Some revolutions are bloody, and some are flash-in-the-pan moments. The women’s movement began quietly with a book “The Feminine Mystique”, moved to bra burning, and gained traction with consciousness raising groups. All of that seems like it was centuries ago. We now head large organizations, are in key positions in government, and have a say in just about everything. … [Read more...]
Your Non-Negotiables — Set Them and Abide by Them
What are your non-negotiables? What are the behaviors that you absolutely must-have and absolutely will not tolerate? Over the last five years, I've developed a "manifesto" of sorts that lists out the things that I am willing to work with and more importantly, the things that I will not work with --- at all. This list has helped me sort out "good" projects -- which are … [Read more...]
Get over it! (…the fear of being your own boss, that is)
Lately I’ve been experiencing higher than normal anxiety, the fear that maybe it won’t all work out and heavy reliance on emotional support from friends and family. The reason for acting this way, and being totally uncool, is that I have finally decided to follow my dream of being my own boss. That’s right, after several years of working for others while wishing I was … [Read more...]
Leadership Lessons: I’d Rather Be a Whale
Part of leadership, especially women, is to be a voice for separating the wheat from the chaff. It is time for all of us as women leaders to put a halt to the binding messages we are bombarded with about image. No, I don’t mean we should all state that overweight is better, I mean we need to begin to question what is being fed to us (sorry for the pun) about what is the … [Read more...]
The Biggest Mistake in Marketing
The biggest mistake made in marketing -- and a reason that success can be so elusive -- is failing to clearly explain what you are selling. Specifically, the benefits to your consumer. We’re all looking for the answer to one very specific question: What’s in it for me? Consumers rarely make buying decisions based on a product or service’s features; yet that’s what most … [Read more...]
Visionboard for your Success
I invite you to take a look at my own visionboarding process: I've been working on some variation of this for the last 3 years now, and I've been keeping a "attainable goals" list since 2001, when I first started being more proactive, positive, and engaging with my chosen line of work and my personal and professional mission statement. My main purpose in being here on the … [Read more...]
Women and Men: Different Perspectives
We really are different. Our brains are different, as well as the outlook on what is important. I believe we can help each other see new and critical points of view. I also believe we need to give each other space to be ourselves. Often the best way to say “vive la difference” is through humor. Stephen Kapustin, a lawyer in Philadelphia is a graduate of our Total Leadership … [Read more...]
Leadership and “Process till you Puke”!
In every business, in every life, it is vital to process all information and even emotional content to make sure that you are making the best decisions you can make. Yet, there are extremes and when you get caught at one end point of the spectrum or the other, there is a tendency to either deny what is going on, or indulge in over-thinking the process. One of our best … [Read more...]
Website Trends for 2010: Top 5 Predictions
Here are my top five predictions in website trends. Believe me, there is so much information out there, but as someone who makes a living developing websites (and who has been doing so for the last 10 years), I highly recommend you configure your action plan for actively updating your website. 1) Go Mobile. Have you created a mobile version of your website yet? This … [Read more...]
Healthcare and Women
One of the most well-run and informative meetings I went to last year was the HBA conference in San Francisco. The Healthcare Businesswomen Association is a class act. What impressed me was the juggling act done to show the strong side of women in a mostly male dominated industry, as well as the feminine side that we, as women, need to maintain for our own sanity. The women … [Read more...]