FBN celebrates women leaders at ATHENA Awards.
Once upon a time, Athens, Greece was a city called Cecropia, named after Cecrops, a legendary king who was half snake, half man. But Cecropia had not yet been blessed by a god and that was a problem because it was not protected in a supernatural way. The gods that showed interest in watching over the city and having it named after them were Athena and Poseidon.
That was also a problem, particularly for Zeus, the most powerful god and ruler of all the other gods. Athena was his favorite daughter (who sprang to life from his head as a full-grown woman, but that’s another story) and Poseidon, god of the sea, was Zeus’ brother. To decide which god/goddess would claim the glory of the city, Zeus set up a competition, essentially having each one show what they could do for the people there.
Poseidon welcomed the challenge and stepped forward with great confidence. Using his magnificent might and penchant for drama, he thrust his trident into the earth and created an underground sea, which flowed out from the hole he made. Impressive move, but because the city had rivers and access to the sea, legend has it that the people weren’t all that impressed.
They looked to Athena. She met the challenge in her calm, strategic way by kneeling to the ground and planting something. To the peoples’ amazement, up grew an olive tree, the first one ever seen, which provided wood, shade, olives and olive oil. Very useful, they thought, and Zeus agreed. Thus, Cecropia became Athens.
Athena’s essence shows up today when women are recognized for their ability to solve problems, succeed in business and mentor others. ATHENA International founder Martha Mayhood Mertz says women leadership has never been about ego, women have simply wanted to have a voice at the table where decisions are made that affect everybody.
“Women have held in their hands the tools for effective leadership from time immemorial,” she said. “Women bring the multitude of talents they employ as mothers, homemakers and people balancing all the demands of others in our lives, often unpaid and unappreciated, into the professional realm. We are supremely prepared for the stresses imposed by leadership at every level. We know how to exercise leadership by using the competencies we have always used.”
Quad Cities Business News, a sister publication to FBN, is honored to present the 4th Annual Quad Cities ATHENA Leadership Awards, 3-5 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 24, at Starting Point in the Prescott Gateway Mall.
Nominations are being accepted now for three award categories. In addition to the traditional ATHENA Leadership Award, this year, FBN will also be presenting the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award as well as the ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award. FBN
By Bonnie Stevens, FBN
For tickets and more information
or to submit a nomination, go to
www.PrescottAthena.com.
