Women's Leadership Institute Day 4

This morning the institute came to an end. We wrapped up with a keynote speaker, Frances Lucas, President of Millsaps College. Her session's title: "The Power of Pearls and Perfume." The title should have given it away. She was witty and completely engaging. She spoke mostly about what is has meant, does mean, and will mean to be a woman in leadership. It was a perfect way to wrap up the experience. She gave numerous personal examples of her journey as a woman leader, and spent a good amount of time humoring our questions as well. One of the best take aways? Her "Ten Commandments for Successful Leadership:"

1. Thou shall first ask questions and listen.
2. Thou shall know what thou are going to say before thou open thou mouth.
3. Thou shall make clear thou intent and purpose.
4. Thou shall test messages on a few before many.
5. Thou shall give attention and not seek attention.
6. Thou shall maximize rewards and minimize whips.
7. Thou shall find humor wherever you can.
8. Thou shall offer optimism and hope
9. Thou shall be encouraging.
10. Thou shall forgive...repeatedly.

She had a number of amazing nuggets of wisdom. My other favorite was her three questions you should ask yourself to find your path: What are your gifts? What to you love? What needs to be done? As a Venn diagram, the intersection of the three is where you will find where to go. I also found some comfort when she said that the majority of university and college presidents are actually introverts. :-)

After the speaker, we had a brunch as we all prepared to depart. I found it amazing to be around these women with whom I know have an amazing connection. I even was able to share some of my young wisdom by talking to a few of them about blogging...ha. Just knowing what I have been able to get out of this experience, I can only imagine what it has meant on the grander level of everyone there. On my three hour drive back to the "real world," I was able to think about the handful of people I truly got to know and the pearls of wisdom I was able to take with me.

Women can be amazing, and they can be even more so when they empower each other. I knew that coming out of an all-women's undergraduate education, but I was happily reminded of it over the past four days. However, it is not about women doing it alone. It is that we all have something to bring to the table. We just need to know what that is and how to better each other through it. Success takes everyone of all genders, backgrounds, races, and so on to make the world go 'round. Maybe it sounds cliche, but a friendly reminder never hurts.

In case any of them find this entry down the road, THANK YOU! And special shout outs to the one who listened so well to my issues while she shared hers, the one who truly wanted to learn more about technology and thought she could learn it from me, the one who made for amazing conversation on the shuttle back from dinner, the one who is thinking of her son who is currently one of many that are being rushed deployed from Camp Lejune, and to all who took a minute to say hello, smile, chat, and were just all around awesome.