Looking back on the First International Session in China

By Martha P. Farmer, Executive Director, Leadership America

The inaugural session of Leadership America Abroad took place in Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu, China, October 14-23, 2009.

Eight women, alumnae of Leadership America and/or Leadership Texas, were trailblazers as they shared the mission and vision of the 22-year-old program for our nation’s women leaders with their counterparts in China.

Designed to provide tools necessary for leadership in today’s global environment and to enrich and expand women’s leadership opportunities in academic, business, educational, healthcare, political, nonprofit and social arenas, the Leadership America program attracts both seasoned and emerging leaders.

The opportunity to meet and interact with women leaders in China heightened global awareness and mutual respect and understanding; engaged the Chinese and American women in conversations regarding the intersection of our agendas; opened opportunities for agile, connective leadership in a rapidly changing world forum; and initiated the development of a global women’s leadership network.

From visiting with an elderly Chinese woman in her modest, traditional abode in the Yannian Hutong in Beijing to having tea with Madam Chan Laiwa, the second wealthiest woman in China (a fact gleaned from the China Daily the day of our visit) and curator of the China Red Sandalwood Museum; from riding in a pedicab, enjoying a leisurely excursion on a sampan to speeding along on the amazing MegLev (the world’s fastest train); from observing the members of the Keiretsu Forum connect venture capitalists with newly minted entrepreneurs to meeting with officials from the very tightly controlled, government connected All-China Women’s Federation; from climbing atop the Great Wall to a behind-the-scenes visit at the Chengdu Research Base for Giant Panda Breeding, the women of Leadership America engaged in conversations that tore down barriers, built avenues of mutual understanding and respect, and forged important professional alliances and personal relationships that will serve as the foundation for ongoing dialogue.

2009 Leadership America Abroad set the stage for annual global initiatives that will result in the development of a powerful global women’s network.

2010's International Session will be Dubai and promises to be just as encompassing and life changing as the China Session.

More information to come. You can apply for Dubai or any of our other session in Dallas, Miami and Boston, online at www.leadershipamerica.com.

Annoucing 2010 Program Topics & Cities

Theme: Beyond Barriers: Leading in a Global Environment

Session I

Topic: The Economy: Conflicting Theories, Collaborating Solutions…Connecting the Dots

February 2010

Dallas, Texas

Session II

Topic: Health Care: Prescriptions for what Ails us

May 2010

Miami, Florida

Session III

Topic: Education: The Virtual Learning Environment – The Walls are Falling Down

Boston, Massachusetts

September 2010

International Session

Dubai

September 2010 (Following Session III)

Scholarships are available. Click the button below to apply today.

More information can be found at http://www.leadershipamerica.com/.

Speaker Spotlight: Honorable Margot Wallström

For this week's spotlight we are focusing on a speaker that will share her insight on global leadershipand share with the class her personal leadership journey.

Margot Wallström is currently the First Vice-President of the European Commission, which is the executive branch for the European Union. Before taking up this position she worked for five years as EU Environment Commissioner.

She has had a long career in politics and served as a Member of Swedish Parliament 1979-1985.Her ministerial career began in 1988 when she was appointed as Minister of Civil Affairs to be followed by a position as Minister of Culture and then Minister of Social Affairs. In 1998, she retired from Swedish politics to become Executive Vice-President of Worldview Global Media – an NGO based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The following year, 1999, she was appointed Member of the European Commission, under President Romano Prodi, and responsible for EU environmental policy. During her mandate she developed the EU strategy and action programme for Sustainable Development with a main focus on human health, chemicals, biodiversity and climate change. She effectively mothered REACH which is a rigorous EU regulation on chemicals.

Wallström was also instrumental in concluding the ratification process of the Kyoto protocol. In 2004, when the Barroso Commission took office, she was appointed first Vice-President responsible for Inter-institutional Relations and Communication. Margot Wallström has received several honorary doctorates and awards for her work on Sustainable Development and Climate Change. She has done extensive work to endorse an EU-Africa partnership on renewable energy, champion equal opportunities and to further the CSR agenda in Europe.

Since 2001 Wallström is the honorary chair of the Business Leaders Initiative on Climate Change (BLICC). In this capacity she has developed an initiative on climate change called Road to Copenhagen together with Mary Robinson and Gro Harlem Brundtland (Club of Madrid).

To find out more about the Leadership America and other speakers, visit http://www.leadershipamerica.com/.

What is Leadership America?

Recently, I have received some tweets ( @next_big_thing) and emails asking WHAT Leadership America is and WHO do we serve. Sometimes messages get muttled with current events and calendar dates that it is good to step back and remember why we are here.

Below are the "Five Ws and one H" of Leadership America:

WHO: Leadership America is one of the longest running national women's leadership programs in the world.

WHAT: Through three stand-alone session a year, we equip women leaders with the latest information and innovation for professional and personal growth and create an atmosphere of high-level immersion with other women leaders.

WHEN: Each class has three stand-alone session per year. The third session in 2009 will be held in Washington, D.C., October 11 - 13, and the addendum Beijing, China trip, October 13-24, 2009. (More information, click here)

WHERE: Three U.S. cities with an addendum international experience each year. Leadership America offices in Dallas, Texas, at The Women's Museum.

WHY: To foster the growth personally and professional of women leaders in the United States and to help bridge the gap of women in leaderships roles. (check out Catalyst study on women in leadership and board activites)

HOW: Leadership America ensures that participants receive valuable information on topics specific to each session. The conversational format allows class members to heavily interact with each speaker while encouraging participancts to asses the way they will apply the new information both professionally and personally.

Other than this blog, you can get more information on the rest of our session in 2009 and apply by visiting http://www.leadershipamerica.com/. You can also become a Fan on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Lead the Way: Anna Sutherland Bissell

It has been said that Anna Sutherland Bissell “studied business the way other women of her time studied French.” Her diligence and interest served her well as one of the nation’s first female CEOs.

Her business experience began after she married Melville R. Bissell at the age of 19. She and her husband owned and managed a crockery and china business in Grand Rapids, Mich. However, she soon became frustrated with the daily difficulty of sweeping sawdust from the carpet floor.

She explained the problem to her husband, who used his mechanical skills to invent a carpet sweeper machine. Word spread quickly about the new invention, and people began to inquire about how they could purchase a carpet sweeper for themselves.

In 1876 the Bissell Carpet Sweeper was patented, and Anna traveled from town to town to sell the miraculous sweepers for $1.50. The Bissell carpet sweeper was immediately successful, and the first manufacturing plant was built in Grand Rapids in 1883. Six years later, Melville Bissell’s death left Anna in charge of the company. She used her business knowledge to launch Bissell into the international market, and by 1899 Bissell was the largest company of its kind in the world.

Anna kept up with the growing industry and prided herself on knowing every facet of her business. She implemented progressive labor policies, including workers’ compensation and pension plans—well before these policies were common in the industry. Anna remained at the helm of Bissell Carpet Sweeper Company until 1931.

Anna was a pioneer in her community as well. She was a charter member of the Ladies Literary Club, a Zonta member, and a board member of the Clark Memorial Home. She was actively involved in Bissell House, which was a recreation and training program for youth and immigrant women.

*Lead the Way's Series is meant to share stories of women leaders from our past and turn their stories into inspiration for the women today. Check out more stories here.

SECOND SESSION: Technology Innovations –Equipping A More Flexible Leader

July 19 – 21, 2009
San Francisco and Silicon Valley, CA

Technology Innovations –Equipping A More Flexible Leader
Apply today!
*25% discount for ALL Leadership America Alumnae.
**Scholarships are available.

Technology breakthroughs continue to create a growing awareness of connectedness at all levels. Nuclear energy, computers, satellite TV, lasers and biotechnology, organ transplants, space exploration, and the internet: all these, and more, have forced us to see the world as a single, albeit complicated, system – one immense set of interrelated pieces.

Connective leaders who know how to bring together all the diverse, interdependent parties, even those who feel they have conflicting agendas, will achieve important goals more effectively in this new environment.

In the “cradle of technology”, Leadership America participants will have opportunity to explore the impact of leading-edge innovations on their particular arenas of professional leadership. The engines of change are pushing leaders simultaneously in different directions, toward both increased interdependence and greater fragmentation born of diversity.

The session will focus on the technology revolution’s demand for new solutions that integrate the economic, political, health, and educational needs of many diverse groups.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:

Day One, Sunday, July 19, 2009

3:00- 4:00 p.m.
Arrival and Check-In
Omni San Francisco Hotel

4:00 p.m.
Welcome to Leadership America & Program Overview
Wanda Brice, CEO, The Women’s Museum
Martha P. Farmer, Founding Director, 2009 Interim Director

4:30 p.m.
Networking in the Age of Web 2.0
Building Your Personal Brand with New Technology

An Interactive Conversation With… Patricia Romboletti
Leadership California ‘08
President, Sage Connection, Atlanta

5:30
Opening Reception with “Small Table Discussions"
Facilitated by Leadership America & Leadership California Alumnae in the Bay Area

7:00 p.m.
Opening Dinner

Day Two, Monday, July 20, 2009
Omni San Francisco Hotel

7:30 a.m.
Coffee & Croissant

8:00 a.m.
Depart for the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank

8:15 a.m.
Breakfast Briefing at The Fed
Welcome Remarks
Joy K. Hoffmann
Group Vice President/District Public Information & Community Development

Technology Innovations: Powering or Pummeling the Economy?
A Briefing From the Federal Reserve

Daniel J. Wilson, Ph.D.
Senior Economist, Economic Research Division, Federal Reserve

9:30 a.m.
Depart for The Silicon Valley

11:00 a.m.
A Conversation With…
(Speaker to be determined by Hewlett-Packard)

12: 30 p.m.
Break & Lunch
Hosted by Hewlett-Packard

1:30 p.m.
“Technology: Equipping or Inhibiting A More Flexible Leader?”
A Forum Featuring:

• James Beck, CPA & CMA, Managing Director/CFO, The Mayfield Fund
• Dorothy Farris, Vice President, Strategic Sales, Wise Technology
• Rebecca Norlander, Partner Engineering Manager, Microsoft Online Advertising Platform
• Telle Whitney, President & CEO, Anita Borg Institute for Women & Technology Moderator

3:00 p.m.
Break

3:30 p.m.
Leadership America Responds
Roundtable Discussion
What We’ve Heard – What We’ve Learned

4:00 p.m.
Return to San Francisco

6:00 p.m.
Private Reception & Buffet Dinner
“San Francisco from The Top of Russian Hill”

8:30 p.m.
Enjoy San Francisco Nightlife

Day Three, Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Omni San Francisco Hotel

7:30 a.m.
Breakfast Buffet

8:30 a.m.
Closing Presentation
A Conversation With... Sunne Wright McPeak
President & CEO of the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) (Pending)

Susan E. Walters, Senior Vice President, CETF (Pending)

9:30 a.m.
Break & Check-Out

10:00 a.m.
Identifying You Connective Leadership Style?
A Connective Leadership Workshop
conducted by Dr. Jean Lipman-Blumen (Confirmed)
Professor of Public Policy, Co-Founding Director, Institute for Advanced Studies in Leadership
Claremont Graduate School, California

11:45 a.m.
Concluding Session
What’s Next – Taking My Leadership America
Experience to My Sphere of Influence
A Conversation Among the Leadership America Participants

Noon
Closing Remarks

Find out more information and how to apply by visiting www.leadershipamerica.com.
*25% discount for ALL Leadership America Alumnae
**Scholarships are available.

Three Questions With... Marny Lifshen

As part of Leadership America's mission to bring new and innovative information to women's leaders, we are starting the Three Questions With Series. Each week we will focus on a topic that is important to be apprised of as a women leader.

This week's debut topic is networking! You are probably thinking two things right now: "UGH, networking!!!" or "What could I possibly need to know about networking, you go, you talk, you drink wine." Well ladies, whether you love it or hate it, networking is an integral part of a leader's responsibilities and Marny Lifshen was kind of enough to give Leadership America time last week to discuss a few tips to networking. Marny is the co-author of Some Assembly Required: A Guide to Networking for Women, a guide that is packed with useful tips, creative techniques and real-world stories that are relevant for women today.

Marny is an Austin-based marketing communication consultant, author and speaker with more than 18 years of experience. Marny specializes in professional services marketing and public relations. She also regularly contributes articles and columns to many print and online publications on networking. Marny is an experienced speaker, and specifically addresses women's organizations and conferences across the country on the topic of networking and building a personal brand.

Below is the video of our inaugural Three Questions With Series.



Thank you w2wlink for inviting me to speak with Marny. If you would like to find out more about Marny Lifshen and Some Assembly Required: A Guide to Networking for Women, visit http://www.marnylifshen.com/.

Please feel free to comment about topics you would like us to discuss and always visit http://www.leadershipamerica.com/ for information on our 2009 Sessions!

Make sure you check back each week for the a new topic.

Highlights from Chicago Session

Below is a small video highlighting the Leadership America Chicago Session in mid-April.

The agenda included a visit to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, where the group was welcomed by the President, Charles Evans, followed by a presentation by Senior Economist, William Strauss.

Other key presenters included:
Dr. Jean Lipman- Blumen , Professor of Public Policy; Co-Founding Director, Institute for Advanced Studies in Leadership, Claremont Graduate University, gave a keynote address based on her book, Connective Leadership: Managing in a Changing World.

Randall Kroszner, Professor of Economics at the Booth School of Business, University of Chicago.

Matt Miller, author of - The Tyranny of Dead Ideas—Letting Go of Old Ways to Unleash a New Prosperity. Mr. Miller is a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and a contributing editor for Fortune Magazine.

Additional presenters included: Stephanie Neely, City of Chicago Treasurer; Marilyn Gerdes, retired VP of Sara Lee Corporation and Gwen Cohen, Wealth Adviser, Morgan Stanley.

Congratulations to the 2009 Leadership America Chicago Class!

Congratulations to this year's class: Cheryl Aguilar, Rita Casavantes, Kellie Clapper, Sandy Colee, Marquita Davis, Carol Donovan, Patricia Green, Selean Holmes, Sheryl Jackson, Cris Jordan, Sylvia Kidd, Patty Kryscha, Mary Laube-Gale, Kylie McDonald, Beth Rosenthal, Maj. General Mary Saunders, Pamela Smith and Leisha Willis.

These extraordinary women leaders came together in Chicago for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. From having a backstage pass to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and hearing a presentation from top employees including the President, to learning all the nuances of the economic climate and the future of our nation, these women connected with each other to learn what is need to stay aware and marketable in this ever-changing economic climate.

Said one classmate, “It renewed my commitment to connective leadership. I acquired a sense of urgency regarding the importance of our involvement at the policy level on women's issues and issues of leadership in business. It expanded my vision in the area of thought leadership. Many thoughts and tools still developing and rising up out of the experience as I continue to digest the experience and decompress.”

Speakers included: ·

• Keynote Speaker- Dr. Jean Lipman- Blumen , Professor of Public Policy; Co-Founding Director, Institute for Advanced Studies in Leadership, Claremont Graduate University, will give a keynote address based on her book, Connective Leadership: Managing in a Changing World.
• Randall Kroszner, Professor of Economics at the Booth School of Business, University of Chicago.
• Matt Miller, author of - The Tyranny of Dead Ideas—Letting Go of Old Ways to Unleash a New Prosperity. Mr. Miller is a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and a contributing editor for Fortune Magazine.

Additional presenters included: Stephanie Neely, City of Chicago Treasurer; Marilyn Gerdes, retired VP of Sara Lee Corporation and Gwen Cohen, Wealth Adviser, Morgan Stanley.

Next up... San Francisco/Silicon Valley, July 19 - 21, 2009. Topics will surround "Technology Innovation: Using the latest Innovation to Power Progress."

Visit http://www.leadershipamerica.com/ for more information.

Slideshow of Chicago Session

Here is a little snippet from the inaugural session of the 2009 Leadership America in Chicago April 19 - 21.




Leadership America, one of the longest running women's leadership development class, revamped the programming in 2009 to focus on "Agile Leadership in an Ever-Changing World." For the first session, the 2009 class visited Chicago, IL, to network and discuss topics on the economic climate. The Chicago attendees had the rare pleasure of conducting classes at the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago with a "back stage pass" and an opportunity to speak with the President of the Federal Reserve Bank and the Treasurer. Other top notch speakers included Matt Miller, Randall Kroszner, Bill Strauss, Jean Lipman-Blumen, PhD, Stephanie Neeley, Gwen Cohen, Marilyn Gerdes and others.

Next session is July 19 - 21 in San Francisco/Silicon Valley, CA. Topics will surround Technology for the future and how to integrate new communications into your business. www.leadershipamerica.com.

Application open for New Leadership America Program

Taking from the survey results from 2008, Leadership America announces the new 2009 programming. Three stand-alone session in Chicago, Silicon Valley and Washington D.C.(adjunct trip to Beijing, China) all encompass the theme "Agile Leadership in an Ever-Changing World." The New Leadership America is dedicated to providing the skills needed to stay ahead in this rapidly changing world. Follow the link to learn more details for the sessions and to apply online... http://www.leadershipamerica.com/women_lead/program/program.asp . If you have any questions, please call 214-915-0865.

Can America be agile?

As President Obama was sworn in this morning, my collegues and I huddled around a TV in the permanent exhibits of our Museum. And, although we are a small, yet loud group, we were all silenced by the President’s inaugural address. You could feel the weight of the words he spoke, and whether or not everyone in that room voted for him, there was a sense of respect and willingness to follow. I heard murmurs of “America needs this change,” and “wow, Aretha can really sing!” For me, the parts of the speech that inspired my thoughts the most were his thoughts on change. President Obama said, “for as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies.” What a strong statement that attests to the personal commitment we all have to make a change. Can we continue this surge that started with the elections and continued with the masses that showed up today? That is what is so interesting about change, it only occurs when one makes it happen.

I think about change in my own life and work, which seem to meld together a lot. We have to be agile and accept change or we will suffer the fate of being passed by. Learn new ways of performing your tasks, keep your minds and actions agile and open to new thinking. For some, this is a hard task. Many have preached change, but how many have followed through to make the change permanent? This is one of the many challenges our President and other political representatives are charged in accomplishing. They, as well as ourselves, must use our talents, skills and tools to begin this process.

As President Obama eloquently, yet pointedly charged in his inaugural address:“Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.”

Alumnae Alcove

With Leadership America having so many alumnae throughout the US, it is hard sometimes to keep everyone in contact with each other. Starting in 2009, we will have an Alumnae Alcove sharing good news about our alumnae. Starting with Martha P. Farmer, founding director and interim executive director of Leadership America, Martha is helping ensure the NEW Leadership America's success. Stay tuned, and see what these amazing women are up to in 2009. If you would like to send us your stories, please email haley.curry@thewomensmuseum.org.