When Men Lead Women: Anneli Blundell's Key Tips to Interpersonal Intelligence
“When there are not enough women at the top it’s a result of one of two things – either women are not as good as men or the system is holding them back. So if you believe that men and women are created equal, inequality must be due to an uneven playing field for women” Voted Top 10 Women to Watch in YMag 2019, today’s woman dreamer. Anneli Blundell, known as the “Professional People Whisperer” shares her expert advice to women on how to leverage their interpersonal intelligence, and how to build effective relationships with male allies and men in the workplace. Enjoy Anneli’s story below!
1) Tell us your story. Voted as one of YMag's Top 10 Women to Watch in 2019, and known as the "Professional People Whisperer", what inspired you to get into leadership and coaching?
I always wanted to do something that I was passionate about (that didn’t feel like work). In my corporate life I stumbled onto coaching and knew I had found my place. I am obsessed with people and what makes them tick, so being paid to be a partner in their thinking was such a delight (hence the Professional People Whisperer tag). I signed up to become a certified Professional Coach and the rest is history.
Over the last 15 years my obsession with understanding people and their behaviours has only deepened, along with my expertise. Over time, my coaching practice expanded to include training, facilitating teams, keynote presentations and authoring books. I feel so blessed to do work I love.
2) Congrats on your book, When Men Lead Women. What inspired you to write the book, and what are the key takeaways you want your readers to have?
I wrote the book because I run a program called Women at Work, where I support women to navigate the gendered leadership landscape that creates invisible barriers in their leadership careers.
During this program I get to work with male leaders in the organization and hear what’s going on for them when it comes to the topic of gender equality. I became concerned that men were grappling with questions, concerns and fears about how a focus on women, would affect them as men. Without a safe space to explore this thinking, the issues and concerns go underground, and are left unaddressed.
I wanted to provide a resource for men to answer the questions they were too reluctant to ask out loud.
The key take-aways are about education, insight and a call to action. What do men need to know to understand the real issue here and the important role they play? What information invites men into the conversation, instead of pushing them away? And what action can they take if they are ready to make a difference in this space?
3) What are your 2 favorite lines (or passages) from the book?
“If we believe that men and women are equally able in a company or a country, then we should be expecting a 50/50 outcome. If we don’t get that then there is either bias or constraints to natural merit.” Lieutenant General Angus Campbell, Chief of Army
This quote reminds us that when there are not enough women at the top it’s a result of one of two things – women are not as good as men or the system is holding them back.
So if you believe that men and women are created equal, inequality must be due to an uneven playing field for women at work.
‘Far from a zero-sum game, feminisim is the tide that lifts all boats.’ Michael Kimmel, sociologist and expert on men and masculinity.
Equality is not just good for women. Research shows many direct benefits for men, as a result of a achieving a fairer workplace for women. We need to address this issue together, for the benefit of all.
4) You specialize in interpersonal intelligence. What exactly is that, and how can people apply that in their everyday lives? What are some examples of interpersonal intelligence?
Interpersonal intelligence is like an expanded version of emotional intelligence. Instead of focusing on our own emotional responses, we focus on how we impact and affect the people around us. What’s happening in the interpersonal space between us? How do our emotions, attitudes, moods, and beliefs impact the outcomes we achieve when working with others? It’s about being able to read between the lines when it comes to people and their motivations.
5) As the platform for women dreamers, What is your next big dream?
My next big dream is to start conversations with male leaders about their role in leading systemic change for gender equality. I want women and young girls to know they are not in this alone. It is up to all of us to challenge the status quo and shift the systems that hold inequity in place. We are in this together and I want men to feel encouraged, welcomed and critical to the conversation.
Thank You Anneli for sharing your inspiring story with us! We are excited to have you in our global women’s network!
Bio: Anneli is on a mission to humanise the leadership landscape and change the way we see each other. Voted one of YMag’s Top Ten Women to Watch in 2019, Anneli’s passion for decoding people and performance dynamics make her a sought-after speaker, mentor and leadership expert. With her keynote speaking, and flagship programs on Women@Work, and Applied Allyship, Anneli brings her gender advocacy to large groups of leaders. She is known for creating safe spaces to explore the issues and opportunities of inclusion, belonging and allyship in practical and profound ways.
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