author of Women Lead the Way: Your
The staff and board of directors of
Her list of other
Guide to Stepping Up to Leadership
Green America (formerly Co-Op Amer-
proven traits that
and Changing the World, women
ica), a nonprofit organization deploying
women bring to
like those in Mothers Acting Up, who
the power of the marketplace to solve
the arena of green
organize on the grassroots level in their
social and environmental problems,
activism includes: a
communities and beyond, are change
is now beyond the 30 percent tipping
holistic and inte-
agents for a better future. She points to
point. Women comprise 70 percent of
grative approach
research conducted by Rutgers Uni-
its board of directors. Executive Direc-
Alisa Gravitz
to problem solv-
versity’s Center for American Women
tor Alisa Gravitz has been nurturing her
ing; compassion,
and Politics, which demonstrates the
activism and leadership talents since
that translates into a sincere interest in
benefits of empowering women in
collaborating with her 8th-grade class-
people; and a more encompassing view
leadership capacities.
mates to organize a recycling center
of stakeholders’ return on investment.
“Women make a decided differ-
and environmental education classes in
“Women ask questions not just
ence when they come to constitute
the 1970s.
because they want to know the
30 percent of a board of directors,
executive management, political
Women are able to effect a
story of the human being behind the
investment,” advises Gravitz, “but,
body or any organization,” notes
difference in how events unfold because they care about more than
Tarr-Whelan, a former ambassador
and U.S. representative to the United
when they comprise 30 percent
the return on the dollar.”
“Women are socialized to be lis-
Nations’ Commission on the Status of any organization—that’s
teners and view things relationally,”
of Women during the Clinton admin-
the tipping point.
adds Dr. Linda Stillman, a specialist
istration. “Only then does the dia-
in cultural communication, interper-
logue change; only then do women’s
sonal relations and gender issues.
voices get heard and their ideas acted
“I realized early on that when you
She also served as the permanent UN
upon. Until we
work together, you can do anything,”
Nongovernmental Organization (NGO)
reach this tipping
quips Gravitz.
representative for
point, all of us
Soroptimist Inter-
have good reason Values Women Bring
national, a volun-
to be concerned
to the Table teer international
about the missing
Working together collaboratively is
women’s organiza-
priorities, qualities,
one of the distinguishing qualities that
tion for internation-
Linda Tarr-Whelan
talents and experi-
women bring to the workplace. “Wom-
al women’s issues.
ence that women
en encourage others to be involved in

can contribute.”
Dr. Linda Stillman
Stillman observes
the decision-making process and view
that women tend
consensus as an important element in
to approach leadership through their
Accomplishments Despite
reaching a decision,” observes Gravitz.
relationships. “Women converse to
Uneven Odds
build connections and seek multiple
Examples abound of what women’s
representation in elected office can
achieve. In the United States, women-
friendly policies have been written into
national legislation ever since they
began winning congressional seats,
tackling such issues as violence against
women, child support, welfare, equal
wages and unemployment benefits.
Yet, today, women account for
only 17 percent of Congress’ 535 seats.
During the last decade, our country
has lost ground in women’s politi-
cal representation, plummeting from
47th in the world to 71st, behind Iraq
(33rd), the Democratic People’s Repub-
lic of Korea (57th) and Sudan (65th).
Rwanda recently made global history
when it became the first nation elect-
ing more women than men to parlia-
ment.

May 2009
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