Women Reshaping Success: Insights from the World Government Summit

darlingmagazine.org

by Beth Doane

Last week, I traveled to Dubai to report on the 2018 World Government Summit. Known as WGS, this global event brings together thinkers, innovators, and policymakers to examine how governments can harness technology to address the planet’s most pressing issues.

WGS is a distinctly Emirati initiative — the UAE operates the world’s only Ministry of Happiness and Tolerance and is deeply dedicated to leveraging technology and innovation to enhance the lives of its citizens.

Over three days, I connected with some of the most impactful leaders from around the globe. These were visionary thinkers and doers determined to shape the future rather than be shaped by it. They took on questions around medicine and mental health, gender parity, climate change, safety and security, job automation, financial inclusion, and every other concern facing modern governments.

What stood out most to me were the women leaders I encountered — formidable women driving change and transformation across every sector imaginable, devoted to forging a brighter future for their nations and the world.

I spoke with two of these inspiring women about their journeys, their definitions of success, and their views on what it means to lead as a woman.

One is Maha Abouelenein. An Egyptian-American communications consultant who heads Google’s Communications in the Middle East and North Africa, Abouelenein was motivated to take the role after the Egyptian Revolution. She also serves as co-Chair of the US Chamber of Commerce’s Corporate Governance Committee.

I also had the honor of interviewing Arianna Huffington, co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post (now owned by AOL). Arianna is also the author of the bestseller “The Sleep Revolution” and founder of Thrive Global, a media platform aimed at ending the stress and burnout epidemic by providing companies and individuals with sustainable, science-backed solutions to boost both well-being and performance.

Here’s what Arianna and Maha shared:

Beth Doane: Which aspects of your personality have most helped you get to where you are today?

Maha Abouelenein: Confidence is a major factor that has brought me to where I am. Without confidence, I wouldn’t have reached this point. I believe confidence enables you to tackle any challenge or mission because it means you can adapt, pivot, lead, and overcome.

BD: When you face a crossroads in life or your career, how do you decide which direction to take?

Arianna Huffington: Right now we’re operating under a collective illusion that we must choose between burning out or failing to be successful. Everyone is impacted by this illusion, but women bear the heaviest burden. Given that even when they’re employed, women typically handle more responsibilities outside the workplace, this is a subtle way to exclude women or at least hinder their progress. That’s yet another reason why transforming this burnout culture is so crucial.

My advice is, first, make your own well-being a priority. Not only will you perform better at work, you’ll be more effective in everything you do outside of it. It’s like the airplane rule: put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others.

Next, I’d say that as you advance in your career, in addition to looking ahead to the next step, look around where you are now and consider how you can help redefine success to empower and enable the women who follow you, so they won’t face the same dilemma between burnout and advancement. If we’re going to change this burnout culture, it will be women leading the way.

MA: I follow my intuition. Always trust your gut. And don’t shy away from things that make you uncomfortable, because that’s where growth happens. I strongly believe in challenging yourself, and when two paths appear, choose the one that makes you nervous — that’s the path that leads to growth.

Right now we’re living under a collective delusion that we have to choose between burning out or not being successful. Everybody is affected by this delusion, but women pay the highest price.

BD: How do you define success?

MA: Success means being able to do something you love every day and feeling that you’re contributing value. It’s self-defined and something only you can measure.

AH: Living a life rich in well-being, wisdom, wonder, and the power of giving.

BD: As women continue to rise to top-level positions, what would you like to see more of?

MA: I hope to see women keep contributing to society at every level and take on roles that let them bring a distinct perspective to the table.

AH: I want to see more women supporting women — both directly through mentorship and recruitment, and indirectly by working for systemic changes that make advancement easier for the women who come after us.

BD: To me, being a woman means

MA: STRENGTH.

AH: Leading. Helping other women. Connecting.

To learn more about the summit and some of the powerful speakers and topics discussed visit: www.worldgovernmentsummit.org

Images via World Government Summit

Beth Doane

Beth is an award-winning author, writer, and entrepreneur. Her extraordinary journey launching a fashion brand designed to give back has captivated audiences at the United Nations, Google, TEDx, and the National Mall in Washington, DC. Beth is also a partner at Main & Rose, an elite communications firm with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and Dubai.

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