Be the Change

Anita Roddick said, “I think that business practices would improve immeasurably if they were guided by feminine principles – qualities like love and care and intuition.”

While men traditionally secure management and boardroom jobs, women are successfully gaining roles in those careers where they can make a real difference to our lives; politics, education and human resources.  These positions ensure that women can actually make significant positive changes in the working environment for all employees, not just women.  We are able to inspire future generations and build a more tolerant society.

Well I don’t just think that business practices would improve immeasurably, I believe this is true with all my heart.  Women are, whether by nature or nurture, more compassionate than our male counterparts and we feel injustice and need more keenly as a result.  Does it not make sense; therefore, for us to dedicate our working lives to ensuring that we can facilitate change and create a more harmonious culture?

The Suffragist Movement took more than 50 years to secure votes for women, it was a further 10 years before that vote was opened to all men and women.  Still, the boardroom, which has been the bastion domain of male society, remains very much a male-dominated arena.  Women are slowly making their way in but not to the extent that the WSPU (Women’s Social and Political Union) might have hoped.

We owe it to ourselves, not only to create the opportunities to mould the young minds of the future, but perhaps to bring about a better future for us all?

Gene Roddenberry, the creative force behind the Star Trek sci-fi series, envisaged a future society where all men were equals and governed by a society free from religion and mystical thinking and the better for it.  Well, Roddenberry’s Utopian society might not be seen in our lifetime, but I would like to believe we all yearn for a world free from crime, corruption and discrimination.

The civil unrest we witnessed in August last year proves that we still have a long way to go before reaching such acceptance and support from our fellow human beings, but we need people who can stand up and be counted, people who are prepared to lobby politicians to change restrictive laws so that everyone can experience the benefits of a happier and more productive life.

Forward thinking, well educated young people will inspire those who are in a position to influence laws and create change, and may even be incidental in actually passing those bills that will shape a better future for all of us.  Education is the way forward – don’t deny yourself the opportunity of learning at a higher standard of education because the social interaction you have with others will benefit both you and them.

Now, I am involved in this year’s Entrepreneurs 2012 and I do hope that you are able to attend the event.  Perhaps you would be kind enough to drop off some feedback on my blog afterwards?