DEI | Happy International Women's Day!

Hi All,

Today is International Women's Day (IWD)! For those who are relatively new to this day - it's a day to honor the contributions and accomplishments of women throughout history (short 2min video here). It's also a day to acknowledge the ongoing fight for gender equality, which is still a pressing issue in many parts of the world.

One of the things I promised myself to do during the ‘pandemic lockdown reflection’ was to study more about the ‘Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)’ subject and talk about it - adding my perspective as a woman and also an ethnic minority in the West to raise awareness and also to help one another!

As part of 'the Women in Business Network Committee', I’ve led the female executive leadership programs for rising female junior stars at my company for a couple of years but we always heard the feedback that despite the amazing program, it is hard to keep the momentum alone and also to implement things in real life. So, I've decided to start to write about ‘real’ life female leaders examples in this blog to learn about how they overcame adversities in life and also achieved career success, and found fulfillment in life.

The IWD theme for this year is #EmbraceEquity. This theme encourages everyone to challenge gender bias and inequality, and to work towards a more inclusive and equal society. Women have made significant progress in recent years, but there's still a long way to go.

Some of the key issues facing women today include the gender pay gap, sexual harassment and assault, lack of access to education and healthcare, and discrimination in the workplace. Women around the world continue to face systemic barriers to their success and well-being, and International Women's Day is a time to raise awareness about these issues and work towards meaningful change.

On the other hand, there are many inspiring stories of women who have overcome these challenges and achieved incredible things. From the suffragettes who fought for women's right to vote to the first female heads of state, women have made a significant impact on history and continue to do so today. By recognizing these achievements and celebrating women's accomplishments, we can inspire future generations to strive for gender equality.

😀My hero is my mum.

I wanted to start celebrating with a woman in my life first. My mum! My mum is a remarkable woman who has pivoted her career three times, from a high school teacher to a successful model to a businesswoman. In South Korea during her time, it was frowned upon for women to pursue careers let alone in art or entertainment esp. after getting married, but my mother persisted in her ambitions. As a child, she was scouted on the street at age three and trained by the best choreographer in South Korea. However, she had to give up her dream of becoming an actor and dancer after majoring in acting at her university to fulfill the expectations of being a virtuous woman. She became a high school literature teacher instead, but again, had to quit her job once she married. After giving birth to my sister and me, my mother became a model despite the tides against her. She also had to withstand the pressure to have a son. She traveled abroad with her TV shows and photo shoots. Later, she became a successful businesswoman. Being a trailblazer in a conservative society was not easy, but she persevered for her daughters and future generations. In one of her magazine interviews, my mother said  “I am doing what I am doing because I want to show my daughters what a woman can achieve.” Despite facing many obstacles, she remains a dutiful wife and an incredible role model for her children.

Photo Credit: The photo was taken by my mum's friend in South Korea who was taking a photography class as part of continuing education at University in her 60s!

😍 Call to action.

Who’s your inspiration and role model? Have you said ‘thank you’ to that person today? Please share your thoughts! If you have any female leader examples you want me to study or if you want to write a post with me, do let me know as well!

🛰️ Here are some suggested resources:

My Top 6 Books for Women in Business:

1. "Lean In" by Sheryl Sandberg - This book encourages women to pursue their ambitions and provides practical advice for overcoming the challenges that they may face in the workplace.
2. "Lead to Win: How to Be a Powerful, Impactful, Influential Leader in Any Environment" by Carla Harris - Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley examines the journey from individual contributor to leader. She targets the essential skills necessary to succeed, such as the importance of taking risks, creating a vision, and leveraging assets like relationships and partnerships. At the heart of this book are the eight things you must be intentional about every day--authenticity, building trust, creating other leaders, clarity, diversity, innovation, inclusivity, and voice--qualities that you need to hone and manifest to become a powerful, impactful leader no matter where you work.
3. “A Good Time to be a Girl: Don’t Lean In, Change the System” by Helena Morrissey - This book challenges the notion that women need to change to fit into the workplace and instead argues for changing the system to accommodate women's needs and abilities.
4. “My Life in Full: Work, Family and Our Future” by Indra Nooyi - In this book, Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, shares her personal and professional journey and offers insights on how women can balance work and family while achieving their goals.
5. “Becoming” by Michelle Obama - Michelle Obama's memoir shares her life story, from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as First Lady of the United States, and offers inspiration for readers to pursue their own dreams.
6. "The Confidence Code" by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman - This book explores the science of confidence and provides strategies for building self-assurance in the workplace and beyond.

Ted Talk/Interview:

• How to find the person who can help you get ahead at work | Carla Harris - The workplace is often presented as a meritocracy, where you can succeed by putting your head down and working hard. Wall Street veteran Carla Harris learned early in her career that this a myth. The key to actually getting ahead? Get a sponsor: a person who will speak on your behalf in the top-level, closed-door meetings you're not invited to (yet). Learn how to identify and develop a productive sponsor relationship in this candid, powerful talk.
• Why we have too few women leaders | Sheryl Sandberg - This is classic! Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg looks at why a smaller percentage of women than men reach the top of their professions -- and offers 3 powerful pieces of advice to women aiming for the C-suite.
• Krissy Cela On Finding Your Vision, Mission and Why - PRIORTIZE YOURSELF. Krissy first started posting fitness videos on Instagram and YouTube in 2017 while studying for a law degree. Fast forward 4 years and Krissy has built a health and fitness empire with the mission to empower women across the world. Krissy is co-founder of the Tone and Sculpt app, fitness clothing brand Oner Active and an internationally respected personal trainer. In the conversation Ali and Krissy have a very honest conversation about the foundations of leading multi-million dollar brands, how to find your why and her book 'Do this for you'.

Women in Finance/Business Networks:

• 100 Women in Finance: How this was started is featured here in the interview with a Co-founder Carol Kim.
• 30% club: The 30% Club is a global campaign led by Chairs and CEOs taking action to increase gender diversity at board and executive committee levels.

Podcasts:

1. "Women at Work" - This podcast from Harvard Business Review explores the experiences of women in the workplace and provides advice for navigating gender-based challenges.
2. "The Broad Experience" - This podcast features interviews with women from a range of industries and explores topics related to gender, work, and success.
3. "The Skimm'd from the Couch" - This podcast from theSkimm features interviews with female leaders and explores their journeys to success.