• Natura—Mexico, D.F.
Corporations offer a unique opportunity for women to make a difference. Unfortunately, to be in a corporate environment often means to put into the background the feminine perspective: set aside your feelings and be rational; leave behind the voice of your intuition and use only the logical thinking; forget subjective impressions and seek to be impartial, objective, neutral (as if this would be possible!).
Much is lost in this way, and while both men and women have feelings, intuition and empathy, men are culturally even more pushed to disregard that source of wisdom. Women try hard to be accepted by acting in more “professional’ ways, yet it is also easier for them to connect to the feminine perspective.
For this reason, Minervas Circles of Dialogues have a special opportunity in the workplace.
When women gather and explore their intuitive wisdom, share their insights with other women, they develop consciousness of the valuable – and much needed! perspective they have to contribute. They can become more intentional in doing it, as they feel more confident and provide mutual support and encouragement. They can create a better working environment, and help make more balanced decisions, where all parties win.
• Callaway Golf—Mexico, Monterrey.
In 2013 the Mexican manufacturing site of Callaway Golf started a group of Minervas, led by the entrepreneurial Leader of Training & Communications, Karina Torres. She began inviting women, who were interested in participating in a first experience, and the word went rapidly out and soon more and more women were participating. They meet once a month, after work, and began with an inventory of their talents, to identify ways to bring those special gifts to the community. Would it be to fix the hair of the ladies in a retirement home? Or whatever their projects become, they are sure to make a difference and happy to be part of a larger, global Minervas’movement.
• SKF—India.
SKF’s Human Resources manager is a special lady in a company that produces ball bearings, and employs over 3000 individuals in India, mostly engineers and technical professionals. Sixty women work in the organization, and the HR manager thought that they had a very important contribution to make, to start bringing more balance into the organizational culture in this country. But, as she observed, the women were instead making an effort to adapt to the male perspective. So she created a Women Forum, inviting the female employees to gather and discuss matters of interest to them. She welcomed the process of Circles of dialogue as a way to raise awareness of the feminine contribution and, by valuing it, start manifesting that balancing perspective in their respective working teams.
The experience took place in Pune and was exhilarating. The participants of the session enjoyed a unique opportunity to express themselves, share feelings and ideas about what it means to be a women in India, in the 21st century, the balance of traditions and ‘modern life ‘values, the importance of compassion and empathy in the work place.
