Earlier this week, J.C. Penney announced that it was going to undergo a major overhaul in the way it does business and communicates with its customers. As we watch this change unfold and wait for customer reactions, here are some of the more positive things business owners can pull from the strategy. Simplify, Simplify Simplify This is the best part of the strategy, even … [Read more...]
Women, Leadership, Self-Care, and BLUE MONDAY
You wake up Monday morning, pour yourself a glass of orange juice, and get breakfast ready for your clan. Off to the office, you battle the traffic, thinking about how to tell your rebel employee that there have been complaints about his behavior. You dread the meeting and yet know it can’t wait. Pulling into the parking lot you feel a wave of frustration, seeing that … [Read more...]
A Leadership Perspective
I had a new experience as a juror this week and as we were deliberating one of my fellow jurors made a poignant statement. He quoted the Blackstone ratio and said ‘it is better than 10 guilty persons escape, than one innocent suffer’. Bringing those experiences back to the office made me think about how we lead our staff; some use leadership as a punitive advantage and others … [Read more...]
The Importance of Reflection
As the new year dawns we inevitably find ourselves thinking backward and forward. Maybe we have had bad experiences with "new years resolutions" or at the very least have friends who have set forth with good intentions only to lose focus very early in the new year. Regardless of the jokes or bad press we hear about new years resolutions it is very healthy to take time for … [Read more...]
It’s Fun To Be Recognized
I love surprises! Being listed among the Top 20 Leadership Books for emerging leaders made my day, actually it made my week. Up there with Covey, Maxwell, Bennis, and Blanchard is wonderful. I must admit, however, while I love to be there I was sad about the limited number of other women on this list. Hey ladies, what do you have to say about that? Top 20 leadership … [Read more...]
Lessons from Avon
This week Avon CEO Andrea Jung was released from her position and stock prices soared. The company is trying to find its footing and the CEO was the unequivocal target. Is that a bad thing? Is there anything that Jung can take from this experience? No woman is an island The first thing that jumps out at me is the fact that Jung had no COO. I believe that this fact alone … [Read more...]
The Intricacies of How We Learn
The following is a validation that we still have a long way to go to make change happen when it comes to beliefs and perceptions about little girls and education. When I did research for my GUTSY book (due out in January) I was both frustrated and delighted with the studies that show how our own adult anxieties are picked up by little learners. The more we can … [Read more...]
Equality, Work, and Sales Apps for Salespeople
Where’s the Balance in Equality? According to a UC Davis study California business leaders are a century away from their male counterparts. Women at the very top of the 400 largest publicly held corporations in the state of California. UC Davis findings show that uneven balance of representation of females on boards and in executive roles. Orange County had the least amount … [Read more...]
Christiana Shi: Women in Power
Christina Shi is the Chief Operating Officer at Nike, Inc. and when you look into her progress and career path she brings a whole new meaning to the company slogan of “just do it”. Through her career, Christiana has taken a lot of risks. She started as a management consultant working for McKinsey & Co. where she started building the network that would eventually launch … [Read more...]
Sales For All Seasons
As we all rush out to do some holiday shopping and retailers put their best foot forward, as a small business owner you want to be sure that your sales don’t cripple your business. Attracting new customers is great, but what you want is repeat business and customer loyalty. Stick with these tips and build a relationship, not a sale. Listen to your customers While it is … [Read more...]