The Art of Femininity

I love men.

So, when I read articles about gender warring in the workplace I raise an eyebrow; talent is talent, and both male and female bring special perspectives to industry.

During my twenties, I would frequently reference a very popular book by Michelle McKinney Hammond titled The Power of Femininity and would loan it to the young ladies in my circle of friendship. We were young, bright-eyed business professionals trying to find our way in the corporate jungle; we resorted to books because role models were few and competition fierce.

As thirty approaches around the corner, some of the lessons and seasons I've survived have been shared with you. Therefore, as a woman, I would be remiss to not publish an issue dedicated to my sisters. My sisters of all races... we are united in our experiences and the many hats we wear... as supporters, as leaders, as moms, teachers. Through our warm direction and genuine natures we display the very gifts that make femininity an art form.

OUR BUYING POWER
It is imperative we understand that we hold 85% of the purchasing influence in America, we are 50% of car buyers, and single women buy over twice more real estate than single men. Once we understand our influence, any binding mindset will be set free. Michigan Business School gets it. They pioneered the formation of The Forte Foundation in 2001, another paradigm of how we can empower ourselves to create opportunities in business and academia.

In this special issue, I felt compelled to personally e-mail Ms. Stephanie Coontz, who wrote "Myth of the Opt-Out Mom"
because it is important that we dispel these silly myths about us. Yes, many women leave the workforce temporarily to have babies but to say we aren't worth the recruiting and retention dollars? Let's examine Coontz's article; please equip yourself with the knowledge and statistics she reveals so you know the truth.

Tim discusses the strides women have made while analyzing our future direction in "You've Come A Long Way Baby, But Are We There Yet?".

Jeanette, 2005 MBADiversity Fellow, shares her rejections that became stepping stones to win as a re-applicant in the MBA process.

Fedra Pouideh, who will speak at our 2nd Annual Symposium & Social in August, offers a sneak peek into her new book The Blushing MBA, a comedic chronicle of her studies at Tuck School of Business.

As your search continues for mentors and advice to succeed in the professional journey- an experience that is quite different for women than for men- we hope you are touched and inspired by this issue.

We look forward to seeing you at the 2nd Annual Symposium & Social in August.

Blessings,
K.D.

Special thank you to the Estee Lauder Companies, who will be providing in-kind products to the female participants of our symposium.

Additional recommended reading:

1. The Servant: A Simple Story About the True Essence of Leadership by James Hunter

2. A Woman's Guide to Successful Negotiating: How to Convince, Collaborate, & Create Your Way to Agreement
by Lee E. Miller, Jessica Miller