Do the math
Door Nelsy Salden-Rebbens
"Men, step back."
"Men, come forward."
These are the mixed messages men get from the media. It can't be easy being a man these days and knowing when you're getting it right. But perhaps that has to do with the empathy gap.
What I do know is that a man in the right place at the right moment can make a difference.
The men beside me
Blessed with a father who, as far as I can tell, never made a distinction between the ambitions my brother and I were allowed to have, I found my footing early on. There was a man who believed in me and stood up for me when I took on a leadership role at a young age. A man who made room for me so I could grow. There were men who amplified my voice when I said something incredibly sensible a little too quietly. And there is a man beside me who always believes in me just a little sooner than I do myself.
Making room without disappearing
And yes, there could be more of it. More often. Sometimes louder, and sometimes quieter.
But what wonderful examples we now have of men who take their place in the pursuit of equality. Men who know the numbers and don't look away from them. Men who have been moved by the experiences of their mothers, wives, daughters and colleagues. Men who make room without disappearing themselves.
There is still so much to gain and so much at stake. I feel more and more strongly how much can be traced back to the balance between the masculine and the feminine that we have lost. In how we work, how we lead and within ourselves. And how much can heal once we find that balance again.
We still have some moving to do.
Forward. Back. Side by side. Toward each other.
Profit in partnership
Exactly twenty years ago, I stepped into the world of finance. I find it mighty.
Too mighty, sometimes.
I believe in the gains that can be made together.