As a man, I became a fervent feminist. Not only because I love women, but because I firmly believe that their intrinsic qualities – still too much unconsciously – are the cornerstones of tomorrow’s world, and the keys of the solutions to the numerous systemic man-made challenges we cope today.
A shift from patriarchal to matrifocal societies.
Not because it looks good on diversity or quota, but because after meeting very powerful men in top positions, I was soooo disappointed by the ego- and control-driven visions. Combined with lots of fear to lose the acquis, they are too afraid to shift thinking, too much conditioned, and thus became blind for the beauty of which is emerging – as we speak. I don’t blame them, but still admire those who have taken responsibilities for protecting our businesses and our families.
The true solutions are slightly out of their scope. The drama is that women had to behave like men to survive in this man-made world, and ended up accepting the template of masculine leadership. So, those powerful women also became blind for their own true power…
Our challenge today is to activate underused resources, so we can all live – and not only survive – on this planet, allowing ourselves to open up to, the magic of creation. The biggest underused resource is human talent itself. Personal power of the individual. This is the biggest waste inside of what became a humanly unsustainable society. Activating their underused potential is recuperating their engagement, creativity, entrepreneurial drive, motivation, specific vocations, to – all together – give original and sustainable solutions to problems caused by the greedy egoistic patriarchal control-freaked society. Replace division by unity, replace the sword by the communities. Stop suffering on all levels, and bring sustainable abundance to all, wherever they are, and thus reconnect to our mother planet and to the common good. Walk away from expensive complexity – to enter serene simplicity, let go enslaving stress and fear – and reconnect ourselves by slowing down; transform man-made obsolete and inefficient structures – into agile empowering action- and solution-oriented networks offering bright visions for our children.
Grow up from childishness to a mature conscious humanity. Those who decide to succeed this shift will be the beneficiaries of this reconnexion, and the next world will be theirs. Those who want to stay in their ego and bellybutton will suffer even more. It’s already around us. Just look.
So, back to evidence: why are women going to save the world ?
I detect 7 keys.
- 1. Intrinsic human qualities: Perception, intuition, recognition, listening, relation, empathy, gratitude
In a stressing world, where everyone is squeezed into an accelerating system, there is so much alienation that we don’t know “who we are” any more. These specific “materning” qualities are like honey in a wild forest. It gives warmth; it offers vision on ourselves and on the world for a more balanced life. It’s good for us, for our families, for our teams, and for the clients, shareholders and stakeholders. So it’s good for our companies and society. Women have been obliged to behave like men to survive and to make careers in this man-made world… so lost part of these precious values. These specific intrinsic feminine qualities are a key to success in our next world. It’s also a good balance for the tensed life in which we live.
- 2. Higher purpose, serve “common good”, nurture community
It’s scientifically proved: the highest leverage for motivation is purpose, meaning. A strong vision serving common good. Any project driven by a drive to add value to “something big” has more chance to mobilize than serving someone’s ego or wallet. A man is by nature more of a hunter – a woman more of a community nurturer. As a mother – originally – takes the role f protecting the family in the grotto, the man would go out and hunt for resources to bring back to the grotto. But through history, women also wanted to learn hunting, which is great, and men had to learn to care, which is a historical opportunity. Now, as resources are becoming scarce, the community enlarged to local communities, cities, nations. And we have to learn to better use all resources, including people’s talent, to optimalize chances of survival. But a condition is to point together in the same direction with the same common vision. Women are the best for this… but real women, not those women behaving like men.
- 3. « good housemother » management with common sense
We talk about “good housefather management”. When we see the result of what men are able to mismanage, I rather trust on the common sense and “good housemother” management. They are more able to ally stakeholders in a common vision than men – who are more worrying about their ego and power struggle then about long term vision.
- 4. Introspection, self-knowledge, questioning, humility, slowing down, respecting cycles of life
The first ones to sit down, slow down and think about behavior and existential issues are women. Check out the public in these seminars on human development and spirituality – whatever color they take. Men are more focus and follow intention in a more structured way and thus less willing to question their “hunt”… the prey could walk away. So we definitely need both, but for the time being, a little humble questioning is not a luxury. The world we have created has come to its limits, and we have to stop and think. Let’s learn from women – and men – who have developed these feminine qualities. For some reason, men are also now obliged to slow down and reflect. Historical records of burn-out and depression blocked the “ascension” of too hard working men. I’ve seen lots of my friends between 35 and 45, crashing in the midst of flamboyant careers. They are the first ones to reflect and introspect on purpose, on their true potential, on their possibility to contribute to a meaningful world. The must is a slow-down. It looks contraproductive, to take time, but it saves sooooo much precious time and energy because by developing consciousness, we can focus on priorities.
- 5. Ability to open space and protect it – keep it open For emergence of the new Nurturing growth
The physical nature of women is to procreate. How does this principle work? A fertile space (the womb), right timing, + a seed. This space has to be protected and nurtured. Respected cycles of life, 9 months, not 1 or 6… Men are in a hurry. We need women to open fertile space for the new ideas, innovations, new societal and business models. Time, space, emotional and intellectual cornerstones. Clear quests. And… patience ! It’s impossible to reap benefits the next day from fragile emerging seeds. We need to wait and be surprised, and allow ourselves to see very different things emerge. These are the things we need for our next world.
- 6. Emotionally sensitive The most powerful resource: manifested negative emotions anger, fear, frustration, sadness, resentment,… Dive into your roots, your strength – your uniqueness – deal with ego’s and childish behavior
Where does entrepreneurial drive come from ? does it pop up by chance ? Can we program it ? Prepare it ? No. it’s an impulse. Energized by a strong intuition and passion. Funnily, when you observe the biggest achievers of history, they all went through really tough events in their life. The bigger the ordeal/frustration/anger/sadness, the stronger the drive to “exist” though any kind of achievement. We are trained to retain emotions, not to express them. Men are very good at that. Women less. They are more sensitive and thus more capable of bursting out J. The recuperation and recycling of this energy is fantastic – if well channeled into realization. The focus on intention – after accepting and expressing emotional liabilities – is actually a male quality. So basically, combining consciously and intelligently these key, will enable us to innovate for the better.
- 7. Multi-task, collaborative delegation, creative prefrontal. Discover and manage systemic models. Activate hidden resources. Mobilize around common vision. Manage chaos. Create new value
The other intrinsic quality of women is multi-tasking: taking care of kids, food, protection, resource management, job, elderly, shelter, supporting husbands, managing all kind of issues and chaos. They are the absolute best in this. Now, chaos is there and there will be even more of it. Can we ask them for advice ? Are we men humble enough to learn from women ? Learn how to get the best out of any hard situation, transform ordeals into value, difficulties into opportunities, discouragement into drive, chaos into order, scarcity into abundance. Like the earth, our mother, offering abundance of growth and prosperity.
Conclusion
Grow our awareness about intrinsic qualities, and consciously use male or female polarity. Concretely, it means, once in a while, calm down and take a feminine polarity to enter into connexion with earth, with grounding, to have access to precious information – and then, enter into a strong male energy, activating intention to enable achievement. Basically, become mature human beings. Grow in consciousness, for contribution to our common project – the most fascinating shift in history. This is not just another Kondratieff cycle…
Michel de Kemmeter
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uhdr
