Teaching Guide for Women Inspired Program
Background
In today’s world, highly talented women continue to face challenges that limit their success, career potential and general life satisfaction. In partnership with the GSB Women's Task Force, the GSB Alumni Relations Office makes these resources available to spark thinking and discussion on important topics of career navigation, leadership through awkward dynamics in the work place, work-life balance, and diversity.
These resources are designed to challenge you to grapple with the forces driving your own internal compass and gut reactions as you watch, discuss, and share a combination of both the Capstone Perspectives and Video Case Vignettes.
Women Inspired Program Vignettes
This content is designed from real stories and perspectives of diverse women with the simple assumption that career satisfaction and life success are driven by the ability of a woman to make consistent value judgments and decisions that are driven by an inspired perspective of oneself and ones life vision. The vignettes and cases are structured to spark personal reflection around one's own values and decision-making process, which will lead to transformative learning of practical ways to address challenges. The video case resources are made available to all alumni and the content is designed to be experienced individually, in a group discussion or with a professional coach.
The collection includes two different types of videos: Capstone Perspectives and Video Case Vignettes. The Capstone Perspectives feature a woman’s perspective, experience or advice on a particular topic or theme. The Video Case Vignettes focus on a particular challenge a woman faced, decisions she made, and what she learned from the experience.
Video Case Vignette Format
These case vignettes feature leaders who share their experiences and insights to help you understand the opportunities you have to hone your own thinking and career design. The case vignettes are broken into 3 clips: the background and challenge; the decision or action taken by the leader and the results of the case with lessons learned. At the end of each clip, take time to consider or discuss how you might handle the dilemma, whether or not you agree with the action that was taken, or what you might do differently and why. Take heed of the lessons learned and see what advice you can take from leaders who have gleaned important insights from their experiences.
How to Make the Most from the Video Vignettes
Try to watch a combination of Capstone Perspectives and Video Case Vignettes from different leaders. In many cases, you will see that leaders may handle the same question or challenge very differently. Consider which approach or perspective works for you.
As you watch the videos, reference the scrolling notes next to the video, which includes a brief background on the leader, a summary of the vignette, take-aways, and questions to consider. For every vignette, ask yourself whether or not you agree with the leader. Try to understand what values or frameworks are driving your reactions. If you have not yet faced a similar challenge, consider how you might use the challenge to prepare for what may lie ahead. You may also recall a very different challenge you have faced that brings you to a similar conclusion as the challenge in the video.
As the leader shares her challenge, imagine yourself in her shoes and how you would handle the situation. Pause the video to consider and/or discuss the challenge, how it is handled, and the lessons learned. Think about what you might do differently or what was done well. Use these stories and insights to consider the values and decision making processes that drive your own internal compass.
Take time to reflect on your own situation, goals, values, plans and future.
After you watch the video, ask yourself the simple question:
What will you continue doing? Start doing? Stop doing?
Additional Readings and Resources
Video Vignette: When You are Not Like Other Moms
Featuring: Yasmin Lukatz
Summary: A working mom must guide her daughter through harassment from peers who taunt her because her mom is not like the other moms she sees at school.
Background on Leader: Yasmin is the Executive Director of the non-profit ICON – Israel Collaboration Network. Prior to joining ICON, she was the COO of Evoz, a consumer electronics start-up in the baby monitor space as well as the Special Assistant to the Chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands, a casino and hotel company headquartered in Las Vegas with operations in the US and Asia. Yasmin founded and served for 6 years as the Chairman of the board of Israel Hayom, Israel’s leading national daily newspaper after serving in the Israeli military as an Officer. Yasmin holds an MBA from Stanford University and an Accounting, Economics and Law degree from Tel Aviv University. She serves on several non-profit boards (Taglit Birthright, Oshman Family JCC and The Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School) and is involved in additional non-profits as well. Yasmin is married to an artist and is the mother of 4 children.
Takeaway: Take time to talk to your children about the importance of the work you do so they understand its value to you and can appreciate its significance.
Considerations and Questions (Segment 1):
- How would you react to your child’s concern in her shoes?
- What lessons and values do you communicate to your children and community about the priorities you place on your work?
- How do you deal with the pressures working moms get when they “are not like other moms”?
Considerations and Questions (Segment 2):
- Do you agree with how Yasmin communicates the priorities of work to her family?
- How can you emphasize the importance of strong role models to your daughters?
- How do you balance the priorities of work and family?
Considerations and Questions (Segment 3):
- What do you want your children to value and how do you communicate that to them?
- How do you use limited time with your children to influence and guide them?
- What do you communicate through your actions that reinforce or conflict with your true values?
Key Take-Aways
Realize you are the role model and understand that through your actions, you are instilling values in your children and protégés.
People observe whether or not you follow your passions, the types of relationships you build with friends and your spouse, and how happy you are with your choices.
Recognize there is tension between women who work and women who opt out of a career.
Criticism may “echo into the feeling of guilt” from not being with the kids.
Determine what feels like the right thing for you and be happy - children need a mother who is satisfied and content with what she is doing.