A Secret of Successful Business Women 

Look at your audacious achievements! Do you secretly hope no one finds out that you're not what your hard-won success declares you to be? If so, you may be suffering from a super-achiever malaise called the Imposter Syndrome. So many highly successful women have feelings of inadequacy that books have been written on this Fake Syndrome for the last 30 years. These feelings are rooted in the belief that you are not good enough. Well...Who told you that? And why do you still believe it?

Oprah Took Marianne Williamson's Advice

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Prepare for an Emergency Landing

4 bells - a signal that I had to go immediately to the airplane cockpit. I entered and saw the flight engineer's face. He looked like he'd just seen his life flash before him. As I sat in the jumpseat behind the Captain, he told me there was a "problem with the flaps." Since I was #1 Flight Attendant, my role was to tell the cabin crew and then lead them in by-the-book procedures. I made all of the prerequisite announcements to the passengers so the flight attendants could prepare them and the aircraft cabin for an emergency landing at JFK. 

Leadership Attitude 

I'm what you would call a natural leader. It's in my DNA. I even went to college on a 4-year leadership scholarship. Why do I tell you this? So you'll understand that being a leader in this airplane emergency was the best role for me. My leadership reflexes and instincts directed passengers to remain calm. When a flight attendant working her first trip expressed fear, I reminded her that she had just passed rigorous emergency training and FAA certification. She would just put into practice what she had learned. It never occurred to me to think negatively about the situation. Instead, I was fully present - focused on making sure everything was ready for the safest possible evacuation of passengers and cabin crew.

Attitude is a Choice

What worked for me in that emergency at altitude can be practiced wherever you are. 

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It's Easier Than You Think 

In our crazy busy work and lives we forget to feed the deeper parts of ourselves. If you're curious and fascinated by new perspectives and illuminating ideas, one easy way to do this is to watch videos from the TED Conferences - Ideas Worth Spreading. You'll find yourself thinking more vibrantly and learning a lot about what's possible when life and work enliven you.

The 19-minute presentation by anthropologist Wade Davis - National Geographic Explorer In-Residence - at the 2008 TED Conference is just one example. So grab a refreshing drink, sit back, relax for a bit, and enjoy this caffeine-charged brain trip to the worldwide web of belief and ritual that makes us human.

In the Beginning...

It all started with a story I told myself about the fun talks I like to have with my 8 year niece and 10 year nephew. He read the book. They both saw the movie. So of course, I needed to see at least see the movie - The Golden Compass. I just didn't expect it to be a mythic story about audacious female leadership.

Mythical Meaning

Last October I presented a workshop pilot in collaboration with two other leaders. This LIVE event was the Audacious Women Workshop. After watching the fierce bold courage of the heroine Lyra in The Golden Compass, I was reminded of how women leaders who attended our event described Audacious Leadership.

It was fascinating to hear how their descriptions changed from the beginning to the end of our half-day event. After only 4 hours of conversation and fun exercises, their language and energy shifted. At the start of the workshop their definitions were intellectual and more like their male counterparts would be. By the end of our time together, their descriptions sounded more experiential and powerfully feminine. The number of their responses increased significantly as well. See for yourself. 

The Question

What words come to mind when you think about Audacious Leadership?

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A Teenager Tells Us the Truth

This young girl addressed the UN on the issue of the environment. For 5 minutes the truth of her eloquently delivered message captured and held the attention of all delegates present. She and her peers tell us what is possible and imperative. Her request is that we realign our actions with our words in a real commitment to our highest human and environmental priorities. The truth of her words coaches us to think globally and act locally.