I registered for the Verizon Media Series’ New Leadership Playbook event featuring Connie Orlando because I was excited about the topic: Hear how the award-winning, visionary executive leads with purpose, builds resilient teams, and tackles pressing issues like social injustice and racism head-on. The event was sponsored by The Female Quotient.
I was extremely disappointed with the event. Thankfully it was just 30 minutes. This was drivel. This was a commercial for the BET awards. This was a random coffee chat. This had nothing to do with leading with purpose, building resilient teams, tackling social injustice, etc.
Let me be clear, both Connie and Elizabeth are clearly accomplished executives. But from the perspective of leadership, from the perspective of a 6′ tall white guy who is figuring out how to advance wage and leadership equality, I’m not sure what the point of this event was.
There could be something in just seeing two high power female executives chatting. As we know, if you look up the corporate ladder and don’t see people who look like you, it’s difficult to imagine you in that position. There could be something in just two women talking about what they’re doing. That seems to be a bit like some of the conversations Chairman Mom is facilitating. There’s a community aspect…they’re saying you’re not alone.
But as I’m re-listening to the event, trying to pick out nuggets of wisdom that can accelerate change for a female executive, I find myself disappointed. The Female Quotient’s tag line is Advance Women. Advance Equality. Not sure how this is advancing anything.
So is there some ‘6’ tall privileged white guy’ unconscious or conscious bias at play here? Or was this event pointless drivel? I don’t know.