I was recently at the Pa. Governor’s Conference for Women with the theme of “rethink, resolve, renew”. It was a mighty meeting. There is nothing like thousands of women who are claiming their power to partner with their male counterparts in the world of work. One of the sessions was of exceptional interest to me. The theme was about enabling authentic leadership. That word, … [Read more...]
Real Power
I was in the presence of a motivational expert who was tall, dark and handsome. By any standards, Hollywood, Wall Street, mothers looking for guys for their daughters, he was a standout. Then he started to talk, and again he got stellar grades. He was engaging, funny, relevant, and deep. He was the kind of guy you want to hang out with, laugh with, and learn from. I must … [Read more...]
About Leading
I am delighted to be a newbie blogger for Women on Business. This site is filled with great ideas to help all of us climb even higher on our journey to excellence. I believe this is the time for us as women to bring our unique gifts and talents into every aspect of the workplace. We are masters of intuitively understanding that everything is connected and no one wins unless … [Read more...]
When is Casual TOO Casual?
Post by Jane K. Stimmler, contributing Women On Business writer As women, we often find it tough to establish authority and leadership in the workplace – so why throw it all away with one “casual Friday” mistake? Dress down or “casual” days are a great idea – at least in theory. They allow employees to be a bit more comfortable and give latitude in what is acceptable attire … [Read more...]
Using the L Word in Business
I use it every day. The more I find myself engaged in relationships that cross both personal and professional boundaries, the less I try to resist. I can also say that the advent of social networking has made building true friendships easier at work where once a line was drawn. And dropping a "love ya," or a "sending love your way" comment seems to soften those lines even … [Read more...]
Social Discrimination in the Workplace – Alive and Well
Post by Cheryl Santa Maria, contributing Women On Business writer Behind his back, we called him Bubba. Bubba was a mean - and rather large - lawyer with whom I used to work. He was gunning for a partner position and spent most of his time brown nosing (I'm sorry, the correct term is "networking") with his superiors . Due to bad office planning, Bubba's secretary was not … [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...]
The Positive Side of Workplace Politics
Post by Jane K. Stimmler, contributing Women On Business writer I can’t tell you the number of times I have heard women angrily discussing how much they hate corporate politics. In fact, they are so turned off that many women just pay no attention to it – even though they are aware that there are “politics” in their company. To many women, “political” sounds like the dark … [Read more...]
Five Ways to Avoid a Pink Slip in the Recession
No one is going to deny the economic gloom and doom filling the news each night. As unemployment soars close to 10% and more and more companies announce that they will be downsizing, it's time to take a hard look at yourself and make sure that your name isn't on the list if your company needs to let people go. Here are a few things to keep in mind: 1. Check your … [Read more...]
Is Your Sense of Loyalty Actually Hurting Your Career?
If there’s anything that this economic downturn has taught us, it’s that the only person looking out for you is you. In this era of mass layoffs, slashed benefits and mandatory work “furloughs,” we’re all learning quickly that years of loyalty aren’t worth much in a recession. I think that this mindset can sometimes be more difficult for women to get used to than men. … [Read more...]