Women’s International Networking 2006

The dust has settled on the WIN conference, my first WIN, set in the spectacular city of Rome where I ran a workshop offering a taste of ”Amazon Power”. See www.winconference.net for more information about WIN forums.

WIN short for Women’s International Networking is a gloriously female environment. The brainchild of Kristin Engwig, who defines herself as a social entrepreneur, beautiful with a kind of beauty that is unassuming, magical, and heart-felt. Kristin for me was the embodiment of a powerful, feminine leader who effortlessly created an eminently safe and inclusive environment in which the female spirit could flourish. A safe haven for women in male dominated companies such as IBM, HP, Proctor and Gamble, along with women from many other walks of life – entrepreneurs, coaches, and even quite a few creatives like myself.

The conference for me started long before. In the plane. I had made contact the night before with Eva, a coach, who thought she might be on the same flight as me. Describing herself as overweight and fifty-ish, I scanned the women waiting to board the flight. Now who I might approach? What is overweight for one woman is probably skinny for another. Eva did what any WIN woman would do, she broadcasted her presence over the plane tannoy. Almost immediately we became firm friends, pledging loyalty to each others workshops. 

The conference opened with music, an aria from a Puccini opera which brought the spirit of WIN in full focus and music abounded throughout. There were plenty of opportunities to celebrate feminine essence, and at my workshop in which I had brought an array of colourful fabrics by which my participants could personify their amazon, I was surprised by the alacrity with which the WIN women entered into the spirit of this. I spent more time than I had expected taking photographs of the various groups with their cameras. What is certain is that WIN women know how to have fun, as you will see in the photo above.

What moved me most was the way in which the two worlds of business and humane were brought under one roof. Our very attractive delegate bags were made in Vietnam. WIN did it very best to support third world interdependence. I was struck by the contribution of a Filipino wrap designer who was supporting women weavers who converted banana tree bark through a laborious process into woven fabrics, which could then be styled into a western fashion garments. Dita Sandicio Ong attended my workshop and gave me one of her wraps as a contribution to women attending my programmes. It was a gorgeously celebratory garment which when on resembled butterfly wings, and certainly would create a dramatic impact for any woman walking onto a plenary platform.

I was inspired too by the passionate speech of a young Indian woman, Rama Mani who was on her way to Sri Lanka on a peace making mission. Coming from the Tamil Nadu, how was she to win the trust of Sri Lankans who regarded all Tamils as their enemy? I had no doubt that her warm, inspiring presence and her vocational zeal would quickly win her supporters.

What characterises WIN women is an openness and a genuine desire to help, as evidenced in Anne Stevens generous contribution of her time to the Amazon Power mini tele-summit, fresh from her role at IBM as Director of Professional Development. Such generosity is the footprint of Kristin Engwig who is also speaking on the mini tele-summit.

I met many extraordinary women, and continue to meet more, as being at WIN gives a common language through which we can dialogue. Three days is not enough. I hope to keep the flame of WIN alive by taking another hour in the mini tele-summit. I hope you can join Kristin, Anne and I. All women welcome.