Baldo Minaudo’s Blog

In the last year I have been lectured to twice by an older lady friend of mine who insists that referring to a female as a ‘Lady’ is an insult.

I won’t pretend to fully understand her logic as I’ve always been taught in school that a lady is a woman of culture, self-respect and awareness.  Yet, my friend insists that I call females either ‘girls’ if they are young or ‘women’ if they are older.  Why does this not sit well with me?  Is there a flaw in my thinking?

Well, according to my friend who is a published author by the way, I am being outdated in using this term.  Ouch!  Having a much older woman calling me outdated because I’m not using her vocabulary.  Now, I’m concerned.  Am I missing the boat?  Or is this an indication of my friend’s tainted believe system as to what it means to call a female a lady, one that comes with much negative personal experience?

I don’t have the answer yet.  However, I plan to find out by discussing this with many others.  Yet, I undertaking this exercise I wonder how much of my beliefs, definitions and habits are in fact outdated?  How about you?  How outdated are you?

If you think that youth gives you immunity to this condition - think again.  Last week I spoke to my friend who just graduated from college and is in his early 20’s.  He was himself lamenting that he didn’t understand or could related to individuals in their late teens.  Imagine that!

I guess, it’s time to stop referring to the police as ‘The Fuzz’. 

Last Friday I went to a friend’s PhD completion party and I met a young lady who has been in Toronto for the last year studying Fashion Design at Ryerson University.

At one point in the evening she was lamenting on having to go outside in what has been fairly moderate weather, in fact above freezing temperatures.  What really caught my attention was her comment that she just couldn’t take going outside in the winter.  Yet, she is originally from Saskatchewan.  Not just Saskatchewan, but from a farm in Saskatchewan.  Now I know that farms out there can get pretty cold in the winter and that 30 degrees Celsius below zero is very common in the winter. 

The comment stuck in my mind as I realized that this young farm girl went from being weather hardened, hardy outdoors Canadian to a wimpy city dwelling Torontonian in just over 1 year. 

So, now I’m wondering about where the sturdy, hardy Canadian stock is headed.  My friend thinks that  once she goes back to Saskatchewan she re-adapt quickly.  However, I think that since she’s studying fashion and there is very little fashion industry in Saskatchewan (unless she launches a fashion line for cattle) that she’ll remain in an urban centre.  Or perhaps even Chicago (just kidding).

How do you like the winter weather in Canada?

 

Leading others requires continuous learning and reminders of what it means and takes to be a leader.  So for those of you that are leaders, leaders of leaders, or just work with leaders, this article will be helpful. 

According to Jeswald Salacuse, dean of law at Southern Methodist University, leaders have seven tasks they carry out daily:

1. Direction:  Leaders articulate and help to set the goals of the organization, including overseeing movement towards those goals;

2. Integration: Leaders unite diverse followers, which is difficult to do when working with those that like to be unique;

3. Mediation: Leaders often must mediate the disputes among individuals struggling over turf, resources, responsibilities and policies.

4. Education: Leaders educate, coach, guide and advise those they lead.  (Notice this doesn’t include training.  Training should be done by those that are dedicated to it.);

5. Motivation: Leaders must continuously encourage others to do the right thing for the common good of the team;

6. Representation: Leaders represent the community they lead, which is especially difficult when the community members have plenty of clout. 

7. Trust Creation: Leaders must earn the trust of the team members and stakeholders in order to direct, integrate, mediate, educate, motivate or represent the individuals of the community.

So there you have it - some tips (or reminders) for what it takes to be a leader.

You can read more about this topic in Jeswald Salacuse’s book “Leading Leaders”, 218 pages, available through Amazon for $37.95.