A few years ago, I did a six-month leadership class with one of my heroes, Lynne Twist. One of her (many) pursuits is working with indigenous people to help protect the Amazon rainforest. As part of our program, we went to Ecuador and lived with a tribe for five days, deep in the forest.
It was an incredible learning experience on so many levels: how deeply they care for the planet, make decisions for future generations, live in the moment, and value people over possessions. So much of their worldview contrasts sharply with typical Western thinking.
One Cherokee prophecy that’s stayed with me says humanity is like a bird with two wings — one masculine, one feminine. In our current “Sophia century,” they warned, the masculine wing would grow too strong while the feminine wing would weaken, causing the bird to fly in circles.
The solution they suggest is NOT that we need to weaken the masculine wing. Rather, we must strengthen the feminine wing so that humanity can move forward in balance.
It’s a powerful image, and it applies uncomfortably well to what is happening in leadership today.
In most areas — biopharma being no exception — we are flying with one very strong wing. Women remain underrepresented at all powerful tables, inhibiting our ability as a society to move forward.
That makes me sad. Not just because progress has stalled, but because the conversation has become so polarized that even thoughtful men can feel blamed or unwelcome. Leaders are cautious about what they can say, how hiring should reflect current social pressures, and where the balance lies.
A recent conversation with my 30-year-old son drove this home. I made an off-hand remark about a white male that was (deservedly) negative. He said, “Oh, a bad person — like me.” It stopped me cold.
Those who know me know I have been a lifelong champion for women and fairness. But it reminded me how even well-intentioned people can get caught in today’s climate of blame and oversimplification.
A Swinging Pendulum
There’s a growing backlash against DEI, with efforts to remove it from universities, corporations, and even the military. The current administration is openly hostile to it, making diversity a loaded term. Measurable progress advancing women (and other underrepresented groups) to the C-suite and boardroom appears to be reversing.
Too often, the people most committed to fairness are the ones paying closest attention, while those at the extremes treat it as a zero-sum fight instead of a shared opportunity.
This discord makes it nearly impossible to have honest conversations that help both sides learn and grow.
Fortunately, there’s a large number of men who actively support and encourage women and who know that balance strengthens the whole. As Rob Henderson writes in the paradox of manhood, society often flattens men into one story.
The worst men — the true predators — must be constrained. But the rest, the vast majority, need the opposite: encouragement, responsibility, and purpose. A healthy culture knows how to contain the worst and cultivate the best.
Practical Steps for Leaders
Create conversational safety.
Let people express what they see and feel, even if it’s uncomfortable. If someone believes they were passed over for reasons other than merit, invite the discussion. None of us wants to admit our biases — but we all have them.
Run the numbers.
Diversity on your Board and among senior leadership signals openness to the concept. Where are you in this regard? Identify who within your ranks is ready for the next level but might not be getting the visibility.
Dial down the heat.
I don’t want my son feeling “bad” for being white and male. But I also don’t want women believing the system is unchangeable. The goal isn’t blame and our differences are not weapons, they are assets. We need to loosen up and work collaboratively.
Just as we like to remind men that they have daughters, sisters, wives, and mothers they wouldn’t want limited by gender, we women can remember we have sons, brothers, husbands, and fathers we wouldn’t want labeled or made to feel guilty simply for being men.
We Need Balance
I believe deeply that changing the world requires men and women to be represented equally at every table. A world that is me AND you, not me OR you, as Lynne would say.
I know men and women each bring great strengths — often different ones. Together they make the whole stronger. When both are valued and their differences celebrated, we may finally stop flying in circles and start moving forward.
