Character Driven Leadership - For WOMEN
- Kimberley Mackenzie
- Mar 6
- 3 min read
I never went to university. I went to theatre school. I used my acting skills to pretend I knew how to be a secretary in a bank for a few years. And, then I became a mother and a volunteer.
Through my volunteer work I fell into a paid leadership position with a national charity. It was a little bit surreal. I taught myself how to do my job by getting books out of the library and sort of twisting the rope while I climbed a mountain.
Just a few years later someone approached me to become an Executive Director. My children were now in school full time and I was chuffed at the possibility and excited about the challenge. Now a boss. I had a board of directors to support and needed to learn about governance and leadership - FAST. I was just 37 years old.
Now the primary income earner in my family I could buy the books I needed. I’m looking at them right now. I devoured leadership and governance texts from people like Jim Collins, John Kotter, Peter Drucker, Stephen Covey and something called Roberts Rules of Order.
I think it was Covey who talked about liking strawberries and cream for breakfast, but fish prefer worms, so when fishing he uses worms. Something like that. I so wish I could turn back time and have a chat with my 37-year-old self and tell her that if she wants strawberries and cream, she should bloody well have strawberries and cream!
I was trying so hard to play with the big boys in the boardroom. My Jones New York suits were like Ironman armour. My “professional” mask accomplished a lot. But there was a cost. I was trying so hard to perform and act tough I had no idea who I was, what I wanted or how to take care of myself.
Everything I learned about governance and leadership I learned from men. I was a 37-year-old, young mother, trying to succeed by trying to be as tough, “professional” and decisive as possible. I wasn’t leaning into my strengths. I was trying to be something that I was not. That made things a lot tougher than they needed to be. My career was built on pure GRIT.
Fortunately, the world has changed. We know now that figuring out who we are, standing in our own truth, aligning our values with our actions and encouraging our teams to do the same is the cornerstone of strong leadership.
So, when my colleague, fellow coach and friend Kathy Archer asked me to read an advance copy of her book, Character Driven Leadership – FOR WOMEN I was very keen to do it.
Let me tell you, this book is a game changer. It would have been so nice to have had it twenty years ago. Every deep feeling, open hearted, intuitive leader, male or female should read this book. But especially women.
Now, young women in leadership roles have guidance to lean into all their strengths as strong, capable, deep feeling, values driven women. Kathy has provided female leaders with a framework and tools to grow into a leadership style that helps them be true to who they are and as a result they will have more impact and healthier more collaborative teams.
Thank you, Kathy, for this gift to the world. Well, done my friend.
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