Leadership in Prison by Martha Mertz, founder, Athena International
I wish you could have been with me. I had been invited to speak about leadership at a women’s prison in Arizona. My friends knew how worried I was, not about the prospect of going to the prison, but about truly touching hearts and minds there. It started with the warden. She seemed quite stern to me, as a warden would be, responsible for adhering to expectations and standards. I was already out of the box when I called her to ask for a microphone which would allow me the freedom to walk around while speaking, and permission to bring in colorful tablecloths – to provide a different atmosphere for an ATHENA World Café. She didn’t have the mike but she granted me the right for the color and I hurriedly gathered 16 tablecloths out of my cupboards and from my friends.
This was to be the final talk of the year for women in the minimum security block. I’d had good coaching from a former resident who advised that I not wear anything orange (inmates) or brown (authorities). I was also blessed to be accompanied by three college interns and a seasoned volunteer.
The skies were darkening and the security was tight as the five of us with sacks of books, donated to bolster the library, piles of tablecloths and other paraphernalia entered the prison grounds. Obviously, we were expected. From a side door someone rolled a large cart over to greet us and help ferry the supplies into the large building where our meeting would be held.
Walking into that setting framed the beginning of an entirely different reality, a little like walking into a movie. It was a large room that usually serves as the cafeteria. There were 125 orange clad women already seated at tables (I was informed later that they had worn their dress oranges for the occasion) and the atmosphere was expectant, quietly buzzing.
I met the warden at the front of the room. She was cautiously cordial as she pointed out the karaoke microphone she’d managed to commandeer for the evening. For that I was exceedingly grateful, which pleased her. Then, as the interns spread the tablecloths and placed a sign with one of the eight “principles” on each table, I asked that everyone be allowed to blindly pick from a basket a slip of paper, each with one principle, in order to identify the table where they’d be re-seated. This is my standard procedure for a World Café. It sorts people away from their friends into new groups. She told me that each table had been arranged according to the yard the women lived in and that wouldn’t be possible. I told her that bringing people together with new faces was part of building relationships, important for my exercise. She cast her head back thinking she’d say no but in a very magical instant something changed and she agreed. The concessions she made set a tone for the rest of the evening. My hat is off to her for bending what I was later to learn a never-bent rule. Of course the mass re-seating was a momentarily chaotic scene which must have caused some heartburn for those in charge, but I was thrilled.
So we began. The first part was spent explaining the format of a World Café and then I launched into a description of each of the leadership principles. Leadership was framed as something that all of us deal with, beginning with the idea of “leading” our lives, being first of all responsible for ourselves. The room was raptly attentive. I watched people begin to nod in agreement as one point or another resonated with them.
Then the assignments began. The first is a request that each table (of 8) introduce themselves to each other and then adopt a team name and motto. They are only given 5-6 minutes to do this so there’s always a sense of urgency. I’d been warned that requests for creative expressions were often really difficult for this group. We’d provided butcher block paper and a few marking pens (both of which I’d inadvertently neglected to have sanctioned ahead of time) at each table. What happened next was amazing. Everyone started talking, drawing, laughing, and discussing. The energy was electric. I watched the warden, off to the side. Her face reflected what seemed like disbelief. When I brought the participants attention back and asked one from each table to report to the entire group, I gave them the option of speaking from the table or coming to the mike. In every case they came to the mike. Again I thought the warden was surprised.
They’d obviously had fun with this. The creative juices were alive and flowing. The large sheets were filled with thoughts, flowers, pictures. Now, I’d wish I’d kept them. The only team name I can recall was the one called “MOJO Collaborators”, which the authors richly enjoyed. After each presentation the entire audience roared in appreciation. They were together in a quest and enjoying the opportunity.
Next I asked them for the real focus of this evening. “What kind of difference would it make if these leadership principles were practiced in that setting?” This time they became more serious, still drawing and outlining their thoughts on paper. When it was time to report out the hands went up – people wanting to be the first to share what they’d talked about.
The statements from these women would have moved you to tears. They were caring, thoughtful, heartfelt, ardent. People were engaged in a personal exploration and the wish to be heard. We had time for one more such exercise and then an open question – what would our world look like if everyone practiced these principles? I watched the warden. She was now wandering through the room, listening to the conversations, occasionally adding her comments – she was learning too.
As we drew to a close the group stood, vociferously appreciative of the moment. They were also appreciating the warden, as I was, who by then was broadly beaming. Everyone had been touched because we’d dared to share very private thoughts, hopes and dreams that evening.
I’ve had the privilege of talking about leadership in hundreds of cities and more than a handful of countries to people who are celebrated as leaders, but never before to women who have temporarily lost footing in the world. In this circumstance, well more than in any previous World Café session, I witnessed profound hunger for the chance at recommitment, at reviewing and reshaping values, at the thought of making a positive difference throughout one’s sphere of influence.
I’m recommitting too, hoping for the chance to make a difference in this way again
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