Sunday, December 15, 2013

Reach out...


It's been almost 2½ years since I started this blog. One reason why I started it was because I strongly believe that we're here to help others.

I know that some people erroneously believe that they must be better than others in order to help them - that belief can't be further away from the truth.

I agree that there are times when being "better" educated and experienced, is definitely one way to help others.
On the flip side, being a willing listener and learner can and does help you become better and also helps those who are "better" go a notch higher. For instance, watching and learning from my mentors, helped me develop mentoring skills and then having the opportunity mentor others has greatly improved my mentoring skills.

Which is why these quotes from Pablo and Michelle Obama resonated with me.

When you've worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you. You reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.
~ Michelle Obama
 
I hope these 2 quotes will also encourage you to keep reaching out...accept that hand and pull someone up or be pulled up.
 

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Play to win

Do you find yourself stifled by the competitiveness around you which then puts you on the treadmill of wanting to outdo your "competitors"? Personally, I believe that the best type of competitiveness is when you are always trying to outdo yourself... let me explain.

Friday, November 15, 2013

To become better (than others)...

...become a better you.

I find that too many of us are competing against the wrong standard.  In fact more than once, I've caught myself comparing myself to others and unintentionally 'competing' against them. The truth is:
To become better, become a better YOU.

The best type of competitiveness is competition against one's self - not anyone else.
The best you can ever be is a better you.
The most successful people in life focus on self-improvement and self-development.
No matter how hard you try, aiming to be a better version of someone else ultimately makes you second-best of the person you're trying to be like - a copy not an original.

Take Judy Garland's advice:
Always be a first-rate version of yourself,
instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.
 
I strongly recommend that you make this one of your resolutions in 2014 and for life. 

Friday, November 1, 2013

How busy are you?


One thing a lot of people, especially women - who are known for multi-tasking, are is BUSY!
 
In fact, it's almost fashionable to be busy which is why Socrates' words of wisdom come in handy:
"Beware the barrenness of a busy life."
 
A few months ago, I read this rather interesting piece and just had to share it:
 
Please Stop Complaining About How Busy You Are - @HarvardBiz http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/09/please_stop_complaining_about.html

And just in case you you're too busy to read this, let me share another set of words of wisdom:
“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.”
~ Confucius

I couldn't have put that better so I'll take a cue from that piece of advice to recommend this wonderful book I read a few years ago.

Dealing with busy-ness is a challenge...we need to educate and equip ourselves with knowledge and tools to deal effectively with busy-ness and then take a step further to empower others...so we all excel together. 
 

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

"I won't let you down..."

I heard a very profound conversation while watching Fielder's Choice last month. When a promising Ad executive said to his boss: "I won't let you down."
His boss responded: "Don't let yourself down."

Hearing that really resonated with me because too many times we go around doing our best not to let others down. Interestingly, the same day I watched this film, I saw this quote:
"One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals. And so when I hear about negative and false attacks, I really don't invest any energy in them, because I know who I am." ~ Michelle Obama
I'm not saying you should not work hard and make others - parents, spouse, children, family and friends etc. - proud of your accomplishments. The point of working hard should be to make you happy and content with yourself. No matter how happy and proud those around you are about your accomplishments, if you are not happy, you have wasted your time (& life) living up to another person's dreams. Live your life!

The longest serving First Lady of the US, Eleanor Roosevelt, said:
Your ambition should be to get as much life out of living as you possibly can, as much enjoyment, as much interest, as much experience, as much understanding. Not simply be what is generally called a "success." 
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
 
Being emotional beings, we listen and care about what others think and say however, we need to have courage to dream, believe in our dreams and act to fulfill our dreams. The next time you want to say:
"I won't let you down" to someone
switch and say "I won't let ME down" to yourself.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Slow down to speed up...

So many of us are almost always in a hurry...either rushing to somewhere or rushing from somewhere or even both rushing from and to somewhere. There is always something that needs to be done "immediately." A principle that I try to live, by which a dear colleague has reinforced, several times this year is:
To be successful in anything,
you need 80% planning + 20% execution.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Sharpen Your Skills

I got this piece a few days after the one I shared on Sept 1 and felt it was an excellent sequel.  As I typed this intro 2 things came to mind - a verse:
Ecc 10:10 "A dull ax requires great strength; be wise and sharpen the blade." 

and a previous posting titled "Stand out!"
click to read: http://empowered-women-excel.blogspot.ca/2011/09/stand-out.html

Guess what? I looked up both and found that the verse was included in this previous posting which incidentally was published exactly 2 years ago to the day - Wow!! Enough said, be blessed as you read and act accordingly promptly...

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Develop Your Talent

I got this and was blessed by it...
and decided to pass on the blessing -
especially as we start a new month...


Develop Your Talent
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition].”
Colossians 1:10, AMP)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
Too many people suffer from “destination disease.” In other words, they’ve reached a certain level or obtained a goal, now they’re coasting in life off of what they’ve already learned. Studies tell us that 50% of people, after they graduate from high school, will never read an entire book the rest of their life. One reason is that people see learning as a period of life instead of a way of life. They think, “I’m out of school. I’m done with my training. I’ve got my job.” But, God never created us to reach one level and stop. Whether you’re 90 years old or 9 years old, you should be constantly learning, improving your skills, and getting better at what you do.
The key is that you have to take responsibility for your growth. Growth is not automatic. What steps are you taking to get better? Are you reading books? Listening to teaching CD’s? Are you taking any courses on the internet? Going to any seminars? Do you have any mentors? Don’t just coast through life relying on what you’ve already learned. You have treasure on the inside. Develop your talent and become all that God created you to be.
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father, help me to develop the talents You have given me. Show me to how to continue growing, stretching and increasing. Help me to maximize what You’ve placed in my hand as I daily give You glory for Your faithfulness in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Thursday, August 15, 2013

August advice...

2 weeks ago, I started sharing pieces fo career (& life) advice. Here are 4 more...
Remember you can take them (live them) or just leave them...

Laura Torrado, DDS, FAGD*
Dentist with her own Manhattan practice who has been donating dental reconstruction work to victims of domestic violence, hate crimes and poor healthcare for eight years
What's the key to reaching your goals?
Keeping my final goal in mind and establishing personal timelines: What do I want to achieve and by when? Am I willing to go through the necessary steps to get it done? It helps to write them down and break them into smaller goals and achievements to lead toward a greater end.

What do you know now that you wish you had known when you were younger?
There are ways to raise money to open your own business. External financing will get you off the ground and going without having to wait for years before you have the capital to get started. A good business plan presented to a lender in your field will probably give you what you need. Women are a "minority," and with that in mind, we have access to more resources. Just be savvy and find them. If you believe your business is truly a great idea, you should easily be able to convince others of the same thing.

If you could change anything about your career path or life, what would it be?
I would change the motto that "the client is always right." This is not true. Trying to please everybody can be a futile exercise in business and in your personal life. In the end you won't have the results you were hoping for. To compromise for the sake of compromise really leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth. Define who you are and what you want to achieve and stick to it. Always be yourself––everybody else is taken!


Judy Goss**
Founder of Over40Females.com
"When I first launched Over 40 Females, someone told me to stay true to my original vision for the company no matter what business matters or details got in the way. That would help me stay focused on what the company is about and in what direction we are heading. It's easy to get side-tracked and listen to everyone else's advice, but when you go back to your true self and the dream you first had when you started, you will always figure out the right way to go."

Michelle Edelman
President of Solana Beach, California, advertising agency NYCA.
How do you balance your career and your personal life?
Women often quit good jobs seeking “work-life balance” when really, you have to give work-life balance as a gift to yourself, and it’s a challenge and a decision every day. No job is going to help you assure you're there for the important moments in your family’s life. You have the power to do this for yourself through being organized, knowing what you want, and figuring out what is and isn’t important to get ahead in your job.

How can being a woman help in terms of a career?
It’s said the pay gap is now closing for women, but there’s still a pay divide. That said, women are being hired at a faster rate than men right now. I think in the recovery economy, women have tremendous opportunity to flex their career muscle. By being the less expensive option, you can go for a job that pushes you ahead—and use the pay gap as an advantage over the “pricier” guy colleague.

To what do you attribute your success?
Even in my field, which is replete with creative women, it’s rare to find a woman in management. There’s no way I would be if I didn’t have tremendous support from my husband. Most women, even though qualified to rise in companies, don’t because they really can’t organize their lives to support that rise.

Sabina Ptacin
Serial entrepreneur, Co-founder and Chief Excitement Officer of PRENEUR
"In life, we are juggling several balls, some of them are rubber and can bounce back if we drop them, and some of them are glass and will break. This lesson is from my mother, who to me is my work/life guru. We are always juggling in life, and even with the most experienced jugglers, the more balls you add, the harder this feat becomes. Without a doubt you will drop a ball from time to time."




Sources:
 

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Take it or leave it...

For christians like me, 8 is the number for "New Beginnings." So I decided the look for & share advice from other successful women like - you & I are or will become. One thing I continually say about advice is that:
Advice is just that: Advice - a recommendation not a command
so you can take it (& live it) or leave it...
  
I'll share 8 lovely (in my opinion) pieces of career & life advice in total - starting with 4 today...you can read them and live by them or leave them...it's up to you.

Anne Lynam Goddard*
President and CEO of ChildFund International, a global child development organization dedicated to helping children in poverty thrive and bring positive change to their communities
What advice would you give women who are considering a new career?
Learn as much as you can about your chosen field from every perspective. Take on jobs or responsibilities that you're not crazy about so you can learn. The more well-rounded you are in your field, the more effective you will be at work and the more attractive you will be to prospective employers. Also, as an employer and leader, I am most interested in the results people produce rather than whether they're working long hours.
What's the most important thing to remember when it comes to your personal life?
It's more important than your job! My relationships with my family are more valuable and long-lasting than any career. It's loving others and being loved in return that gives real purpose and satisfaction in life. Marry someone with the same values as you––it will make critical decisions that you need to make together so much easier.

How did you overcome your biggest career hurdle?
I once got a new boss whom I perceived had a not-so-positive impression of me that was hindering my career. So I asked him to be my mentor; he agreed and we met on a regular basis for three months. Through our discussions he got to know me much better, and when a promotional opportunity came up, he was my biggest advocate and I got the job.

Sharonda L. Britton**
Director of Marketing, Multicultural, African American and Asian, Walmart
“My best advice for women in business would be to always envision where you want to go and once you set the vision, make sure you that you find people who support that vision either who are already where you want to be, or can help you to get there.  Continue to track toward that goal and surround yourself with mentors and great leaders that will ultimately help you with your goals.”

Jan Marini*
President and CEO of skincare company Jan Marini Skin Research, Inc.
What advice would you give to women who want to follow in your footsteps?
The only way that anything is ever accomplished or fully realized is by taking action. You can discuss an idea, endlessly plan and try to predetermine whether or not you will be successful, but, while it is essential to have an overall vision, focus and tenacity, reaching your goal ultimately hinges on jumping in and relentlessly moving forward.

What's the best way to stay focused at work?
Always compete with yourself, not the competition. If you’re constantly using other people as the yardstick to measure your success, you’re not putting your energy and passion where it belongs. You’re the only person who can determine how successful you will be.

How can you have a successful personal life?
Give it the respect you give to your business. If you want to be successful and joyful in your personal relationships, communicate, generously give recognition, inspire, motivate and love fiercely and with all your heart. When I am working, I am intensely focused and in the moment. When I am with my husband, I am just as intensely focused on him and enriching our relationship.

Audra Lowe***
TV Host
"Two pieces of advice ring true to me - remember that failure is a comma, not a period, and always make sure you take advice from someone who's going in the same direction you want to go in."

EW:
Now those are also great pieces of advice to remember when choosing mentors - which we'll talk about soon... 

More advice to come...

Sources

Monday, July 15, 2013

Be an EL

There is so much we can learn from the attributes and attitudes of many creatures both scripturally and physically - 2 of my favourite are the eagle & lion. Here are some quotes that sink deep and ring true for me:

Monday, July 1, 2013

BEE

From time to time when I take a "back seat" and perform a self-appraisal, I describe myself as a BEE*
...ever busy, ever buzzing.

(I searched for pictures and liked this the best.)

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Can you...

...lean in confidently and comfortably?

I recently bought this book more out of curiousity than interest...I'm looking forward to reading it over summer. 

It's interesting how dots get connected. I was just thinking about my last post: "The essence of dress-sense is ABC:  http://empowered-women-excel.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-essence.html

Taking the book's title literally, it occurred to me that: When you are properly, not sparsely, dressed, you can "lean in" during meetings/conversations and your brains, not your body, will be on display...to your benefit.

Now I'm curious to see if the book has anything to say about dress-sense...hmmm.


Wednesday, May 15, 2013

The Power of Attitude - Eagle Story

The nest of young eagles hung on every word as the Master Eagle described his exploits. This was an important day for the eaglets. They were preparing for their first solo flight from the nest. It was the confidence builder many of them needed to fulfill their destiny.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Nine nuggets (3)

The last set of the 9 nuggets are:

Make your own career
If a position you want doesn't exist, create it. Similarly, if you don't have the mentors and sponsors helping you get to the next opportunity, get there yourself.

Carolyn Buck Luce, 59, learned this firsthand when she joined Ernst & Young as a partner in the corporate finance and restructuring group in 1991.
"The common theme is being willing to take a risk and understand the strategic direction of the company," she advises.

Leave to get ahead
Sometimes you can fast track your career by walking out the door. This can be scary and also risky but if you pray about it you will know when God says “Go forward!”
"It's definitely stepping outside the box, but there's something about paving your own way," she said.
Focussing on 4 of these rules that resonated for her, Lisa Quast said: "The key in leaving to get ahead is to always refer back to rule number one; that no matter where you work, you must do excellent work that produces outstanding results."*

Dress well and play golf
The old adage "dress for success" still holds true. "Men of a certain caliber have bespoke suits. Women tend not to be as conscious that dress is part of their professional brand," says Rand Kaspi of LawScope Coaching. You don't need a bespoke suit, but you do need to avoid walking around in flats and khakis with a sweater set. In Lisa Quast's words: "What you wear creates an image or perception of the type of person you are, so choosing the right attire and acting the part is critical. As the old saying goes, “perception is reality” and women wanting to reach executive-level positions need to think about and consciously determine the type of image they want to project at work by choosing appropriate clothing, hair style, and make-up."* Obviously this dressing thing  which I have talked about before,** is fundamental and a key to success – need I say anymore.
Once you dress the part, act the part with both clients and superiors. ...you'll need to delve into hobbies you may not have considered. While I don’t have any plans of learning how to play golf (yet) I understand where this is going.

If all this talk of hobbies is making you think of the one sport through which deals are made, you are correct: You need to learn how to play golf. You don't have to be good, but you have to be competent enough to be invited for quality bonding time. Like I said, at this time, I don't have any plans to learn how to golf - considering that I'm working on learning how to rollerblade for quality bonding time with my children, the point for me is, there must be more about your life than just work. We need to be more social within our own boundaries.

I'd like to wrap this up with Lisa Quast's words: "No matter what the other rules are, never forget the number one rule that must be followed to get ahead is to do excellent work that produces outstanding results." We should work hard - "the only place where "work" comes before "success" is in the dictionary."***

Source:
References:
*http://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2012/06/11/rules-for-women-to-climb-the-career-ladder/

**http://empowered-women-excel.blogspot.ca/2012/03/essence-of-dress-sense.html
http://empowered-women-excel.blogspot.ca/2012/03/dress-sense.html
http://empowered-women-excel.blogspot.com/2012/09/next-size-please.html:

***Vince Lombardi

Monday, April 15, 2013

Nine nuggets (2)

Here are 3 more of the 9 nuggets...

Know what you want and go for it
Being clear about your goals is paramount.  
Knowing what I want can seem overwhelming so, one of the easiest ways of dealing with this is knowing and weeding out what I do not want. It then clears my landscape and options.

Women who get to the top understand that (sic – I believe she meant “what”) no one else can do for them. You need to make things happen for you rather than watch things happen to you. In her article based on this article, Lisa Quast, the former executive vice president and general manager at a $12 billion global corporation and a certified executive coach working specifically with women and their careers, said: "Take the time to clearly define your career aspirations and then conduct research to find out the skills and experience necessary to succeed in those positions. Once you have this information you can create a career strategic plan. Having a career plan in place will ensure you achieve your aspirations efficiently and effectively – just like using a roadmap helps you reach a destination."*

As women, we know quite a bit about maps - especially the key part they play in (family) road trips.


In my opinion, in addition to having a map - even if it is a mind map - it is also helpful to make the most of any detours you have as you head to your destination.

Promote yourself legitimately
You can be doing great work, but if no one knows about it, you might as well be invisible.
A former Goldmanite, Jacki Zehner, 47, was both the first woman trader to be made partner and the youngest woman to be made partner at the firm at age 32 in 1996. Zehner routinely volunteered for assignments that gained her visibility at the top. For example, she put up her hand whenever the firm needed someone to make a speech to incoming analysts or recruit at college campuses, she said. In volunteering for assignments, seek out those that will strengthen or expand your skill set or knowledge base or even just stretch you in new areas and enjoy doing the assignment(s). Once again, Lisa Quast puts it this way: "Volunteer to take on projects that will show your strengths and allow you to gain the necessary experience to move to the next level."*

Network with your peers
Many women make the mistake of seeking sponsorship from only the people above them. Some of the people you work with are going to be in charge and could help you rise in the ranks.
"It's connections with people your own age that will help you get promotions," said Amy Siskind, a former head of distressed debt trading at Morgan Stanley and the co-founder of The New Agenda, an organization dedicated to advancing women into leadership roles. Siskind, 46, was the first woman managing director at Wasserstein Perella because a friend she had worked with in her mid-20s had landed there and pushed for her hire. Networking works**...so work with it.

Source:
Nine Rules Women Must Follow to Get Ahead by Julie Steinberg: http://online.wsj.com/article/SBB0001424052702304723304577365812402273808.html?mod=wsj_share_in_bot 

References:
Rules For Women To Climb The Career Ladder by Lisa Quant:  http://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2012/06/11/rules-for-women-to-climb-the-career-ladder/
**http://empowered-women-excel.blogspot.com/2012/08/networking-works.html

Monday, April 1, 2013

Nine nuggets (1)

A few months ago someone sent me an interesting article* - I’m sharing an excerpt from it hence the reason why I refer to these as the “Nine Nuggets.” I’ll split them into 3 postings but when you can, I encourage you to take time to read the whole article.
As usual, comments (on the article) are within it in green font and italics mine.
It is no secret that many companies have set targets for increasing the number of women in top/leadership positions in various industries. In fact, I suspect that is what gave rise to the saying that: “The best man for the job is a woman.” Although it may be true in some instances, it does not give women a “hall pass” or licence to reap where they have not sown. Even the Bible warns us in Gal atians 6:7 not to deceive/fool ourselves because we will reap what we have sown...likewise you will not reap what you have not sown.  
According to Julie's article: Despite their talent, education and hard work, many women simply aren't chosen for roles that lead to greater success later. "Women often don't have the "intangible skills" needed to gain the attention of higher-ups at the company," says Elena Rand Kaspi, a former consultant to law firm White & Case and the president of LawScope Coaching, an executive career coaching company.
Getting "chosen," then, is an art that many women need to learn. FINS (FINS.com is a targeted career resource and employment website that is part of The Wall Street Journal) spoke with women executives and leadership coaches to determine the best ways you can position yourself for the next great position. Julie goes on to “talk about the rules women need to follow to help them earn more management roles in the workplace...”

Work hard
Doing excellent work is a baseline. If you don't produce outstanding results, you won't attract the notice of bigwigs at the firm who can propel your career forward. Hard work also entails knowing which skills you need to develop to get to where you want to be.
"Many people want to jump levels and get to the top by their gut feel, but what you don't know can really create a minefield for you," says Karen Peetz, vice chairman at BNY Mellon and one of three women on the executive committee.
According to Erin Duffy, 34, a former vice president at Merrill Lynch and the author of "Bond Girl," a novel that chronicles one woman's sales career on Wall Street:  "If you're not doing well, even if you're hanging out every night with the managing directors, they're not going to promote you. It's very democratic in that way." 
Do work no one else wants to do
Stepping up when no one else is will is a great way to get noticed. In 2001, Donna Milrod was a recently-minted managing director at Deutsche Bank when she offered to take on a project no one else wanted.
Succeeding in the assignment gained her exposure to the board and to senior management.


Cultivate the people in charge
Figuring out who has the most powerful voice in the room is the first key to your success. The second is devising strategies to attract their interest in your career.
Mentors are important for giving you guidance on your career. Sponsors are more critical because they're the ones banging on the table to bring you on for a new job or assignment.
Accordingly, you must treat them differently. Rosalie Mandel, a principal at accounting firm Rothstein Kass, recommends telling your mentor the good, the bad and the ugly and telling your sponsor only the good.
"The sponsor has heavy political capital and can place you into your next slot," she said. "The mentor needs to know everything about you so they can help you grow and guide you." For me, choosing a mentor is a spiritual activity - Joshua succeeeded because he was groomed by Moses, the young prophet died untimely because he followed the advice of the old prophet. So in choosing a mentor, I pray about it first  - sure don't want my hard work to go down the drain. You also need to pray about your sponsor - most times, you do not choose that person but your prayers can influence who is assigned to you - and the person assigned to you has some influence you don't have. So it is very important that your sponsor is truly on your side - not scoring own points.

These are the first 3 of the nine nuggets... I decided to start sharing them on "April Fools' Day" as a reminder that we should not fool ourselves rather focus on taking wise steps ...
Source:

Friday, March 15, 2013

Are you a “Hi-Po” or

... a“hippo”?
Last year, I attended the first ever Catalyst Canada Conference and it was a wonderful event – I sure thank God for the privilege of being there. I received many “nudges” and nuggets – I’ll share a few.
During one session, one of the moderators used the contraction “hi-po” (meaning “high potential”) – that was my first time of hearing that coinage. Well, the immediate opposite that came to mind was “hippo” so I decided to write on it – now I need to make it all stick…

Friday, March 1, 2013

Who needs you most?

I read a rather interesting article "Why Women still can't have it all" - it was even recommended by a senior male leader and one I recommend every woman reads:
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/print/2012/07/why-women-still-can-8217-t-have-it-all/9020/ 

I was opportuned to hear from the author of the article Anne-Marie Slaughter directly on Fareed Zakaria's show titled: Tough Decisions. I was really pleased that this made the list of tough decisions. Apparently, her article was the most read article in The Atlantic's 150-year history. Upon hearing that, the first thing that said to me is that everyone is out to see and learn from other people's real life experiences – we’re all drawn to authentic people.

Very many things in the article stuck me - too many to recount...the main one being the title of this post.

Mrs. Slaughter acknowledged that being the first woman Director of Policy Planning at the State Department hence a close aide to Secretary Hilary Clinton was a "foreign-policy dream job" and the career she'd always wanted. Unlike a number of professional women, she was clear on what she wanted; she was also honest in realizing the needs in her life. So when she considered her family and her career, she had to make a tough decision between need and want.

Look inwards then step out...