We can make good things happen when we let go of differences and focus on commonality. I was reminded of this important lesson once again last week as I hosted Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, an inspirational woman, who ran 80 secret schools for girls under Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
We can make good things happen when we let go of differences and focus on commonality.
I was reminded of this important lesson once again last week as I hosted
Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, an inspirational woman, who ran 80 secret schools
for girls under Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
She told many interesting stories but this was one of my favorites:
After the Taliban were defeated, Sakena busily increased the number of
schools and students served by her organization. With this, her
reputation for high quality education grew.
One day a staff member came to say that a group of men were demanding to
see her. And, based on their turbans, long scraggly beards, and baggy
clothes, he believed they represented a dangerous sect.
Sakena’s people were fearful- they begged her to consider her safety and
refuse to meet them. After careful consideration, she decided to see
them and her staff scattered.
All alone, with only a body guard (and her thumping heart), she covered
her face, made tea and invited her guests inside. She expected them to
threaten her and tell her to discontinue teaching girls but instead they
asked for her help in building schools for their children!
Once she confirmed that they wanted education for girls as well as for
boys she agreed to work with them. When she advised her people, they
expressed concern that it was a trap. But Sakena trusted her intuition
and forged forward.
She and her team successfully built the schools which are part of the
public system run by the government today. But they wouldn’t be in
existence if these two opposing groups hadn’t come together with a
common goal – that of educating the children of Afghanistan.
Too often we make assumptions about people based on how they look. It
gets in the way of potentially effective relationships, limiting the
progress which could be made if we worked together.
Other times when we know we don’t agree with someone on a single issue,
we shut them out entirely. But we can find commonality if we dig a
little deeper and the results are worth it. If differences keep you from
making good things happen, could you set them aside?
After a highly successful career in business, including 26 years with
PotashCorp where she was Senior Vice-President, Betty-Ann retired in
2007, the same year that she was named to Canada‘s Most Powerful Women:
Top 100 Hall of Fame™. She now works as a speaker, author and mentor and
is committed to using her personal and professional experiences to
inspire and empower other women. A firm believer in the value women
bring to organizations, Betty-Ann explores changing perceptions of male
and female roles including candid observations about what she calls
"Good Gender Physics” on her blog at www.stillettochick.com.
She helps both men and women understand the primary energy of their
gender but also accept and appreciate the strengths of their opposite.
