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Overcoming obstacles with "soft power"
Video and transcript
As part of our inspiring women in AI series of interviews, Dr. Sandra K. Johnson shares her definition of "soft power," a concept she explores in her memoir.
Video transcript and audio description
Continuous shot of Sandra face-on in an office environment.
When I say "soft power," I mean inner strength, determination... It's the soft skills that society doesn't really put a focus on when it comes to power.
But it's the inner strength, it's the drive, it's the determination, it's the perseverance, etc., that one endures despite obstacles.
Because when you're faced with obstacle after obstacle after obstacle, you need to have that inner strength and drive to counteract the human reaction to start questioning, "Am I really good enough?"
Is what these people are saying about me true?
Is this obstacle so big that I really can't overcome and maybe I should just give up, right?
So it's that inner strength, it's the perseverance, that power – because it is powerful – to drive you forward in spite of the self-doubt, and the questioning that every human being encounters when they face what, at the time, they may consider to be insurmountable obstacles.
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