You know, I never walk into a room feeling as if I'm in the room as a Black woman. When I walk into the Security Council, I'm the U.S. Permanent Representative to the Security Council, and that's what I tell young women when I meet them.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of identity and representation in leadership roles.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield's quote highlights her perspective as a Black woman in a powerful position, suggesting that her race and gender do not define her role as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the Security Council. This assertion reinforces the idea that individuals should focus on their professional identity and responsibilities, rather than being solely defined by their race or gender, especially in influential positions. Her message is directed towards young women, encouraging them to pursue leadership without being constrained by societal labels.
In practice
During a women’s empowerment event, this quote can inspire young women to pursue leadership roles.
Throughout my career, from Jamaica to Nigeria, Pakistan to Switzerland, I've learned that effective diplomacy means more than shaking hands and staging photo ops. It means developing real, robust relationships. It means finding common ground and managing points of differentiation. It means doing genuine, old-fashioned, people-to-people diplomacy.
The fact that I made it to where I made it, when I look at where I came, I think is a message to the world and it's also a message to other young people who come from diverse and underprivileged backgrounds, that where they come from does not necessarily have to define where they are going.
Those of us who experience racism cannot, and should not, internalize it, despite the impact that it can have on our everyday lives. We must face it down, every time, no matter whom it's directed towards.
I think countries are now, leaders are now more conscious of the importance of having women engage in their country's development plan. Because again, and I say this over and over and over again, when we invest in women they invest back in their families, they invest in their communities, and they invest in their countries.
The more we elevate people's lives - the more we treat people with dignity and respect and honor their rights and freedoms - the more we discourageand even preventterrorism.
It is unconscionable for Russia to force Ukrainian citizens into Russia, and put them in what will basically be concentration and prisoner camps.
All power is a trust, that we are accountable for its exercise.
I found that female pathfinders generally integrate characteristics commonly associated with being women - like the capacity to be intimate - with 'male' ones like ambition and courage.
I don't want people to think you have to look a certain way or be a certain mold to be able to be a quarterback.
We cannot enter into alliance with neighbouring princes until we are acquainted with their designs. We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country - its mountains and forests, its pitfalls and precipices, its marshes and swamps. We shall be unable to turn natural advantages to account unless we make use of local guides.
Most people think of leaders as being these outgoing, very visible, and charismatic people, which I find to be a very narrow perception. The key challenge for managers today is to get beyond the surface of your colleagues. You might just find that you have introverts embedded within your organization who are natural-born leaders.
It's not the great stars that win; it's the great teams that win. It's the teams that subjugate their ego to the team and put the team first.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.