Leadership Archives - Kathleen Hassan

Stand Beside Her

I'm so honored to be a national partner in the Stand Beside Her movement, which encourages girls to support one another and help each other succeed. We were asked to create a video of our own #StandBesideHer story and here's mine. <https://youtu.be/rEnxYcaIdNA> Last week I spoke at an 8th Grade Girls Summit and their brochure had a picture of a mountain and I used that theme throughout my talk to demonstrate the journey from where you are to where you want to be and most importantly, it's not the goal but what it will make of you to achieve it. In other words - it's the climb. During my talk I referenced a Hindu Proverb that says, Help thy brother's across and LO! thine own has reached the shore. I told the girls that we need to change that up and say this instead: Help thy sister up [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-11-03T15:21:39-05:00 November 3rd, 2017|

Let’s Hear It for the Girls! Favorite Moments from the #StateofWomen Summit

Last week I was honored to attend the United State of Women Summit in Washington, DC. Five thousand women gathered in our nation’s capital to celebrate the progress made throughout the Obama administration to improve the lives of women and girls here and around the world, and showcase innovative solutions to the obstacles women and girls still face. The invitation-only guest list was a who’s who of activists, academics, journalists, public officials and business leaders who are all change-makers dedicated to building a better world. I cannot tell you how grateful and humbled I was to be among them. I was invited to attend the Summit by Jess Weiner, CEO of Talk to Jess, a consulting and strategy firm that acts as a thought partner for companies who seek to change their messaging toward women and girls. Jess moderated a panel on Revolutionizing Gender Norms with Amy Poehler and Juliana Chugg, EVP [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T11:39:41-05:00 June 22nd, 2016|

Create Dangerously: As If Someone’s Life Depends On It

The other day on Facebook I read the transcript of a speech delivered by a girl from York PA. Her name is her name is Devon Hornberger and she gave the Valedictorian Commencement Address at her high school graduation ceremony. I was blown away by her speech that began by recounting the abduction of 276 girls from their dormitories in Chibok, Nigeria. They were kidnapped because their abductors believe that girls should not be educated. Her message to her fellow classmates was about the privilege of their education and how young people around the world are risking their lives for that same right. In her speech, she also sited a quote by Edwidge Danicat, an award-winning Haitian-American author: “Create dangerously, for people who read dangerously. This is what I’ve always thought it meant to be a writer. Writing, knowing in part that no matter how trivial your words may seem, [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T11:44:34-05:00 June 2nd, 2016|

I’m Not Much – But I’m All I Think About: The Selfie Phenomenon

There's a war going on and the battlefield is in our own mind. We are in a perpetual state of conflict. Paradoxically, like an ego maniac with an inferiority complex... We desperately want to be loved and yet we hate ourselves. We suffer from FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) and yet we isolate. We want to be treated with respect and tolerance and yet we criticize and judge others. And I say "we" because I feel and act that way sometimes too. (and don't even think about denying the fact that you do too!!) All of these conflicted thoughts, feelings and actions - actions that completely contradict what we say we want - are amplified and magnified through social media. The "Selfie" Phenomenon Currently, the hashtag #selfie yields more than 31 million hits on Instagram. The Oxford English Dictionary named selfie Word of the Year and defines it as "a [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T12:37:38-05:00 December 17th, 2013|

Taking the Bite Out of “The Bitch”

What comes to mind when you hear the word “bitch?” The “b word” has so much negative connotation to it and our fear of being labeled as such often keeps us toeing the line and squashing our thoughts, voices and opinions. Last night I was working with a client who is a 2nd grade teacher and currently has a student teacher in her classroom. My client was describing all the ways that this neophyte was not performing up to expectations or the standards that she has set for herself and her classroom. But rather than being strong and assertive, she had slipped into a more passive-aggressive role and was allowing the performance of this student teacher to totally affect the mood and energy of the classroom. When I asked what was the block that was preventing her from being direct and laying it on the line for this young woman, [...]

By Kathleen| 2013-10-30T18:45:17-05:00 October 30th, 2013|