In 1986, an article in The Wall Street Journal by Carol Hymowitz and Timothy Schellhardt first introduced the term Glass Ceiling. The illustration that accompanied the article showed a woman in a business suit pushing up against a glass barrier. After that article, the term Glass Ceiling caught on quickly as the metaphor for an impenetrable blockade that women face when … [Read more...]
Give Yourself a Pep Talk
Do you ever wonder how elite athletes like Tiger Woods or Roger Federer stay focused; how they manage to maintain their peak performance? I marvel at their ability to recover after a bad shot or a lost match; their resilience and ability to let go and forget their poor performance and come back with strength and fortitude. How do they accomplish this? Well, almost all … [Read more...]
Promote Yourself with Passion
My first corporate job interview was for a health care management company that was looking for someone to manage their 30 physician cardiac rehab center. At the time, I was recently divorced with two young children and I was looking for a 9 to 5 job. In my interview, I didn't talk about my business experience because I had none. I didn't talk about my resume or skills because … [Read more...]
Where Does All Our Self-Confidence Go?
Where does all the bravado and self-confidence of our early childhood go? Do you ever think back to when you were a young child? If your childhood was anything like mine, you were probably happy as a clam and had a bounty of self-esteem. I did. I vividly remember my childhood dreams of becoming a prima ballerina. I took ballet lessons three times a week and carried my ballet … [Read more...]
Lead Yourself to Success
I am often asked about my own corporate career path and how I made the successful transition from manager to executive. There is, of course, no one answer or formula for success. Everyone has their own story about how they navigated their way to the top. Some women may claim it’s luck; being in the right place at the right time. Some may say it took hard work and long hours. I … [Read more...]
The Power of Positive Self-Talk
Our thoughts have the ability to create our reality and it is our daily challenge to put aside negativity and focus on a positive attitude. There are many techniques that people use to re-frame the negative into positive affirmations and with consistent practice, these methods help us to create the positive life we desire. Controlling our negative thoughts is not an easy … [Read more...]
Use Your Web of Influence
Years ago, I went through a training program on customer retention that emphasized the importance of identifying a web of influence within a client account. The web of influence not only included that main contact or champion, but other individuals within the company that could "influence" your success. Having more than one contact is of utmost importance to maintain stability … [Read more...]
Gender Bi-Lingualism: A New Approach to Equality
Many companies in the United States and abroad have embraced the need for increased gender equality over the past couple of decades. As a result, gender diversity initiatives were formed to address the issue of fairness and equality in the workplace. Traditionally, gender diversity programs have involved setting up networks for women and specialized assertiveness training … [Read more...]
You Matter
I read this blog post from Seth Godin and wanted to share it with everyone because is had such an impact on me. http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/06/you-matter.html When you love the work you do and the people you do it with, you matter. When you are so gracious and generous and aware that you think of other people before yourself, you matter. When you leave … [Read more...]
Are The “Shoulds” Getting You Down?
As women, we are continuously striving for work/life balance because we believe it's possible. All the subject matter experts (myself NOT included) tell us that we can achieve balance in our lives and we should make every effort to create this equilibrium for ourselves. It is doable. We are all superwomen. As a result, we have an ongoing list of things we "should" do for our … [Read more...]