07-06 2020 21:14
schreef:
In 2018, CLO gave a very insightful talk on the realities facing women in the workplace. I had never spent time with her or heard her speak before, but I was really impressed with her views, and disagreed with her on a particular point.
One of the male executives in the company asked for my views on the session and encouraged me to speak to her. His words were, “Ngozi would be more than happy to listen to you, and I guarantee you, you’ll gain a lot of value from a conversation with her”. After a lengthy and interesting conversation, she said, “thank you for letting me know that I’m feminist, I never thought of myself as one, but I guess I am” and I thought “wow, who is this woman?”
That conversation birthed a project we dubbed ‘Women Rising’, which was focused on gender equality and we started off with a learning session with the women in-house that involved some external speakers. I had never worked with anyone like her before, I never once felt like I was talking to a Senior Executive in my workplace who was about 20 years older, I always felt like I was speaking to a friend.
We had a successful session, but what I wasn’t expecting, at the end of the session — she announced that none of us would’ve been there if it hadn’t been for me walking into her office, having a conversation with her and coming up with this idea, so she made everyone give me a round of applause. That was the kind of leader she was, one that was unafraid to learn from anyone regardless of age or cadre, she gave credit where it was due and encouraged you to be yourself, do better and drive change where you can. It wasn’t till after that event I started writing more, speaking up more and involving myself in more projects that involved empowering women. She had no idea what she did to my confidence and I wish I could’ve told her. She was a beautiful and unrelenting soul who left us too soon. May her beautiful soul Rest In Peace.
07-06 2020 21:14
schreef:
In 2018, CLO gave a very insightful talk on the realities facing women in the workplace. I had never spent time with her or heard her speak before, but I was really impressed with her views, and disagreed with her on a particular point.
One of the male executives in the company asked for my views on the session and encouraged me to speak to her. His words were, “Ngozi would be more than happy to listen to you, and I guarantee you, you’ll gain a lot of value from a conversation with her”. After a lengthy and interesting conversation, she said, “thank you for letting me know that I’m feminist, I never thought of myself as one, but I guess I am” and I thought “wow, who is this woman?”
That conversation birthed a project we dubbed ‘Women Rising’, which was focused on gender equality and we started off with a learning session with the women in-house that involved some external speakers. I had never worked with anyone like her before, I never once felt like I was talking to a Senior Executive in my workplace who was about 20 years older, I always felt like I was speaking to a friend.
We had a successful session, but what I wasn’t expecting, at the end of the session — she announced that none of us would’ve been there if it hadn’t been for me walking into her office, having a conversation with her and coming up with this idea, so she made everyone give me a round of applause. That was the kind of leader she was, one that was unafraid to learn from anyone regardless of age or cadre, she gave credit where it was due and encouraged you to be yourself, do better and drive change where you can. It wasn’t till after that event I started writing more, speaking up more and involving myself in more projects that involved empowering women. She had no idea what she did to my confidence and I wish I could’ve told her. She was a beautiful and unrelenting soul who left us too soon. May her beautiful soul Rest In Peace.
