By Julie Wulfekuhle | Senior strategy consultant, Wells Fargo

The #MeToo movement has given women a voice. A voice to share their personal stories about sexual harassment and assault; to stand up and say, “This is not OK anymore!” In my opinion, it’s not enough to simply talk about how we got here. We’re here. Now what? How will the #MeToo movement impact us, our communities and our workplaces going forward, and how do we as leaders respond?

Growing up in small-town Iowa, my parents meant the world to me. They were both educators, and lived and breathed Midwestern values. Work hard. Be determined. Set an example. Achieve. After all, if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing well. The expectation to live by these values, to lead with these values, was gender-agnostic. Sure, there are different challenges associated with being a woman, they’d say, but that’s part of it. Learn how to work through those challenges just like any others. Twenty years later, it’s clear to see the impact those values have had on my career and leadership style.

I was recently reminded of this when I saw Oprah Winfrey’s 2018 Golden Globes speech. Not only was I captivated by her story, but also her powerful message to women to come together as leaders to fix a problem that’s bigger than any culture, race, religion or workplace.

As women, and as leaders, now is the time to be champions of positive change. To create an inclusive environment that is reflective of the diverse workforce we represent. How do we do that? We rally the support and lead with a vision, based on three key elements. 

1.Great leaders don’t create followers, they create other leaders.
Every leader that has positively impacted my life found a way to set a vision that I could embrace, transferred knowledge on how to achieve goals and empowered me to act. As women, as men, we’re all on this journey together. It’s how we work together that makes the difference and takes us to that next level.

2.Take an honest look at your professional brand.                                               
Now more than ever, to effectively lead, you need a balance between the passion towant to do your job well, and the skills necessary to pull it off. It’s one thing to be excited about being a surgeon, it’s quite another to have the skills and training to qualify. 

3.Be authentic and embrace who you are.
Tethering your passion and skills is important, and they are a powerful combination. To top it all off, be yourself. Authentic leaders are genuine. They know their strengths, their limitations, and remain true to who they are.

With challenge comes opportunity, and our opportunity is here. Let’s take the lead in making our businesses, our communities, examples of positive change. Let’s foster a culture that supports that change. We can do this. Together, let’s work hard, be determined, set an example and achieve.

Julie Wulfekuhle is a senior strategy consultant for the Wealth and Investment Management Division of Wells Fargo and founder of the lifestyle blog Le Foyer. Wulfekuhle received her Master of Business Administration from Drake University and Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Northern Iowa. She has two decades of experience in the financial services industry, both domestically and internationally, and has special interest in promoting women in business. To learn more about Wulfekuhle and Le Foyer, contact her via email or go online. Note: This article does not represent the views or opinions of Wells Fargo.