As we begin to celebrate International Women’s Day in 2024, I am always prompted to reflect not just on the celebration of all those inspirational women that have previously paved the way for many of us, but also on how my own personal journey has changed over each past year.
This year has been one of change and reflection for me, both a return to my original career path in Psychology and Neuroscience but also a new and exciting journey into Psychotherapy as I finish my first year to also become a trained therapist and begin to take on my first cases in clinical placement using a person-centred approach.
One thing has shone through for me as I have read the tomes of Carl Rogers and that is that the world of work could be a better place for female leaders if it were only more person-centred.
In a nutshell the person-centred approach nurtures growth, authenticity, and genuine connections through creating certain core conditions:
Congruence – Being authentic and honest
Empathy – Sensing emotionally what its like to be in a person’s shoes
Unconditional Positive Regard – valuing each person as a unique individual of worth and strength
Imagine a workplace where these core conditions were fundamentally present in the culture and how empowered each woman would feel to grow and fulfil their potential or as Carl Rogers would put it, reach ‘Self-Actualisation’
So, for International Women’s Day – let’s celebrate empowering women using a person-centred approach through:
Authentic recognition – Each woman has unique experiences and talents that are authentic to them, let us enjoy those collective differences
Equitable opportunities – The path to leadership should be paved with equal opportunities, less barriers and having a voice at the table not just a seat. Let us remember to bring up more chairs.
Tailored Support – Empowerment is not one-size fits all, we need personalised support either through mentoring, resilience building or skills training, lets find that voice and ask for what we need.
Collaborative decision making – celebrating diverse perspectives with creativity and vision, remembering to bring other voices in provides a better result for everyone.
Growth mindset – giving women opportunities to stretch and grow through big challenges and watching them become fearless is a joy, lets help support those that are stepping outside of their comfort zone.
Empowering women is a collective responsibility and perhaps if we applied a little more of a person centred approach then that journey might not just be easier but also more enjoyable…
Happy International Women’s Day!
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