The Presidential candidates that have survived the grueling political grind to campaign another day are a varied lot. Only one carries forward the demographic profile of all our previous Presidents – the white male. We are therefore guaranteed an historic election where one of the two primary candidates will either be a woman or a person of color. Things have certainly changed in politics and in our society. And while there is much to write and contemplate concerning our evolving racial attitudes, at this moment, I’m choosing to focus upon gender.
I remember so clearly when I was a child (circa 1955), being in a toy store and seeing a rack of doctor kits, which were blue, with pictures of little boys on them. Alongside were pink nurse kits with pictures of little girls. The gender roles in our culture were that clearly defined.
While I can speak only for children of that time, it was very clear to us what our options were. It was essentially a simpler time. The much-touted American dream was attainable, if we played by the rules. We could have our nuclear families, find a good job and stay with it for life, cash in our pensions and enjoy our grandchildren who would, in turn, be living their even more abundant and stable lives. Because men controlled the economy and were the decision makers in society, the skill set they demonstrated was more valuable than the skill set of women.
For all practical purposes, men and women were raised in different cultures. In general, boys were meant to lead, girls to be supportive. Boys went into management positions in finance, business, science, politics, medicine and law. Girls were destined to be teachers, nurses, secretaries and homemakers. If you went against the zeitgeist, you were swimming upstream against a powerful current of cultural expectations.
Fast forward to today. All bets are off. Nothing is guaranteed because the economic and cultural paradigm has changed. The problems we face are much more complex than we ever imagined. We cannot go it alone, not as a country, as a company, as a family or as an individual. Collaboration, consensus, and communication are vital tools in the skill set of any successful leader. Remind you of any gender?
My point is not that women should take over and shunt men aside so that things can finally be done right. I deeply believe that success can only be achieved through having both men and women at the very top levels of the public and private sectors. Men and women together will reach much better decisions when they work on them collaboratively than they could if there was only one gender represented at the table. It is not about the pendulum swing in the balance of power. It is about balancing our skills, our viewpoints, and experiences so we can succeed in new millennium. Having multiple perspectives will lead to solutions for the enormous challenges our society is facing. You’ve come a long way, baby – and you got here just in time.
Dennis Tardan is a communications consultant and empowerment trainer. His passion is helping people to communicate their core messages with greater clarity, effectiveness and confidence. His company is Tardan Professional Development and he is based in Texas, USA. www.tardanprodev.com. Write to Dennis at .
