{"id":230,"date":"2021-03-08T16:08:41","date_gmt":"2021-03-08T16:08:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmjleader\/?p=230"},"modified":"2021-03-08T16:08:41","modified_gmt":"2021-03-08T16:08:41","slug":"what-are-you-going-to-do-by-aoife-molloy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmjleader\/2021\/03\/08\/what-are-you-going-to-do-by-aoife-molloy\/","title":{"rendered":"What are you going to do? by Aoife Molloy"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a team meeting recently, we were trouble shooting how to tackle working better together. I was surprised, and disappointed, when the first suggestion was that the reason we were facing challenges wasn\u2019t anything to do with fear of conflict, lack of trust, inattention to results or any of the other dysfunctions of a team<\/a>\u2026it was \u201cbecause we\u2019re all women\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

My inspiring and successful friend felt disillusioned and dejected after she was told in a one to one meeting with her manager that she wasn\u2019t \u201caggressive enough to progress in her career\u201d.<\/p>\n

As a medical registrar, I was told I\u2019d get more done if I used more expletives.<\/p>\n

In a work meeting during a conflict, I was told \u201cPhoar, you are attractive when you\u2019re angry!\u201d<\/p>\n

These are just a few examples of #everydaysexism and individuals all over the world every day face jibes, criticisms and conflicts. This is what shapes us. As a victim of discrimination, though, it is hard to stand up for oneself. This is why we need allies.<\/p>\n

A theme of International Women\u2019s Day is to #liftasyouclimb, #allyship, strong women don\u2019t just stand up for themselves, they stand up for others. It is time to make sure we are intentional, considered, careful, and empowering in our choice of words so we can move towards what often feels like elusive equality and equity. We all<\/em> need to be allies. Even women.<\/p>\n

The language we use reflects our thoughts and our leadership style<\/a>. Through language we can inspire, encourage, and empower others<\/a>. Language is a persuasive and powerful tool, one we all possess and must use carefully. Words are fleeting but can be scarring. The ancient Greeks classified speakers\u2019 appeal in terms of ethos, pathos and logos. \u00a0Ethos \u2013 the credibility of the speaker, pathos \u2013 the appeal to the audience\u2019s emotions, and logos \u2013 the logical appeal of the speech, are all essential components of the power of language. So, we should now take responsibility to use language carefully and to use the power of our own credibility, passion and reasoning. Perhaps we could say:<\/p>\n