Discussion Topic for the Week of Oct. 22 – Use Your Outside Voice

Ladies!

Let’s go with the flow!

As it so often does, the conversation from last week’s discussion in the private forum, creates this week’s discussion topic. Of course this is a normal part of one-on-one conversations, but here in this online format there is value in having the conversations written and then read. The really juicy bits that speak to all of us become frozen mid-explosion and we can look at them more closely together at another time.

Well, such an explosion has occurred!

To start, go back and read Andrea’s post from last week. Here’s a woman who had done all the awesomeness. She’s lead nine book projects where she has led diverse groups of women to share their intimate stories of life and growth. In a way, our Andrea is an international woman of authenticity. These stories she has brought into the light are about real women, living real lives – all the ugly bits transcending into feminine brilliance and leadership. Andrea is the change, and she represents thousands of women who are also the change. She is leading them. They watch her closely. We watch her closely. That’s how it works.

Now, Andrea has written her very own book. This book is about being this kind of woman who creates places of change. What is that really like? What does she do when she’s at home? Who is this fabulous woman? Well, you can see her on Facebook Live. That’s how it works. That’s the next step on the path of leadership. Dare I say that she is the light, going into the darkness of social media, and just being there as the lighthouse? Indeed I do. And in the modern world, this is how you sell books, and this is how you be and do feminine leadership. Like it or leave it, Facebook is arguably where the modern woman needs us the most.

That said, last week, Andrea’s post was about the very practical discomforts of doing such a wild and magnificent thing. The incredible thing is that the difficulties of such a bold act were all the same things women experience every single day. How do I look? How do I sound? Is my hair on right? Are my boobs too big today? Like it or leave it, these are quite literally the existential things that poke holes in the universal woman’s dream.

Call it ridiculous. Call it biology. Call it whatever you want. It’s a fact, and it has the potential to unite us.

So, here’s how it goes:

After reading Andrea’s post from last week, deeply note the significance of the positive feedback she received from an almost-stranger. This is significant for many reasons, but what we are connecting here this week is the value of a female almost-stranger lovingly providing positive feedback to another female leader. See what that did for Andrea – the whole picture. A woman outside of Andrea’s consciously chosen community of like-minded support (that’s us, Ladies!) stepped up and cheered Andrea on. That is the result of Andrea stepping outside of her comfort zone. Andrea’s brilliance was witnessed, and the ping from the outer field of influence has returned. It’s a big deal.

It’s a big deal because women need this interaction – especially from other women.

So…the set up for this has been lengthy, but this is a critical social behaviour that is lacking in women’s culture, and it is exactly what we do here in our private community. Our discussion topic this week is going to be more like a challenge, and that challenge quite simply is:

1. Choose a woman in your social media sphere (this is outside your friends doing awesome things), someone you kind-of know. Send her a brief note, like the one Andrea received, giving her positive feedback.

2. Share with us how this made YOU feel. 

3. If you get a reply from her, share that too!

Note: this is very much a challenge about how this made you feel – the act of giving positive feedback. It is not about coaching the other woman. It is about seeing the other woman in her brilliance, outside of your normal social group. It is about being that unconditional and positive support that we are inside our community, but on the outside. Model this revolutionary behaviour, and share with us the benefit to you. This is what motivates us to do anything innovative. It’s the “what’s in it for me” that human evolution requires.

This is the “how” of women’s culture evolving past the competition. That’s what we do here.

It is an opportunity to use your outside voice.

Positive feedback is like an essential nutrient for our confidence – especially the larger the steps in our leadership become. It’s natural, and it is that primal thing we need as women in a tribe. It’s safety.

Is this thing on?

Can you hear me now?

Yes, Lady, we do.