LEADERSHIP (28)
I am so priviledged to be connected with some great people.
Juniques MultiCultural Connections ( www.jusmcc.org )
I am glad to share this insightful and helpful information from a dynamic leader in the Arizona!!
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After leaving our meeting, I immediately thought about a book that I read a few years ago by Keith Ferrazzi called 
Our First Lady Michelle Obama has done it again! Every time she speaks she drops us knowledge to help us reflect our own way of thinking and actions! After watching the Democratic National Convention here is what I took away.
"He believes when you work hard and you cross the door of opportunity, don't slam it! Don't close the door behind you! You REACH BACK and bring others up! @MichelleObama
1. Leadership is 100% about creating new leaders. If you are at the top and love the feeling of being above your subordinates then your motives for leadership are off. Effective leaders lead because they want to create change, influence others to take action, and work their way to a position to challenge the same in others.
"Being President doesn't change who you are, it reveals who you are." @MichelleObama
2. Leadership is an internal expression of an inward ability. Leaders shouldn't become someone "new" once they get into their position because leadership is not about position. Leadership is about the ability to influence change on any level. It reveals who you are because it should be who you are.
"That's the man I see in those quiet moments late at night, hunched over his desk, poring over the letters people have sent him," she said. "I see the concern in his eyes ... and I hear the determination in his voice as he tells me, 'You won't believe what these folks are going through, Michelle . it's not right. We've got to keep working to fix this. We've got so much more to do." She added: "I see how that's what drives Barack Obama every single day."
3. Leadership is about the drive! What fuels you to keep going even in difficult situations? Leaders have to have something to refresh their energy. They frequently revisit the reason for the cause. They hear the voices of the people they are working for and figure out solutions to fix them. Leaders are true problem solvers.
"In the end, for Barack, these issues aren't political. They're personal," she said.
4. Leaders have values. They add value to the issues they value! Simply put they stand for what they believe in. It allows authenticity and a personal connection to be made.
"He believes when you work hard and you cross the door of opportunity, don't slam it! Don't close the door behind you! You REACH BACK and bring others up! @MichelleObama
1. Leadership is 100% about creating new leaders. If you are at the top and love the feeling of being above your subordinates then your motives for leadership are off. Effective leaders lead because they want to create change, influence others to take action, and work their way to a position to challenge the same in others.
"Being President doesn't change who you are, it reveals who you are." @MichelleObama
2. Leadership is an internal expression of an inward ability. Leaders shouldn't become someone "new" once they get into their position because leadership is not about position. Leadership is about the ability to influence change on any level. It reveals who you are because it should be who you are.
"That's the man I see in those quiet moments late at night, hunched over his desk, poring over the letters people have sent him," she said. "I see the concern in his eyes ... and I hear the determination in his voice as he tells me, 'You won't believe what these folks are going through, Michelle . it's not right. We've got to keep working to fix this. We've got so much more to do." She added: "I see how that's what drives Barack Obama every single day."
3. Leadership is about the drive! What fuels you to keep going even in difficult situations? Leaders have to have something to refresh their energy. They frequently revisit the reason for the cause. They hear the voices of the people they are working for and figure out solutions to fix them. Leaders are true problem solvers.
"In the end, for Barack, these issues aren't political. They're personal," she said.
4. Leaders have values. They add value to the issues they value! Simply put they stand for what they believe in. It allows authenticity and a personal connection to be made.
As a new leader, visionary or entrepreneur, your sphere of influence is your power circle. Influence is all about the people you connect with constantly. If you don't have one then you aren't leading. If you aren't sure whose in this circle you are leading the blind. The goal of all leaders should be to increase their circle and cater to the interests and needs of their circle of influence.
As a leader you should have a team who is dependent on your vision and leadership to guide them. This is your sphere on influence. Your energy is dedicated to the visions, the mission, and your team. You should know what is most important to that circle and how you are reaching them. You need to know how your circle receive information best and how frequently you need to contact them to keep them motivated.
To tap into your sphere of influence think about this:
- Who is currently in your circle of influence? Who do you currently connect to consistently? Do you share the same values, career, problems? What attracts you to one another? Think about if this is the group you need to sell the vision you have. If not begin to think about who you need to add to your circle.
- Who would I like to include in my circle of influence? Maybe there are a group of professionals who you'd like to market your vision to but you aren't currently. You have to study places they frequent and who they tend to gravitate to. You've got to do what you need to, to grab their attention and once you've got it give them all you've got. They need to leave understanding who you are, what you do, and why they should care. Think about this carefully before approaching new influences.
- What is most important to them? Know their values and principles. Know what problems they have, what makes them tick, and where they go to de-stress. You need this information to target and position yourself to be on their radar. Once you are speaking to them you have a few speaking points of their interest, and you can now transition into telling them more about you and what you do.
- How can I communicate what I know to that circle of influence? Once your initial contact how can you stay in contact with them. When you exchange business cards you can ask if they'd like to know more about the topic you discussed and get permission to add their email to your list. Now you have targeted exactly who you need to have on your list and you can win them into your circle of influence!
Learn to follow your circle and they will learn to follow you!!
For more practical advice on how to connect to your circle join me for the Accelerate your Vision Tele-seminar by visiting www.permissiontodrive.com/teleseminar.html
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A client recently asked me ‘how would she know when she was finally successful.’ I explained that success means different things to each of us. To achieve success, you must define what it signifies. Success is a journey! As we sail through life, we encounter many obstacles along the way. Imagine yourself sailing the high seas; navigating your ship as it sails through calm waters. At times, it will buck in storms. If you are determined to stay the course, you must periodically adjust your navigational instruments and adjust when problems arise.
As you continue your journey, envision the serene, tranquil and calm blue water with sea gulls flying above, a light house in the far distance and several boats sailing calmly with the waves; here are 4 ways to navigate to your port of dreams! Read more...
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[ Read the full article: http://www.suite101.com/content/eight-practices-to-mastering-excellence-in-anything-a330382 ]
I replied to a question this week on LinkedIn and thought I’d share my thoughts with you on the topic of mentoring. Here is a short excerpt from the comment and subsequent question submitted:“I don’t know how to navigate the professional world. It is like I am an outsider looking in. As an African American woman, I don’t have any willing connections in my family. I am actively networking, taking classes to gain new skills, writing blogs, and interning; this way I can groom myself into the professional I want to be…”
My answer went like this:
Thank you for your note & for expressing your challenges so honestly. I will share that I have been mentored and I have mentored. In most cases where I was on the receiving end, I actively pursued the
relationship. There have been both good AND bad experiences on either
side – I chose to learn from both.
One of the conversations that came out of the recent Women of Color Career Success telesummit I hosted focused on the topic of mentoring and where to find them. There were 3 strategies highlighted from the panel:
- Pursue mentoring relationships with people who already at a level for which you are aspiring – seeking a combination of mentors with similar backgrounds as you AND those who can share a completely
different perspective; - Peer-to-peer mentoring – reach out to positive, motivated colleagues and others within your field for idea/resource sharing; and
- “remote” mentoring – seek out books, presentations, and media that may have messages you can apply to your own situation for growth. If something really appeals to you, consider contacting the author, etc to
let them know how their ideas have helped you – social media really
opens possibilities here. You never know until you try.
“Mentoring” was very loosely defined in each case but the ultimate message was that you can learn from just about anyone’s experiences.
Lastly I will add these tips:
* Don’t be intimidated to ask anyone you have identified as a possible mentor for you. The worst they can do is say no. * You should not expect
someone else to invest in you what you don’t invest in yourself and
others. Definitely look at ways you can mentor and give back. * And if
you happen to run into that not-so-great experience, you can learn
lessons from that too. It just may be “what not to do”.
I hope others will chime in and offer their advice and perspectives on your questions.
Best success to you, Tanya
What are your thoughts around mentoring and what advice would you offer someone for finding a mentor?
About the Author: Tanya Smith of Be Promotable helps ambitious professional women of color develop a competitive personal brand strategy for the career of their dreams. To get instant access to
her free special report on Simple Steps High Performing Sistas Need to Know for Career Success stop by and visit http://www.bepromotable.com.
Why are women better leaders? According to some scholars, women tend to surpass men in consensus-building and certain other skills associated with leadership. Women leaders are more likely to mentor and coach others to create a strong team atmosphere. They encourage genuine collaboration and embrace the empowerment of others. They are passionate about building trust and lasting relationships. Women leaders believe in the power of helping other women.
"There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women." Madeleine Albright
So, what makes them better leaders? Here are 3 obvious reasons why women make better leaders:
Women are persuasive
“Women leaders are more assertive and persuasive, have a stronger need to get things done and are more willing to take risks than male leaders,” according to a recent study conducted by Caliper, a Princeton-based management consulting firm.
Women possess strong people skills, enabling them to analyze information more accurately, thus, enhancing their persuasive abilities. Unfair advantages of male to female entrepreneurs in the marketplace, force women to work twice as hard to be competitive and so they are natural risk takers.
Women are risk takers
Women leaders are resistant to a lot of heavy and unnecessary red tape and will engage in risk taking to come up with innovative solutions to get the job done, efficiently!
A survey by the Simmons School of Management in Boston stated that “women business leaders don't shy from taking risks, but partake in opportunities considered to be "high-risk" on a regular basis.” In addition, the survey revealed that “though businesswomen embrace risk, they are largely viewed by the business world and mass media as being risk-averse.”
Women are problem solvers
When faced with an issue, women prefer to hear the facts, to lay it all on the table; this allows them to analyze the issues to make the most informed decision. Here are 4 quick tips to better problem solving:
1. Define the problem: ask who, what, when, where and why?
2. Analyze the cause: once identified, solicit help from people who are directly affected and those who can assist you in resolving the problem(s).
3. Identify and assess alternatives: Ask for suggestions from everyone and then investigate your alternative(s).
4. Implement the solution: after the alternatives are identified and the best possible solutions have been decided, start moving toward implementation. Choose key people to play a role in working towards carrying out the action steps and goals that are in place. Make sure there is a plan to handle any unforeseen problems that may arise.
In closing, what makes a woman a good leader may vary by person? I see a leader as one who empowers, embraces and motivates others to achieve success on their own terms. She is unselfish and always thinking of ways to uplift and help others and ultimately, not wanting anything in return. How do you define a good leader?
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:Sylvia Browder is CEO of Browder Consulting Group, a virtual small business consulting firm. In her role, she helps Women in Business grow and succeed. She is employed as Project Director and business consultant for the Women's Business Center Inc, a non-profit economic development organization with a mission of empowering women to start and grow successful businesses. She has served as an online volunteer SCORE counselor since 2004. She also serves as a Technical Assistant Provider for SBA’s Community Express Loan Program. For FREE weekly articles go to Sylvia Browder’s Blog for Women Entrepreneurs, www.sylviabrowder.com. She can be contacted at info@browderconsultinggroup.com.
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How to develop an online brand is arguably the hot topic for many of today's professionals. Not only is it critical for many, if not all, businesses these days to have on online presence, it is also fast becoming the way that career professionals promote their value to either retain a job, advance to higher levels, or transition to another career.
This article will cover 7 frequently asked questions about online brand presence for career professionals. Unlike most other articles and media that refer to social networking and online visibility, this message will address people who are still in a workplace setting and the relevance of getting engaged in the online wave of the future.
FAQs About Online Brand for Career Professionals:
This article will cover 7 frequently asked questions about online brand presence for career professionals. Unlike most other articles and media that refer to social networking and online visibility, this message will address people who are still in a workplace setting and the relevance of getting engaged in the online wave of the future.
FAQs About Online Brand for Career Professionals:
- Why do I need an online brand presence when I work for someone else? Competing in today's workforce has been quite a different environment these days. Employers are looking more meticulously and for skilled workers, if they're looking at all. Instead of distributing unnecessary salary dollars to have a recruiter travel to job fairs and collect a pay check all day, thousands of dollars can be saved when recruiting is sourced right from the computer. An article on InternetNews.com by Stuart J. Johnson followed a survey that indicated more than 70% of HR professionals and recruiters rejected job candidates due to what they found online about them. And I suspect that if employers cannot find you at all, they can see your competitor who has a tremendous online profile, and therefore an automatic advantage over you for the position.
- How do I get started in creating an online brand presence, especially when I don't have these skills? There are lots and lots of social media experts and online tutorials. Once you have identified your personal brand strategy (perhaps with the help of a career coach specializing in this area), you can better determine what learning needs you have and find the resources to fill these needs.
- Everyone has a blog and they're telling me I need one too. What if I'm not really a great writer? Part of your branding strategy should be to determine your communication style. Perhaps, instead of written material, your blog may incorporate audio or something else that suits your preference.
- I don't know what to talk about. What if I don't have anything to say? We all know the old saying about opinions...everyone has one! What is a topic that you know very well, are passionate about, and would love to talk about with other people? Is it a topic that could open doors for someone, or make others feel like they have a strong emotional reaction to? Talk about your area of expertise - only you can share it the way you can.
- My time is already so stretched. How do I fit in the work to really be visible online? This is another key area of your personal branding strategy - mapping out your time and intended frequency online can be one of the best habits to create right at the start. You actually can devote just 15-20 minutes per day once you have established the ground work. You might also consider outsourcing to a virtual assistant specializing in social media communications.
- How do I get people to go see my online resources - e.g. CV/resume, website, blog? You can learn to use any of several different models. What works best for me is using tools like Twitter and Facebook to redirect viewers to links that have my content.
- I'm afraid about privacy online. If I put myself out there, I'll be making myself a target for identity theft, right? Great question. I recommend spending time learning how to protect your data online and offline. Just because you don't have an online presence you have deliberately created yet, does not mean someone can't already access your personal information. The federal government actually has a site with some great tools and tips to protect your identity online: onguardonline.gov/">http://www.onguardonline.gov/. This may be a good place to start.
About the Author: Tanya Smith of Be Promotable helps ambitious professional women share their brand brilliance through a powerful online brand presence. To get instant access to her free special report on how to surefire steps to be promotable stop by and visit http://www.bepromotable.com.
Personal brand marketing is a solid career management technique. When you are doing the work to clearly identify your personal brand - or theoverall collection of perceptions that you want others to have aboutyou - it may not be as simple as jotting down a few notes on a memo pad.
Developing a personal brand strategy that describes the irresistible, brilliantyou can take some work, but once you have it, you can apply the piecesto everything you communicate - e.g. resume, interview remarks, onlinemedia, etc.
Below, I will share with you some of the components I used in developing my own brand marketing statement.
Here are the first five concepts to focus on with a brief definition ofeach, and an example taken from my own personal brand library:
- Objective - what outcome are you trying to achieve for yourself or for your targetaudience (e.g. To develop highly successful, professional women of colorto be competitors for advanced leadership positions.)
- Core message - the primary mindset that you want anyone who comes in contact withyou to adopt (e.g. You can successfully advance your career when youincrease your brand visibility in a smart, authentic, and consistentway.)
- Target audience - who do you want to share the message with (e.g. Professional women of color, age 30-55,seeking career advancement, career change, or business start-up.)**Later, we can talk about who the ideal client is for you within thistarget - yes, there is a distinction.
- Brand Statement - what do you do and who do you work with (e.g., I work with professionalwomen of color seeking career advancement or transitioning into solobusiness. I show them how to develop a brand strategy for their careerthat connects them with their target audience & key influencers.)
- Unique position - what makes you different than anyone else who does this work (e.g.,My strategy is based on a 60/40 combination of proven career managementtechniques and online brand expertise. I also have a powerhouse networkof branding resources to help my clients implement the plan once the itis put on paper.)
About the Author: Tanya Smith of Be Promotable shows ambitious working professionals howto get the promotion of their dreams. To get instant access to her freespecial report on surefire steps to getting the ideal job promotion stopby and visit http://www.bepromotable.com.
This was my response to a reporter today who asked about the top 5 tips to get promoted in a tough economy. Thought I'd share them with youin this quick bulleted list.
Top 5 activities I'm sharing with my clients for being promotable right now are:
- Tell yourself the truth about your performance and your talents - whatresults can you offer? What has been your track record over the pastyear or so? Take a good hard look at what makes you promotable andask yourself the tough questions before somebody else does.
- Get raw, honest-to-goodness feedback from others even if it hurts - onceyou have examined your personal results, find out what kind ofprofessional reputation you've created. Do key players respect yourwork? Will you get the support you need to advance to the next level?What kind of advice can you solicit on the steps required in yourcurrent professional environment?
- Be prepared for a "pat on the back" promotion - yes, you might have to recognize that a salaryincrease is just not possible right now in your company. Be open to apromotion with a "head nod" instead of an increase in pay.Ultimately, you can revisit salary once the economy begins to turnaround. Track your results over the coming year so that you canjustify and support an increase once this conversation is open againin your business.
- Figure out what your brand is, then market, market, market - this ties back to #1 and 2. What kind of core themesare you known for and what consistent message are you sending aboutyourself? If you have a dynamic brand as a reliable,solution-oriented leader continue to think of ways to enhance thisbrand. Contribute in meetings, be able to speak to how your work isimpacting the bottom line results.Become known for something positiveand relevant in your industry.
- Manage your online reputation - since so many employers these days are connected with their employees,prospective candidates, etc. online, it's important that you haveestablished a solid, congruent image. You will want to do thisresponsibly, and remember that it's almost better to have an invisibleonline brand (none at all) than to have a "two-faced' online brand -one where you're Dr. Jekyll at work and Mr. Hyde at play.
Now what do you think about this list & what else should be on it?
About the Author: Tanya Smith of Be Promotable helps ambitious workingprofessionals get the promotion of their dreams. To get instant accessto her free special report on how to surefire steps to get promoted stopby and visit http://www.bepromotable.com/.
Ladies helping moms grow their business is what personal development and coaching is all about. One of the best forms of marketing idea and its totally free is Writing a Press Release. I know your thinking but my business is small right now and I am doing it part time and at home. Put that thought aside because this tecnique works for all entrepreneur's especially you and therefore extremely powerful!
You can write a press release for just about anything going on in your business that you’d like others to know . Think about it. Anything new that's happening in your business is news worthy. Here are a few examples of press release material:
- A new employee, partner or association
- Grand Openings
- Special Discounts
- Charitable Functions you are sponsoring or participating in
- A new product or service
- Receiving an Award
- A Big Sale
- Business Anniversaries or other Milestones
You see how awesome and exciting this could be for your business. I bet you have plenty of news to tell your prospects and clients. Therefore, I hope this triggers your list and add more for you to market and help grow your business. Stay tune for more marketing tips and examples of a press release.
Here's to your success!!
Marlene McCray
Lifestyle Expert @ bizymoms.com
Marlene McCray, MS is an Adjunct Faculty member, Success Coach and Compass Representative. After years in academia, her passion and committment focuses now on inspiring and empowering women to live their life on purpose as well as the opportunity to work at home in their own Compass business. Email: marlenemccray@fallintoyou.com
At times people and things get in our way because we feel the need to appease everyone that comes along. We forget the simple things such as a kind word or a smile that can impact our day in such a delightful way and raise the bar for us in our business. So today...
Do you feel tired from giving too much? Are you involved in a co-dependent relationship that you can't seem to let go of and its affecting your business? Are you growing your business at the same time growing and embracing you " A leader of your business" ? More specifically, are you in the right business?
Ladies if you are you passionately minding your business then it will show. It will show as your business grows with new prospects, clients, initiatives, additional networking ideas etc. Set the tone for your business today and the rest as they say is history!
God Bless,
Marlene McCray, MS
Personal Development Trainer & Compass Representative
.
1. Take 100% Responsibility for Your Life – In a society where people blame everything from their parents to the government for failure, those who don’t buy into this mentality or succumb to the “victim” thinking succeed. To blame something or somebody outside yourself is saying they have control of your life and not you. Someone else’s opinion of you doesn’t have to become your reality.
2. Live Your Life On Purpose - What separates motivational thinkers from the unsuccessful is that they believe they’re doing what they were put here to do. The difference between this and just living, is that the latter is just getting through the week with the least problems. But when you live your life on purpose, your main concern is doing the job right. For the entrepreneur this means finding a cause you believe in and building your business around it.
3. Be Willing to Pay the Price - Be willing to pay the price for your dreams. Wanting a big house, a luxury car, and a million dollars in the bank is all very nice, and everyone wants these things – but are you willing to pay the price to get them? This is one of the major differences between the successful and unsuccessful.
4.Stay Focused – Every day we’re bombarded with hundreds of tasks, phone calls, messages, and everyone competing for our time. Focusing requires giving up something in the present because you are investing your time in something that will pay off big-time down the road. Jack Canfield and Mark Hanson were turned by 30 publishers when they submitted the first “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book. Instead of giving up, they stayed focused on their goal and did four or five interviews per day for radio, TV, and newspapers, for five days a week for a whole year. Eventually, a small publisher decided to take a chance, and of course now it’s a best-seller that spawned an entire series that have sold more than 10 million copies.
5.Become An Expert in Your Field - One striking factor all successful people have in common is how seriously they take their profession. They strive to be the best at what they do, and do almost anything to improve. If someone followed you around all day with a video camera at your business, would it be a tape you’d be proud of or embarrassed about? Make the decision today to work at being the best in your field. How? By finding out what the “best” in your field are doing, and do what they do.
6.Write Out a Plan for Achieving Your Goals - Write out an action plan/map for how you’re going to achieve your goals. Trying to reach your goals without a plan is like trying to drive from South Carolina to Chicago without a map. A goal that isn’t written down is merely a wish or fantasy.
7.Never Give Up - Never, never, never give up. When you’re fully committed to achieving your goal, giving up is not an option. You must be willing do whatever it takes to make it happen. The power of perseverance is an awesome force. As someone once said, “inch by inch it’s a cinch”. Think of the lowly inchworm – if it pondered the length of the trip from start to finish before it started, it probably would never move. To a worm’s point-of-view, the garden path must look like a trip to Mars. Never give up! Keep on going like the Energizer bunny, and pretty soon you’re there.
8. Don’t Delay - Nobody knows how much time they have left to accomplish their dreams, and we must remember that we don’t have forever. The clock is ticking, and sooner or later your number comes up and you’re gone. Successful achievers know this too, but they don’t view it as a “negative”. Achievers use it to “spur them on”. They go after what they want as energetically and as passionately as possible, for as long as they have.
I had a friend who used to say, “Today is a check – cash it! Yesterday is an I.O.U. – forget it! Tomorrow is a promissory note, don’t bank on it!” I think that’s a pretty good summation of life, so go out there and cash in on that “today” check.
Cheers,
Charlotte Howard - The Hair Marketing Gal
