Tea With Nina Simons & Nina Utne

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For me, this is a two-part effort: One part is how we, as women, strengthen our voices and our capacity to change the world. The other is how we help everyone regain a balanced, healthy relationship of feminine and masculine, so that we can all become better humans.

NU: CAN YOU SHARE SOMETHING OF YOUR OWN LEARNING ABOUT THIS GENDER-BALANCING PROCESS?

NS: On a personal level, I used to believe that a key reason I wasn't being more public in my work was that my husband was so public, or because he was holding me back. But when I thought about it, I recognized that I was projecting what had limited me -- mostly my own fear -- onto him. I realized that this was a story I told myself and was not at all substantiated by his behavior.

This realization has sparked recognition of what I call the internalized patriarchy, which is the voice that puts me down before I even start, saying, "You won't be good enough" or "You'd better not try that, because you might fail." For me, part of cultivating a healthy feminine means recognizing that if I don't stretch and make mistakes, I won't learn as much.

NU: CAN YOU DESCRIBE HOW YOU SEE THIS GENDER REBALANCING MANIFESTING IN BUSINESSES AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATION?

NS: In our work with Bioneers, we see the environment as the mother of all issues and Bioneers as a network of networks that has a life of its own. We have grown it by treating it as a living system. This process involves practicing a feminine principle of relational intelligence. We may chart a course, but we also seek to cultivate active feedback loops, to hear about and learn from what's working and what's not, to stay responsive. Sometimes we lead; other times we follow. We try to practice humility and openness, and we set a premium on learning. We operate from the premise that any healthy relationship is based upon mutual respect and reciprocity, that it must serve the good of all concerned in order to be a viable solution.

NU: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE LEADING FROM THE FEMININE?

NS: Business gurus are now touting feminine leadership styles, as they often result in lowering employee turnover and improving creativity and innovation while benefiting the financial bottom line. Of course, one paradox is that some female leaders have simply mimicked "masculine" styles of leadership and so perpetuate the status quo. At its best, feminine leadership, which is available to men and women alike, often includes placing a greater value on process. It involves heightened recognition of the value of people's relationships and contributions. It assigns a high priority to relationships, learning, beauty, flexibility, celebration, collective intelligence, vulnerability, transparency, intuition, and humility.

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