ready for female leadership: the future is now
A collection of essays, supporting gender inclusive leadership qualities for a sustainable future.
Introduction
In the summer of 2020, Pema Nooten sent me a message ‘can we meet?’. In that request was a given: we wouldn’t be meeting in person.
It was just a few months into the COVID-19 pandemic. Something none of us will forget. As I write this, it’s still in our lives, 20 months later.
We had the conversation and in it, she expressed the fact she missed the connection with the members of the network we both belong
to, the Professional Women’s Network (PWN) NL. Pema had recently joined, just a few months prior to the pandemic. Now, we were no
longer meeting in person. All contact had gone online. Not unfamiliar now but back then we were still adjusting (may I say reeling) from the
effects of this imposed quarantine.
Both of us had a couple of common interests: creating workspaces / places in which people can thrive, as well as improving global female
leadership. Pema had recently published a collaborative book with 17 other authors. From this, we reached the idea to invite PWN NL
members to contribute to a book of essays. Though this book is not sponsored by PWN NL, the network has supported its creation. The essay
topics cover the pillars of PWN NL:
- Emotional Intelligence
- Career Development
- Data/Tech Intelligence
- Financial Intelligence
- Men as Allies
- Mentoring
- Networking
All are needed to support women in advancing in their careers and to be leaders in their field.
We take great pride and pleasure in presenting this book to you, the reader: a collection of essays by a group of 28 women and men who
want to contribute to creating gender equality NOW! We hope, with sharing our thoughts and research on these topics, together with our
individual calls to action, you will join us in making a difference.
We are also proud and grateful that all authors were willing to forgo receiving any proceeds and all profits after costs of the book sales will be donated to a charity supporting youth in developing their leadership skills.
Mary Jane Roy and Pema Nooten
Co-Authors Ready for Female Leadership: The Future is NOW