Be a Better Woman Lawyer

Here is an article that you MUST read.  In fact, every woman should read this article.  “7 Ways Women Can Lift Up, Not Tear Each Other Down” by established author Susan Skog is spot on when it comes to negative woman-to-woman behavior.  Here is the link to the article at Huffington Post.com, and I hope you will share it and this blog generously among your women contacts.  This is an area where we all need work.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-skog/seven-ways-women-can-lift-up-not-tear-each-other-down_b_6456558.html

Here’s how Huffington Post describes Susan Skog:  Trained as a journalist, Susan Skog has advocated for and written about humanitarians and their projects for more than 20 years. The author of six nonfiction books, her work has also appeared in many leading magazines and newspapers including The New York Times, Newsday, AARP, Family Circle, Prevention, and many other leading publications. Her books include, The Give-Back Solution: Create a Better World with Your Time, Talents, and Travel, and Peace in our Lifetime, and Embracing Our Essence: Spiritual Conversations with Prominent Women.  As a communications leader and consultant, Skog has supported the efforts of more than 30 organizations easing extreme poverty in the developing world.

Pretty impressive.  Susan Skog is working on a new book about women bullying women, and I can’t wait to read it.  She interviewed me for the book, and I am delighted to join her in this effort.  Women helping women is one of the keystones of the Best Friends at the Bar project, and I write and speak about it often.  Regrettably, I continue to see too much competition among women and a reluctance to support each other in our profession, and I hope that books like Susan Skog’s will help to make the case for better behavior and improved cooperation.

Here is a summary of the ways women can lift up, not tear each other down, according to Susan Skog:

  • Shine a light on the shadows — by having candid conversations about the problem to promote change;
  • Live from your own incredible worth — express your own brilliance and don’t block someone else’s;
  • Advocate for zero tolerance — by refusing to tolerate abusive talk and behavior among women;
  • Be a Wonder Woman with your wise words — and help put an end to destructive behavior among women;
  • Tune out media that glorify mean-women pile-ons;
  • Applaud a woman’s success — don’t hold a woman’s gifts against her;
  • Slow down, breathe and nurture yourself — when you feel better about yourself you are better equipped to help others.

All of us can relate to this.  All of us have had moments when we know we have “crossed the line” and targeted another woman with our own bad behavior or unkind words.  ‘Fess up.  You know I am right about this.  Unfortunately, it has become accepted as “typical female behavior,” and it is time to change that.  Simply stated, and quoting Susan Skog, “We are better than this.”

Be part of the solution and not part of the problem.  Start today!

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