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July 29, 2010

If It’s The End of Men, Then What’s It The Beginning Of?

Community of Coaching, Entrepreneur OneSource, Executive Coaching, Leadership Coaching, Life Coaching, Organizational Wholeness, Human Wholeness,  |  1 comments

In the July/August issue of Atlantic Monthly you will find a very provocative, well researched feature article by regular columnist, Hanna Rosin. Here is the link: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/07/the-end-of-men/8135/

I am deeply curious about the way paradox shows up and from my coach perspective, I recognize that a breakthrough is ready to emerge in what the author speaks about as a gender battle (yikes).  Hanna provides a variety of factual references from the America Council on Work and the Bureau of Labor that reinforce what most of you probably already know. There are more women in the workforce than men, up from 26.1% 1980 to 53% today, and that more men are experiencing unemployment right now because they are more traditionally employed in manufacturing and physcial trades, two of the hardest hit sectors.  What is striking in the article is the leap in thinking that it's the end of men because of the increase of women in the workforce and the associated independence and freedom.  As it happens, I found this article after reading an editorial by Nichols Kristof on Sunday from the NY Times News Service that was picked up by a number of different US papers. Nicholas questioned the premise of the article and in the process shared a perspective that rather than a battle, perhaps the genders will find a new balance.  The blog traffic on both articles is fascinating.

So, now my inquiry for all us as coaches to consider is what is wanting to happen now?  I don't personnally endorse the polarity of the sexes in either positive, 'new balance' or more negative, 'battle', orientation.  I do honor the wholeness of every human being and the journey of life that restores the internal balance of masculine and feminine so that we live from our core and manifest our potential.  I do subscribe to the idea that each of us has internal gifts, a personal essence and purpose that supports expressing ourselves in the world in a meaningful way for ourselves and others.  What is the way for us to transcend the polarizing rhetoric about gender and facilitate humanity's evolution? 

To be generative is the capcaity to produce or originate something.  Humans have this capacity well beyond the process of procreation.  In my work support generative leadership for organizations, I am moved by leaders who already know the truth of wholeness and the tremendous force of positive energy and momentum that is unleashed when employees feel welcomed, encouraged to bring the best of who they are and are acknowledged for their meaningful contributions.  I am curious what others are experiencing and how together we create more generativity in the workplace.  Please go read the article in Atlantic Monthly and let me know what you think is wanting to happen now!