As I sat down to begin preparing for my involvement in the upcoming “Lean In Series” here in Vancouver on February 22nd, I found myself distracted by something that many of my peers have likely spent time thinking about as well: the “Me Too” movement.
The Lean In Series is designed to empower women (particularly women in business), celebrate our successes, and acknowledge the unique challenges that we often face.
It’s in thinking about these challenges that I keep coming back to what’s been happening in the media over the last several months.
As we all continue to be confronted with a seemingly endless onslaught of stories about celebrities, politicians, and even members of our own community; it’s hard not to be taken aback by the sheer volume of misconduct.
Yet, I struggle at times to find the “balance”. The balance between being an advocate for the rights of women, a successful business owner, a good wife, and a better parent. I suppose part of this struggle comes from the fact that my business partner, the person I’ve built my livelihood and shared my successes with, is a man. What’s more, he’s my husband!
He’s a wonderful man, and it’s been an absolute gift to have him by my side as we started a business and a family together. Supporting me and leaning in when I doubted myself. But as this “reckoning” has begun, I’ve spent more time thinking about how I balance my role as an advocate with my role as a business partner, co-parent, and wife. I’m thinking about my staff members, my work family, and what tools and resources they have access to if anything inappropriate should happen in our workplace. Is our Employee Assistance Program, monthly check-ins, zero tolerance policies, and transparent family culture enough for them to make sure they are not only protected, but comfortable as well?
I’m thinking about my role as a business owner in this community. I have also worked to create opportunities for women in business, but am I doing enough to speak out against the systemic violence that so many women face as they fight just to be taken seriously in their professions?
I’m thinking about my daughters and my son. My oldest daughter who is eleven now and my son who is seven are old enough to start asking questions about what they’re seeing in the media. Am I doing enough to affect change now?
so that when they grow up and start their own businesses (if that’s what they choose to do), will my daughter have much less to battle against than I have? Will my son be an sponsor and lean in for the women who will work alongside him?
As you can probably tell, I have more questions than answers. I ask you, as women, as successful business owners, as mothers, as survivors – how do we find balance among these enormous questions?
How do we be each of these things, and do them all well? How do we work with one another, and in many cases, with the men in our lives, to make a change?
As I sit down to begin thinking about the importance of “leaning in” and celebrating the power and agency that (some) strong women in today’s business world can wield, a part of me still wrestles with the questions, described above.
To my peers – please reach out if any of these questions are ones that have crossed your mind, if there are others that you contemplate, or if you just need to talk it out.
In the meantime, I’m saying “me too” – for me and “I’m leaning in” for my team, my business and the men and women in my life.