Learning from Canada’s Aboriginal Women Leaders
In the fall, some colleagues and I attended a panel hosted by TD’s Diversity & Inclusion Centre of Excellence, chaired by TD’s Monique Bateman, Special Advisor, Aboriginal Relations. There, we listened to three inspiring Chiefs talk about leadership.
Right away I was struck by how—unlike during the leaders’ debates aired during the countdown to our federal election—the panelists did not once interrupt each other. They each waited patiently for the moderator’s questions and answered in turn, when asked. Their answers were smart, thoughtful, and carefully considered.
She grabbed my boney little brown biceps, shook me, looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Dey ain’t no betta than you!”
I once lived with a man who when enraged would punch and kick me. I was once drugged and sexually assaulted by a man I thought I knew. Both violent experiences left me with physical and emotional scars.
A new year brings with it the age-old tradition of making resolutions: a roadmap for the next 12 months that may change course, depending on who’s driving. Our resolutions are not only based on what we wish for, but to a large extent what we already have. So a common goal like financial success can mean vastly different things to different people.
