IN THE ‘CAN WOMEN HAVE IT ALL?’ DEBATE A SURPRISING NEW VOICE IS CHRISTIAN
Author, Executive, Wife, Mom Diane Paddison Founds 4word To Help Career Women Link Family, Work and Faith;
Updated Book—Work, Love, Pray—Debuts Oct. 23
DALLAS — Oct. 1, 2012 — As the nation debates careers v. motherhood, a booming demographic of Christian women believes God calls women to the workforce too, and that the link between career success and family health is faith. On that new ground, high-level business executive, author, wife and mom Diane Paddison is a rising voice:
“It’s possible to have a career without sacrificing your family or faith,” Paddison says to women throughout the workforce. “I’m the voice of encouragement whispering in your ear: ‘You can do it!’”
Now chief strategy officer for commercial real estate giant Cassidy Turley, Paddison began working on the family farm, paid her way through college, served with IBM, earned a Harvard MBA and rose to the global executive board of CBRE. She was the only female executive team member on three Fortune 500 companies. In her book Work, Pray, Love—which launches an updated version Oct. 23—Paddison uses personal highs and lows to help today’s women balance career and family. She also heads 4word, a growing network of professional women’s groups to support and mentor.
4word launched in 2011 with a group in Portland, Ore., expanded to Dallas and has spread quickly. Each city chapter connects women who believe work—and home and family—fall into a single calling. The 4word advisory board draws on dynamic women leaders such as Bonnie Pruett Wurzbacher, a top executive at Coca-Cola Co., and Erin Botsford, named to Barrons’ list of Top 100 Women Financial Advisors.
Paddison’s strong “Yes” to faith, family and work coincides with a recent Atlantic article entitled “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All,” by tenured Princeton professor and former top State Department official Anne-Marie Slaughter. Slaughter counters the “Why Women Aren’t Reaching the Top,” position of Facebook CEO Sheryl Sandberg. This while a nation watched the high-profile pregnancy of Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, a newer generation of CEO at a newer corporation. Mayer took the top job at Yahoo in July and gave birth to a son Sept. 30.
As Paddison prepares to relaunch Work, Love, Pray, she advises Christian women professionals:
to know their core values and stick to them
to evaluate employers for real commitment to family support
if desiring marriage, to chose a likeminded, supportive spouse
“Whether you’re a doctor, school teacher, lawyer or business leader, God has you there for a purpose,” Paddison says. “He gives skills, talent and knowledge that enable us to contribute to society in multiple ways. But it can still be daunting.”
The emerging trend for churches to support Christian women in their careers echoes important new statistics reported in Work, Pray, Love:
For the first time in history, women in the workplace outnumber men.
In 1971 only 3 percent of all lawyers were women, today, it’s 37 percent.
The percentage of women in college (57 percent) tops men (43 percent).
Almost half of all law and medical degrees go to women, up from about 10 percent in 1970.
The topic of women in the workforce never cools, and Paddison keeps a busy national speaking schedule. Current and upcoming interview availabilities:
Oct. 2-12—Dallas
Oct. 17-19—Denver
Oct, 24-26—Chicago
Oct. 27-31—Portland, Ore.
To learn more:
4word 4wordwomen.org
Connect on Facebook Facebook.com/4wordwomen
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