A hundred years to the day, 14th December 1918, that (some) women in the UK first cast their vote, Fidelio and guests were welcomed by the Museum of London to celebrate the achievements of the suffragettes. Our prism was the Museum of London’s excellent suffragette collection and our narrator the Museum of London Curator of Social and Working History, Beverley Cook.
There were many takeaways from the turbulent period 100 years ago in the immediate aftermath of the First World War, some of which remain highly relevant for business leaders today:
- The power of network – the ability of women to collaborate across a range of organisations was key to securing the vote
- The role of business – the impact of recently introduced department stores early last century including Selfridges should not be overlooked – creating economic opportunities for young women, as well as a safe space for women to be in public
- Seismic societal change – traumatic events including the First World War can also break down barriers and create opportunities
- The importance of narrative – fake news is not new, and the women’s movement had to navigate sometimes scurrilous hostility, in response creating its own communication channels
- The contribution of men – while there was much hostility and fear, men too played an important role in securing the vote, including many spouses with valuable professional skills
Navigating complexity, demonstrating tenacity, galvanising support and being one step ahead of disruption are supremely relevant characteristics for today’s business leaders.
And as Beverley Cook concluded this morning, whatever the suffragettes would make of progress to date, 100 years later they would certainly be looking forward not backwards.
For further details of how Fidelio supports Chairs prepare the Board for disruption and complexity through Evaluation, Development and Search, please contact Gillian Karran-Cumberlege.
And to learn more about the Museum of London’s stewardship of this powerful suffragette collection and its work more broadly, please contact Antony Berry.