OC LEADER BOARD
THE FUEL FOR FEMALE LEADERSHIP
By
Vikki Shepp
In May, Girl Scouts of Orange County held its 10th annual Voice for Girls, a virtual event to rally Orange County’s decision-makers and key influencers around a vital mission: to support and champion girls in reaching their full potential as leaders in society. Participants included more than 200 business leaders, community leaders, elected officials, educators, and others who believe in the power of girls who can change the world.
This year’s theme—The Power of the All-Female Environment in Fueling
Female Leaders—brought compelling conversations and leaders to the
table.
Andrea Bastiani Archibald, a developmental
psychologist, gave a presentation illustrating how all-girl
environments help them develop confidence and take risks.
Following the keynote, a panel of OC leaders from Experian, Gensler,
Kaiser Permanente, and Western Digital discussed the role and impact
of female affinity groups in driving recruitment, retention, and
performance in the workplace.
High school-aged Girl
Scouts facilitated the panel, asking questions and interacting with
the panelists, who shared important insights into programs for women
they have successfully implemented within their organizations.
Developing Confidence
There are tremendous economic and societal benefits to
investing in female leadership.
Participating in Girl
Scouts is a powerful factor for developing courage, confidence and
character, which in turn build a foundation for success in education
and careers, enable a lifetime of leadership, and provide high levels
of life satisfaction, according to a 2021 study by the Girl Scout
Research Institute.
Alums assert that Girl Scouts set
them on a path for achievement, connected them to something bigger
than themselves, and helped them develop their passions and
interests.
Take for example Kirsten Okamoto, who earned
the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award that is given to those who find
sustainable solutions to community issues.
“Participating
in Girl Scouts has enabled me to see powerful female leaders and the
possibilities for my future,” she said. “It has shaped who I want to
become and helped me believe I can change anything.
“As a future leader, I don’t think my hopes and desires are any
different than those of today’s leaders. I simply want to be trusted
and for people to believe in my power as a woman, while also seeing
every facet of my identity and personality.”
Kirsten, a
recent graduate of Sato Academy High School, has interned this summer
with Aerojet Rocketdyne and will attend University of California,
Santa Barbara this fall to study electrical engineering.
Invest in Future
Studies—including the preeminent 2001 World Bank Research
Report “Engendering Development”—consistently show that one of the
most effective ways to boost a nation’s economic output, enhance
productivity, and improve the overall vibrancy of society is to invest
in the leadership capabilities of girls and women.
Female
leadership also brings greater credibility in institutions and more
democratic outcomes. At the practical level, research from Credit
Suisse in 2014 showed increased return on equity when women perform in
top executive roles and 75% superior growth, high cash flow, ROIs, and
lower leverage with stronger levels of female leadership.
Unfortunately, the pandemic brought tremendous costs to women and society as nearly 3 million American women left the workforce due to the increased need to support child care, education, and household obligations, despite working full-time “outside” the home.
Women are experiencing significant increases in domestic violence, stress and burnout, and mental health issues. Mothers, women of color, and women in senior roles have been hit especially hard.
Accordingly, it is more vital than ever—as business and community
leaders—that we recognize the importance for organizations today to
have a clearly articulated business case for women, active male
engagement in championing women, and the intentional commitment of
resources. When we have diverse groups around the leadership table, we
are simply better equipped to create the solutions of today and
tomorrow.
We need spaces where women are wholly seen,
heard, and valued. Where they’re supported. Where experiences are
created for how they uniquely learn and lead, not just based in a
shared gender. Where they can hear from and share with those who have
“been there,” even during challenging times. Where they can see
themselves filling every role.
The most effective all-female spaces provide an inclusive, safe
space where there are greater opportunities for women to build
confidence. They develop interests and skills in areas where women are
traditionally underrepresented with opportunities to connect. And they
foster collaboration instead of competition.
How can
this be practically accomplished?
The Keys
We must begin with access to role models and the provision of
safe and confidential groups and spaces where norms are created and
owned together. Small, defined groups also work well, whether across
career level or type, or affinity groups based on race, being parents
and caregivers, or the intersection amongst these things. Real
skill-building of soft skills critical to collaboration, negotiation,
inclusion, and self-promotion can yield tremendous outcomes.
Indeed, in a world of boys’ clubs, Girl Scouts gives girls
their own club, her own “pod” where she can build the confidence and
resilience that come with taking risks and learn to innovate and
problem solve. And that’s what businesses must also do: create a safe
space for women to discover their passions, stretch their limits, and
shine their brightest in the boardroom, laboratory, and beyond.
We know that women’s leadership brings many important economic and societal benefits, and that is why we’re doing everything we can at Girl Scouts to fuel the pipeline for tomorrow’s change-makers, cure-finders, and beacons of inspiration.
As an expert on girl leadership, Girl Scouts of Orange County is
uniquely poised to lead Orange County in helping girls reach their
leadership potential and place the need for balanced leadership in the
workplace and society front and center, locally and nationally.
We hope you’ll join us in this critical work that serves to
benefit our community and the world.
Editor’s Note:
Vikki Shepp is CEO of Girl Scouts of Orange County where she’s spent
over a decade in numerous leadership positions, including volunteer
management and mission operations. The nonprofit, which reported
$10.9 million in revenue for the year ended June 30, 2020, has
25,000 members, including 15,000 girls, and 10,000 volunteers and
adult members.
This article was published in the Orange County Business Journal.
