Article January 1, 2001 ISSUE

Dena Falken

International lawyer

with contributions from Dena Falken—NewYork, NY

I believe that a woman's potential is infinite. And I don't say that solely based on my background as a Christian Scientist. I say it based on my background in business. Women have their own businesses now — and those businesses are every bit as powerful as any business run by men.

For me, the most interesting thing about a woman's potential, especially in the business world — and I speak from my experience — is this. If you think you have a good idea, no matter whether you are male or female, you should follow it. For example, I had the idea for a business and I followed it. I now conduct seminars in countries where women's rights are not as strong as they are in the United States. But I've seen firsthand that if you have a good idea and you're fulfilling a need, everything else is irrelevant. Gender issues disappear.

I started my business in Italy. It's often said that women there have a certain role to play and that men treat women a certain way. But I never had a bad experience there, because I felt I could provide a valuable service in that country. And, as a Christian Scientist, I know that a valuable idea originates in God. So being a woman is almost a side issue when you concentrate on the idea that you are providing good — not providing for men or women — but just providing.

Over the years, I've had more and more women in my classes. What that tells me is that more women are becoming attorneys in countries where, formerly, it wasn't acceptable for women to be full-time working professionals. I see women becoming partners at major law firms in countries that used to be closed to women. In the eight or more different cultures where I teach, I see incredible progress for women.

Women have so much to offer the business world. For example, women can work together on a different level — a beautiful level — because they really help one another. They give each other ideas, and say, “Hey, if I can do this, of course you can do this.” They help each other see that they don't have to accept a limited idea of who they are or of their earning potential.

My advice to women is this: concentrate on work rather than gender differences. If you're a lawyer, be a great lawyer so that people won't think, “She's an attorney, but she's also a woman.” Break boundaries with your work. Spirituality is key to doing this. It puts everything in its proper place so that your gender is not the first thing people see.

The talents of women and men working together can combine into something very beautiful. Both have so much to gain by being receptive to each other's talents. And if women just hold to the thought of what they are giving, men have no choice but to accept them.

About the author

After graduating from Catholic University in Washington, D.C., in international law, Ms. Falken went to work at a law firm in Milan, Italy. Currently, she has a business conducting seminars in Europe and South America, teaching attorneys doing business with the US how to draft legal documents.

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