138 Company Culture: Advice from the Transformation Coach to Entrepreneurs Beth Wilson on How Women In Business Are Changing the Game

Learn why powerful women in business must learn to avoid “business as usual” and leverage authentic feminine traits such as inclusive collaboration and authentic connection. Beth Wilson, transformation coach to Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and CEOs shares insights on the nature of transformational leadership and how women’s advancement can also lift men.

Melinda Wittstock:         Welcome to WINGS, Beth.

Beth Wilson:                     Thank you, Melinda. It’s great to be here.

Melinda Wittstock:         I am so excited to talk with you. You’re so inspiring in so many ways, and so what better way to start than to ask you, what is inspiring you right now?

Beth Wilson:                     Okay, Melinda, here’s the real answer, what is not inspiring me right now? As you know, women are really on fire right now. They’re rising up; they’re finding their voice. I love when Janelle Monáe at the Grammy’s said, “We come in peace, but we mean business.” Yeah, and more importantly, to me she said, “We’re all part of this culture. We can change it.” That’s what’s really inspiring me right now is women are really realizing that they don’t have to do things the way we’ve been told we should do them. We’re thinking outside the box, we’re using our feminine spirit; we’re using our feminine strength to create things differently and moving a different path. I think its just incredibly exciting time for women.

Melinda Wittstock:         It really is. It is a paradigm shift and I often say: we’re stepping into our authentic feminine power.

Beth Wilson:                     Oh, I love it. I love it.

Melinda Wittstock:         Well, power used to be a concept that was, or identified with being male. Women can have feminine power and that concept is so interesting, to be really in balance and change the rules of the game. That’s awesome. On the flip side to that though, because there always is a flip side, is there anything that’s frustrating you right now? Or what do you find frustrating about what’s going on with women, or your clients, or in your own life?

Beth Wilson:                     I think finding quality professionals who share your vision is always a bit of a challenge, because as you just said, we are moving into a paradigm shift. In my latest book, “The Recovering Feminist: Empowering All People to Create a Whole World.” I’m looking at very different forms of power, power with instead of power over. Melinda, I know you appreciate this, that finding other people who not only share the vision, but also know how to execute.

They know how to live in a different way or at least try a different way to live, and a different way to conduct business. That’s a bit of a challenge, because people are, they’re wanting it and they’re hungry for it, but they may not always know how to work in a more partnership egalitarian, well, as you say, like a femininely empowered way. I think that that can lend to some frustration if you get stuck in it. Luckily, in my line of work, I find ways around and through.

Melinda Wittstock:         Yeah, so there’s the yearning for this, and I think there’s this increasing understanding, but it’s what are the practical steps to get there, which, is like such a beautiful segue into the advice segment of the minisode. What are your top three go-to pieces of advice?

Beth Wilson:                     Well, number one, I would say put a sound and effective operating system into play, whatever that means for you, whether it’s getting consultants, marketing professionals, whatever you need to make sure you’ve got a good foundation to back you up, and you’ve got some people who got your back, and be clear what that foundation really is for your vision, and how it can support your vision, because, I think women are great at multitasking. We’re great at leaping forward, but if we don’t put some of those systems into play, it really can create a lot of stress for us down the road.

Secondly, I think find people who you really jive with, who really sure your vision. And third, I would say make sure that you don’t take everybody’s advice. Listen to your own heart, because sometimes professionals know how to do things better than you, and other times you’ll be surprised. I think women need to trust themselves more that they know other ways to peel an onion; they just have to have the confidence.

Melinda Wittstock:         I have seen so many women be over-coached and lose themselves, so that’s a really interesting piece of advice. Just bouncing that gut instinct, valuing yourself enough to follow your gut, and by all means, get mentors and get advice, but have a balance in that. That’s beautiful advice. Beth, how can people find you and work with you?

Beth Wilson:                     Well, they can find me at bethwilsonlifecoach.com, or recoveringfeministbook.com, and they’re welcome to phone me at 650-384-5454.

Melinda Wittstock:         Oh, that’s wonderful. We’ll put that in the show notes so you don’t have to run and scramble for a pen or whatever. Everybody will be able to find you. Hopefully you get lots and lots of calls. Beth, thank you so much for putting on your wings and flying with us today.

Beth Wilson:                     Thank you, Melinda. It’s been great to be here. I bless all the women who hear this [inaudible 00:05:32].