Power
A number of us have conflicted feelings about power - having it, using it, trying to get more, how to define it for ourselves. Is it primarily control of others and situations? Or the capability to lead, and effect positive change, both outward and inner?
Mary McDonnell costars in the Sci Fi Channel series “Battlestar Galactica” as the “intelligent, quietly forceful” President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, Laura Roslin. [photo by Anthony Mandler]
McDonnell says, “As a middle-aged woman, I think there is this situation in my generation where we come into power because the culture has created the opportunities for that now, and we have had, perhaps, the education. But as little girls, not all of us were raised from birth knowing that we would step into those positions. So there is an untapped ability to assume power, and when you are thrown into that position, you have to discover it.”
[from article On "Galactica," Mary McDonnell is CEO of survival. By Susan King, LA Times Jan 1, 2006]
Producer Anne Marie Gillen ["Fried Green Tomatoes"] commented on part of the reason why women [and a number of us men who avoided team sports etc] have a difficult connection with power: “If you look at how little boys play on a team, there’s a leader, they pick you or they don’t pick you, they go out there and beat each other up, they win the game and it’s over and they put their arms around each other and go on.
“But little girls play one-on-one (and think), she’s my best friend - I don’t want to hurt her feelings, because if she leaves, I’m alone.” [from my article Women in Film : Identity and Power]
Jodie Foster has commented about some of the positive aspects of power. She said in an interview, “The most important part of power is how to use that in a responsible way and a generous way, to use it to give other people freedom, to use it like a good parent.” [from my article Women Of Talent - Power and Leadership]
Maybe at least some of the destructive influences in society could be improved with talented women of conscience having more substantial corporate and political power.
Sandra Oh (Dr. Cristina Yang on the tv series Grey’s Anatomy) agrees: “We need a new resurgence of female power. A lot of what the present administration is about is fear of female power, of world consciousness, which I feel women have an easier time with than men. We have an easier time communicating than men do. It’s our gift. It’s something to be celebrated. It’s about power. Not economic or political power - it is about a deeper power.” [BUST, June/July 2005]
related pages :
power
leadership
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