1. Thisarticleappearedinthefollowingpublications:ClubFemina,DiversityExecutiveMagazine,StreetInsider.com,CNBC.com,
MinneapolisBusinessJournal,Forbes.com,HoustonChronicle,LosAngelesTimes,DallasNews.com
“Ifyou’rehavingtroublecomingupwithnames,you’renotalone,”saysAnettD.Grant.,PresidentofExecutiveSpeaking,
Inc.,aglobalspeakingcoachingcompanyfoundedin1979andheadquarteredinMinneapolis.
Womenhaveachievedpowerfulpositionsinpolitics.Womenhavedeliveredpowerfulperformancesonstage.Women
havebecomecaptainsofindustries.Butfewcorporatewomenhaveemergedashavingpoweratthepodium.
Tohelpexecutivewomenbecomegreatspeakers,ExecutiveSpeaking,Inc.,haslaunchedanewinitiative:Beyondthe
Barriers.BeyondtheBarriersisfocusedonhelpingwomenleadersconfrontandconquerthebarriers— internaland
eexternal— thatarekeepingthemfromachievingsigniicantpodiumpower.
OneoftheexternalbarriersGrantseesisthecontradictingfeedbackwomenleadersreceivethatultimatelyunderminestheir
speakingpower.
GrantdescribesasituationwheretheCEOwasappalledathistreasurer’sboardpresentation.Hefeltthatthiswomanwas
notprojectingthinkingpoweranddeinitelynotprojectingleadershippresence.Atthesametime,abusinessunit
ppresidentdescribedherasenthusiastic,charming— justlikeanewscasterwithsuchawonderfulsmile.“Icouldn’tresist
raisingtheobviousquestion,”saysGrant.“Doyouwantthetreasurerofa$500millioncompanytocomeacrossasthe
weathergirl?”
Anotheroneoftheexternalbarrierswomenfaceistheexpectationoffemininity.
Womenhavetonavigateamineieldofprojectingpower— withoutoversteppingtheidealsoffemininitythatremain
dominanteveninourglobalenvironment.“Whilesmallmendofacechallengesintermsofprojectingpowerinsome
cultures,”saysGrant,“inmy28yearsofcoaching,Ihaveneverheardtheissuedescribedasaneedformoremasculinity.”
AAnotherexternalbarrierexecutivewomenfaceistherequirementtoweartherightoutit.
“Womenleadershavefashionpoliceineveryaudiencetohandoutpenaltiesforwearingthewrongoutit,”saysGrant.
“Whenthemaleleaderwearsanold,ill-ittingsuit,he’sseenasoldmoney.Whenawomanleaderwearsanold,ill-itting
suit,she’sseenasfrumpy.”
GGrantdescribesasituationwithawomanwhowasabusinessunitpresidentforamajortelecomcompany.Shelikedto
weartailoredsuitsmadeofrichlycoloredfabrics-reds,blues,evenanoccasionalpink.Oneday,shehadtogotoafuneral,
soshedressedinasomberblackoutit.Herboss,theCEO,approachedherandtoldhershelookedwonderful.
Oneoftheinternalbarrierswomenspeakersfaceisfeelingtheyhavetoknowallthedetailsbeforespeakingup.
GGrantdescribesaclientwhowaspartofthelegalteamcomplainingthatherbosssetherupbysendingherintomeetings
withoutgivinghertimetoprepare.Ratherthanseeingtheopportunitytotakeadvantageofexposure,sheviewedthe
situationassabotage.“Obviously,shecouldnotgiveparticularlegaladvicewithoutrelection,”saysGrant,“butshecould
haveusedtheopportunitytodemonstratehowwellshecouldthinkonherfeet.Shehadbeenhandlingsimilarissuesfor
years.”
BylaunchingBeyondtheBarriers,Grantbelievesshecanuseher28yearsofexperiencetohelpwomenleadersin
businessemebusinessemergefrombehindthesceneforcestoupfrontpowerswhocantrulybecomegreatspeakers.
FormoredetailsabouttheBeyondtheBarriersinitiativeandcriticalinsightsandanalysisabouthowtopromotewomen’s
powerbehindthepodium,contactAnettD.Grantat612-338-5748.
ExecutiveSpeaking,Inc.coachesleadersaroundtheglobefromcompaniesincludingPepsiCo,GE.,DHI.,Pizer,
MasterCard,Verizon,SABIC,Medtronic,BankofAmerica,CiscoSystems,andChrysler.