As ‘the world goes to hell in a handbasket’ under male leadership, Brisbane women are conducting stealth campaigns to restore gender balance to positions of power, writes Karina Ames.
Joining a group of professional women at a Women in Leadership event at the Precinct in Fortitude Valley recently, I was struck by the calibre of the all-female panel.
Each speaker held chair and director roles across a wide range of industries including male-dominated fields like mining and finance. They all credited their success to a supportive network of women.
As many world leaders become less focussed on women’s rights, Brisbane women are conducting stealth campaigns to support each other and their communities.
One panellist at a Women in Leadership event commented: ‘The world is going to hell in a handbasket and only women can save it through more focus on humanity.’
IMAGE The Women in Leadership Panel by Karina Ames
The panellist was advocating for women to join boards, through nominations and by de-identifying gender in board applications.
‘It’s amazing to see how male leaders twist and backtrack once the candidate’s gender is known. They want to appoint male candidates without the right qualifications because they would be a good fit. Fit for what?’
Women in Leadership founder, Dr Sarah Asokendaran started the group ‘…as a response to Trump and the anti-abortion laws’. Through media, events and a mentorship program, Dr Asokendaran is actively supporting women to thrive in leadership roles.
I walked away from this event feeling buoyed by the positive energy and advice shared by the panel, including wisdom passed down through generations.
IMAGE L to R: Bee Tro, Women in Leadership panelist Sandra Hall and writer Karina Ames
The words of one speaker stayed with me. ‘My mum told me imposter syndrome comes before a growth spurt and it’s a feeling, not an identity,’ she told the group.
Another event I attended recently was Gather for Good, a series of lunches aimed at helping women network and give back to the community they work and lead in. Between courses at an elegant lunch held at Madame Wu, the group met its ambitious fundraising target for The Lady Musgrave Trust and The Property Industry Foundation for Homeless Youth.
L to R Ineke McMahon and Lavinia Dack from Gather for Good. IMAGE: Karina Ames
Co-founders Lavinia Dack and Ineke McMahon have built an impressive community of women who volunteer their personal and professional time. Stories I heard around the lunch tables touched on foster care, helping refugees navigate the public school system and women elevating each other’s careers through mentoring and advocacy.
New womens’ club in Brisbane
A third event I’m looking forward to is the launch of The Gentlema’ams Club on 23 March which aims to bring together women from all backgrounds to build stronger in-person communities.
The group was partially inspired by the Ladies Lounge installation at the Gold Coast Home of the Arts.
Founder Bee Tro says: ‘I realised there are limited spaces for women to connect outside of parenting groups or workplaces.’
Tro wants to help women ‘… be their whole selves, rather than just the roles they manage day-to-day.’
The Gentlema’ams Club launch event speaker is Sally Noonan, who has held CEO, Deputy Director-General and Chief Economist roles and now coaches women on their career and leadership journeys.
Executive coach and economist Sally Noonan
Ms Noonan will share her leadership story, provide career tips and help women discover they can be part of supportive communities.
Celebrating International Women’s Day this week, it is encouraging to see that women are supporting each other year-round. They are sparking debates on rights and justice and taking actions needed to address leadership vacuums.
So yes, perhaps women can save the world, or at least maintain a sense of humanity, by working together and continuing to lift each other up.
IMAGE at top of story of The Gentlema’am’s Club founder Bee Tro and Women in Leadership founder Dr Sarah Asokendaran by Karina Ames
