Just before I left China, I began to explore what it was I wanted to do to develop the work I had started with Hua Dan.  I brainstormed with my team what it was that made Hua Dan so special, and worked with my mentor to dissect the key elements of my model.  We identified six core pillars of the work we have done so far, and you can read more about that here.

 

Central to my vision was that it was the women themselves who would identify the needs most pressing in their communities.  I never believed it was right for me to decide for them and maintain to this day that true leadership is a servant leadership model that empowers others to take control of their own lives.  In China, that has manifested itself as Hua Dan, an organization that works with the migrant and rural populations in creative education projects and migrant worker training, and is now poised to expand it’s model into training others to scale it’s work.

Around this time I was considering leaving China, I became interested in the story of Scheherazade.  The Scheherazade story is a ‘frametale’ for the One Thousand and One Nights.  The story goes that an ancient king in Persia travelled to another land on business, returning home to find that his wife had cheated on him.  Hurt and enraged, he ordered her execution and vowed that, each night, he would marry a virgin and, after the wedding night, would have her killed.  He went through all the women in the kingdom until, one day, the daughter of the vizier to the king, Scheherazade, asked her father if she might marry the king.  Her father was afraid and begged his daughter not to do such a thing.  Yet, she persisted.  Scheherazade was very beautiful, intelligent, cultured and an excellent storyteller.  After her marriage to the king, that very night, she began to tell the king a story.  Such was her charm, beauty, intelligence and love, the king was drawn into the story and encouraged Scheherazade to continue….but Scheherazade, clever woman that she was, told the king that she would have to finish her story the following evening…..the king granted her a stay of execution, and the story continued….night, after night, after night….until the king fell in love with her and rebuilt his trust in women…..

 

I love the story.  Not only because Scheherazade was an accomplished, cultured and creative woman and used her gifts to bring healing but because she recognized that love had a stronger power than fear.  She demonstrated exemplary leadership by going into the very thing that could have meant her death, and triumphed through her grace.  

 

Scheherazade famously told stories about the characters and adventures along the Silk Route, weaving in the different cultures one would encounter whilst travelling along this famous trading route.  She was, and still is, a symbol of global culture and her stories contain all the wealth, wisdom, trials and triumphs of the human spirit, no matter which country or culture one is from.  I thought she was a fabulous inspiration for the next step on my journey.

 

Today, Scheherazade is taking shape as I embark on a vision of seeding the model I built with Hua Dan, of training underprivileged women to be theatre practitioners in their community, finding the Scheherazade’s in each community I work with.  My passionate belief that the arts generally, and theatre in particular, can be a force for change in our world, is underscored by a working model that trains and equips women to be leaders in their communities, spreading the impact of our work and empowering them with social and economic mobility.  And, along the way, telling their stories so that we might listen to what they have to say about creating a better world.

 

I invite you to take a look at Scheherazade’s new site and to share your ideas about where and how the Scheherazade/Hua Dan model can best bring about change.

 http://scheherazade-initiatives.com/

Let the revolution begin!

 

I live in Paris and, like many locals and expats, have been deeply affected and saddened by the tragic events of the recent terrorist attacks.

 

I have lived in France for 4 years but this was the first time that I had heard about Charlie Hebdo.  My initial reaction to the news was to learn more about this satirical magazine and, to explore, for myself, it’s role as part of a democratic society.  A friend posted this quote from Joe Randazzo, former editor of satirical news site The Onion:

 

“Satire must always accompany any free society. It is an absolute necessity. Even in the most repressive medieval kingdoms, they understood the need for the court jester, the one soul allowed to tell the truth through laughter. It is, in many ways, the most powerful form of free speech because it is aimed at those in power, or those whose ideas would spread hate. It is the canary in the coalmine, a cultural thermometer, and it always has to push, push, push the boundaries of society to see how much it’s grown.”

 

Yet, in the aftermath of the shootings, I have been reflecting on whether our right to freedom of speech can and should include ‘the right to offend’.  ‘The right to offend’ is something we have seen written on the signs of demonstrators in the wake of the shootings, discussed in countless articles and Facebook posts and vehemently defended by many.  I have been deeply troubled by this.

 

Does free speech, a right I deeply value, also include the right to say what you wish, irrespective of it’s impact on the feelings and values of others?  Does freedom of expression override the importance of respect for another’s culture or belief?  Does satire offer a healthy way to critique those in power?   Or are there perhaps better, higher ways of questioning the powers that be in a way that is more constructive and conducive to change?  It has always seemed to me that attempts at change and the continued maintenance of our democratic ideals should always be based on a sincere foundation to elevate the conversation, not seek to pull it down, attack or mock.

 

One way of thinking could be that satire might have a role when it seeks to expose dogma, whilst offering up a better model.  Religion and politics are often targets for satire, which pokes fun at those in power.  If we are to retain the role of ‘court jester’, as Randazzo suggests, to my mind, humour should bring with it a more rigorous intellectual inquiry on the role of religion to uphold true spirituality, or demand that politics be an arena for great statesmanship and leaders of integrity.  Critique, in my view, should never be outright attack, if it does not bring with it a way to point to a higher standard of being. 

 

The inevitable discussion that the events have brought up around Islam and the role that it may or may not have played in the attacks has also lead me to reflect on an experience I had many years ago when, teaching foreign students one summer in Cambridge, I asked my (male) Libyan students to take me to a mosque.  With all the negative press about Islam at the time (in the aftermath of September 11), I was keen to get a more balanced view.

 

Being the only female, I was alone when I entered the woman’s section of the mosque but was soon befriended by two women there who explained how to wear the headscarf and gently guided me through the process of worship.  Afterwards, they kindly invited me back to their home whereupon I had a delightful afternoon, learning more about Islam.  One woman was Indian, a Muslim since birth, the other, an English woman, who had converted to Islam on marriage.  One of the things that struck me most in that conversation and the ensuing personal research I did afterwards, was the concept of ‘jihad’ as the ‘war against self’.  As a spiritual thinker, I thought that this was a beautiful, and profound, concept.  For, is this not the true warfare, the battle to be waged against jealousy, greed, ego, hatred, fear, in pursuit of a higher spirituality till we are all, finally, in submission to God and Love alone?  My understanding is that the Prophet Mohamed*, saw military warfare as the ‘minor jihad’ in contrast to the ‘major jihad’ of the peaceful battle for self-control and betterment. It is THIS battle, surely, that we are ALL to be waging.

 

To me, the war against self is surely as much about the refusal to take offense at others opinions as it is about the removal of the human labels we put on ourselves and others - and the critique that ensues.  It is the call to each one of us to have a higher view of humanity, a more enlightened view of our fellow men and women, even in the midst of great fear.

 

Of course, these attacks are not simply about the role of satire in a democracy, the supposedly violent nature of Islam or our right to free speech but also encompass a wider range of issues to do with equality of opportunity, an end to discrimination and a more tolerant, integrated society that sees all people’s basic needs met.

 

Ultimately, the real threat is our fear.  This is surely what we most need to work on. In the months to come, as France takes steps to build a safer, more harmonious society, a more complete self-examination will be necessary, one that recognizes that we all have our part to play in exercising that higher standard of love, not fear.  We all have a right to choose to submit to love - and build a society built on that most highest of principle.

 

* (http://islamicsupremecouncil.org/understanding-islam/legal-rulings/5-jihad-a-misunderstood-concept-from-islam.html?)

 

When I first started working in the area of international development, the issue that most drew my attention was that of the plight of women in emerging economies who suffered oppression at the hands of patriarchal societies. Women are by far and away the largest oppressed group in the world still today and most likely to suffer from poverty, conflict and disease. We only need to see what is happening with the likes of groups such as Boko Haram, intent on denying women rights to education and empowerment, to see the urgency of the problem.  Even in the more ‘developed’ world, we have a long way to go to establish parity with men in the workplace, in the public sphere and even in the home.

My journey with Hua Dan, the organization that I established to empower migrant and rural women and children with confidence, leadership skills and creativity, has been both a joy and a challenge (see here) but it has also served to underline my commitment to working on issues of women’s empowerment.  I’ve blogged before on some of the stories of the women I work with. Dong Fen, the first woman to attend one of our workshops is now the General Manager of our China programmes and oversees all aspects of the day-to-day running of the organization. It has been a joy to witness her growth and maturity into this role, despite the inevitable bumps along the way, and I marvel at how far she has come towards understanding the needs of the communities we work with and what Hua Dan can best contribute to Chinese society. Her commitment, dedication and, most of all, vision of what can be achieved have inspired me beyond belief and I marvel at her continued persistence in the face of numerous obstacles.

It seems to me that the call for feminine leadership has never been stronger. To me, the urgency of having women in positions of leadership is imperative to create a greater balance of power and to neutralize the violence and aggression that still seems to be such a part of our world. As a feminist I have never been of the opinion that the fight is simply about removing all the human barriers to women’s equality but relies just as much on a more nuanced understanding of empowering the ‘feminine qualities’ within each one of us, including men.

To me, part of the problem lies in our de-valuing qualities we often associate with women and to deny their role in leadership. I love this quote of Martin Luther King who talks about the interrelationship between power and love and it could well be argued that this also conveys the tension between ‘male’ and ‘female’ ways of leading.

“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.”

I’ve written previously on the need for a more feminine style of leadership and, in this previous blog post, suggested that women were the custodians of the concept of feminine leadership and that their role was to bring out those qualities of love, compassion, collaboration, creativity, beauty, nurturing, empowerment in themselves and others, including the men they work with and for. This is as much a part of women’s leadership is about as it is supporting women to develop and express those masculine qualities such as strength, discipline, justice, order, integrity. None of these qualities are the exclusive preserve of men or women, but true leadership is evidenced in our ability to draw out and empower these qualities in each other. We need to ensure that we continue to support and strengthen both women and men’s ability to lead in all areas of life, through a higher understanding of our qualities.

What is interesting is that, ultimately, Martin Luther King, chose love. He realized that this was the only power that was really worth having. He himself embodied that traditionally ‘feminine’ quality and used that love to truly express power. Whilst he himself proved that love was not a quality unique to women, his recognition that this supreme quality was really all that mattered is, why I believe, women have a duty to lead – with love – in all aspects of human experience and thus to bring about transformation in our world.

I’ve written before on this blog about my participation in World Blu’s Freedom-Centered Leadership programme. As part of one of my assignments, I was asked to watch the TED Talk of Ben Saunders, an explorer and one of the few people to have walked solo to the North Pole.

Ben’s talk is fascinating and he delivers his story with much warmth, humour and humility, not afraid to share his trials, challenges and failures, and seems to be a genuinely likeable chap. I was impressed by his ordinariness. In his talk, he elaborates on why he chose to attempt (and ultimately accomplish) his polar expedition. He says he’s interested in seeing how we can stretch our potential and believes that, as we go through life, most people are just scratching the surface of what they are capable of achieving.

I’ve sometimes wondered whether explorers like Ben were somewhat willful in their pursuit of breaking physical limits. It seemed an almost macho competition to try to outdo others. But the humility and authenticity with which Ben shares his passion for exploration inspired and reminded me of my own deeply-held belief that our lives should be about making sure we really are pushing the limits of what can be done, because it is part of our spiritual growth. We all need to overcome limitations in thought and push past our fears and doubts into clearer views and experience of our own goodness and potential.

I especially liked Ben’s comment that ‘no one else is an authority on your potential’. It’s easy to succumb to the opinions of others and to allow their perspectives to colour or influence our path in life. Or to stop us following our dreams. It can take a lifetime to overcome the limitations that parents, society, our education may have placed on our own understanding of what is possible and it’s important that we continue to be self-aware enough of where those little suggestions would try to creep in. 

In my own journey, it’s been hard sometimes to filter out the well-intentioned, but often misguided, opinions of others and to be super clear on one’s vision. But each of us has a duty to follow the little voice that urges us to express our unique creativity and gifts to the world.

Remember, there is nothing to be afraid of. Ben is living his full potential. 

Are you living yours?

I’m currently taking part in an awesome leadership course – WorldBlu’s Freedom-Centered Leadership programme.

I’ve been a huge fan of WorldBlu’s work, ever since I first read about Traci and the spiritual basis on which she grounds her practice of organizational democracy and freedom-centered leadership.  This is not about political democracy but about a better way to run our organisations, with a freedom-centered mindset, that empowers the best of each individual. 

World Blu says that fear at work manifests itself in many different ways, including low productivity, bad decisions, wastefulness, stress, micro-management and a lack of innovation. According to a Gallup survey, 80% of employees are disengaged at work. 

To me, the ideas of building companies where freedom is a core principle are intuitively right for any leader who desires to lead with a strong sense of purpose, vision and values-based leadership. Here’s Traci talking about the importance of Freedom-Centered Leadership.

One of the practices that the course demands of it’s participants is to consider the role fear plays in obstructing forward movement in following one’s purpose and vision and radically asks us as leaders to remove fear in our day to day practice as leaders. 

One of these activities involved a 30 day exploration of The Power Question™ which asks ‘What would I do if I wasn’t afraid?’

I found it fascinating and insightful, not to mention a little hard (!), to keep up this exploration for a full 30 days and, after a few false starts, got into the swing of it. Wow! Did it really open up my eyes to how much influence fear seems to have in our thoughts and actions. I started to see so many aspects of my life, my business and my interactions with others as fear-based and resolved to eliminate this fear from my life.

It can be hard. But readers of this blog will know that I believe the opposite of fear to be love. Therefore, the elimination of fear is paramount to my purpose in life and, as such, deserves all my efforts in mastering and conquering the power that fear would try to have.

It seems to me that one way to do this is to so focus on love that fear simply has no place in our experience. I’m also learning that the conscious elimination of fear has, as it’s by-product, a more quietly confident and humble compassion for ourselves and others that has a transformative effect. When we quieten our senses for long enough to ‘listen’ to our highest sense of right, we can confidently let go of whatever fear it is that seems to have sway.

The World Blu Freedom-Centered Leadership programme gives leaders the opportunity to work through the 10 principles of organizational democracy, as defined on the World Blu site. 

Principles include Transparency, Accountability, Choice and Dialogue and Listening, and Decentralization.  

It’s an amazing and life-changing programme and I highly recommend any leader committed to supporting the potential of others and unleashing the power for good of their organization, to take part in the programme. 

You can find out more on World Blu’s site at www.worldblu.com.

http://www.worldblu.com/freedom-centered-leader/

http://www.worldblu.com/democratic-design/principles.php