequence.  For instance, asking oursleves the question, "If I want this and do this, then what happens?"

Imagine a world where young people are taught to recognize compassion, kindness, and to state their intentions?  Imagine a first grade class where kids talk about ‘compassion’ and ‘kindness’ and when they see this in one another versus ‘wanting’ each others’ crayons or toys?  Imagine a society where people state aloud their intentions and honor the practice of focusing on the steps of their plan to manifest such beauty and change?

I had always thought of intention as the place where you put your focus to manifest something.  While playing basketball, if I wanted to make a basket it may or may not go in.  If I had the intention, I knew the steps in place to deliver the goal, and I would practice those steps over and over to increase the success percentage of my shots.  As Donna Lopiano often said when we were creating new programs at the Women’s Sports Foundation; “Excellence is sequential attention to detail.”  Now we hear from Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers that 10,000 hours or ten years is the time it takes to master a skill. 

When I talk with people about their careers and where they want to go in life, I ask them what their ‘intention’ is with a company or organization.  Do they ‘intend’ to commit to growing as a professional and offering all of their talents there or do they ‘want’ a promotion?  Do they have ‘intentions’ to deliver a service or product that exemplifies the highest standards or do they ‘want’ to make more money?  In my own professional experience, during a performance review I often stated my intentions to grow a new area of the organization and proposed that if these intentions came to fruition, I would receive an increase in pay.  Needless to say, I almost always got the raise.

I enjoy understanding words so I looked up the definition of intend:  to have a design or purpose in mind.  What is your purpose or design in life?  I think about Alysia’s sons learning at such a young age to pause and think this through.  What a model for us all!

I was at the Women’s Funding Network (WFN) conference this past weekend in Atlanta.  The mix of the inspiring attendees ranged from women from Australia to Africa and from Rhode Island to California.  All people there work to uplift women’s voices, build more security for women and their families and promote women-led solutions and represented Board members, staff or philanthropic leaders of local, state or national non profits.  I was there as a consultant and facilitator leading conversations on leadership, fundraising, and branding opportunities.   Over the past decade of attending the WFN conferences I often leave reflecting on a theme that arises for me.   This time it was about the body, mind, and spirit of a movement. 

I enjoy taking a perspective that looks at the body, mind and spirit of a group, person, or entity and assessing whether there is a balance in the three legs of the triangle of these areas.   As a scientist, athlete, coach, and a believer of eastern medicines and practices I believe there is room in the women’s funding movement for a deeper conversation around these intersected spaces.  For women’s funds this can look like the sustainability of a human rights model where the body = safety, security and power of women, the mind = creatively solving issues in collaboration, and the spirit = energy and ability to sustain and share the dreams of human security realized.    For the people working in the movement this can take on a perspective of leading from a place of an integrated balance of one’s intentions and one’s work (mind), one’s resource of passion for change and growth (spirit) and one’s personal ‘contract’ with their own safety, security, and power (body).    

Last fall, after leaving the Women’s Sports Foundation after 15 years of service building a women's sports movement and attending the Board meeting of WFN in Mexico City, I gave myself the title of “Chief Inspiration Officer of the Women’s Funding Movement”.  What this really means is that I care deeply about the people who ‘do’ this work – as volunteers, staff, and donor leaders – and I want to deliver new and exciting ways to keep them at the best in their game.  I enjoy serving as a resource to offer ideas to work smarter, more efficiently, and with energy and vitality.   I look forward to seeing all women in this work shine and flourish – bringing their best selves to the table and finding new tables to be at that extend their influence and expand the possibilities of their important work.     

So much has been written about this past week of celebrating President Obama and his team of leaders in his cabinet.   When you search ‘inauguration headlines’, you can see a great collage of newspaper headlines where Geoff scanned the front pages of newspapers all over the world; The Dawn of A New Era, Obama Takes Charge, Remaking America, Unity of Purpose, History Made Today… and on and on.

What struck me as most exciting was seeing the words “Hope Over Fear” in so many of the headlines –my personal favorite of the many outcomes of this transformative time!   Choosing hope is such an important message to embrace – especially now. 

For those of us on the National Mall for the Inauguration (my colleagues and activist friends Lisa, Ellen, Anita and I were among the 2 million there), we got to see hope in a multitude of faces.  Ellen created a fun Poetry Improvisation activity that engaged people in expressing their own headline about the day.  The photos of Inauguration festivities capture our trip and some of the sayings that people created and of course all of us participating at various stops along our five day visit in DC.

The exciting part of witnessing Ellen explaining this exercise to people was watching them lift up their spirits to express themselves on this chilly historic day.  Folks seemed shy to engage for a brief moment with strangers but this was quickly erased by the excitement to 'see' their voices.  People were on the sideline watching and jumped in to unite in a shared conviction even though they were posing in a photo with strangers.   What a gift to see such joy among so many and to witness an activist in her element so well received. 

Prior to being on the Mall there were other activities we attended including the National Center for Women’s Organization Ball and the Emily’s List celebratory luncheon.  The luncheon was truly a highlight with 2,500 people in attendance to salute the new women leaders in the President’s Cabinet and Congress.  Hearing Hilda Solis, Janet Napolitano, and, my personal favorite, Hillary Clinton, speak was so moving.  To say that these three women are dedicated public servants is an understatement.   All of their words and stories about where they intend to lead us all resonated with selflessness and deep conviction for integrity, equity, and promise.   One could palpate the hope and strength that they exuded.  I only wish we could bottle it and spray it across all of us!