Tag Archives: women leaders

Would The Financial Crisis Have Happened If More Women Were In Charge?

Catherine StrawnMay 14, 2009 //

As we’re all trying to figure out what went wrong in our banking system to cause the recession we’re in, we’re blaming just about anyone and everyone involved, especially the men at the top. Yes, I said the men. Not many of the folks getting blamed on the news are women, so it leads us to wonder, would we be in this position if there had been more women leading the banking industry?

German news magazine Der Spiegel interviewed Mary Ellen Iskenderian, the president and CEO of Women’s World Banking, an international micro-finance organization, and she addressed this. While she didn’t come out and say the recession wouldn’t have happened if women were in charge, she does say the story line might have played out differently… Keep reading »

When Women Bully, We Hurt Each Other

Catherine StrawnMay 11, 2009 //

A survey by the Workplace Bullying Institute found that most bullies are men — but 40 percent are women. While male bullies attack men and women, female bullies tend to go after their own kind, targeting other women more than 70 percent of the time.

My guess is that some women who want to feel powerful feel the need to dominate others, and lording over other women can be easier than commanding men. With the economy the way it is, people are trying to get ahead, and some are taking not-so-nice measures to get there. In case you’re not sure whether someone is bullying you, tactics can include being glared at in a hostile manner, being given the silent treatment, and having others fail to deny false rumors about you. Sounds like pretty catty behavior, doesn’t it? Keep reading »

Michelle Obama Is The First Lady Of The World

Catherine StrawnApril 28, 2009 //

While Americans have been focused on Michelle Obama’s wardrobe choices and how she’s advancing the careers of younger designers, women in other countries are more concerned with how she’s boosting their lives and self-worth. In India, one woman says Michelle “shows women that it’s OK to have dark skin and to not have a son,” which are normally looked down upon in her country. In Vietnam, women marvel that Michelle walks beside her husband, rather than behind him. Thu Nguyen says women in her country “are not human beings,” but Michelle shows women can do anything. Keep reading »

In The News: Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto Assassinated At Political Rally

Amelia McDonell-ParryDecember 27, 2007 //

This really doesn’t have much to do with sex or relationships, at least in a ridiculously obvious way, but it does have to do with women seeking equality around the world, so in that sense it’s just as important to this site as the latest celebrity sex scandal. Pakistani political activist, former Prime Minister, and current candidate for office (which she hoped to hold for the third time) Benazir Bhutto was killed this morning as she left a rally. She was shot in the neck before a suicide bomber detonated himself, killing 20 others. A few months ago, 134 people were killed in a similar assassination attempt, though Bhutto managed to escape unscathed. She was the first woman to ever lead a Muslim country. [NY Times] Keep reading »