Filling the Leadership Pipeline
May 16, 2010
Q: State Representative Alma Wheeler Smith just dropped out of the race for governor. Only men are left. As women in business and observers of the political scene in Lansing, what do you think it will take to convince more women to run for office, especially top offices like governor?
A: Your question gives us a chance to write about one of our favorite organizations: The White House Project. This 501(c)(3) organization aims to advance women’s leadership in all communities and sectors — up to the U.S. presidency — by filling the leadership pipeline with a richly diverse, critical mass of women.
In 2009, Michigan saw a record number of 37 women take their seats in the Michigan Legislature: 28 in the House and 9 in the Senate. While that is a record, it is only 25 percent of officials elected to those two bodies. Michigan is far from political parity, and there are few women in the pipeline at the county and municipal levels. Governor Jennifer Granholm may be the only female governor Michigan sees for a while.
Prominent research groups have long noted that women leaders tend to include diverse viewpoints in making decisions and are likely to reach across differences to achieve solutions, form coalitions and bring disenfranchised people to the table. This is exactly the kind of leadership Lansing needs in these critical times when the political environment has grown so toxic.
What can we do to bring more women into politics? The White House Project has discovered through its 10 years of work in this arena that women need to be invited to run. Many women don’t recognize they have what it takes to be an effective officeholder. So think of a woman you know who should be sitting on your city council, your township board, the county commission or in our state legislature. Then call her and ask, “Isn’t it about time you ran for office? I will help you.”
Check out this organization at www.thewhitehouseproject.org.
Paula Blanchard Stone and Patty McCarthy are partners in McCarthyBlanchard, an executive training firm specializing in key message development, presentation skills training, media interview training and executive presence. Copyright © 2008 McCarthy Blanchard. | Website
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