Last weekend, I heard Kitty Kolbert, the Director of the Athena Center for Leadership Studies at Barnard College, say, “If we can develop women as leaders, we can also develop men to be better leaders.” Hosting a TEDxWomen event to “re-imagine leadership,” The Athena Center for Leadership Studies had organized a day of live performances, inspiring the audience to consider the less tangible factors of leadership — such as humanity, courage and resilience. Each performance reflected Athena’s “Core 10,” a unique set of core competencies specifically developed for women leaders. Athena’s Core 10 are:
- Ambition – Own your power, expertise and value
- Advocacy – Speak up for yourself and on behalf of others
- Communication – Listen actively; speak persuasively and with authority
- Courage – Experiment and take bold, strategic risks