THE WOMAN IN POWER OR

THE WOMAN IN POWER OR

POSITION: THE HOME FRONT

By

Mrs. Funmi Babington-Ashaye, FCII

MD/CEO

02/02/2009 1

MD/CEO

RISK ANALYST INSURANCE BROKERS LTD

This material is property of Risk Analyst Insurance Brokers Ltd.

Introduction

� Who is the woman in power or position?

� What constitutes the home front?

� Can a woman combine corporate success with efficient

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Can a woman combine corporate success with efficient

management of the home front?

� How can a woman be in position or power and still win?


Introduction(contd)

� In the corporate world, to be in power is to have the

authority to call the shot;

� In that capacity, you have the executive powers to act

without seeking clearance or authority from a higher

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without seeking clearance or authority from a higher

level.

� In essence, you are the chief executive officer from

whom all the authority flows.


Introduction (contd)

� You have the authority to positively reward or sanction

subordinates.

� You take full and final responsibility for the decisions

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� You take full and final responsibility for the decisions

taken.

� Effectively,the buck rests on your table


Introduction(contd)

� To be in this position in the corporate world requires:

� Good education;

� Ambition;

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Ambition;

� Focus; and

� Will power to stand up for your principles.


Introduction(contd)

� In the home setting, the woman is hardly in

position or power. The man is divinely the boss

� To a married woman, her husband is the head of

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� To a married woman, her husband is the head of

the family from whom all authorities flow


Introduction(contd)

� The extent to which the woman is involved in decision

making depends largely on

� The relationship between a wife and husband

� The husband’s level of education

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� The husband’s level of education

� The Economic power of the woman

� The woman’s level of education


Introduction (contd)

� To a single parent(woman), she exercises all authority in

her home without recourse to anyone.

� However, the absence of a father figure may affect the

extent to which she can control her kids

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extent to which she can control her kids

� Admittedly, single parenthood is alien to the African

culture


What Constitutes the Home Front

� From the foregoing, the players in the home front will

vary.

� To the married woman, the home front consists of

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� The husband

� The children

� The Extended family members.


What Constitutes the Home Front

� To the single parent, the home front consists of

� The children

� The Extended Family

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The Extended Family


Giving defines Femininity

� These aforementioned important parties exercise great

pressure on the woman which she must strive to balance

� For instance,

� what should a young married woman do if her

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� what should a young married woman do if her

husband wants to move overseas to advance his

career even if it disrupts or derails her own?


Giving defines Femininity (contd)

� Should she be yielding, loyal and cheerful or should

she object and be forceful?

� What happens when her husband’s business

meetings last long into the night, and there is no

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meetings last long into the night, and there is no

parent at home with the children unless she leaves

the workplace early?


Giving defines Femininity(contd)

� What happens when both of them return home at the

same time (probably late in the night) and the wife

is expected to move straight into the kitchen to cook

while the man goes to the living room to watch

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while the man goes to the living room to watch

movies or listen to the network news?


Giving defines Femininity(contd)

� How do you manage a situation where you are on

duty in the night, for instance, as a female doctor or

nurse when your husband is at home?

� If this continues on a regular basis, what

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� If this continues on a regular basis, what

implications do these have for your marriage and

home?



� Pursuit of career by women is socially condoned only if

they have first satisfied the needs of all family members:

husbands, children, elderly parents and others.

� If this requirement is not met, women’s ambitions as

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� If this requirement is not met, women’s ambitions as

well as their femininity will be called into question.



� In her compassionate and supportive roles, she must

provide something for the other person, be that person a

husband, a child or a member of the extended family.

In essence, giving is the chief activity that defines

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� In essence, giving is the chief activity that defines

femininity.


The Place of Women in Society

� From creation, the roles of the man and woman were

clearly defined:

� Man was made the head/leader

� The woman was made as a reliable, dependable

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� The woman was made as a reliable, dependable

supporter who can adapt to the changing

responsibilities of her husband.

� Even as the Lord charged the man to love the woman as part of his

flesh, He also directed the woman to submit totally to the authority

of the man.


The Place of Women in Society (contd)

� Historically but unfortunately, in nearly every nation and culture,

women have been regarded:

� as inferior to men, holding a secondary place in the world;

� Objects for sensual gratification alone;

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Objects for sensual gratification alone;

� Weak; incapable of real strength;

� Lacking in intelligence and therefore having nothing to

contribute to society.


The Place of Women in Society (contd)

� The personal property of men.

� Personal servants, whose only purpose is to meet the needs

of their masters.

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� Objects to be passed around until finished with, and then

discarded.

� Deserving of abuse.


Fighting these Prejudices

� I love being a woman; I have never wanted to be anything

but a woman.

� That’s why I’m dismayed when I see women focus on the

idea that as women we are victims.

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idea that as women we are victims.

� We can choose NOT to be victims, but rise above the

circumstances that threaten to redefine our purpose in life.


Fighting these Prejudices (contd)

� We have two choices, we can throw up our hands and

surrender to life’s cruel ways and become victims or

� We can shake off the terror, stand a bit taller and say to

ourselves, life isn’t fair? So what?

02/02/2009 21

ourselves, life isn’t fair? So what?



� I have what it takes to fight my battles, and with hardwork and

dedication, I can create the life I choose by myself.

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dedication, I can create the life I choose by myself.

� I don’t need to lean on others except God.

� I have everything I need to fight here inside – That is the moment of

discovering your “FEMININE FORCE”.



� In my view, the road to success for the average career woman is

bumpy, stressful and challenging to her intellect, physique and

character.

� However, if the woman endures, she would inevitably shine like a

million stars.

02/02/2009 23

However, if the woman endures, she would inevitably shine like a

million stars.

� After all, except a woman is prepared to experience and endure the

pangs of childbirth, she cannot enjoy the joy of motherhood.



� According to Martin Luther King (Jr.) “the ultimate

measure of a man (woman) is not where he(she) stands

in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he

(she) stands at times of challenge and controversy”.

02/02/2009 24

(she) stands at times of challenge and controversy”.

� You must stand up and be counted as professionals who

endured and became winners in a man’s world both in the

boardroom and in the home front.


Management of the Home

� A woman must manage her home to avoid a broken

marriage and ill-bred children.

� Since we all desire good children and the accolades that go

with having them, hiring of house-helps to achieve this

02/02/2009 25

with having them, hiring of house-helps to achieve this

ideal cannot be an option


Management of the Home (contd)

� The outcomes in many instances have been embarrassing

and unpleasant.

� Some house-helps are known to have “taken over” the

homes of their madams/ogas while some others have

02/02/2009 26

homes of their madams/ogas while some others have

influenced children with bad behaviourial traits.


Relationship with Spouse

� There is this adage behind every successful woman, there is an

understanding husband, with all the support and encouragement and

vice versa.

� Women need the support and co-operation of their husband to be

02/02/2009 27

� Women need the support and co-operation of their husband to be

successful.

� Almost every successful career woman I know struggles with issues

of balance.


Relationship with Spouse (contd)

� Creating our own identity and blazing our own trail takes

time, heart and space. It takes focus. It takes resolve,

guts, patience e.t.c

Is there any space left for love?

02/02/2009 28

� Is there any space left for love?

� You must create the time if you want your husband’s

support and co-operation.



� Finding out that you can nurture yourself and nurture

others – despite all the demands of your particular

circumstances is one of the biggest rewards of tapping into

your inner abilities.

02/02/2009 29

your inner abilities.



� A good marriage takes commitment; the love you put into

it returns to you and replenishes itself – over and over.

� We must recognize that “at work, we may be the boss, but

at home, we are the wife and mother” and submit to our

02/02/2009 30

at home, we are the wife and mother” and submit to our

husband. Husbands want to be respected.


Conclusion

� Women today are struggling with the delicate balance of

� attending to the needs of both their families and their

careers,

� job competition with men,

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� job competition with men,

� emotional turmoil and

� lost income due to divorce, single parenthood,

� conflicts stemming from cultural changes in the way

women and men interrelate.


Conclusion (contd)

� Some women are confused about what a woman

should be and how she should conduct herself because

they’re not sure what a woman is supposed to be

responsible for anymore.

02/02/2009 32

responsible for anymore.

� In my view, women should be winners in all areas of their

lives.

� The Proverbs 31 woman is God’s ideal and I believe and

know that if truly you are willing and obedient, you will

eat the best of the land.


Conclusion (contd)

� It is possible to become that Proverb 31 woman, which is

God’s aim for all women. If it were not achievable, God

wouldn’t have placed it in the Scriptures.

� In other words, the pride of a woman should rightly be in

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� In other words, the pride of a woman should rightly be in

her husband and the home that she keeps.

� Such a peaceful home will form the basis for building a

virtuous society


Conclusion (contd)

� In spite of these, the pride of a woman should rightly be in

her husband and the home that she keeps.

� Such a peaceful home will form the basis for building a

virtuous society

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virtuous society

� How to keep your home as a female professional is not an

insurmountable challenge. It can be effectively managed.

� It requires patience, obedience, love and sacrifice


THANK YOU

� Q & A

02/02/2009 35This material is property of Risk Analyst Insurance Brokers Ltd.

Documents

THE WOMAN IN POWER OR