How Women Unlock the Power of the Huddle: Interview with Brook Baldwin

In football (at least in the U.S.) teammates huddle together before each play in order to plan a winning strategy. These players have a shared goal—to score!—and each player has a specific role in bringing that play to life.

American journalist Brooke Baldwin, former CNN anchor and host of CNN Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin, gives a female perspective to what she describes as a "male-tinted word." In her new book, Huddle – How Women Unlock Their Collective Power, she examines the power of the huddle off the field, telling incredible stories of women (both extraordinary and “ordinary extraordinary”) who have discovered and harnessed the power of the huddle to support each other in achieving incredible things.

Of the concept of the huddle, Brooke says, "I wanted [us], as women... to flip it on its head, feminize it, and own it."

Listen to the full conversation on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform, or just click the audio player above.

What is a huddle?

What role does the huddle play in empowering women?

The way I'm defining a huddle is where women are energized by the mere fact of their coexistence.

“It's a noun. It's a verb. The way I'm defining a huddle is where women are energized by the mere fact of their coexistence. A huddle can be two women. It can be 2000 women. It's where women thrive, where women succeed, where women get amazing things done. But it can also be a place where women just hold space for one another, where we're quiet, where we bear witness for one another.” 

While women can come together in work, play, prayer, and even at the gym, what really defines the huddle is its intention—“the mission of building a bigger table for women.”

What can a huddle deliver?

Through her research, Brooke interviewed incredible women who harnessed the power of other strong women. These women, collectively, huddled together to achieve amazing impacts seen by the world.

We talked about politician Stacey Abrams and soccer player Megan Rapinoe, whose willingness to link arms and share intention with other women have brought about equality in pay and voice. Both women achieved success early, yet they were moved to share the wealth, one of the...

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