By Jean Hollands

Five minutes. That’s all the time I have to resolve the dilemma above. The YWCA Tribute to Women in Industry program (TWIN) has asked me to keynote the TWIN awards banquet May 2 at the San Jose Fairmont Hotel.

The TWIN awards are presented to decision-making women executives in recognition of their success in their given field. The 50 honorees have all contributed to the world of work, the world of women and the world of community.

I was a winner 10 years ago. It is a great honor to present the keynote speech when this group usually calls on entertainers or political figures for the job. The problem is, though … I only have five minutes!

In my very short allotted speech time, I am going to recall having my one-minute video taped 10 years ago for this event. Every participant has her video shown at the awards, but the taping is done months in advance. So 10 years ago, I proceeded to the TV station in San Jose.

The problem was: My husband had just died two weeks earlier and my son had died only six months before that. My video question was: “And what wonderful thing is happening in your life now?” I got through it.

When I saw the tape played many months later, in the big arena with hundreds watching, I noted that I did a very good job. I was resilient. I was up and positive and even creative. In fact, I discovered I had demonstrated one of my components of being a successful woman executive in Silicon Valley: Be resilient!

Bad things happen to good people. Wonderful women executives have divorces, miscarriages, demotions and disappointments. Good companies go bankrupt, great managers get ignored. Our community and our state have suffered the boom, the bust and the recovery. We have just experienced the longest rainfall in history. But we put on galoshes, a happy face and start down the road.

This is resiliency.

Jean Hollands, CEO, Growth & Leadership Center, is a management coach and corporate team-builder. Write to 1451 Grant Road, Mountain View 94040.