With a swipe of a pen, Governor Charlie Baker signed a proclamation Wednesday to declare that January will be “Women’s Leadership Month” in Massachusetts.
Baker made the surprise announcement at the annual gathering of the Boston Club, a nonprofit that advances female leaders. Before he was governor, Baker chaired the club’s committee that helps companies recruit women to boards.
To honor the club’s 40th anniversary, Baker decided to issue the proclamation, which urges people to take steps large and small to empower women.
Not sure what that means? Boston Club president Maureen Alphonse-Charles offered the gathering some suggestions:
• Find a mentor
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• Expand your knowledge with a course or a book
• Ask for a promotion
• Get a new job
• Make your case for a raise
• Mentor someone
• Volunteer for a good cause or group
• Nominate someone for a nonprofit board position
• Buy a little girl a Rosie Revere Engineer doll
• Read stories about impressive women to children
• Encourage a friend to ask for a raise
• Participate in the Boston Women’s March for America on Jan. 21
• Go to Washington to join the Women’s March for America
• Take your daughter to work
• Wear a white pantsuit
• Bring a junior woman in your office to an important meeting
• Speak publicly on a significant topic
• Update your resume/LinkedIn profile
• Ask for feedback from your boss
• Nominate a woman for a leadership award
• Form learning partnerships that become mentoring opportunities
• Invite junior women in your office to a networking event
• Share posts on women’s leadership on social media
• Help young girls start a girl power library
• Host a movie night of films with strong women leads
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• Connect one pair of strong, dynamic women per month
• Help a friend rehearse a challenging negotiation
• Host a get-together for women who would benefit by getting to know each other
Shirley Leung can be reached at shirley.leung@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @leung.