Leading by example

Lori Holcomb
The Enquirer

They can build fires, pitch a tent and clean up a river, and they aren't afraid to get their hands dirty and look pretty doing it.

There isn't much the members of Cadet Girl Scout Troop 260 aren't willing to take on. The eighth graders from the Marshall area radiate with ambition and are quick to set straight anyone who questions their ability to do as well, or better than, their male peers.

"Girls can do whatever guys can do," Ashlyn Katz, 14, said.

For 13-year-old Lacey Almaraz , the prospect of a woman taking the most powerful seat in the free world is proof of what she's known all along.

"Girls are better leaders because we're more strict, more down-to-earth ... and more determined," Almaraz said.

Yet as inspiring as Hillary Clinton's pursuit of the presidency is to many girls, American women remain disproportionately underrepresented in leadership positions, be they in corporate boardrooms, the Legislature or in state and local government positions.

Women hold 16 percent of the seats in Congress, a number that has gradually increased during the years but hardly mirrors the U.S population, which is about 51 percent women, according to the Center for American Women in Politics at Rutgers University. When compared to countries such as Sweden, where women hold 47 percent of the seats in Parliament, or European, Eastern and African countries that already have had women heads of state, the United States is lagging.

Having a woman in the White House, said 14-year-old Jane Puckett, could inspire the next generation to put more women in leadership roles.

"It will set the standard for others that girls can do that stuff, too," Puckett said.

STARTING YOUNG
Kate Segal is working to change the demographics of leadership and inspire children of both genders to become interested in the political world. Segal, 32, uses her position as chairperson of the Calhoun County Board of Commissioners to speak with youth about government.

She created a teen council, whose members work with the commission by voicing their opinions on community issues.

Elected women, such as Segal, are more common at the state and county levels, according to the Center for American Women in Politics. In 2007, women comprised nearly 24 percent of the state Legislature and held 76 of the 315 statewide executive positions. That includes Gov. Granholm, one of eight female governors.

The number is slightly down, however, from a decade ago, when women held 25 percent of statewide executive positions.

For Segal, the key to inspiring new leaders is letting girls see women taking on positions of responsibility.

"In this area, there are very few women leaders ... we need people out there doing this and saying it's OK," she said. "I want to hear kids saying, especially young women saying, 'I want to be a scientist, I want to be this,' and nobody laughing or saying, 'Yeah, whatever.'

"You definitely don't want to inhibit or put restrictions on a dream like that, especially for a young girl."

RAISING THE CEILING
Despite women's progress, many say the pace isn't picking up as quickly as it should be.

"The glass ceiling is still very much in place even though the women's movement has been going on since 1848," said Mary Trigg, director of leadership programs and research at the Institute for Women's Leadership at Rutger's University.

The reasons, she said, are mostly rooted in stereotypes.

"Characteristics traditionally associated with women are at odds with those traditionally associated with leadership," Trigg said. "Women are associated with still belonging in the home, still in caregiving roles and are expected to be a little gentler and less assertive than men."

Characteristics associated with leadership are still linked to qualities associated with males, such as assertiveness and masculinity, she said.

Another reason Trigg cites is one that men will never face — childbearing.

CHILDREN AND CAREERS
The complications of having children and climbing the career ladder are so taxing for many women that the process is more of a strategic plan than a natural wonder.

"It's a major hurdle, particularly for women in academics," said Donna Randall, Albion College's first female president in its 173-year history.

Educators tend to begin their tenure track during prime childbearing years, ages 29 to 35, she said. Gaining tenure is strenuous enough, but it's especially difficult when having children.

"A lot of female faculty are in a very difficult spot. They're asked to choose if they'll have children and how many they'll have," Randall said.

Many women choose to delay or limit the number of children they have, if any at all, Randall said. She knows this because she is one of them.

"I was very well aware of the impact of a child on one's career and very fortunate to have a spouse that's very supportive," she said. Randall chose to have one child, timed so that she missed two months of work.

While many companies now offer family-friendly benefits such as telecommuting, flexible hours and on-site childcare, these options are mostly out of reach for the large number of women in lower-level service positions, according to the American Association of University Women.

A study commissioned by the AAUW found the majority of working women, given the choice, would pick a job with lower pay and better family-oriented benefits over a job with higher pay and fewer benefits.

Childbearing can be the one deterrent for even the most determined women.

"Women are still the ones really held responsible for child care," Trigg said. "It's a burden, but also a perception that women will be tied down in ways men won't be, and that's been a huge handicap for women."

LOGISTICS OF LEADERSHIP
As commander of the Defense Logistic Information Systems center at the Hart-Doyle-Inouye Federal Center in Battle Creek, Col. Laura Sampsel carries the responsibility of overseeing more than 1,000 employees and making decisions that directly affect soldiers in combat. It's a heavy load, but she carries it gracefully in high heels and with a smile highlighted by bright, red lips.

"This isn't the little leagues," she said. "What counts here is if you deliver."

In a field where failure is not an option, Sampsel said courage, commitment, a devoted husband, loyal friends and mentors have meant all the difference in her success.

A commonality between many women in leadership roles is having someone along the way that took them in under their wing or offered constructive feedback and advice.

The term "mentor" didn't always sit well with Sampsel, but because of the support she received over the years, she now makes it a point to reach out to other women officers.

"There were times when I thought, 'Oh I can't be that; I can't do that,' " Sampsel said. "They (female military friends) said 'Stop. Here's how we're going to handle child care, here's what we're going to do to handle development. Stop whining, make a plan.'

"That's what I think women are significantly good at ... we don't have a backup plan, we have six backup plans because we know five of them could fail."

Having a safe place where girls can make plans, have them fail and get the guidance to keep trying has been a part of Pat Brasseur's life for 50 years. Brasseur joined the Girls Scouts when she was 7 years old and now sits on the executive board of the Glowing Embers Council, which oversees Girl Scout troops in Allegan, Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Kalamazoo and parts of Van Buren counties.

She said the roles mentors play in developing leadership and promoting success in girls is crucial.

"Many girls get wonderful leadership and role models in their families ... but many of them don't," she said.

The mentoring process not only deeply affects those on the receiving end, but also the ones giving.

"It's been interesting to watch the growth of the women taking on leadership roles as they go through leadership programs and training," Brasseur said. "They walk out of there not only a better leader, but a better parent. They don't have to tell us they've changed, you can see it."

STEPS OF FAITH
Sometimes the road to the top begins with a little help and a lot of faith.

Born ninth in the line of 10 children to common laborers in a small Louisiana town, Celeste Clark, 54, was an unlikely candidate to be fast-tracked to a top position at a Fortune 500 company.

Clark currently serves as senior vice president of global nutrition and corporate affairs at the Kellogg Company.

Regardless of background, finding any woman as a corporate officer of a Fortune 500 company is an unlikely scenario. Women hold only 16 percent of these positions, according to a survey by the research and advisory organization, Catalyst.

Throughout her 30 years with Kellogg, Clark said she has encountered numerous inspirational people in the corporate world. There were many times, however, when she was the only female at board meetings. She recalls a few occasions when she knew her peers would rather not work with a female or black person or overlooked her as a senior to her male counterparts. These encounters, she said, only added fuel to her fire.

"You can't let things like that deter you. If anything, they should inspire you; motivate you," she said. "To me, that pretty much lets you know you're on the right track."

Like many successful women, the foundation of Clark's success came from supportive family, diligence, determination and a philosophy she calls "stepping out on faith."

"Stepping out on faith means taking some risks you ordinarily would not do," she said, "but you know you gotta do it to get where you know you want to be."

She said she would give any young woman the same advice she gives her daughter:

"Don't let others define who you are, nor set boundaries on what you can achieve."

ROAD TO CHANGE
The 2008 presidential primaries have echoed with demands for change, which is why Randall said she believes the possibilities are limitless for women like those with whom she works at Albion.

"I think there's societal changes — recognizing that there are many talented women and recognizing we can't compete as a nation if we're not identifying talent where it is," she said. "The better job we do in higher education of giving them the skills to hone their talents, leadership opportunities on campus, it's going to be a sea of change once all these women go out into the world."

Lori Holcomb can be reached at 966-0675 or lholcomb@battlecr.gannett.com.

Originally published January 27, 2008
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