Local Women Leaders

Although the glass ceiling continues to exist, more women are challenging norms and competing for leadership positions.

The world is now witnessing the milestones of determined women leaders — a role that is constantly evolving. It is very important for women to serve in local government positions. Women are known to execute policies and establish relationships to improve barriers within the government system.

Empowered women will create economic growth, productivity, innovation, and trust.

Diversity matters in local leadership and board rooms around the world, because most women have different life experiences to help see the big picture and make better decisions. Women's life experiences, combined with their formal education and career experiences, should allow different options to solving problems.

Women leaders are more in touch with challenges and issues that have negative effects on impacting individuals personal or professional growth. They will try to make connections to fill the gaps with resources based on what a person or family needs, so that they can empower others to create a sustainable change for themselves.

Serving in local leadership is a privilege, because being known locally in small rural cities allows people to see the face that are making changes. Local women that are working every day to make sure other girls and women everywhere can achieve their dreams and be free to make choices about their own lives and futures. People must believe that women, particularly those who are everyday, unnoticed heroes among us, within our own communities wake up every day and plan to do something to make a positive change in their own com-

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‘A Political View’

By Sherry Holliman SHERRY HOLLIMAN (cont.)

munity.

We all know them, because she is that woman who goes the extra mile to help, to heal, to educate, to nurture. It is apparent that each year attitudes towards leadership are changing, and that women are becoming more courageous in any employment field that used to be dominated by men.

Domination as a leadership style is becoming less and less popular. There is a new growing appreciation of the belief that women use to keep families together and provide domestic duties.

Women leaders are more assertive and persuasive, have a stronger need to get things done and are more willing to take risks than male leaders. Some women leaders are also more empathetic and flexible, as well as stronger in interpersonal skills than their men leaders. Women leaders are apt to read situations accurately and take information in from all sides. Women leaders are able to bring others around to their point of view because they genuinely understand and care about where others are coming from so that the people they are leading feel more understood, supported and valued.

For these reasons women have been elected, appointed, and served various brief terms, while others have left an enduring legacy behind them. The many leadership styles of women in power are simply unique. Women are gradually making their leadership presence felt in entrepreneurship, administration, education, engineering, healthcare at national, regional, and local levels.

More women are now deciding to break the traditional glass ceiling that barred them from entering leadership positions.

Leadership should not be gender-specific but understanding that a leader is a person that can influence and encourage a group of people to work towards the realization of goals society has gotten tired of the good ole boy system and is now supporting women that are not afraid to change policies.

Although women have the capability and the passion to influence others towards accomplishing goals and towards betterment, they will always have to fight within the rooms of faces that do not see or hear them. Women are needed desperately to help balance the everyday living conditions with their gifts and skills to naturally lead and create historical movements. Do you feel that women in leadership can make a difference?

Sherry Holliman is a concerned citizen of Crittenden County and has some views on a variety of topics that she wants to share with her neighbors. She serves on the Marion City Council.