RIGHT PLACE! RIGHT TIME!
"Be a part of everything all the time." Shelly Allsup
BA Local 542 and an international representative for the Teamsters Warehouse Division
You may have heard about the United State of Women summit convened by the White House this month to celebrate achievements and discuss how together, we can take action on key gender equality issues and make a powerful difference in our collective future.
In the coming months and especially during the Teamster Women's conference we will be hearing a lot about women, women's leadership and for the first time in the U.S. we may elect a woman for president.
From the book, Clara Day: A Teamster's Life, longtime member, activist and leader "Clara Day was the right woman, in the right place, at the right time." Sister YOU are the right woman, in the right place, at the right time to lead in our union!
STAGE THREE
The third stage of the leadership development process is figuring out the politics—and it is a stage at which even experienced leaders can stumble. Once individuals have the technical skills they need, they look for opportunities to use those skills. Depending on their interests, they might take on special projects or run for office. At this point, they need not just the technical skills, but also political skills.
According to Lois Spier Gray's article, "The Route To The Top: Female Union Leaders and Union Policy" based on research and interviews, the most difficult knowledge to acquire is political know-how.
So just what are those "political skills?" Find a Valyrian sword and get yourself ready for a "Game of Thrones?" It's true you will come across people who approach politics as a game of winners and losers but here I'm focusing on positive political skills like building relationships, networking, consensus building, internal organizing and building power together to make our union stronger.
Take a moment to think about this quote by Alexis de Tocqueville in 1831...
"In democratic countries, knowledge of how to combine is the mother of all other forms of knowledge; on it's progress depends that of all the others."
The knowledge of how to combine (to organize) is the political skill that all other political skills will build on.
Some of you may remember when Dr. Elaine Bernard spoke at the women's conference in 2011, take a closer look as she teaches us about how to combine.
How do you take action? Is this worth your time?
Do you want to be involved? Will you catch the torch?
The best school for political skills/know-how is participation!
The third stage can be really tough for aspiring women leaders. It can be a vulnerable time because you show up, want to make a difference and you really put yourself out there. A time when you may face those who critically challenge you and try to block your progress. A time that may cause you to become disillusioned, apathetic and disengage from labor activism. Take a look at Brene Brown's video "Why Your Critics Aren't The Ones Who Count"
Has a quote ever changed your life? Are you willing to dare greatly?
I know that some of us may still face a brogressive, lib-bro and outdated "old boys network" but many more of us know that our union grows stronger in diversity and like our sisters & brothers before us we will show up! We will continue to educate, agitate and organize!
