YWCA Women's Leadership: UnConference and Slam Poem

YWCA Women’s Leadership Conference

November 5 - 6, 2014

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE Passion | Purpose | Power

Passion “Passion is when you put more energy into something than is required to do it. It is more than just enthusiasm or excitement, passion is ambition that is materialized into action to put as much heart, mind body and soul into something as is possible.”

From www.urbandictionary.com

Purpose “The force that drives us.”

From www.urbandictionary.com

Power Mastering others is strength.

Mastering yourself is true power. -Tao Te Ching “Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.” - Martin Luther King Jr.

Leading with Passion, Purpose and Power When we see our differences as strengths, it invites us to explore complexity as authentic leaders and leads to breakthroughs. Through difference, we engage in provocative conversations where we can successfully lead. We invite everyone to share their experience and for us all to remain optimistic as we become catalysts for change within ourselves and our families, organizations and communities.

Gratitude for our Sponsors!

Thank-you for supporting our work. Your generosity is helping to advance women’s leadership in our community.

Empowering Sponsors: -Eide Bailly -Jerry’s Body Shop -South Central College -Diana Gabriel, PCC Professional Certified Coach -Sowelu Institute -ProGrowth Bank Media Sponsors: -KTOE -Minnesota 93 -Events & Expos -River Valley Woman Luncheon Sponsors: -Pepsi -Snell Maschka, Riedy & Ries Law Firm -Snell -I+S Group

Hosted and Harvested by Katie Boone with Sowelu Institute and Lex Schroeder, Partner in Co-Learning

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YWCA Women’s Leadership Conference

Difference as Strength, Complexity as Breakthrough Lex invited us to explore why the world needs more authentic women leaders from everywhere.

• Seeing power as agency, the power to do something versus the power over • Exploring our unique individual roles in creating systems change (blending power & authenticity) • The power of “critical connections” and critical moves rather than critical mass • The importance of acting locally - by starting with our UnConference!

Lex Schroeder, writer, editor, speaker, lead blogger and instructor for Take the Lead Woman. Editor with The Lean Enterprise Institute, the leading research organization on lean thinking and practice.

November 5 - 6, 2014

Lex Schroeder and Katie Boone opened up the UnConference

The UnConference The UnConference portion of our 3rd Annual YWCA's Women's Leadership Conference was hosted by Lex Schroeder and Katie Boone, of Sowelu Institute. We invited conference participants into a delightful, useful process for participants.

Participants self-organized based on what is important to them, they created and managed their own agenda of break out conversations around our central question:

When it comes to women's leadership, what are the conversations we need to be having at this time? What's next?!

The result was surprisingly powerful and extremely effective in connecting and strengthening our relationships by building shared understanding and deeper insights into what's next for women's leadership in our region.

Conversations Called for the UnConference:

• How do we build and inspire male allies while remaining authentic?!

• How do we talk to ourselves about ourselves? And others?!

• Mankato is changing and becoming more diverse.

How can we support silent emerging leaders to become more recognized?!

• How do we stop women against women abuse in the workplace and beyond? What’s next, how do we be the solution?!

• How do we empower women in a male dominated field?!

• How do we know when and how to grow a business with a good balance of life and relationships?!

Participants exploring the marketplace of conversations to engage in

• Why are there not many African America Women leaders in Mankato, or support for them?

Hosted and Harvested by Katie Boone with Sowelu Institute and Lex Schroeder, Partner in Co-Learning

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YWCA Women’s Leadership Conference

November 5 - 6, 2014

UNCONFERENCE REPORT OUT Passion | Purpose | Power

How do we build and inspire male allies while remaining authentic?

Caller: Deanna Gregel Summary of Key Ideas, Insights & Takeaways: • • • • • • • • • • •

Mothers of Sons = Raising respectful mates Relating to male dominated business Values, Counselor Managers of men, level the playing field Overthinking the issue Culture of business “Must be me” Build allies in your field Consistency – common ground Be Genuine The trouble I have is… what if being authentic is trying to create something (a bond) by developing common interests? i.e. creeping into the “boys club” Next Steps: • How do we build trust through a third party?

• Stay consistent

How do we talk to ourselves about ourselves? And others?

Caller: Cathy Brennan Summary of Key Ideas, Insights & Takeaways: • We have negative thoughts that come from our upbringing, self-analysis, we hold ourselves to high standards, and we lack self-confidence Next Steps: • Ways to improve our self-talk are: think more positively, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, don’t “should” on ourselves, let go of expectations of our mothers, reward ourselves for what we do well, and set goals

“Acting locally allows us to be inside the movement and flow of the system.

Changes in small places affect the global system… We never know how our small activities will affect others through the invisible fabric of our connectedness. In this exquisitely connected world, it’s never a questions of ‘critical mass’. It’s always about critical connections.” ~Grace Lee Boggs

Hosted and Harvested by Katie Boone with Sowelu Institute and Lex Schroeder, Partner in Co-Learning

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YWCA Women’s Leadership Conference

November 5 - 6, 2014

“Whatever the problem, community is the solution.” ~Margaret Wheatley

Mankato is changing and becoming more diverse. How can we support silent emerging leaders to become more recognized?

Caller: Aisha, Ayan from YWCA Summary of Key Ideas, Insights & Takeaways: • Weekly conversation with different women – Hangout on Google weekly or regularly.

• Having a support group more than once • A small group to support young women leaders • Open conversations about how to concretely support and network the “silent” leaders • We need to be on the ballot - city council and county board are very difficult to step into • Thought about my daughters and decided not to be silent • Others put me in a box - but get to know me first, don’t assume, lots of judgement Next Steps: • Create an online forum for women who are LOUD SILENT LEADERS • Or coffee and tea at the Coffee Hag • YWCA All women rise group for the “Tea Party Yvonne” Who will take responsibility for re-convening the group and how will you plan to meet?: • Jaqueline Karsten - Coffee Hag • Annelies Hafenmeister, MSU Mankato

How do we stop women against women abuse in the workplace and beyond? What’s next, how do we be the solution?

Caller: Kelly Hanson Magnuson Summary of Key Ideas, Insights & Takeaways: • Trust your gut, know when to pull back and when to speak up • Insecurity and feelings of being threatened are major problem perpetuates • Focus on positive feedback rather than blatant criticism • What are your intentions? What is your approach in giving/stopping criticism?

• Pick your battles (limited), where am I at?

Pause. Is it worth it?

• Band together Next Steps: • Be forgiving, be constructive, be together Who will take responsibility for re-convening the group and how will you plan to meet?: • All individually responsible, will stop women on women abuse when we see it and refuse to perpetuate the problem

Hosted and Harvested by Katie Boone with Sowelu Institute and Lex Schroeder, Partner in Co-Learning

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YWCA Women’s Leadership Conference

November 5 - 6, 2014

How do we empower women in a male dominated field?

Caller: Becky Summary of Key Ideas, Insights & Takeaways: • Building networks • Confidence vs competence • Finding male allies – standing up for each other • How do you maintain your emotions? The more you do it, the better you get.

• Using humor • Never let them see you sweat • CPAs/Construction • Women meetings to empower each other • Women energy – arrow pushing down by men • Empowering each other, stand up for yourself and others.

• We are not alone!!!

Why are there not many African American Women leaders in Mankato, or support for them?

Caller: Caprice Agunbiade

How do we know when and how to grow a business with a good balance of life and relationships?

Caller: Amanda Gerdts Summary of Key Ideas, Insights & Takeaways: • Balance is ever-moving.

• Success is not a destination, but a direction.

• Don’t be afraid to “WIG” and have “Wildly Important Ideas” • Prioritizing and writing goals are essential for both the family and business balance • Don’t be afraid to write it and use a calendar • A – Have to B – Really want to C – Do when I can • Don’t be afraid of yourself and your ideas/dreams Next Steps: • Write it down • Re-visit after 90 days • Take a brief break before starting again

Summary of Key Ideas, Insights & Takeaways: • No outlets to identify with as African American • More career opportunities • Create relationships (critical connections) so we advocate for each other • Focus on race, not just immigrants Hosted and Harvested by Katie Boone with Sowelu Institute and Lex Schroeder, Partner in Co-Learning

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YWCA Women’s Leadership Conference

November 5 - 6, 2014

CLOSING POEM - SUMMARY OF OUR TIME TOGETHER Passion | Purpose | Power Women are absolutely awesome

don’t let it get under your skin

but sometimes we forget that

Teach the person

release the thoughts that you don’t know

Ask the questions

because when you know what you know what you know

Open the doors fur us to

you stand up for who you are - what you want

share our story

the competition is over

follow your intuition

you have the power to do

find your moral courage

what you need to do

opening your mind and heart to

cause when you use your power

do the cha-cha

you have more power

dance of the optimist

to do what you do

learning and teaching

go where you are celebrated

through our stories

not where you are tolerated

knocking on the 1,001 door

start loving you - being yourself

it’s our resilience & persistence

come to the table

learning to fail fast

stand up - step up - speak up

and get back up again

because we’ve got some business to do

focus on your tribe

letting go of gender roles and gender rules

find your self worth first

watching or unexpected teachers

finding the juicy pulse of what pops

moving to our edge - our path becomes clear

and stimulates our senses

looking in my heart - there was no map, no road forward

transgressing beyond the rules

I had to trust and move forward with courage

to create something new

going up was not an option

to live your passion, live passionately

waking up everyday in gratitude

discovering our erotic truths

clarifying my vision and purpose

it don’t sword to act like a man

because there’s not a whole lot of time on this planet

how people see us is how people treat us

we’ve got work to do, so we better get coin it

and it can mess with our self-identity

by loving deeply, following your truth

coming back - to the safe enough space

don’t worry - you’ll learn along the way

for a conversation at this family table

we can figure it out together

as a mother - as a women - I can take a risk

you gotta bring people along

guided by my purpose

and not everyone will be willing to come along

I do my cha-cha as a unified

change is hard - it doesn’t happen overnight

authentic leader

Where is the Minnesota Nice?

making change one conversation

don’t take it personally

at a time

Hosted and Harvested by Katie Boone with Sowelu Institute and Lex Schroeder, Partner in Co-Learning

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