Are We a Woman’s Nation?

Nina Simosko, SAP executive and a regular guest speaker in our women's leadership webinars, writes a dynamic blog on leadership issues.

Her latest blog post has the provocative title 'Are We a Woman’s Nation?':

"For sure, we have made progress, but better jobs, more pay and greater opportunity is one thing. Respect is another. Our challenge as leaders is to shift the conversation around the topic of women. After all, if you want profits, you have to smash the glass ceiling."

Read the blog post here >>

10 Resolutions Every Woman Should Make for 2010

1. Become more influential
Build your ability to influence, persuade, and motivate others, regardless of whether you have a management job title. Influencing Without Authority >>

2. Seek management’s buy-in for a new idea
Take a great technical idea, and sell it to your senior management by partnering with others to build credibility. Selling your technical idea to management >>

3. Don’t let others steal your ideas
Pitch persuasive proposals, and pitch yourself too, to get credit for your work. Getting Credit for Your Ideas >>

4. Learn to delegate effectively
Manage the work performance of others, without hovering about like a micro-manager. How Do I Delegate without Micromanaging >>

5. Build an influential network
You don’t need to be a “shmoozer” to be a good networker, when you include these five key types of people. Five Key People You Need in Your Network >>

6. Ask your role models for mentoring
Approach role models you admire, and engage them as mentors. Mentoring >>

7. Get training without spending money
Find creative ways to learn and get professional development when your company does not have funds available. Funds are not available for training >>

8. Make your accomplishments visible
Promote your accomplishments in ways that don’t leave you feeling sleazy. Learning the Fine Art of Self Promotion >>

9. Figure out what you want to be “when you grow up”
Identify an ideal career niche by understanding three essential elements to a successful and satisfying career. How Do I Find My Niche >>

10. Throw your hat in the ring for a promotion
Reinvent yourself as a candidate for promotion, by working smarter, not harder. Four Ways to Ensure You’re Promoted >>

Work-Life Balance: What is on your ‘Not-To-Do’ list?

Our December 8 Women’s Leadership Webinar featured guest speaker Nina Bhatti, who as Principle Scientist for HP Labs is one of their most senior-ranked technical women leaders.

One of the work-life balance tips discussed was the Not-To-Do list. Create a list of things you give yourself permission not to have to do, for the sake of your sanity and work-life balance. This is a great way to deal with the guilt of having to be a superwoman.

We asked webinar attendees to share with us some items that were going on their not-to-do lists. Not surprisingly, there was a deluge of responses! Here they are:

• Washing my car!
• Susan isn't cleaning her house anymore
• Not to cook a dinner few times per week
• Not to go back to school yet
• Always saying yes
• Limit laundry
• Passing the chore off to the kids for feeding the dogs!!
• Not planting new flowers every spring
• No working out on weekends
• Laundry
• Shopping
• Keeping Saturday mornings to myself - no soccer
• I'm going to stop feeling guilty for not doing morning workouts... I'm not a morning person and that's OK!
• Don't answer the phone in the evening
• Doing my 18 & 20 year olds’ laundry
• I am not going to edit anymore of my daughters papers.

There were lots of timely holiday-related Not-To-Do list items:

• Not decorating the house for every holiday
• Not working during the vacation
• Send Christmas cards
• Giving up grocery shopping
• I no longer decorate so extensively during the holidays
• Accept all the friend holiday invites

Nice work ladies. Lose the cape!

Register now for the 2010 Women's Leadership Webinar series >>

Conference Addresses Women’s Under-Representation In ‘IT’

International keynote address ‘Becoming person of influence’, presented by Women’s Leadership Coaching Inc CEO Jo Miller, discussed the important and influential role of IT professionals.

Read the press release from Multimedia Victoria >>