When I delivered my TEDxNatick talk last year, there was a genuine moment of clarity for most who viewed it. “Today’s Girls are Tomorrow’s Leaders” shines a light on a critical focal point that we may be overlooking when grappling with how to increase the number of women in leadership positions—we need to start with 10 year-old girls.
To be fair, more women are in key leadership positions today than ever before. Yet, after decades of research and getting women to “lean in”, how is it that, women in senior roles in corporate America have increased 1% in the past 10 years – just one percent!
At the current rate of change, it will take until 2059 for women to earn the same as men for doing the same job. And it’s even bleaker for women of color. That means that women as a whole will be underpaid for at least the next 40 years!
We can’t wait that long! What are we missing?
In my view, we focus (rightly so) on encouraging women to climb the ladder of success…
but we forget those women started as girls.
We need to get girls TO the bottom rung of that ladder AND
make sure it is strong enough to hold them as they climb.
Girls need to take the first step of that steep climb when they are 10 years old.
I’ve witnessed firsthand the impactful results of intervening when girls are 10.
Stronger, Smarter, Bolder: Girls Take the Lead is the newly released report from Girls Inc. which takes a comprehensive look at ensuring girls are prepared to succeed in leadership roles in all professional fields, and their communities. The report states that girls who participate in the Girls Inc. Experience have an advantage over their peers in more than 20 key areas!
Following the rigorous comparison study, Girls Inc. recommends four crucial supports that allow girls to realize their potential:
- The right relationships
- Encouragement to develop and use their voices
- A positive self-image
- Intellectual confidence
Additionally, here are recommendations for some of my favorite resources for girls and the people who raise them.
To help you raise confident girls:
"Brave, Not Perfect" by Reshma Saujani
"Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance" by Angela Duckworth
"Enough as She Is" by Rachel Simmons
To empower girls to be confident:
Confidence Code for Girls by Katty Katy and Claire Shipman
"Girls Power Journal" and "Girl Power Guidebook for Parents and Educators" by Erin Mahoney
A Mighty Girl: The world's largest collection of books, toys and movies for smart, confident, and courageous girls
Goldie Blox: A children's media company challenging gender stereotypes with the world's first girl engineer character