Tag Archives: women as leaders

by | July 24, 2014 · 5:00 am

Rebel With A Cause

 

Emily Dickinson

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emily Dickinson was a rebel. She’s an excellent role model for any woman (or man) who wants to demur from the mainstream but not be handled with chains, to paraphrase one of her more famous poems.

Her rebellion was unobtrusive, quiet, and almost invisible at first viewing. Consider her poetry; She wrote poetry that often did not rhyme. The convention in her day was that poems consisted of four-line stanzas in which alternating lines rhymed.  Her style was so radical that it was rejected by one of the leading poets of the day. The rejection must have crushed Emily because she never again submitted a poem for criticism or publication and her poetry was first published after her death. Now her non-rhyming style serves as a  transition to the free-form style prevalent with today’s poets.

Her poetry memorializes her rebellion against the constrictions in her life. One widely  anthologized poem begins with an observation (paraphrasing again) that people who fight silently are braver than those who fight openly as soldiers. This sentiment will resonate with anyone who has fought an up-hill battle against oppressive authority or stupid social conventions.

Emily rebelled by using satire in her poetry. Her satirical eye was as sharp as Jane’s Austen’s, but perhaps not as gentle. One of her poems pokes fun at a preacher who preached so long on a broad topic that he made it narrow. We all love to skewer pontificating bores, but we rarely do so as elegantly as Emily.

Emily was also a rebel in her personal life. At a time when marriage and motherhood was the only socially acceptable career for women she remained unmarried. She carved out an unofficial career as a poet.

I discovered the rebellious life of Emily Dickinson when I began reading my copy of her collected poems, bought long ago and forgotten on the shelf. I never realized how radical she was when I was forced to read her poetry in English literature class. Now I want to become a rebel like Emily Dickinson.

About the author:

Norma Shirk helps employers create human resources policies for their employees and employee benefit programs that are appropriate to the employer’s size and budget. The goal is to have structure without bureaucracy.

4 Comments

Filed under Fun Savvy

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | July 22, 2014 · 5:00 am

“Wise up ladies!”

Key

Through our many life experiences we become wise, knowledgeable, and gain much Wisdom.

Wisdom is what we offer to those who follow in our footsteps, those we coach and mentor, love and care for, and those we sit next to in the Board Room. Wisdom has a place in all of our lives.

I’ve shared these five (5) wisdom keys many times before and now I’d like to share them with you.

WISDOM KEYS

1. Performance First
You MUST perform in order to succeed. A no brainer!
2. Take Risks
Take the leap. Otherwise life will be safe and boring!
3. You Own Your Career
You are responsible for your career… your boss isn’t, your spouse isn’t … YOU are.
4. Network, Network, Network
Build Relationships with everyone you meet. People help people.
5. Ask For What You Want
If you tell people what you want, they don’t have to guess.

Recently, I was asked to speak to a group of middle school young ladies. So, I revised my wisdom keys to address a young audience….

WISDOM KEYS for Emerging Young Leaders

1. Study First – No excuse!
2. Stand out in the Crowd.
3. You are responsible for the choices you make:
The music you listen to, the way you dress, and the friends you choose
4. Network, Network, Network – build relationships with family, teachers and your church.
5. Ask for what you want – If people have to guess, they might guess wrong!

Sharing wisdom with others could change their lives…as it did ours, along the way! So, I encourage you to share wisdom with those who could benefit from it… you could change a life also.

 

 

1 Comment

Filed under Business Savvy, Self Savvy

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | July 17, 2014 · 5:00 am

Step Up To the Table

Meeting Room

Being a woman executive in the engineering profession is still a novelty. It shouldn’t be, but it is. I’m often the only woman in the board room, in the leadership team meeting, or on the advisory board. Sometimes I’m even the first woman to have been around those tables.

Last year, Governor Haslam appointed me to the Architects and Engineer’s Licensing Board. In the 100 or so years of its existence, I am the first woman engineer or architect to have been appointed. Now, you cannot tell me that in the past 100 years there has not been a qualified female architect or engineer worthy of this appointment. Many are WAY more qualified than I will ever be. And before you go blaming past Governors or the influence of men in our profession, let me tell you what I found out. Those asked to suggest nominees for this appointment have been asked before to put forth qualified women’s names, they simply couldn’t find any women willing to commit to the service. That’s what I learned. Now, perhaps they didn’t look hard enough, or ask the right women, but nonetheless, they were told, ” No.”

If you’ve read Sheryl Sandburg’s book Lean In, this propensity for women to say no won’t surprise you. Women often undervalue their qualifications; many believe that if they aren’t 100% qualified for an opportunity, they should not accept it. Men, on the other hand, believe that if they bring over half the skills necessary to the task, they’ll pick up the rest of it OTJ and thrive in the position. This plays out over and over in job searches, promotions, even asking for raises: Women are consistently less likely to put themselves forward for consideration than equally qualified men.

This self-limiting behavior has got to change, ladies. We need you to look for opportunities to step into those leadership roles that you’ve every right to pursue. The young ladies who follow in your footsteps need you to; the men who will prosper from having your expertise at their tables need you to; and I need you to. I want more women at my tables!

Leave a comment

Filed under Business Savvy, Self Savvy

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | July 10, 2014 · 5:00 am

Savvy Talk: Nail your next speaking engagement or media interview with these tips

Speaker

I have a confession to make…I love to talk.  This is no surprise to those who know me, and  even to many who haven’t met me in person.  I became a broadcast journalist because I  love using my voice to illustrate a story.  Radio in particular is fun because there are no  visual aids, just the sound of my voice and the voices of my sources with maybe some  great ambient sounds.

I also enjoy public speaking.  Unlike radio broadcasting which takes place in a small studio  with just me and maybe a sound engineer and a microphone, when I speak in public I get to  experience my audience.  I can hear their laughter, see their faces and even answer  questions.  It’s invigorating for me to interact with people.

For most people, though, this is not the case.  It’s a well-known fact that the number one fear is public speaking.  Yep, most folks would rather be on an airplane with no working engines than stand in front of a group and talk.  Go figure!  But for those in the business world public speaking is a fact of life.  Making presentations, giving speeches and talking to the media are tasks that can give even the most seasoned C-level execs nightmares.

Here are some sure-fire tips to help you survive (and maybe even enjoy) your next speaking engagement or media interview:

  1. Be prepared.  This may be obvious but I cannot count the times I have begun an interview with someone only to find she does not know her talking points or does not have relevant facts available.  Taking the time to know your message can make all the difference between being misquoted and helping to shape the story your way.
  2. Practice.  Again, obvious, but many busy people do not take the time to practice their speaking skills.  Begin with a tape recorder, in private, until you feel confident that you like what you hear.  Then stage a mock interview with someone you trust like your assistant, a colleague or your communications advisor.  Pretend you are preparing for a Candidate Debate, they all do it!
  3. Slow it down.  Most of us tend to speak fast when we are nervous.  Even professionals tend to speed it up under pressure.  If it feels like you are talking too slowly, you’re on the right track.  And make sure to practice enunciating difficult names and terms.  Oh, and remember to breathe!
  4. Make eye contact.  This is a great way to connect with your audience.  If you are speaking to a large group, choose a person to look at and then sweep your gaze around the room making eye contact with a few other people.  Hold each person’s eye for a few seconds before moving on.
  5. Don’t fidget.  Fidgeting is a way to release nervous energy.  But unfortunately it only makes you appear more nervous.  If you have a podium, try to rest your hands on the sides of the top.  Don’t hide them behind because this makes you look like a talking head.  If there is no podium, one trick is to keep one hand in your pocket.  Another idea is to hold something like a pen or pointer, but do not let the object make you more fidgety.  Sometimes strolling along the stage helps, but be careful not to move too quickly.
  6. Think before you answer.  This is really important for media interviews.  Remember the reporter’s job is to get a juicy sound bite.  Most of the time she knows what she wants you to say and will keep asking questions until she gets it.  Take time and think about your answer before you open your mouth.  The reporter will wait as long as it takes.  And if you want to stall, ask her to re-state the question another way.
  7. BE PREPARED!!!  I started and ended with this so it must be pretty darned important.  Do your homework, practice, know your message and your next interview or presentation will be a piece of cake!

One final thing, learning to be an effective public speaker is a process.  For some people, it comes naturally but for most, it does not.  Don’t beat yourself up if you stumble during an interview or presentation.  Just keep working on it.  And let us know how you’ve tackled this very important part of business.  Remember: Savvy women share!

Leave a comment

Filed under Business Savvy, Self Savvy

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | June 24, 2014 · 5:00 am

The #1 Leadership Advantage Women Have Over Men

Deb Fish 6-22-14

So much is said and written about what makes women more or less effective leaders than men. It is, after all, still a man’s world when it comes to most leadership positions. Women’s leadership aptitude is compared to men’s because—like it or not—men have set the standard.

But there is at least one area where women arguably beat the standard the men have set: women are better listeners on the whole, and listening leaders earn their followers’ trust most readily and engender more support from them. Indeed, effective listening is integral to many of the leadership competencies at which women have been found to excel.

Let’s face it, you are only a leader if other people are following you and you are influencing their direction. A title does not confer leadership, even if it confers some authority, so you can’t rely on a nifty title to make people follow you. Plus, even without a title, it’s possible to be a very effective leader.

Being an effective listener doesn’t mean that you’re necessarily quieter than others, though it might. What it really means is that you respectfully attend to what’s being said and not said, you ask questions to clarify what you hear, and you respond in ways that make the other person feel heard.

As a woman, here’s how your natural aptitude for listening can set you apart as a leader:

• You will understand better than others how your colleagues view initiatives, their roles, company objectives, etc. You will be tapped into all of the talent around you.

• You will be aware of what factors affect your colleagues’ commitment to, and effectiveness in, their roles.

• You will be known as someone who values others’ opinions and input, thereby making others trust you, seek out your counsel, and be more inclined to embrace your ideas over others’.

• You will more often meet your business objectives because people will work harder for you and you will have their allegiance.

All of this extra effectiveness comes from one skill; a skill that women come by naturally. Leverage this talent you have; don’t discount it; use it wisely to create real value for your organization.

Leave a comment

Filed under Business Savvy, Self Savvy

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,