Can 'Women' have it all? - A very interesting question
without a definite answer. Some may say ‘YES’ and most of them may say ‘NO’. I
am trying to figure out to which side of the answer I belong. I am now hooked
to a book ‘Power Play’ by Danielle Steel. A nice read and a beautiful
comparison between 2 CEO’s, Ms Fiona Carson and Mr Marshall Weston. These two
powerful CEO’s of leading companies lead different lives as a human being. They
play a double role - Tough, subtle, crisp, sharp as CEO’s but tender, emotive,
humans after all at home. Not revealing more about the book but would like to
emphasise more on Fiona’s life as a loving caring, sensitive, career oriented
single mother. Was married to David for almost seventeen years and then
divorced...she just finds this as a perfect life! I really got an insight of
her strength, determination and the balance she tries to set in her work-home
life when she is about to attend a board meeting to discuss a serious matter –
leaking of news which could have proven to be a potential harm to the
reputation of the company directly affecting the stock market and her phone
rings. It’s her daughter Alyssa who declares that she would like to borrow her
skirt for going on a date. It just took me a few minutes to realize that it
does take a strong mind to tackle these two different issues…act like a CEO
when needed and be a Mother to your kids. For Alyssa- a young bubbly girl, it
is all about a ‘skirt’ who only is concerned about her date but for Fiona it is
beyond this – a dual act and she has to come out with an appropriate solution
in both the situations.
The author Danielle Steel has tried to convey that Women at higher positions or 'Power' try very hard to prove themselves as an ideal Mum, Employee, Entrepreneur and don't go Crazy rather with a firm head on shoulders progress with dignity.
Interestingly, I read an article
about Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo CEO. For me Fiona is just a fictional character for
a story and lives a life which has been created by the author but Ms Nooyi is a
living, real Mother and a CEO. A mother to 2 daughters, she shared her thoughts
about the ‘guilt’ when she never made it for the coffee mornings at her
daughter’s school. How she was sent to get some milk by her Mother at that
night when the board decided to appoint her as the CEO. She even confessed that she wasn’t sure if
their daughters might regard her as a ‘Best Mother’. She owes her success to
her extended family which actually consists of her office staff, friends and
family. She beautifully framed a difficult feeling into words – ‘Biological
clock and career clock are just complete conflicts!’ When you have to raise
your career then you also have to raise your kids. I couldn’t agree more to
this. She engaged her staff for instance; her secretary was provided a
questionnaire for her daughter. Whenever her daughter rang up to speak to Mummy
for her permission to play a game, the secretary would check if she completed
her homework and few other questions. If the answers were appropriate as
decided by her CEO Mum then she got the permission to play the game. To the
question if ‘Can you have it all?’ she spontaneously answers ‘No’! The reason
is every moment, every decision puts you in a situation where you are bound to
think that you are a Mother, Wife, Daughter, Daughter-in Law and at last CEO…so
you can never have it all.
While I am still hooked to ‘Power
Play’ and totally impressed by Fiona but I can’t stop adoring Ms Nooyi for her
role as a CEO and Mum. Women like her are a role model for many and such honest
confessions from such a strong ‘Woman’ only boosts our spirits and inspires us
to achieve our dreams and aims but with a BALANCE without a guilt. Millions of
Women worldwide, sole bread earners or working for their dreams, highly paid or
less paid, high profile jobs or low profile jobs, for that matter a home-maker
too deserve a lot of appreciation and support to bring out the best in them.
Though we can’t have it all but a positive approach towards it is the key to
success.
There is a role model in every Woman
Finally, a bit of Fiona and Indra
Nooyi does exist in every Woman!
Cheers.
