In honor of Women’s History Month my wife bought tickets to attend a dinner celebrating their amazing accomplishments.  A fitting tribute for sure but it occurred to me that this “fanfare” should continue each & every day.  Why do we wait until March every year to do this?  Here’s a past & current pioneer as well as some thoughts on getting some balance.

jackie_cochran

*Picture from www.wired.com

Jacqueline Cochran (May 11, 1906 – August 9, 1980) was a pioneer in aviation and was one of the most talented pilots of her era.  She was an important contributor to the formation of the wartime United States Women’s Auxiliary Corps and Women Air Force Service Pilots.  On May 18, 1953, at Rogers Dry Lake, California,  she became the first woman to break the sound barrier.  General Chuck Yeager, then a Major, was her cheerleader.  We would all be doing the world a favor to follow his example!

My wife recently gave me a book to read & she is very choosy with what she spends her time on especially with reading.  Guys, when this happens you should do it with no push-back.  There’s a reason for sure, so go for it!  The book was “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg. You can find it here…www.leanin.org  If you’re not familiar with this book you should be. It’s incredibly insightful & she tackles the subject of why women can & should lead.  It wasn’t on my “to-do” list but becoming more aware of the issues addressed is eye-opening.  Dig in!

Men & women are different, we know this.  We sometimes have a hard time differentiating the blurry lines that exist.  The search for the perfect purse (and wallet) never ends.  What we do know is that we are probably more similar than we are ready to admit.  Building trust through understanding can bridge the gender gap more efficiently than debate.  Guys, we can’t have a baby but we can love & care for one just as much.  What women go through to have a baby is nothing we’ll ever be able to truly identify with but we must admire & respect every aspect.

Michael Jordan scored 50 points in an NBA play-off game with a 102 degree temperature.  His effort is to be celebrated for sure but women do this every day with no fanfare.  Finding your best way to encourage no matter the gender will make where we work more sensitive to quality of life & maybe change the way work works for everyone. It’s time for fanfare balance.

All the Best,

Karl

*Facts on Jaqueline Cochran from Wikipedia & Biography.com
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