I’m thrilled to announce that on June 28 the Red Hat Women’s Leadership Community will sponsor a luncheon at the 2012 Red Hat Summit and JBoss World in Boston featuring BBC World News America Washington Correspondent Katty Kay.

In 2009, Kay and Claire Shipman, correspondent for Good Morning America, co-wrote Womenomics: Write Your Own Rules for Success and illuminated the hidden power women have within today’s workforce. Companies with more female managers yield higher profits, Kay reports, and factors like a looming talent shortage mean that women today have more control over their careers than ever before—if they’re willing to take hold of it. Womenomics offers a roadmap for doing just that. I’m inspired by Kay’s message, because I see the value that women bring to Red Hat every day. Diversity of thought and varying leadership styles strengthen organizations, preparing them for global growth and opportunity. Workers today are increasingly interconnected by social technology that makes it easy to share information and ideas on a global scale. As a result, innovation is happening on a faster timeline than ever—what some have deemed the collaboration curve. It’s no surprise that 21st century leaders need to rely less on control and compliance than their predecessors, and instead lead in a more open source way, through influence, inspiration, and a compelling long-term vision. This shift toward open source leadership principles brings new opportunities to women, because women tend to be natural collaborators and influencers who excel at sharing ideas, building consensus, and fostering communities of passion. I am excited to see what the future holds for women in corporate leadership and the value they bring to their companies.

This luncheon is dedicated to women in IT and is free to all women in the Boston area, so pre-register if you’d like to attend by sending an email to ITWomen-Lunch@redhat.com.

I hope to see you there!

Red Hat Women’s Leadership Community Luncheon:
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Hynes Convention Center, Ballroom A
Boston, MA