Susan T. Spencer ? Inspiring Women In Business With Her Book Briefcase Essentials
In her book Briefcase Essentials, Susan T. Spencer unearthed her personal roadmap to success in male-dominated business by using her “femaleness”. She emphasized on the uniqueness of women leadership as compared to men, and how women can take advantage of this difference in the world of business.
Women in business was probably unheard of a few decades ago, and most often than not, men were expected to run the business. But with the evolving of time, more and more women have found their niche alongside male-dominated industries, and so far have played their cards pretty well albeit with constant struggles. Sometimes, women tend to act like men in the workplace to get the desired cooperation from male colleagues. However, in the book Briefcase Essentials, Susan T. Spencer teaches women how to deal with men in business by using their own natural talents instead of trying to act like them. Her book outlines her personal experiences and journey to becoming the business icon that she has become today. She had once managed the Philadelphia Eagles football team, became a lawyer, managed the NFL team and later became an entrepreneur where she ran a successful global business in the food distribution industry and two other related ventures in food-processing. Her companies had combined revenue that ranged from Million to Million annually.
Susan Spencer’s exceptional experience has given her an in-depth viewpoint on women in business. Her solid background has given her the credibility and expertise to teach women on how to successfully face business issues and situations by simply relying on their own innate talents. In her book Briefcase Essentials, Susan uncovers the 12 natural talents for achieving success in a male dominated workplace, which include asking for help, being persistent, adaptable, knowing how to improvise, to engage, being inclusive, being knowledgeable, being able to stand your ground, being resourceful, being emphatic, being a perceptive communicator and building professional relationships.
She points out that having these 12 innate talents are important to achieve success. Her stories and examples are authentic and compelling, witty and intelligent. Any woman who is into business, or who is planning to venture into business would benefit from the knowledge and wisdom from her book. Susan’s advices for women in business are groundbreaking, straightforward and practical. Her insights from her own exciting and challenging journey to becoming a successful business woman in the male-dominated industry are inspiring and motivational.
Both women and men alike will be able to get something valuable to learn from Susan T. Spencer’s book Briefcase Essentials. By using the 12 essential innate talents, success in any kind of business will become inevitable, even in the most male-dominated industry. The power of your positive actions from using the essential talents will earn you respect in the workplace. By reading and learning from the book of Susan T. Spencer, you will discover a real goldmine that you can apply in your daily work life and become one of the successful women in business of the 21st Century.
The Leadership Style Of Jesus Christ
Is it not strange that the leadership style of the most important person to ever walk this earth was never properly researched and developed?
Think about it. Scientists were able to identify Hitler’s corpse by his teeth. [And this is not unusual anymore by today's standards.] Today, a person’s DNA can be detected from one strand of hair. Science [in all its diversities] has grown tremendously, and it is God that gave mankind this type of intelligence. God gave us intelligence, He gave us the ability to research, discriminate, chose, and determine. God [thus declares the Bible in Genesis 1:27], made mankind according to His image. Our intelligence, abilities and potential is far above that of animals and plants. [Irrespective of what some schools of thought concoct.]
With this intellect mankind has researched and developed almost every conceivable subject. They can tell you the finest details of the smallest particle in outer space.
But, can they tell you the leadership style of Jesus Christ? No!
There are many writings about Jesus, including some about His leadership style. But have they thoroughly researched it? No. They make many assumptions, but apparently did very little research. Have you read the part where Jesus said: “I am the good servant”? Neither have I. What I DID read, was the part where He said “I am the Good Shepherd”. [This was not stated out of sarcasm or ill will.] I simply want to demonstrate that we have gone off the track when discussing the leadership style of Jesus Christ.
On the issue of Christian Leadership more is written about King David than of Jesus. Similarly I have read much about King David setting the example as shepherd. [And a fine Shepherd He was.] I think it is good to accentuate King David’s leadership style as King David was God-chosen, and it was no coincidence that he was destined to write the 23rd Psalm. Yet, when we remain focused on King David’s shepherd leadership are we not forgetting something? Is there not someone greater who had more impact on the flock than King David?
All of the Old Testament serves as an indicator towards Jesus Christ.
Abraham points towards Jesus, and so do Moses, David, and many other Old Testament figures. Thus, if we over-emphasises any one of the Old Testament characters, [holy as they be], we stand a chance of taking honour and glory away from Jesus.
Also, if we want to find the best leadership style, would it be best if we go on a search of human leaders, or would we do better to observe the Son of God? The fact of the matter is, God knows everything from before creation. He created everything that exists, and by the way, Jesus was involved with the Father according to John 1:3.
Now, does it not sound logical to assume that Jesus is fully aware of what the best leadership style would be, from eternal past until eternal future?
Why then, shall we remain with King David while we can move on to Jesus?
When I began to make a study of Christian leadership styles, I went to the same person that I turned to when I came to the realisation that I was in need of a Saviour. I went to the one Person who knows it all. The one after whom Christianity is named. The Son of God, Jesus Christ.
Then I found that He had already elaborated on His leadership style. He said:
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (John 10:11 KJV)
There it was, written in the Scriptures for everyone to see. Jesus was not [as some apparently assume] referring to and concentrating on the sheep in that verse. Yes He was concerned about the future of the sheep, but in these verses He was primarily referring to His own leadership style. He was telling us about the best leadership style to apply if we want the sheep to thrive. If He wanted to emphasize the sheep in the equation, He could have said ‘you are great sheep’, or something similar.
He could also have said ‘I am the saviour’, [which is absolutely true] but that was NOT what this discursion was about. Jesus was referring to the correct way to lead His flock. His followers were like sheep. This He explained in various parables. They needed shepherd-like care. He also knew that the time was coming for Him to return to His Father, and that the sheep would need new leaders of His kind and not hirelings. Hirelings would flee when danger threatens but the right type of leaders would stand tall, protecting and caring for the sheep.
Jesus was proactively telling His followers through the ages, that for any flock of sheep to thrive, they would need a leader of His kind to lead and protect them.
With the grace of God and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit I researched the leadership style of Jesus Christ over a period of more than 20 years. In the end, after writing a PhD thesis on the topic of Jesus’ leadership style, I realised that all this research and effort, would be in vain if I do not share it. All the wisdom that was gained would be lost.
Most important, the name of Jesus would not be glorified.
Much has been said about shepherd leadership. Some of it proves wonderful, edifying, and inspirational. Yet as is the case with many other things in life, even the best can be perverted. While there are many sincere authors doing justice to the cause of Jesus when writing on His leadership style, others are making assumptions while some leave you with the impression that they think Jesus learnt from David. Some that propagate shepherd leadership or shepherding probably do not even have a personal relationship with the Good Shepherd.
Because of the many writings on this topic [of which many differ from what the Holy Spirit taught me], I call the resultant product of my research True Shepherd Leadership©.
This is the first of a number of articles on the leadership style of Jesus Christ that I intend to publish, and I trust that they will be read, the content be pondered, and mostly, the insight be applied.
Leadership Theories – Genghis Khan Or Mother Theresa To Lead Your Change Management Initiative?
There are more leadership theories than you can shake a stick at. Theories have evolved from “Great Man” and “Trait” theories to “Transformational” leadership – each with a different set of dynamics, contexts and focus.
Early theories tend to focus upon the characteristics and behaviours of successful leaders, whereas the later theories consider the role of followers and the contextual nature of leadership.
Here is an overview of leadership theories – but first here are 2 quick questions for you: (1) see if you can spot which applies to Genghis Khan and which applies to Mother Theresa; and (2) try to figure out which of these theories best describes the style you feel would be most appropriate for leading your change initiative?
(1) The Great Man theory - this was based on the belief that leaders are exceptional people, born with leadership qualities and are destined to lead. This theory reflects the male-oriented view of leadership which has predominated until the late 20th century.
(2) Trait Theory – is based around an extensive list of all of the qualities or traits associated with leadership.
(3) Behaviourist Theories - focus on what leaders actually do rather than on their qualities. Their different patterns of behaviour are observed and categorised as leadership styles.
(4) Situational Leadership - sees leadership as situation specific – where the style of leadership is adapted to the requirements of the context in which it is exercised.
(5) Contingency Theory – is a development of the situational theory – focusing on the situational variables which will determine the most appropriate or effective leadership style to fit the specific circumstances at that time.
(6) Transactional Theory – emphasises the importance of the transaction – or relationship – that takes place between the leader and the led. It focuses on the perceived mutual benefits derived from that relationship whereby the leader dispenses favours in the form of tangible and intangible rewards in return for the commitment, loyalty or [at least] compliance of his or her followers.
(7) Transformational Theory – The central concept here is change and the role of leadership in envisioning and implementing the transformation of organisational performance
(8) Servant Leadership – emphasises the leaders’ duty to serve his/her followers – leadership thus arises out of a desire to serve rather than a desire to lead. It is a practical philosophy which supports people who choose to serve first, and then lead as a way of expanding service to individuals and institutions. It encourages collaboration, trust, foresight, listening, and the ethical use of power and empowerment.
(9) Dispersed Leadership - an ‘informal’, ‘emergent’ or ‘dispersed’ leadership, this approach argues a less formalised model of leadership where the leaders’ role is dissociated from the organisational hierarchy. Individuals at all levels in the organisation and in all roles can exert leadership influence over their colleagues and thus influence the overall leadership of the organisation.
(10) Primal Leadership - refers to the emotional dimension of leadership. The articulation of a message that resonates with their followers’ emotional reality, with their sense of purpose-and so to move people in a positive direction.
I know it is now fashionable and politically correct to vote for theories 6 – 10, and that for many years it has been fashionable to assume that inherited traits were far less important than learned and situational factors in those people fulfilling leadership roles. However, the science and study of behavioural genetics is gradually refocusing attention on the fact that far more is to do with our genes and our inherited traits and characteristics than has been assumed or accepted for several decades.
So I have to say that the latest research on genetics does appear to indicate what I have long believed – namely that leaders are born not made – so I would go for an element of theory 1 with Genghis Khan. I am not sure how appropriate the Mother Theresa number 8 style is for a business environment? But maybe elements of this are covered in 7 and 10?
Clearly, there are strengths in all of the types of leadership – but in the present turbulent climate, I personally will nail my colours to the mast and select a combination of type 7 and 10 – because transformational and primal leadership qualities applied in a change management context are ideally suited to the holistic and wide view perspective of a programme based approach to change management and, as such, would form key elements of successful strategies for managing change.
For more on this: “ Leadership Theories – So are leaders born or made?.”
How you “ Define leadership ” and exercise leadership in the present climate will be a significant determinant in your organisation’s fortunes.
Equip yourself to avoid the 70% failure rate of all change initiatives with the “Practitioners’ Masterclass – Leading your people through change, putting it all together and managing the whole messy business.”
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All About Malaysian Women Entrepreneurs
Malaysian women entrepreneurs today are still facing a considerable number of obstacles. You see, venturing in new markets can be a problem for Malaysian women entrepreneurs simply because of the fact that information can be hard to obtain.
We all know that you need information in order to start a proper business venture.
You will need to know about:
a) The market – is there an available market for your product? This determines how well you can expect your product or service to be received. The market determines how much profit you will be able to make. Do you think that people will be wiling to pay the prices you set? Will your market last, or are you experiencing some kind of fad?
Without proper knowledge of the market, Malaysian women entrepreneurs can end up spending a lot of money on complete and utter failures.
b) The finances – you also need proper information as to the costs and the profits you can expect from your business. Entrepreneurs become entrepreneurs mainly because of the objective of profit. By having the correct financial information, you can successfully plan out your business and where you think that venture will take you.
Difficulty in obtaining financial information can cause Malaysian women entrepreneurs to make wrong decisions. You see, you need to be able to estimate your finances ion the best possible manner in order to set up a business correctly.
c) Comparative studies – you need to obtain accurate information about similar businesses in order to know what to expect when starting your business venture. You see, it is often hard for Malaysian women entrepreneurs to obtain accurate and up-to-date information. This can lead to some pretty serious lapses of judgment.
Hypes and fads occur all the time. You need accurate information in order to see if a business that was popular last week is still feasible today.
Another problem encountered by Malaysian women entrepreneurs is lack of networking. You see, connections are important when running your own business. By establishing connections with other Malaysian women entrepreneurs you get a lot of advantages, including:
1) Information sharing – information is easier to obtain if you have a number of people keeping their eyes and ears open. By forming a network with other Malaysian women entrepreneurs, you actually get the opportunity to gather more information, providing you also share what you know.
2) Advice – in starting your own business, you need all the help you can get. How can you get it if you don’t network with other Malaysian women entrepreneurs? Nobody can claim to know everything about business, but within a network, you can come pretty close.
3) Pooling of resources – by networking with other Malaysian women entrepreneurs, you have the opportunity to share resources. We all know that businesses suffer losses. However, being in a network can help you recover quickly from any type of defeat. Entrepreneurial networks today actually have help systems which try and support members when their business is facing a crisis.
Fortunately enough, there actually is a group that Malaysian women entrepreneurs can turn to when they need help. The National Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Malaysia (NAWEM) was formed with the objective of helping Malaysian women entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground and become globally competitive.
NAWEM actually provides Malaysian women entrepreneurs with different types of help. The organization conducts trainings and seminars designed to help Malaysian women entrepreneurs expand their skills and gain more knowledge regarding entrepreneurship.
NAWEM also provides Malaysian women entrepreneurs with various opportunities to help them penetrate their target market.
You see, by joining an association like this, Malaysian women entrepreneurs finally get the edge they need. The group can act as a network, letting Malaysian women entrepreneurs share resources and information. The organization strives to fulfill the shortcomings of the individual.
NAWEM also helps Malaysian women entrepreneurs with their financial needs, giving them grants or loans in order to help them expand their ideas and business ventures. In doing so, they also strive to better the status of Malaysian women entrepreneurs. They also help these women by providing them with guidance and leadership. Entering the business world can be quite confusing, but an organization like NAWEM can help you find your way.
ANALYSING THE CURRENT SCENARIO OF WOMEN STATUS
INTRODUCTION
The empowerment of women refers to providing the necessary rights and responsibilities to women in order to make them self-reliant. Traditionally, Indian women have been brought to become workers or servants to serve the man – dominating world. Even in mythology, there is no gender equity and women were deprived of their legal rights, to get property, education privacy, social status and they were never treated as participants in any developmental works. Empowerment is the process of building capacities of women, creating an atmosphere which will enable people to fully utilize their creative potentials. Empowerment gives women, the capacity to influence decision making process, planning, implementation and evaluation. The status of women empowerment in India using various indicators like women’s household decision making power, financial autonomy, freedom of movement, political participation, acceptance of unequal gender role, exposure to media, access to education, experience of domestic violence etc based on data from different sources. Gender gap exists regarding access to education and employment. Household decision-making power and freedom of movement of women vary considerably with their age, education and employment status.
WHAT IS EMPOWERMENT?
Empowerment strategies are varied and refer to those strategies which enable women to realize their full potentials. They consist of greater access to knowledge and resources, greater autonomy in decision making, greater ability to plan their lives, greater control over the circumstances that influence their lives and finally factors which would free them from the shackles of custom beliefs and practices. Unless they themselves become conscious of the oppression meted out to them and show initiative to push forward it would not be possible to change their status much.
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN
Since the beginning of this decade, much has been achieved in empowering women in the economic and social fields. An increasing volume of development financial resources has been devoted to achieving that objective. Consequently, many countries of the region have been able to report increased female literacy and enrolment rates, improved gender equality in education, reduced infant and child mortality rates, declining maternal mortality rates and expanding access to reproductive health services. The participation of women in formal economic activities has also registered a noticeable improvement.
1. Growing economic participation
Economic empowerment constitutes one of the fundamental building blocks in efforts towards the overall empowerment of women. Participation in formal economic activities on terms and conditions which reflect the productive capacity of women, and their control over their own incomes, are some of the important dimensions of economic empowerment. Although the increasing work participation of women has been viewed as part of the general employment boom created by the export-led economic expansion, female labour-force participation rates have tended to increase more than those for men in the Asian and Pacific region, suggesting that women’s economic participation has been a critical feature of the region’s quest for the economic empowerment of women.
2. Improvements in social development indicators
Fertility rates have declined in the region, even though the total fertility rate and the average number of children per woman remain high (over four) in several countries in the region. The fertility rates on average remain high in those countries of Asia where female literacy is low and opportunities for outside work participation are limited. It is therefore increasingly accepted that, in addition to reflecting general conditions of economic growth and the availability of both health care and birth control facilities, fertility rates also serve as a proxy for women’s general empowerment. This is because these rates are closely linked to the literacy and educational status of women, age at marriage, and other important features of women’s status.
3. Access to technology, including information technology
Promoting access to productive resources and social support systems constitutes one of the fundamental building blocks in efforts to empower women in the region. Access to productive resources such as credit, technology, infrastructure, marketing links and networking facilities can significantly enlarge opportunities for women to engage in formal economic activities and improve their social status. In that regard, promoting access to new and emerging technologies, including information and communication technology, has become a powerful tool for women’s empowerment.
WOMEN’S EDUCATION IN INDIA
Although in the Vedic period women had access to education in India, they had gradually lost this right. However, in the British period there was revival of interest in women’s education in India. However women’s education got a fillip after the country got independence in 1947 and the government has taken various measures to provide education to all Indian women. As a result women’s literacy rate has grown over the three decades and the growth of female literacy has in fact been higher than that of male literacy rate. While in 1971 only 22% of Indian women were literate, by the end of 2001 54.16% female were literate. The growth of female literacy rate is 14.87% as compared to 11.72 % of that of male literacy rate.
Gender discrimination still persists in India and lot more needs to be done in the field of women’s education in India. The gap in the male-female literacy rate is just a simple indicator. While the male literary rate is more than 75% according to the 2001 census, the female literacy rate is just 54.16%.
THE WOMEN’S MOVEMENT IN INDIA
The women’s movement in India is a rich and vibrant movement which has taken different forms in different parts of the country. The absence of a single cohesive movement, rather than being a source of weakness, may be one of the strengths of the movement. Although scattered and fragmented, it is a strong and plural movement. During the 18 years that India had a woman as Prime Minister the country also saw increasing incidents of violence and discrimination against women. This is no different from any other time: a casual visitor to any Indian city – for example Mumbai – will see hundreds of women, young and old, working in all kinds of professions: doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers, scientists… and yet newspapers in India are full of stories of violent incidents against women, of rape, sexual harassment, sometimes even murder. But to have a woman in the highest office of the State and to simultaneously have extreme violence against women are merely the two ends of the scale. As always, a more complex reality lies in between.
Fifty Six years ago when India became independent, it was widely acknowledged that the battle for freedom had been fought as much by women as by men. One of the methods M K Gandhi chose to undermine the authority of the British was for Indians to defy the law which made it illegal for them to make salt. At the time, salt-making was a monopoly and earned considerable revenues for the British. Gandhi began his campaign by going on a march – the salt march – through many villages, leading finally to the sea, where he and others broke the law by making salt. No woman had been included by Gandhi in his chosen number of marchers. But nationalist women protested, and they forced him to allow them to participate.
WOMEN IN INDIAN POLITICS It is scarcely news that women are underrepresented in Indian politics. The issue has come sharply into focus for some years now, partly because of the thwarted moves towards providing one-third reservation for women in legislative bodies including Parliament, along with the more successful moves to enforce such reservation in elections to rural panchayats. Of course such an issue naturally becomes more apparent during a period of elections as well. What has emerged quite clearly in the current very long drawn out election process is how little has changed at one level since Independence. The candidates fielded by the various political parties are still dominantly male: women account for only five t o ten per cent of all candidates across parties and regions. This is the same broad pattern that has been observed in virtually the 12 previous general elections in the country.
The Constitution (84th Amendment) Bill relating to women’s reservation even last year. The very parties that were most explicitly in favour of pushing for such reservation have put up the same proportion of women as always, and certainly not more than other parties that had opposed the Bill. The Congress party, led by a woman and supposedly pushing for reservation for women, has only 10 per cent of women among the candidates announced so far. For the BJP the proportion of women candidates is even lower at 7 per cent. Even in the case of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), only 7 per cent of the candidates are women. May be more significant in terms of political power than the proportion of women fighting the Lok Sabha polls is the importance of women in inner party structures. Here women are by and large even less represented, in all parties. Only in the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has there been a conscious move to bring many more women into decision-making levels and posts within the party.
In most parties, the women members are by and large thin on the ground if not invisible in the actual decision-making bodies and rarely influence the more significant party policies. Most often, indeed, they are relegated to the “women’s wing” of the party, and made to concentrate on what are seen as specifically “women’s issues” such as dowry and rape cases, and occasionally on more general concerns like price rise which are seen to affect especially “housewives”. Is that the political empowerment of women not only still has a long way to go, but finally may not have all that much to do with the periodic carnivals of Indian electoral democracy. This is not to say that the elector al representation of women is unimportant, but rather that it needs to be both deeper and wider than its current manifestation in the form of the prominence of a few conspicuous women leaders.
WOMEN’S PANCHAYATI RAJ
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment enacted in December 1992 (and its sister 74th Amendment for municipalities) made the most radical provisions in respect of affirmative action to create a level playing field for women’s participation in public affairs. For all elected offices in the three-tier system of Panchayati Raj (and municipalities), Part IX and IX-A of Indian Constitution mandates one-third reservation for women. Such historic and radical constitutional provisions have few parallels in democracies around the world.
Beginning with the first round of elections to panchayats after the states passed conformity legislations in 1994, nearly one million elected women are occupying constitutionally mandated public offices. In most states, the third round of Panchayat elections are beginning later this year (except Jharkhand which has the singular distinction of defying the Constitution by not holding Panchayat elections even once so far), and soon three million elected women would have acquired a public persona in local bodies. The significance of this can only be gauged by the absence of such constitutional provisions in respect of elected positions in state assemblies and national parliament. It is, therefore, worthwhile to ask the question what difference women’s election to Panchayats has made. This is particularly apt today (23rd September 2004) as the Third Roundtable Conference of Ministers.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT THROUGH SELF HELP GROUPS:
The women empowerment through SHGs in the north Tamil Nadu. It is found that the income of the women has been increased after joining the SHGs. So that the monthly household expenditure also has been raised considerable level. But the savings is increasing at slow rate, because the incremental expenditure is higher. Mostly they are spending for present consumption. The members should change it. The good practice of the women SHGs in the study area is repayment of the loan in time. Nearly 64% of the debtor paid their monthly due with in the time, even some members 19% paid their due in advance. A few members do not pay in time but this is not affecting the further credit of SHGs. Since the repayment of loan is regular and within the time, we may conclude that the economic activities of SHGs are quite success. In this way SHGs in north Tamil Nadu are very successful to develop women empowerment and rural areas.
The World Bank’s Empowerment and Poverty Reduction empowerment in its broadest sense as the “expansion of freedom of choice and action” (Narayan, 2002). United Nations (2001) defines empowerment as the processes by which women take control and ownership of their lives through expansion of their choices. Kabeer’s (1998, 1999) view of empowerment refers to the processes by which those who have been denied the ability to make choices acquire such ability. The fundamentals of empowerment have been defined as agency (the 1 Key among them are: the ratification of the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1993, the Mexico Plan of Action (1975), the Nairobi Forward looking Strategies (1985) and the Beijing Declaration as well as the Platform for Action (1995)
WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE
The women are the backbone of agricultural workforce but worldwide her hard work has mostly been unpaid. She does the most tedious and back-breaking tasks in agriculture, animal husbandry and homes. The research efforts at the ICAR institutes have been tried to relieve her of the drudgery by providing time and labour saving tools. Vocational trainings are also being conducted, to impart skills to undertake different avocations. In extension activities the women is now the centre point and activities are being planned keeping her in view. Her enlightenment will change the face of rural India. Several programmes started at the National Centre for Women in Agriculture and Krishi Vigyan Kendras, are the right steps in this direction.
Role of women in agriculture
Development and testing of extension methods for farm women in Eastern India Standardization of women specific field practices in rice in Orissa Occupational health hazards of farm women in coastal Orrisa
4. Identification and evaluation of interactive learning modules for dissemination of homestead technologies
Improvement in storage practices of seeds and grains of important crops with women perspective Reducing drudgery of women in agricultural operations through use of improved techniques Management of coastal agro-eco system affected by super cyclone in Orrisa Empowerment of women in agriculture
9. Involving women in aquaculture is a step towards ensuring economic and nutritional security
10. Krishi Vigyan Kendras trained nearly 0.2 million farm women, girls and women extension workers 11. Self help groups were made and took up income generating steps in home made products, dairy products, bakery products, tailoring/embroidery, goat/buffalo rearing and vermicomposting 12. Innovative marketing outlets developed for Self help groups. Five components of AICRP on Home Science moved towards empowerment of rural women. There mainachievements were
13. Mobilization of self help groups and creation of learning environment
14. Strengthening empowerment process
15. Empowerment gains for women were assessed
16. Cafeteria for women in agriculture was developed and offered to states to guide the development of new programmes for women in agriculture
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN INDIA – MILESTONES & CHALLENGES
Empowerment is now increasingly seen as a process by which the one’s without power gain greater control over their lives. This means control over material assets, intellectual resources and ideology. It involves power to, power with and power within. Some define empowerment as a process of awareness and conscientization, of capacity building leading to greater participation, effective decision-making power and control leading to transformative action. This involves ability to get what one wants and to influence others on our concerns. With reference to women the power relation that has to be involved includes their lives at multiple levels, family, community, market and the state.
Importantly it involves at the psychological level women’s ability to assert themselves and this is constructed by the ‘gender roles’ assigned to her specially in a cultural which resists change like India. The questions surrounding women’s empowerment the condition and position of women have now become critical to the human rights based approaches to development. The Cairo conference in 1994 organized by UN on Population and Development called attention to women’s empowerment as a central focus and UNDP developed the Gender Empowerment measure (GEM) which focuses on the three variables that reflect women’s participation in society – political power or decision-making, education and health. 1995 UNDP report was devoted to women’s empowerment and it declared that if human development is not engendered it is endangered a declaration which almost become a lei motif for further development measuring and policy planning. Equality, sustainability and empowerment were emphasized and the stress was, that women’s emancipation does not depend on national income but is an engaged political process.
Drawing from Amartya Sen’s work on ‘Human capabilities’ — an idea drawn from Aristotle a new matrix was created to measure human development. The emphasis was that we need to enhance human well being flourishing and not focus on growth of national income as a goal. People’s choices have to be enlarged and they must have economic opportunities to make use of these capabilities. States and countries would consider developments in terms of whether its people lead a long healthy painless life or no are educated and knowledgeable and enjoy decent standards of living. The intuitive idea behind the capability is twofold according to Martha Nussbaum (2003) first, that there are certain functions that are particularly central to human life. Second, that there is something do these in a truly human way, not a mere animal way.
CONCLUSION
“When women move forward the family moves, the village moves and the nation moves”. It is essential as their thought & their value systems lead the development of a good family, good society & ultimately a good nation”. Indian government has taken several steps towards empowering women. Empowerment of women also requires participation and co-operation of men as they benefit by having educated mothers, wives, daughters and sisters. The economic empowerment will allow raising women’s self awareness, skill development, creative decision making and it may also lead to produce better citizens and a new and modern India.
How Transformational Leadership Uplifts the Passion of Its Followers
Transformational leadership assumes that people will follow that person who has the ability to inspire and motivate them. A person that has the passion and vision to excel can do great things. It also assumes that tasks can be accomplished by injecting energy and enthusiasm among the followers.
Transformational leadership uplifts the energy and passion of its followers. It takes cares about its followers. You will get a wonderful experience working with a transformational leader. Transformational leadership begins with the growth of a vision, a vision that will look into the future. This may excite followers. This vision can be developed by your leader, by a senior team member or by a series of discussions.
Transformational leadership will take every opportunity to convince and sell their vision t others. This leadership is adaptable and flexible Transformational leadership creates trust and personal integrity among its followers. It implements new ideas. Transformational leadership knows the route to move forward and simply wants other people to follow it. The forward route may not be in detail but it has a clear vision and the direction to follow. It accepts the fact that there are going to be failures ahead.
Transformational leadership can help its followers how to behave by their actions. This leadership makes efforts to inspire their followers, constantly enthusing and listening to its followers Transformational leadership should have a strong commitment to serve the people It influences its followers to follow the right path and encourages them to make a change in the environment around them. This leadership guides the followers from darkness to light. Transformational leadership should organize cultural programmes, rituals and ceremonies to sustain motivation among its followers.
Transformational leaders believe that can success through sustained commitment.
Transformational leadership are often be charismatic. Passion and confidence in transformational relationship should not be mistaken for truth and reality. Just because transformational leader believes that he or she is right does not mean he or she is right. Transformational leadership provides lots of enthusiasm to its followers but if it is relentlessly applied, the followers may wear out. Transformational leadership transform followers into leaders who are self empowered.
Transformational leadership articulate values and vision clearly so that the new leaders can move ahead in the right direction, Transformational leaders set an example and become a role model for its followers. Transformational leadership also does the job of mentoring its followers. That is it they give individual consideration to its followers. It s also provide some intellectual stimulation to its followers to enhance their creativity and innovation. It also recognizes the existing need of a potential follower and tries to fulfill it. Transformational leadership reshapes social and physical relationship. That is they destroy old way of living and make way for new one. Transformational leadership encourages people to surpass their previous levels of achievement. It is dynamic and innovative and can motivate an entire organization. It persuades and inspires its followers to excel. Transformation leaders show new way of looking at an old problem
Effective Leadership Tips – Advice On Leadership
Leadership is the process of directing the behavior of others toward the accomplishment of some common goal. Leadership is easily explained but rather hard to practice. Good leaders are followed because people trust and believe them, not because of the skills they possess.
Click Here to Learn How to Lead Effectively.
Some people are born leaders and some may develop to become a leader. Eventually you will learn many qualities of effective leadership like confidence and charisma. That is why effective leadership tips are most useful for a leader to refer to.
To be more efficient in pursuing and achieving objectives, you should be open to new ideas, insights, and revelations that can lead to better ways to accomplishing goals. Effective leaders recognize that what they know is very little in comparison to what they still need to learn. This continuous learning process can be exercised, in particular, through engaging yourself in a constant dialogue with your peers, advisers, consultants, team members, suppliers, customers and competitor.
Leadership is even not about creating a great vision. It is about creating conditions under which all your followers can perform independently and effectively toward a common objective. Be open to the best of what everyone, everywhere, has to offer; transfer learning across your organization. Get the right people in the right jobs – it is more important than developing a strategy. Make sure everybody counts and everybody knows they count. It is pure instinct to know when to meddle and when to let go. And never underestimate the ability of another person.
People must be able to connect their expectations, aims and activities to a basic purpose or philosophy of the organization, for leadership to work well. To serve the needs of the organization effectively, you need to have a broad business focus. Just as advertisers do, you need to frame issues to address the needs, concerns and interests of your audience.
Click Here to Learn How to Lead Effectively.
Lori Duggan Gold Joins the Board of Directors of the Long Island Fund for Women and Girls
Adelphi University is pleased to announce that its Vice President for Communications, Lori Duggan Gold, has become a member of the Board of Directors of the Long Island Fund for Women and Girls (LIFWG). As a member of the Board of Directors, Ms. Duggan Gold will serve on the Development Committee and Visibility Committee.
Ms. Duggan Gold has served as the University’s vice president for communications since June 2007. Prior to her appointment to this position, she served as the University’s director of public affairs, assistant to the president, and executive director of external relations. During her career at the University, she has created and implemented national publicity campaigns and worked with marketing and communications teams to heighten awareness of Adelphi and its priorities. She serves as the University’s primary liaison with local, state, and federal officials and is responsible for strategic planning and counseling, issues management, legislative lobbying, and government grants and development, and is the University’s representative at regional and national events.
Prior to her career at the University, Ms. Duggan Gold held strategic communications positions in publishing and education companies and government and non-profit agencies. She received her undergraduate degree in government and metropolitan studies from New York University and a graduate certificate in Adelphi University’s Emergency Management program, where she is continuing in its masters program.
Through information and education, the LIFWG publicly highlights the specific needs of Long Island’s women and girls and the inequity of resources available to address these needs. The LIFWG is a vehicle for encouraging, and where possible, funding the initiatives organized by women and girls in response to unmet needs.
For more information about the Long Island Fund for Women and Girls, visit http://www.lifwg.org/.
For more information about Lori Duggan Gold and the Office of Public Affairs, visit http://events.adelphi.edu/news/keycontacts.php.
About Adelphi University: Adelphi University, chartered in 1896, was the first institution of higher education for the liberal arts and sciences on Long Island. Through its schools and programs—The College of Arts and Sciences, Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Honors College, Ruth S. Ammon School of Education, University College, and the Schools of Business, Nursing, and Social Work—the co-educational university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as professional and educational programs for adults. Adelphi University currently enrolls nearly 8,000 students from 41 states and 60 foreign countries. With its main campus in Garden City and centers in Manhattan, Hauppauge, and Poughkeepsie, the University maintains a commitment to liberal studies in tandem with rigorous professional preparation and active citizenship.
EDUCATION IS THE FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN?S EMPOWERMENT IN INDIA: PROSPECTS, CHALLENGES AND REMEDIES
EDUCATION IS THE FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT IN INDIA: PROSPECTS, CHALLENGES AND REMEDIES
Mr. D.Sambangi
Senior Associate Professor & Head
Department of Social Work, Kodaikanal Christian College, Tamil Nadu, India
Education is a potent tool in the emancipation and empowerment of women. The greatest single factor which can incredibly improve the status of women in any society is education. It is indispensable that education enables women not only to gain more knowledge about the world outside of her hearth and home but helps her to get status, positive self esteem, and self confidence , necessary courage and inner strength to face challenges in life. Apparently it also facilitates them to procure a job and supplement the income of family and achieve social status. Education especially of women has a major impact on health and nutrition as an instrument of developing a sustainable strategy for population control. Moreover educated women can play an equally important role as men in nation building. Thus there is no denying fact that education empowers women. Indeed the different organs of the United Nations and experts on women‘s liberation argue for women’s education as the basic step to attain equality with men.
One of the recommendations of National Policy on Education (1986) by the Government of India is to promote empowerment of women through the agency of education and it is considered to be a land mark in the approach to women’s education of illiterate. The National Literacy Mission is another positive step towards eradication of illiteracy in the age group of 15-35 years. Women’ education has assumed special significance in the context of India’s planned development, as it is incorporated in every Five-year plans as the major programme for the development of women. Universalization of elementary education, enrolment and retention of girls in the schools, promotion of balwadies and crutches, raising number of schools and colleges of arts , science, and professional for girls , politechniques, girls hostels, multipurpose institutions and adult education programmes are some of the steps being taken by both central and state governments in India to boost-up women’s education
WOMEN’S EDUCATION: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES
In spite of the forceful intervention by a bastion of female privilege, feminist critics, constitutional guarantees, protecting laws and sincere efforts by the state governments and central government through various schemes and programmes over the last 62 years and above all , the United Nation’s enormous pressure with regard to the uplift of the plight of women in terms education is still in the state of an enigma in India for several reasons. The 2001 Census report indicates that literacy among women as only 54 percent It is virtually disheartening to observe that the literacy rate of women India is even much lower to national average i.e. 65.38 .The growth of women’s education in rural areas is very slow. This obviously means that still large womenfolk of our country are illiterate, the weak, backward and exploited. Moreover education is also not available to all equally. Gender inequality is reinforced in education which is proved by the fact that the literacy rate for the women is only 54% against 76% of men as per 2001 Census.
Table -1 The Literacy Rate in India 1901-2001
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Percentage of Literates to total population
Year Persons Males Females
1901 5.3 9.8 0.7 1911 5.9 10.6 1.1 1921 7.2 12.2 1.8 1931 9.5 15.6 2.9 1941 16.1 24.9 7.3 1951 16.7 24.9 7.3 1961 24.0 34.4 13.0 1971 29.5 39.5 18.7 1981 36.2 46.9 24.8 1991 52.1 63.9 39.2 2001 65.38 76.0 54.0
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Source: Census of India, Government of India (2001)
According to the Table-1 the pre-Independence time literacy rate for women had a very poor spurt in comparison to literacy rate of men. This is witnessed from the fact that literacy rate of women has risen from 0.7 % to 7.3 % where as the literacy rate of men has risen from 9.8 % to 24.9 % during these four decades. During the post-independence period literacy rates have shown a substantial increase in general. However the literacy rate of male has almost tripled over the period e.g 25% in 1951 and 76 % in 2001.Surprisingly the female literacy rate has increased at a faster pace than the male literacy during the decade 1981 -2001. The growth is almost 6 times e.g. 7.9 % in 1951 and 54 % in 2001. From this analyse one can infer that still the female literacy rate (only half of the female population are literates) is wadding behind male literacy rate (three fourth of the male population are literates).The rate of school drop outs is also found to be comparatively higher in case of women. This higher rate of illiteracy of women is undoubtedly attributing for women dependence on men and to play a subordinate role. The lack of education is the root cause for women’ exploitation and negligence. Only literacy can help women to understand the Indian’s constitutional and legislative provisions that are made to strengthen them. Thus promoting education among women is of great important in empowering them to accomplish their goals in par with men in different spheres of life.
THE ROOT CAUSES FOR LOW LITERACY AMONG WOMEN IN INDIA
Women education is a multi-dimensional phenomenon. No single factor or cause can be held responsible for very low literacy rate of women in India. Subsequently it is associated with combination of many factors including social, cultural, economic, educational, demographic, political and administrative and so on. The following are the some of the important factors which could be attributed for the present poor state of affairs of womenfolk in education.
The Lower Enrolment: The lower enrolment of girls in schools is one of the foundational factors which stand as stumbling block for women empowerment in India. Reliable sources indicate that more than 50 % of the Non-Starters (those who have never been to school) are girls. According to the latest statistics, two out of every ten girls in the age group of 6-11 are still not enrolled in schools.
Higher drop-out rate among girls from schools: The incidence and prevalence of drop –outs among girls especially in rural, tribal and slums areas seem to be quite high. According to available sources, occurrence of drop-out and stagnation amongst girls is nearly twice that of boys all over India
Girl Child as Second Mother: In many families girl children play the role of second mother by shouldering the responsibilities of household work such as looking after the sibling, fetching water, collecting firewood, bringing fodder for cattle, cleaning and cooking etc. In rural India especially in poor families this traditional sex role makes girl child handicapped and conditioned by the attitude of mother and the family and discourages girl child to go school as it becomes secondary
Bonded Labour System: This social evil is a quite discouraging phenomena which stand as barrier for girl’s education in rural areas for the underprivileged families of washer men and agricultural labour , scheduled caste and scheduled tribes.
Cast System as a Barrier; Children belonging to low caste families are forced to learn skills and work ways and not encouraged to go to school due to various factors in the sphere of strict instruction /threat from high caste communities for their selfish motives of keeping them as domestic servants and child labourers in the farms or factory.
Dowry as cordon: Dowry system and other social practices act as main causes of the neglect of the girl child and discrimination against girl child including the deprivation of right of education. In many families especially poor and down-trodden think that if their daughters are educated more, they have to accumulate more assets and properties to provide as dowry in large proportion at the time of marriage, so prefer rather to either stop their children with average education and so on but never higher education. This prevails more in underprivileged families and communities
Child Labour Practice: A large segment of child population in India is engaged in child labour practices. According to UN sources India is the most child labour populous nation in the globe with more than 50 million child labourers indulged in beedi works , carpet making , bricks, mining , quarrying ,glass, bangles, match and fireworks, gem polishing ,handloom works. zari, embroidery ,coir industry, domestic works, construction etc. In most of these industries girl children are preferred for high productivity and low cost.
Poor School Environment for girls: In general the school environment for girls in India is not really interesting and encouraging. The subjects taught in schools are also not related to the environment of girl children. The methods of teaching are mostly out – dated, rigid and uninteresting. There are still hundreds of schools with poor basic amenities such as drinking water, latrine and toilet facilities, improper building, and inadequate number of teachers’ especially female teachers preferable for any parents for safety of their girl children from different types of exploitation and abuse.
Female age at marriage: There is high association of female literacy with female age at marriage. By and large the female age at marriage of 18 ( recently 21 years ) as prescribed by various legislations not at all followed in India .It is very much ignored and neglected by the families of parents with low literacy and illiteracy background. This obnoxious practice discourages female children to continue their schooling and higher education as they enter into family life at the early age which is not advisable from the physical and mental health point of view and also of social development.
Inferiority, subservience and domesticity: The female child in Indian culture especially in rural, tribal and poor families is expected to develop the qualities of inferiority; subservience and domesticity which place sever limitations on her education and development
Poverty as a Barrier: In many poverty stricken families, children especially girls are considered as economic assets as they bring income for livelihood as well to save from economic crises due to death or incapacity of parents (sick/ handicapped/aged)
Ineffective Law Enforcing Machinery: Indian constitution and various legislations pertaining to education to children assure free and compulsory education all children of this nation but unfortunately the enforcement machinery fail to discharge its duties and responsibilities to the satisfaction of the public interest and welfare of women
Demographic Factors: The high population growth rate, rapid urbanisation, migration etc also attribute immensely for the poor literacy level of women and girls in India
Poor Political Will and Conviction: Government officials, policy makers, politicians etc of our country have neither political will nor conviction for the empowerment of women in general.
REMEDIAL MEASURES FOR IMPROVING THE LITERACY LEVEL OF WOMEN IN INDIA
The following measures can be considered for bringing phenomenal change in the plight women’s education and empowerment in India
Ø Since the prevailing situation of poor or less enrolment of girls in schools closes the doors for development and prosperity of future generation of women, concerted efforts must be initiated jointly by the government, parents and civil society to achieve universal enrolment for girls without any compromise. The enrolment can be made even mandatory for every girls by the government in the realm of compulsory education. . The Ministry of Education both at Centre and State level should work out strategic steps to stop firmly the ongoing high drop –outs among girls especially in rural, tribal and slums areas with the serious involvement of voluntary organisations in every locality to realize zero drop-out among girls. The poverty stricken families can be identified through proper research and necessary poverty alleviation services be provided to strengthen the income thereby to enable the families to send their children to schools and colleges without much financial difficulties Bonded Child labour and Child labour practice must be abolished with strict administrative measures and the relieved children form bondage should be integratedinto schools with suitable defence social mechanism. Appropriate steps should be taken by the educational authorities with the participation of communities in order to bring the girl children to the main stream of education and development at every level including family and community. The female child in every Indian family irrespective of socio-economic status should be moulded to overcome the challenges of inferiority; subservience and domesticity which place sever limitations on her education and development. Every family irrespective its socio-cultural and economic background can take it a challenge to bring up their girl children as dignified human being with empowerment in physical , mental, economic and social dimensions of life. The Midday meal scheme and other educational supportive services like free text books, Note books , Fee uniforms , Free Bicycles, Free bus , scholarships Free bus pass and so on as done in the state of Tamil Nadu can be provided in all states and union territories to lift up the literacy level among girls As social evils like dowry, child marriage , caste system and other practices deprive rights of education for children belonging to poor and underprivileged families and communities, they should eliminated through well-designed packages of mass awareness programmes and social welfare measures with full support of public, political parties, NGOs and government agencies. The electronic and print media can play significant role in building a good and positive image about girls and women in general in the society by giving no focus for such advertisements and news fetching commercial gain at the cost of depicting women as an object. This would help in changing the society ‘s attitudes towards girls and their roles to treat every girl or woman as human being with self respect and dignity. Government, voluntary sector and philanthropic organisations and individuals should come forward to provide free education for poor girls and provide free hostel facilities for girls studying in schools and colleges in every state of India. This will certainly encourage children of poor families to pursue good and higher education without much impediments The schools of social work, departments of women studies, Women Universities and other educational institutions in hand with NGOs and social service organisations such as Rotary Clubs , Lions Clubs , women lib organisations associations can work together to improve the educational status of the womenfolk in this country on mutual respect and understanding. The parents of children belonging to poor, underprivileged families must be specially educated with proper social formula to help them to understand the significance of education for their girl children as foundation for empowerment Government, NGOs and public should work hand in hand to implement the minimum age at marriage (21and above) Awareness should be created to institutionalise it as a traditional practice cut acrossing castes, religions, community etc. Government officials, policy makers, political parties and others should have adequate political will and conviction to empower women in India without double standard mind The law enforcing machinery should be made really effective with efficient monitoring vigilant system to implement the constitutional and legislative provisions and administrative measures to assure free and compulsory education for all children of this nation without any gender discrimination.
REFERENCES
N.L.Gupta(2003)Women’s Education Through Ages,Concept Publications Co,New Delhi. R.K.Rao(2001) Women and Education, Kalpaz Publications, Delhi S.P.Agarval(2001),Women’s Education in India(1995-98)Present Status, Perspective, Plan, Statistical Indicators with Global View,Vol III Concept Publications Co, New Delhi. Hamilton Roberta (1978) Liberation of Women, London, George Allen publishers Jaya Kothai Pillai (1995)Women and Empowerment ,Gyan Publishing House , New Delhi Government of India, Census of India 2001 Saraswathi Mishra, Status of Indian Women, Gyan Publishing House, New Delhi, 2002