Networking is repeatedly cited as a critical skill for job success and career advancement. Although women are very relationship-oriented, men tend to have more informal networks that provide them with valuable career connections. These networks are often inaccessible to women, like a men's club or locker room. But author Dr. Meg Wheatley has a solution. “We only need enough courage to invite friends into a conversation,” she wrote. “Large and successful change efforts start with conversations among friends, not with those in power.” Minnesota State University Mankato developed a networking program to intentionally address the underrepresentation of women school leaders at the K-12 levels, which has direct applications at the postsecondary level. Dr. Jean Haar, interim dean of the college of education, Dr. Candace Raskin, an associate professor in the department of educational leadership and Dr. Jerry Robicheau, professor of educational leadership, spoke about the program at the University of Nebraska's conference on Women in Educational Leadership in Lincoln in October. Over a two-year period, faculty in the Department of Educational Leadership at Minnesota State University discussed with members of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) what the women needed for support as leaders. Only 20% of the Minnesota superintendents are women. The result of the partnership between Mankato and MASA was a program called At Ruth's Table: Making Networking Relevant. Named for Dr. Ruth Randall, Minnesota's first woman commissioner of education, the program's goal was simple. “Our whole effort was to connect women in ways that develop relationship. So when they have situations, they have someone to chat with,” said Raskin. “We are in a preparation program and get caught up in preparing for skill and knowledge,” said Haar. “It's intriguing for us in preparation programs to see how we have to nudge women into leadership roles.” At Ruth's Table is based on the model from the 2005 book The World Café: Shaping Our Futures through Conversations that Matter by Juanita Brown and David Isaac, for which Wheatley wrote the forward. It emphasizes “thinking together, evoking collective intelligence and creating actionable results,” based on seven integrated principles: A planning committee of three MSU-Mankato faculty and MASA's director of professional development began asking questions. Was a professional network necessary? If so, what did it look like? Should it include practicing school leaders, aspirants to the positions—or both? Designed to create a safe and inviting place for women to think, speak and listen, At Ruth's Table features a set conversational process that focuses on topics that matter to women. Topics include leading from strengths, “acting as smart as you are,” life balance and the joys of leading. Successful woman leaders served as table facilitators. All were education leaders and good role models, with experience in issues of gender bias, access and work/life balance. The committee held the program before the spring MASA conference and invited both aspiring and practicing school leaders, who shared their stories and explained how they achieved success. “We wanted it to be more than just an exchange of business cards,” said Haar. To encourage participation, committee members made personal calls to invite five women leaders to attend. Each invited leader would bring an aspiring woman leader with her at no cost. Using postcards and e-mail messages to MASA women leaders, the event drew 75 women. The half-day session allowed them to discuss three of 10 topics. “As we slow down the conversation to a pace that encourages thinking, we become wise and courageous actors in our world,” said Wheatley. The day ended with a collective conversation identifying themes, insights and patterns. Participants learned action steps. On an “I Promise” postcard they committed to either take on a leadership challenge or encourage other women to do so. Six weeks later, they'd receive their postcard in the mail as a reminder. Partnering with a professional organization can leverage time, talent and treasure, and contribute to an event's success in more women seeking and succeeding in leadership. How do we develop a safe space for conversation to take place? How do we “set the table” for aspiring leaders? Answers just might come At Ruth's Table. Contacts: Haar at jean.haar@mnsu.edu or 507.389.5434 Raskin at candace.raskin@mnsu.edu or 389.5695 Robicheau at jerry.robicheau@mnsu.edu or 389.1217