Let’s Re-Write the “Single Story” of Women’s Leadership

Mil NiepoldFounder and President, The Mara Partners

IMPACTv ConferenceOctober 22, 2015

US State Department

From This …..

US State Department

To This….

US State Department

To This….

Initiative for Inclusive Security

WHERE ARE WE?Leadership Today

Some Inconvenient (Leadership) Truths

Negotiations are a major tool society uses to address vital issues, but:– Women are significantly under-represented– Results in skewed perspectives– Ignores “societal perfect storm” in which

negotiations occur

The Cynicism Trap

But Stakes Could Not be Higher

Today’s “operating environment” is:• Conflict prone • Boundary-less• Lawless• Depleted

CAN ANYONE HELP?Bright Spots in Women’s Leadership Today

Yes, but…

Prepare to be:• Disliked (Harvard Business School)• Ignored (Cecilia Ridgeway)• Underpaid (Institute for Women’s Policy

Research)• In the minority (World Economic Forum)

Strategies for Resetting the Table

Step 1. Improve Who’s at the Table“I’m not sure how bringing the warriors together around the table actually results in peace”.

Amb. Swanee Hunt

Getting a Seat at the table:• Northern Ireland: women formed a political party just 6 weeks

before the negotiations in order to have a seat at the table• Yemen: women found male relatives to escort them to negotiations• Papua New Guinea: World Bank provided childcare to ensure

women in mining communities could participate in the community meetings

Step 2: Answer the “Why Women?” Question Carefully

Multiple Choice Quiz:Fork in the (Pre-Negotiating) Road

Why should men have more women at the negotiating table? Because of:

a. Parity/equity/women’s rightsb. They need more coffee brought in c. It is required (quotas, constitutions, etc.)d. Women flirted with theme. It is the secret to a successful negotiation (impact/reaching goals, innovation)

And yet….

• According to University of Lausanne Professor, John Antonakis “the good styles of leadership come more naturally to women”

• Like it or not, you’ll still need more “ammunition” to get in the room

Ammunition: AKA The “Business” Case • Research shows that increasing women’s

voice/agency/decision-making authority, etc. improves organizational performance, governance, innovation and human development outcomes. World Economic ForumWorld BankMcKinseyGoldman SachsOxford University

• “Gender Inequality Costs As Much As the American and Chinese Economies Combined”

Step 3: Communicate the Case Clearly

• http://resetthepeacetable.org

GHANA & HUMAN TRAFFICKINGWomen’s Leadership Case Study

Women and Trafficking

• 80% of trafficking victims are women & girls• Gender sensitive approaches to trafficking are

victims’ services• 2 countries in the world have put women on the

front lines (Ghana and Nicaragua)• Strong case for women in prosecution/border

protection/legal/police roles (women in these roles are less corruption and trafficking thrives in corrupt environments)

Conclusion: What my Fitbit Taught Me about Women’s Leadership

• I need to walk more• I already walk a lot• Standing up is the first step