Get out of the patriarchal box and share leadership
Just as the government isn’t monolithic, Mónica and Teresa decided from the beginning that they did not want to have a hierarchical organization under one CEO. They pioneered the co-director model long before it caught on among progressive groups in Mexico and elsewhere.
Teresa and Mónica credit their shared leadership and rich relationship as essential to Centro Mujeres’ success. The two leaders are in constant conversation and dialogue with each other, their community, Board, advisors, and allies.
They see the issues from different vantage points: Mónica is the public health expert, Teresa, the experienced NGO administrator. Their diversity of experience pays off in several ways:
- Organizational stability — having the technical skills to be credible and to gain funding
- Strategy — thinking through communicating with politicians and community leaders before conversations happen
- Benefits for partners, constituents, and allies — staying connected with the community and with colleagues, supporting each other for the long haul.
About WomenStrong International
WomenStrong International finds, funds, strengthens, and shares women-driven solutions that will transform lives in urban communities. Our partners start by listening to women, who know best what they need in order to thrive. Then we bring these organizations together into a Learning Lab, to develop, test, sharpen, and disseminate their solutions. Through our collective learning and sharing, WomenStrong is building a global community of organizations better equipped to advance the rights and wellbeing of women and girls. Learn More