Workplace Wisdom... Discover Fulfillment in Life and Work with Michelle Y. Drake
The ability to embrace what inspires us in life and work and the tools to live in fulfillment exist in all of us.
Are you sleepwalking through your life and career?
Wake Up!
And Emerge as the Leader You Were Born to Be!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Do You have the 13 Vital Traits for Success?
I’ve got a question for you...now be honest!
Are you truly where you want to be in life?
(Who is, right?)
Well, today I have a treat for you...a freebie (for now)!
My amazing friend (and Success Guru...she founded and runs Success IQ University) Stephanie Frank is launching a new program and I convinced her to let my readers preview it for FREE!!! The program, “The 13 Vital Traits of Super Effective People”, will help you understand the blueprint you need to get where you want to be in business and in life.
Anyone feeling a little bit lost these days?
I have seen many of Stephanie's programs and she is top notch...and funny...and part of my Girlfriend Network (remember yesterday's post!!!)
I don’t know how long she’ll be offering this program for my people for free, so take 5 minutes now, click the link above and claim your 13 Vital Traits of Super Effective People audio training program today.
Howto Define a Girlfriend OR The Networking Sisterhood
This poem was forwarded to me from my youngest sister Kate (a recreation superintendent in Ocean City Maryland) with no author to credit. It really struck me as a perfect take on the power of the networking sisterhood. We need to tap into the women we know to help our careers, businesses, families and personal growth! We don't have to be alone. Men have gotten the "good ole boys" network for ages...it is about time we tapped into our "sisters".
These are my sisters and mother, I am the oldest of the four of us girls ...Kate is on the left and is the youngest (by 9 years...but who is counting!), Julie is next, then Mom, Me (check out my "on vacation" curly hair!) and Sheila.
GIRLS IN MY CIRCLE
When I was little, I used to believe in the concept of one best friend. And then I started to become a woman. And then I found out that if you allow your heart to open up, you will be shown the best in many friends.
One friend is needed when you're going through things with your partner and another when it's your boss! Another friend is needed when you're going through things with your parents. Another will sit beside you in the bleachers as you delight in your children and their activities. Another when you want to shop, share, heal, hurt, joke, or just be.
One friend will say, "Let's cry together,'"
another, "Let's fight together," another, "Let's walk away together,"
another..."Let's Do It!"
One friend will meet your spiritual need, another your shoe fetish, another your love for movies, another will be with you in your season of confusion, another will be your clarifier, another the wind beneathyour wings.
But whatever their assignment in your life,
on whatever the occasion, on whatever the day,
or wherever you need them to meet you with their gym shoes on and hair pulled back,
or
to hold you back from making a complete fool of yourself in front of your boss... ...those are your best friends.
It may all be wrapped up in one woman,
but for many, it's wrapped up in several......
one from 6th grade,
one from high school,
some from the college years
a couple from old jobs.
On some days she's your mother.
On some days she's your neighbor.
On others she's your sisters or cousins.
And on some days she's even your daughters.
Whoever these women are for you...they are your critical network! In these tough times we need our networks more than ever!
So to my Sisters...a big Love Ya Girls!!! And Thank You for always being there for me!
It has been quite a while since I have blogged...My Bad!
I have had my head down working on my next book (on how to avoid being misunderstood!). The working title is I Didn't Mean THAT! Solving the Communication Puzzle at Work but my publisher may have a different idea on the title! I am glad to be back and will be giving you some sneak previews of the book chapters excerpts in the next few weeks.
As we all try to figure out who we are and where our place is in these very "different" economic times, I am glad to be back in service to you!
It is more important than ever to display a little Workplace Wisdom!
I don't know about you, but I can practically taste roast turkey and all the fixins' already! My boys...my young men will be home from college soon, and I'm looking forward to having the family together again for the holiday. And I can definitely use a few days off from work, too, with the hectic pace I've been keeping lately.
But taking some much needed R&R means I have a LOT of work to do this week, and the only way I'll be able to accomplish it is if I have a serious plan of attack, a strategy so I don't go completely crazy and still have enough time to get all of my food preparation ready.
I stumbled across a great article on productivity that I thought might help all of us stay organized at work during the holiday frenzy:
In this article, Ms. Badion offers an interesting take on how to break up your workweek and stay on schedule so you can accomplish all of your goals.
"Make a plan on Monday"
I don't know about you, but on Mondays, my mind is still stuck on weekend mode and it's difficult to concentrate on the works tasks at hand. The article recommends using Mondays to "set the stage for the rest of your week." Strategize and create a schedule, write your lists and plan out the rest of the week.
"Time to get movin' on Tuesday"
The weekend is now firmly behind you, and it's time to start tackling those lists and following the plan you made on Monday. The article advises: "Try to arrange your time so you have few interruptions or meetings; changing gears frequently hurts your productivity. Along the same lines, try to cluster projects that require similar resources for even more efficiency." This is a serious workday!
"Reassess your week on Wednesday"
The strategy you came up with on Monday isn't set in stone. To ensure that you're accomplishing everything you need to, you must re-evaluate your plan and make adjustments to stay on track. "The middle of the week provides an opportunity for you to figure out where you're at and what still needs to be done." And since most of us are not working in a vacuum, this is the time to incorporate new projects and tasks handed to us.
"Think about a break on Thursday"
We're a push-push-push society when it comes to work. Overtime, shortened lunches, zero breaks during the day are the norm for most of us. But according to this article, we should "use Thursday as a day to reward yourself for your hard work throughout the week and to prepare for the final pre-weekend push." Excellent advice! Taking the time to re-energize and re-focus our minds results in far more productivity than pushing ourselves to work harder and longer.
"Be flexible on Friday"
Even the most productive people aren't always able to finish every aspect of every project during the first four days of the week, so Friday becomes the day to tie up all of those loose ends. it's also a great time to get yourself ready for the next workweek, and as the article says, "Making sure things are neat and in order when you come into the office on Monday will help you make your weekend less stressful and ensure you don't return to a chaotic mess."
Taking a risk with your career may seem counter-intuitive amid our economic crisis, but according to this article I found on Yahoo! HotJobs, I think it could be a fantastic idea!
"4 Career Risks Worth Trying" by Denene Brox features four "calculated" risks that could mean a brighter future for your career.
"RISK: Going Back to School"
I know this can be a huge investment in time and money, but with all of the online programs now available to us - where we can pay less for a quality education, and come and go as we please from the comfort of home or even the office - it can be an excellent stepping stone to success. As the article states: "...determine if going back to school helps you achieve this goal [a raise or changing career paths] by talking to your boss and mentors." In my business, I've always encouraged my employees to never stop the learning process, and like my company, many organizations will even foot the bill (or at least part of it) if it will add to your value and the value you bring to work.
"RISK: Changing Careers"
I've said this time and time again: do what you love! And the article agrees: "With increased company layoffs, no one is immune to losing a job. Finding work that you love should be a priority in your career." This decision is a biggie, so make sure you carefully examine the pros and cons of a career move, and dig down deep to figure out what you really want to do. Is it something you're GOOD AT as well as enjoy? Consider this carefully because as many of us know, just because we love doing something, that doesn't necessarily mean we're skilled at it (see: "American Idol" contestants during the try-out weeks!)
"RISK: Saying 'No' to Added Responsibility"
At first you might think, "Are you crazy?! Saying 'no' at work?! That's the surest way to a pink slip!" In some cases, you may be right, but the article makes a great point: "If your boss is saddling you with more responsibility with a project or promotion, be sure you understand exactly what that will mean for your success. Not all promotions are created equal, and you can quickly become the office doormat if you constantly take on projects that may not have high enough visibility to move your career forward." I'd like to add a note to this and say, if you do turn down a project, make sure it's for the RIGHT reasons. Too many of us turn down opportunities to advance our careers because of fear - fear of failure, fear of putting our ideas out there, etc. - and that's definitely NOT the right reason. When offered more responsibility, think about it carefully and honestly before accepting or refusing.
"RISK: Starting a Business"
As an entrepreneur, I know firsthand the trials and tribulations (and satisfaction and rewards) of starting a business. It takes total commitment, a willingness to sacrifice, and a LOT of hard work. If you're not ready to say "yes" to all of that - and more - starting a business probably isn't right for you. But if you're ready to dive into the world of entrepreneurship, my best advice is the same as the article's: "Do your research (including health care options), save money, and build contacts in your industry while you're still working in your current job."
Check out the full text of the article here, and thanks to Denene Brox and Yahoo! HotJobs for posting such helpful advice. I recommend that you carefully digest this food for thought if you're stuck in a rut at your current job, if you're ready to take on a new challenge, or if you're wondering where to go next in your career.
With the economy still in its current slump, ask someone to define "job satisfaction" and I guarantee you that most of them will say: "Having a job. Period."
There is definitely some truth to that, I admit. But I am still a firm believer in doing what you love for a living and finding happiness and satisfaction in your job - no matter what the stock market says. After all, we spend most of our waking lives at work...don't we deserve to enjoy it just a little?
So if you're currently in a job that makes you happy (at least for a good portion of the time), then I congratulate you. Stick with it and thrive!
But if you're waking up every day wishing you could call in sick and then grudgingly trudging off to work, maybe it's time to start taking a peek into the job market.
Now, I'm in no way advocating that you should chuck your current job and set off into the world, searching for your next career. That would be madness during ANY economic time, but especially this one. Rather, I'm suggesting that while you continue to work at your current job, start thinking about what kind of work would satisfy you.
What kind of experience do you have? (And can you translate that experience into another field or industry? You'd be surprised to find out how universal some of your experience can be.)
What kind of skills do you have? What are you truly great at, and do you love doing it?(This is so important! You might be great at, say, accounting practices, but you might not really like crunching numbers all day. On the flipside, you might love being a salesperson, but fail to close a lot of deals. Both of these situations need to be taken into account so you can make the best decisions for yourself and your checkbook.)
What do you like about your current job?(Be thorough in your evaluation and get to the root of what you like. On the surface, it may seem that you like answering phones, but really, it's the contact with the clients that you like.)
What don't you like about your current job?(Again, dig deep to the root of the matter. You might think you hate dealing with expense reports, but really, it's the fact that you have to hunt them down from your co-workers that drives you crazy.)
If you could be anything you wanted, what would it be?(I know this seems like a "kid's" question, but I love it. It's been the starting point of many a successful career!)
Remember: don't just answer these questions from a "work" standpoint. Answer them from your personal life as well. How can you parlay your fascination or skill with a hobby into a great career (and subsequent satisfaction)?
I came across an article that can get you started on where to find job satisfaction:
In this article, Ms. Cowan cites a study by the University of Chicago called "Job Satisfaction in the United States." She writes: "The study says the occupations where people report being happy overall, not just in terms of job satisfaction, involve helping others, technical and scientific expertise, or creativity."
That's some food for thought to keep in the back of your mind when you begin to evaluate new career opportunities!
Ms. Cowan goes on to list the top occupations (as found by the study), and they include:
"1. Clergy 2. Firefighters 3. Transportation, ticket, and reservation agents such as travel agents 4. Architects 5. Special education teachers 6. Actors and directors 7. Science technicians 8. Miscellaneous mechanical and repairing occupations 9. Industrial engineers 10. Airline pilots and navigators"
Go ahead and read the article here. It might be just the catalyst you need to find your own source of job satisfaction!
As I was perusing The Wall Street Journal website, I came across an interesting article that introduced me to a new "business speak" term: "manage up."
Elizabeth Garone writes in her article "What It Means to 'Manage Up'" that "when someone tells you that you need to 'manage up,' what he or she is really saying is that you need to stretch yourself. You need to go above and beyond the tasks assigned to you so that you can enhance your manager's work, says Rosanne Badowski, co-author of 'Managing Up: How to Forge an Effective Relationship With Those Above You.'"
Communication above all else is the key. Do you know your boss's communication style?If not, find out! You may be more comfortable talking about the big picture, but he or she may prefer bullet points of facts and figures...and if you can't present your ideas in that manner, it's likely that they're falling on deaf ears.
The article goes on to list other ways to "manage up" - there's a lot of great info so I suggest you give it a read-through. I want you to ride out our economy's current crisis on a wave of success!
I was having a coaching session with a client on the phone the other day while I was at home trying to recuperate from two whirlwind weeks in California attending the WITI Women and Technology Summit and meeting with clients and colleagues. She's a new employee trying to establish herself as a vital part of her new team, but she's having trouble dealing with one of her teammates.
"Every new idea that gets brought to the table is shot down by her," my client said. "We're facing some issues that demand solutions. We've had several meetings and are no closer to resolving anything. It's so frustrating!"
That's a tough one. We've all known our fair share of "Debbie Downer" types; they always something negative to say, always want to poke holes in our ideas, always playing "devil's advocate."
But are they being pessimists...or realists?
I found a great article on this subject on The Wall Street Journal website:
In this article, Ms. Schaefer likens these people to the office Eeyore :) and she give some great tips on how to alter your way of thinking without sacrificing your personality or completely refraining from offering a differing opinion.
After all, sometimes it's the devil's advocate or the hole-poker who keeps us from making major missteps at work. It's important to balance being positive with challenging your team and your company to strive for greatness and profitability.
I'm coming at you all the way from California today! I've been here since last Monday meeting with clients, catching up with colleagues like Dr. Helen (in Santa Rosa), and presenting at this year's Women and Technology Summit, hosted by WITI (Women in Technology International) at the Hyatt Regency in Santa Clara. I'm joining another colleague of mine, Ardice Farrow - founder and publisher of Wake Up Women - in two sessions at this conference: "Storytelling - A Powerful Leadership Tool" and "Developing the Natural Leader in YOU!" It's been so exciting and fascinating...I'll be sure to post about it when I return home to Connecticut.
In the meantime, I was doing my usual survey of today's news and was disheartened to see this headline in the Yahoo! Business section:
By the time we reach retirement age or the point in our lives when we're ready to leave our professional careers and focus on doing all the things we never had time for, we rely on our retirement funds to finance us. We've worked hard, darn it, and we deserve to be able to enjoy the fruits of our labor, to travel, to relax, to buy a boat...to follow our dreams! But so many people contemplating retirement today aren't going to be able to do that because they simply don't have the funds to leave the workforce.
While there's very little we can do to control economical circumstances, there are mistakes that we can avoid making, to help ensure that our nest egg is healthy and ready to be cracked open when we retire.
Here are the highlights of the list: Top 10 Retirement Planning Mistakes
1. "Not taking advantage of time." 2. "Not investing regularly." 3. "Not taking full advantage of tax-free retirement accounts." 4. "Poor asset allocation." 5. "Not creating a post-retirement plan." 6. "Forgetting about your 401(k)." 7. "Cashing out or borrowing heavily against your 401(k)." 8. "Failing to consider tax and inflation." 9. "Relying too heavily on Social Security." 10. "Relying too heavily on your company's stock."
I would strongly recommend that you go to the article directly and read through it carefully as well as do your own research on the dos and don'ts of planning for retirement. Your ability to retire might just depend on it!
Personal Finance - Important Now More Than Ever...
The economy, the economy, the economy...
Aside from the Presidential race, it's the hottest topic in the country right now, and with all of its uncertainty and instability, it's also become a source of fear for our society.
I came across this fantastic article from CNNMoney.com:
It has some sound advice for those of us who've reached for our credit cards one time too many. This info is especially crucial advice for entrepreneurs who may have relied on their personal credit to start and grow their businesses during those first few shaky years.
Here are the tip highlights of the article, written by Jessica Dickler, CNNMoney.com staff writer:
"1. Look at the big picture." "2. Pay important bills first." "3. Call your creditors." "4. Transfer balances." "5. Quit the cards." "6. Prioritize paying down debt." "7. Bulk up your payments." "8. Check your credit report for mistakes." "9. Get help." "10. Start saving."
Have you ever wondered how some people seem to always get exactly what they want? All they seem to have to do is snap their fingers and *poof* they've got the job they want, the home they want, the car they want, that gorgeous pair of shoes they want, even the soulmate they want. It's maddening, isn't it? Especially since most of us are floundering around, feeling inadequate, always wishing for things that never seem to materialize. And then we get resentful and even jealous. That's no way to go through life!
So today, I'm going to share with you the 6 secrets to getting what you want, no matter what it is! (And it's a heck of a lot simpler than you think!)
For more FREE tips on advancing your career and navigating the workplace, sign up for my FREE e-zine "Lipstick Leadership" at LipstickLeadership.com today! And check out the products I've developed to guide you toward the success you deserve!
Are YOU Ready to Unlease the Healthier, Sexier You?
Imagine having an unlimited amount of energy to nurture your health, an endless desire to make your health a priority, the effortless discipline to act in accordance with your priorities, and such a tremendous willpower that you no longer give into temptation. Imagine how much more successful, accomplished, fit and fulfilled you would be!
At last, someone has discovered the secret to achieving and maintaining your health goals and dreams easily and effortlessly so you can avoid premature aging and chronic diseases such as: heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and obesity, and enjoy a much longer, healthier and happier life!
That individual is my friend and preventative medicine expert, Dr. Karen Lee Paquette. She is a physical therapist, naturopathic physician, and professor turned author and wellness coach. Her inspirational message is to let you know that you no longer have to struggle to integrate the principles of healthy living into your life. You can easily achieve the health and appearance goals you so desperately want, and more importantly, deserve.
With passion as the driving force and nothing in your way, it's EASY to maintain an ideal weight, eliminate fatigue, and love the life you live!
Sharing an intimate account of her own personal struggles and triumphs, Dr. Paquette in "Stop Being Stopped" will inspire you to live with vigor, follow your vision, and take control of your destiny. Let nothing stand in your way!
I'm proud to announce that I've teamed up with Dr. Karen and a dozen of her friends (including my Ayurvedic doctor, Dr. Helen Thomas) and colleagues on the international launch of her book. We are excited to collectively make you such a special offer.
Okay, so here's the deal:
We'll give you over $500 worth of bonus gifts FREE when you purchase a copy of this amazing book by following these 2 simple steps right now!
1. Click here to open a new window to Amazon to order your book now! (Keep this window open and return to enter your Amazon order number upon completion at Amazon.com)
2. After you place your order, just enter your name, email, and your Amazon Order Number in the form here. We'll ask you to confirm your e-mail and then we'll send you access to all the bonuses.
Here's what we have to say about Dr. Karen and "Stop Being Stopped"...
- Michelle Yozzo Drake, CEO - The Cove Group, Inc., and Author of "From the Kitchen to the Corner Office: Mom's Wisdom on Leadership"
My Gift: A downloadable audio "30 Action Steps to Jumpstart Your Career" - value: $79
"Dr. Karen has provided us all with a clear path to health AND most importantly has given us the means and mechanics to remove all of our obstacles on that path."
- Dr. Helen Thomas, Ayurvedic Specialist
My Gifts: "Guide to Effortless Ayurvedic Living" guide - value: $37; "Ayurvedic Beauty Type" online course - value: $47
"Wow - Dr. Karen has provided a simple, easy-to-follow guide to creating greater health and well-being. She gives the reader great tools, exercises, and easy-to-follow recommendations. I suggest you stop whatever you're doing (just for a moment) and get this book so you can begin to feel healthier, look better and become the sexier, unstoppable YOU that you deserve to be. I know I did!! Thanks again, Karen."
- Susan Guiher, MS CCC - Author, Speaker and Professional Coach
My Gift: "Jump Off the Balance Bandwagon" free tele-class - value: $49
"The GO Doctor offers a road map to well-being while giving us the green light to start the journey!"
- Kristen Marie Schuerlein, Founder of Affirmagy
My Gift: 20% discount off of Affirmagy blankets - value: limitless
"Karen's book entitled "Stop Being Stopped" gives us a step-by-step plan, elevating self-care, self-kindness and self-fairness so that we can't ignore our responsibilities to our bodies and our spirits. She urges us to protect our position of empowerment by choosing to act instead of react. Her personal victories over life challenges are exemplary, and I'm motivated to begin anew, reactiving my personal willpower."
- Debra L. Morrison, Founder of Debra L. Morrison Speaks, LLC
My Gifts: "7 Biggest Risks Women Investors Face" e-course - value: $79; "Compounding Wealth by Capitalizing on Boomer Gender Differences" e-course - value: $29
"Dr. Karen knows what gets in the way of living healthy, vibrant, happier lives, and she shares her expertise and those insights in this book. This is literally a road map to better health, filled with best practices regarding how to make positive choices and assessments for determining where we are and where we want to head. Open this book and step off the side-lines and onto the express lane to becoming a healthier, sexier you!"
- Corrie Woods, Author of "The Woman's Field Guide to Exceptional Living"
My Gift: "The Woman's Field Guide to Exceptional Living" e-book - value: $10
"My first 'ah ha' from 'Stop Being Stopped' came quickly on page three of Dr. Karen's enlightening book where she reports that '87% of women claim that their quest for health and wellness motivates their life decisions more than anything else' yet '70% report that they frequently do things that they know interfere with their well-being.' Wow, that hit home for me! It got me up off my butt and out walking again, and I've not stopped since. Thank you, Dr. Karen. That was the reality check I needed."
- Dharlene Marie Fahl, Author/Inspirational Speaker/Tea Specialist
My Gift: "Sipping Tea - Celebrating Me" e-book and seven daily prayers - value: $13
"Dr. Karen has nailed it! I'm a natural-health junkie, but this is the first book I've ever seen that handles mind, body and spirit together. For the GO DOCTOR knows that when you live a healthy life, you are better able to live your purpose. If you want to find more joy in life - read this book!! Oh, and the best bonus - the fatigue test. I've never seen anything like it. The GO DOCTOR really knows her stuff - take advantage and live your best!!!"
- Dr. Patricia Ross, Best Affirmations
My Gift: The Best Affirmations Workbook - value: $20
"The Go Doctor is just the right medicine for a healthy, vibrant life. Dr. Karen's insightful book, 'Stop Being Stopped,' was the green light I needed to get my health back on track. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking a sexy, healthy, inspired life."
- Elaine Starling, CEO of Promise Power
My Gift: The Promise Power Daily Gratitude Worksheet - value: $20
"The GO Doctor has given mankind one of the most precious gifts - heartfelt sincerity to external and internal wellness...utilizing passion, compassion, and her 'pearls' of wisdom to stimulate a happier and more energetic you!"
- Janice Bernhard, The "Happiness" Coach
My Gift: 1-hour Power Coaching with Mind Kinetics session - value: $125
"'Stop Being Stopped' gets to the heart of what holds us back from having the health and energy we need and want in our lives. I am completely amazed with the clarity of the roadmap she provides. It's holistic health at its finest. Her unique approach leaves no stone unturned because it encompasses not only the body, but the mind, heart and spirit as well."
- Faith Zimmerman, Radiant Life Strategies
My Gift: The Holistic Balance E-Course - value: $30
1. Click here to open a new window to Amazon to order your book now (keep this window open to know what to do next)
2. After you place your order, just enter your name, e-mail and your Amazon Order Number in the form here. We'll ask you to confirm your e-mail and then we'll send you access to all the bonuses.
I want you to understand my perspective on Dr. Helen's approach to managing menopausal symptoms, and in order to do that, I need to share a little of my personal menopausal journey.
In the year leading up to 2000, I had a bout with ovarian cancer. This nose-to-nose fist-fight with the disease ended with a win for ME!
In June of 2000, I had a total hysterectomy and eight years later, I can confidently say, it got ALL the bad stuff out! I did have to fight with a few of my doctors on how I wanted to proceed with treatment. Knowing that I could not have any more children (a whole other long story), I pushed for just getting it all out of me for good, and the doctors finally acquiesed. I always did have good negotiation skills.
The thing that I didn't really understand at 38-years-old was the impact of post-surgical menopause and the traditional medical treatment for its symptoms.
Symptoms...such a clinical word for world-rocking physical and emotional feelings. After seven years of HRT (hormone replacement therapy), I found a doctor who could take me off HRT (which, by the way, put an extra 40 pounds of weight on me during the first few months of treatment, and I've been battling to get that weight off for years!). With the help of Dr. Helen Thomas, I've lost 20 of those 40 pounds and now I have my hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms under control - without taking hormones!
You know I love to share a good resource, and this week, I'm going to do just that!
I've blogged about Dr. Helen in the past, and now we're trying to share some of the treatment info that she's used with me to help other women who may not be geographically local to work with her directly.
You could suffer through menopausal symptoms...but why?
Dr. Helen Thomas and I present her Ayurveda 3-Step Menopausal Balance Program guaranteed to set you on a course toward "sama dosha" - all three doshas in balance (you can learn what a "dosha" is through her "What Is Ayurveda? Understanding the Principles of Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Body Types" guidebook available for download with this program!) - during menopause and beyond!
Menopause is a natural cycle, but dealing with its symptoms can be uncomfortable and even embarrassing. Instead of turning to risky treatments like HRT, wouldn't you rather utilize the natural, safe practices of the ancient science of Ayurveda to soothe your hot flashes, mood swings, hot feet, fatigue and more?
Dr. Helen's Ayurveda 3-Step Menopausal Balance Program is a special combination of guides, recipes, regimens and a tele-seminar where YOU can tap into her vast Ayurvedic wisdom and ask her the direct questions about your personal journey through menopause.
STEP 1: The "What Is Ayurveda? Understanding the Principles of Ayurveda and the Ayurvedic Body Types" PDF booklet Determine which of the three doshas - Vata, Pitta or Kapha - that guides you, and discover which regimens will work with your body type and digestive tendencies.
STEP 2: The "Menopausal (and Menstrual) Remedies for Your Body Type" PDF pamphlet. Quiet and diminish your menopausal and menstrual symptoms with five-sense therapy and daily lifestyle regimens to re-align your doshic imbalances.
NOTE: Both booklets will be presented in one, easy-to-download PDF file, available after you finish the purchasing process.
STEP 3: The "Ayurvedic Menopausal Balance Tele-Seminar" on Wednesday, September 17th at 5:00 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. There's only so much information Dr. Helen can give you in her ezines (available at www.EffortlessAyurvedicLiving.com) and booklets, and because every woman's journey through menopause is unique, she wants to address YOUR specific issues and offer you personal Ayurvedic insights and knowledge. On this call, Dr. Helen will go into more depth about everything she's discussed so far and answer any questions you may have.
If you've been reading her recent ezines (sign up to read them at www.EffortlessAyurvedicLiving.com) you know that she's only scratched the surface of the wonders of Ayurvedic treatments for menopausal balance! By purchasing her Ayurveda 3-Step Menopausal Balance Program for the low price of $29.95 (or you could spend thousands of dollars on other "remedies" that may do more harm than good), you're opening yourself up to a world without the suffering of menopausal symptoms.
Enjoy this beautiful time in your life by attaining balance through menopause the Ayurvedic way!
Ordering this program is safe and easy. When you complete the purchasing process, you'll be e-mailed both pamphlets - in a single, easy-to-download PDF format - and the information on the tele-seminar call-in number and access code.
Take your menopausal care into your own hands and order today!
Recently, I was featured in an article by Katherine Reynolds Lewis (Newhouase News Service) in The Seattle Times, called "Working through on-the-job menopause." Even through menopause is a natural cycle, that doesn't mean its symptoms don't interfere with our personal and professional lives.
Hot flashes, mood swings, fatigue...few women are blessed enough not to have to deal with these symptoms. And they can wreak havoc in our personal relationships as well as our professional ones.
Raise your hand if you've ever sat in a meeting and suddenly felt the familiar rush of heat and sweat that a hot flash can bring. I know I have. It's uncomfortable and embarrassing, and it can often send the wrong message to your colleagues and even your boss. They may mistake your red face and your fidgeting as dislike for an idea or a project...when all you're trying to do is muscle through and ride out your hot flash!
Let me tell you a little bit about my personal experience with menopause and the treatements I've undergone to try and ease my way through the process...
My colleague, friend and Ayurvedic doctor, Dr. Helen Thomas, D.C., has helped me immensely as I navigate my way through menopause. Her safe, natural Ayurvedic methods have all but demolished my menopausal symptoms, and let me tell you, I feel a lot better knowing that I'm not pumping hormones into my body. Not to mention the fact that my work - face-to-face with clients and audiences of thousands - no longer suffers at the hands of menopausal symptoms.
And now I'd like to offer you the opportunity to experience Dr. Helen and her Ayurvedic methods for dealing with menopause. She's currently offering an amazing program called "Ayurveda 3-Step Menopausal Balance Program" on her website: www.EffortlessAyurvedicLiving.com.
The first step in her "Ayurveda 3-Step Menopausal Balance Program" is a fantastic PDF booklet called "What Is Ayurveda? Understanding the Principles of Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Body Types". It gives a brief overview of Ayurveda and the Vata, Pitta and Kapha body types as well as specific regimens for each type, Ayurvedic recipes, and other Ayurvedic treatments.
The second step in her "Ayurveda 3-Step Menopausal Balance Program" is the "Menopausal (And Menstrual) Remedies for Your Body Type" PDF booklet. This informative pamphlet provides safe and natural Ayurvedic remedies for common menopausal and menstrual symptoms.
The third step in her "Ayurveda 3-Step Menopausal Balance Program" is a live tele-seminar with her, Dr. Helen, and myself. She'll be going into greater depth about all sorts of menopausal issues as well as proven Ayurvedic techniques for dealing with uncomfortable and often embarrassing menopausal symptoms. It's also your opportunity to speak with her (and me) directly: ask questions, offer your own insights, and share your menopausal experiences.
To learn more about Dr. Helen and her incredible Ayurvedic insights into menopause (as well as a whole host of other issues, including weight loss, food combinations and beauty), visit her website at www.EffortlessAyurvedicLiving.com and click on her "Archives" section.
Menopause is a natural process, but thanks to Dr. Helen and Ayurveda, it no longer has to interfere with your personal and your professional life!
Remember a few weeks ago, I alluded to a brand new program that I was developing to help people get over their fear of public speaking (the #1 fear of most people!)?
Well, it's ready to roll, and I'm so excited about it!
Knowing how to speak in public is VITAL to your success personally and professionally. Most executives that I know wouldn't be where they are today if they couldn't express themselves to their teams, their clients and their bosses. And the fear of opening your mouth in front of an audience - small or large - can be crippling to your career and your relationships.
My "Get Over Your Fear of Public Speaking!"video program shares my best tips for banishing those public speaking demons forever. As a professional speaker myself and someone who has met other amazing speakers, I've gathered a world of experience, tips, and tools that I want to share with you through this video program.
(The response to this program has been astounding! Don't miss your opportunity to tap into my professional speaking expertise and learn how to communicate confidently in front of any audience!)
Michelle Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention has people talking, and after seeing it, I can understand why. You gotta give her credit...what a fantastic speech and speaker! Michelle held that room in the palm of her hand! She knew that her role was to appeal to the women voters in the audience (both live and virtual)...the mothers, sisters and daughters and that is how she played her content and delivery. She knew she needed some female damage control...and she delivered.
The immediate connection she made with the women in the audience was, "I am someone you could chat with over coffee!"
The stories she told and the passionate and engaging way she told them really struck a chord. It was clear that although she was there to talk up her husband, she did so in a way that was personal and heartwarming - not cold and robotic, just spewing out facts about him. I admire how she embraced her roles as a wife, mother and daughter instead of shying away from them as so many professional women do. This woman clearly has a good idea of who she is and what role she would like to play as First Lady.
It was a brilliant move (and a crowd pleaser) when she...
gave props to her mother (and father), to Hillary Clinton for the "18 million cracks" she's made in the "glass ceiling", and to the generations of people who've come before us and how they paved the way, they are our role models, they've given us opportunities for success.
You know, I think Michelle would really like my book!
As a professional speaker, I examined her with a critical eye and found her to be an excellent speaker both charismatic and focused. She looked elegant, stylish and (most importantly for managing her image) approachable- great choice not to put on the corporate suit because it would've contrasted with her subtle message ("I am just like you").
The girl sure can tell a story: she clearly projected that her message was heartfelt and that she was passionate about it, but she didn't slip into being overly sentimental. Her words had just enough polish to be taken seriously, but enough tiny mistakes to make it personable as well . Her gestures and body language complemented her eloquence and grace. Although sometimes her pointing of the finger gave away a bit of her more aggressive side.
All-in-all, I give her an A for her speech and her presentation. I particularly liked her call to action: stop doubting and start dreaming; follow your hopes instead of your fears.
My apologies for staying away from my blog for so long, but between working with clients, traveling to Salt Lake City for a conference about SendOutCards.com (you've GOT to check these guys out - their system is amazing and so much fun!), and getting my sons back off to college (the house is mine and my husband's again - woo hoo! But seriously, I love my kids and miss them, too), I've been using my few minutes of downtime to, you know, breathe.
And I've also been staying up way too late to watch the Olympics! I'm so proud of our fellow countrymen and countrywomen; they've been outstanding all around in their events. According to Yahoo! this morning, the USA has earned 101 medals so far (8 of which are the incredible gold medals won by record-breaker Michael Phelps - congratulations to him!).
While I love the thrill of the competitions, I'm truly amazed by the Olympians themselves. To paraphrase a comment made on "Project Runway" during their Olympic challenge, they are as close to real-live superheros as we can get. They are at peak performance levels, and they've trained endlessly to achieve their goals. Let's follow their example!
Today, I challenge you to commit to your career like an Olympian commits to his or her training. I want you focus on kicking your career into overdrive (especially if lately it's been chugging along like a golf cart), and I want you firing all cylinders as you work towards your career's peak performance level.
And as your coach, I'm going to give you the benefit of my knowledge with these 10 tips for advancing your career!
1. Create a "life skills" line: Record everything you know how to do - from birth until the present - and all the skills required to do them. What have you excelled at? (And they don't have to be just work-related...you'd be surprised how the skills you have in your hobbies translate into success into the workplace.)
2. Make a "life activity" line (layer it right over your "life skills" line). Identify the activies at work and at home that you enjoy doing. If your skill is problem-solving, activities you might like are troubleshooting at work or working on your car's engine. A career that is satisfying and challenging with incorporate some of those skills and activities.
3. Rate your enjoyment and aptitude of each entry on your line: 1 if you're excellent at it and love doing it; 5 if it's one of your weaker areas or if you wouldn't want to do it for more than a few hours. And with this info, you're going to then...
4. Create a clear picture in your mind of your next 5 career moves (they're not set in stone!). They could be in order and progressing up through your organization, or they could be lateral moves into other organizations or industries. Plotting out these career moves starts to set you up with a strategy for career advancement (and we all know how much I LOVE strategy!).
5. Map out opportunities within your organization. You got those 5 career moves in your head - where are they in your organization? Create a "treasure map" that you can follow, leading you to each of those 5 career moves. Who's holding those jobs now? What are your chances of earning that position? If there's a star blocking your route of advancement (think Don Draper of "Mad Men") who shows no signs of budging, then you should first do everything in your power to succeed and prove your worth in your current position (a shift all the way up line might occur) or you might want to consider moving to another company, which leads me to...
6. Map opportunities outside your organization. What organizations are the leaders in your industry? Are they looking for highly-skilled people like you, and if so, what could they offer you? Look for industries that are complementary to yours. There may be opportunities to not only bring your insights into a new industry, but also for you to be invigorated by a new set of challenges.
7. Assess people in higher levels of your organization. Give them a report card. Who does a great job? Who might be on his or her way out? Who might be open to talking to you about their position? What are their skills...and do you have them?
8. Make a list of people who would help you if they knew your career aspirations. While it's a good idea to be tentative about who you share your career plans with (especially if they include chucking your current job for another), you have people in your sphere of influence that can help you attain your career goals if you talk to them about those goals. Be selective in who you share your dreams with, but make sure you share your dreams with someone!
9. Use an interview as an excuse to go and speak to someone who has the job that you want. Does your company have a newsletter or a website that highlights employees and bosses? If so, go to the head of these departments and ask if you can do a profile on the person who has the job you want. I'm sure they'll be thrilled to have some of the burden taken off them, and I'm sure that the person you interview will be flattered that you're so interested in them and their job. Asking for an interview is a non-threatening way to do your research and gather information.
10. Join an industry organization. This is a primo networking opportunity just waiting for you to reach out and grab it. Learn about other companies in your industry, other positions you may be qualified for, and loads of other inside scoop that can help you strategize your next career move.
Now go out there and earn a gold medal in career advancement!
I've said it before and I'll say it again: We women have to stick together!
We've got SO MUCH going on in our lives: handling our kids, our significant others, our households, our careers, ourselves...I felt a wave of exhaustion sweep over me just while I was writing that!
The only way we can have it all and do it all (and do it all right) is if we share what we know with each other, if we lend each other a helping hand, if we support each other.
That's why I want to share with you an amazing gift!
As you may remember, I've been working with an incredible woman named Dr. Helen Thomas. She is a practitioner of the ancient, healing science of Ayurveda. She's also the author of Effortless Ayurvedic Living (available for FREE on her website), and she's responsible for drastic, wonderful changes in my health. I've already mentioned how here and here.
Now she's offering an amazing tele-seminar, and I just have to tell all of you moms out there about it.
Many of us have had some sort of struggle with our weight. I know I have! (Until I met Dr. Helen, I felt like I kept losing and gaining the same darn ten pounds!) And I'm sure I'm not the only one who had an emotional struggle with it, too. I worried about how I looked, of course, but more importantly, I worried about my health and how I felt about myself.
While this is important for us, as adults, to deal with, it's even more crucial when it's our children who are suffering from being overweight. The stigma surrounding being overweight, the health concerns, and the damage to their overall well-being are our responsibility, and we need to take control and set them on a path toward greater health not just now, but in the future as well.
Her approach to childhood obesity is through the safe and natural practices of Ayurveda. This is an ancient science, readers, and as a patient of hers, I can attest to the unbelievable results it brings.
But I'll let her tell you all about it...
She's offering sensational tele-seminar on August 26th that you absolutely MUST be a part of, even if your child isn't suffering from obesity, because her tips and advice can help you help them maintain their healthy weight.
The tele-seminar is called Ayurvedic Answers to Getting Our Children Healthy! We all know that childhood obesity is a national epidemic, but Dr. Helen believes that the answer is NOT pharmaceuticals, fad diets, or shame and deprivation. AYURVEDA is the key to managing the weight of your child! It's gentle, loving, safe and natural - all the things you want for your child...and it's as close as your spice rack!
The Ayurvedic Answers to Getting Our Children Healthy! tele-seminar will be held on August 26th, 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time/ 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. This phenomenal event is more than just valuable advice and tips: it's an opportunity for YOU to ask YOUR QUESTIONS! Dr. Helen Thomas and her husband, Dr. Craig Thomas, will be there, ready and willing to share their vast knowledge on Ayurveda.
The info they're presenting, plus the live-and-direct Q&A with them, could easily cost you $$$$ in books, seminars, and products, but she's letting me offer this out to you for a special rate, a minimal cost of only $22.95.
Your health and the health of your child are WORTH it!
Ordering is safe and easy! (Brought to you by me - Michelle Y. Drake - and my company, The Cove Group, Inc.)
To sign up, simply click here to begin the purchase process.
I'll be there on the tele-seminar call myself, so I hope to "hear" you there!
Well, after last week's whirlwind posting marathon during "Lipstick Leadership Week", I decided to lay low for the past few days.
In the interim, I've been swamped with coaching clients who are begging me to help them with their public speaking. Apparently, that old saying about public speaking being an even greater fear than death is true!
Now, I admit: even a professional speaker like me gets butterflies in her stomach before taking the stage and staring out into that sea of people. But then my adrenaline kicks in and my naturally talkative personality takes over. Unfortunately, that's not the case for most people.
I've heard horror stories from clients, colleagues and friends about how they froze under the spotlights (or even speaking to a smaller group in a meeting) and tripped and stuttered their way through their presentations. My heart goes out to them. (I feel the same way when faced with a situation where math is required!)
So a few days ago, I had one of those "aha" moments Oprah's always talking about:
- People need help with their public speaking. - I'm a professional speaker who can also be considered something of an expert in getting over fears.
Why not figure out some global way (as opposed to one-on-one coaching...there's only so much of my time to go around!) that I could help people overcome their fear of public speaking??
Eureeka!
I'm now in the process of developing a fantastic new video product and loads of special bonuses to go along with it. I can't wait to unveil it, and I'm hoping to have the finishing touches put on it next week!
Keep your eyes open, loyal readers, because you're going to be one of the first people I offer it out to. I'll post more details soon!
...all of the fantastic entries I received will live on here at my blog!
If you missed out on last week's event, feel free to scroll down or click on the "lipstick leadership stories" tag at the bottom of this post to enjoy all of the anedotes and insights that made "Lipstick Leadership Week" a smashing success!
I'd like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who sent in stories - they were all truly amazing and inspiring. I only wish I could get to know each of these incredible role models personally!
And it's a great feeling to know that this network of "mother's wisdom" you all helped me create is only the beginning! I can't wait to get started on the next book in the "From the Kitchen to the Corner Office" series - you've proven that there's limitless inspiration out there and plenty of moms and mom figures to draw experiences from!
In the meantime, I've got a lot of other pots full of ideas bubbling on my mental stovetop, and you'll be the first to hear about them here on my blog and through my free eZine "Lipstick Leadership" (Haven't signed up yet? You're missing out on a lot of great info! Sign up here or at LipstickLeadership.com).
"Both of my grandmothers taught in one-room schoolhouses in rural Pennsylvania for many years. I visited those schoolhouses with them in the '50s and '60s and was amazed at how self-sufficient they were. My mother started her own kindergarten - also in Pennsylvania in the '50s - and then taught in an elementary school for another 35 years. The lessons that I learned from them are those of perseverance and determination to finish the job inspite of all obstacles and hardships which you may encounter both at home and in the workplace."
- Kati Machtley, Women's Summit Director, Bryant University
"My mother's courage, strength, resourcefulness and unconditional love shaped my self-image which allowed me to pursue everything and anything I have ever wanted to achieve in my life. Her actions taught me to persevere even in adversity and to believe anything is possible for me. Although she was not born in this country, she has amazed me with her ability to reinvent herself many times over! Not only does she have spirit but it is all grounded with an incredible faith that she has also instilled in me. My mother is my role model...she has led her life with the utmost grace and soul. I have grown to become a resilient woman who has approached all of my work with passion and the belief in my ability to achieve all of my goals. Because of the solid foundation she created for me, I don't hesitate to 'go for it' within my work every day. I'm not afraid to try new things, welcome challenges and have the confidence to plow right through them."
Lipstick Leadership: More Than Words - Corrie Woods' Story!
"The most powerful lessons I learned, and am still learning, from my mother haven't come in words. Not that the countless times she sat me down to share wisdom that helped me to find my way weren't important. They were. Yet the lessons that have lasted the longest and that have become a part of who I am came from watching how my mother shows up in the world. Here are a few examples of what I mean: my mother doesn't believe in complaining, never has. She takes what life hands her and makes the most out of it. My mother shows me that a woman can be tough and strong and have a huge and caring heart. Though I undoubtedly have had my moments of stretching her toleration and patience, I have never doubted she was there for me and my sisters 100%. My mother taught me that when it comes down to it, dropping everything and hopping a plane to take care of a loved one in need is a no-brainer. Most of all, my mother taught me these lessons and so many more which have helped me to be the best mom I can be for my children. That has been the greatest gift of all!"
- Corrie Woods, author of "The Woman's Field Guide to Exceptional Living"
"Brigadier Pat Foote influenced me when I was a 2nd lieutenant and trying to manage everything. She said, 'The sign of a leader is how well their people do when they are not there. Train your people, always tell them the result you want but don't dictate the how...let them surprise you with their ingenuity. Never micromanage. Trust them to do the job, but always check, check, check.' She then 'killed' me in the war games and had my sergeants take over - they did great and I learned to power down."
- E. Adrienne van Dooren, The House That Faux Built
Lipstick Leadership: "Igniting the Spark of Leadership" - Chris Brown's Story!
"My mom was my Brownie leader. She organized the crafts. She volunteered to pick up the patches at the scout shop. She still isn't much of a singer, but she taught us all those special Brownie songs. She helped us recite the Brownie promise at the close of each meeting. She got all of us girls to really believe in ourselves that when we chanted the phrase, "Twist me and turn me and show me the elf, I looked in the water and saw...myself!" When we glanced down at the pine branches laid around the mirror, we really were transformed into someone who can do anything. She gave us the confidence to try new things and make a difference. And over the years, our troop did. We cleaned up the overgrown corner lot in our town, throwing away trash, trimming back all the weeds and planting petunias. We visited the shut-ins in the nursing home. We camped in the woods and cooked on Buddy Burners made of 3 lb. coffee cans and tuna cans with cardboard and wax.
As we grew from Brownies to Juniors to Cadettes, so did our activities. We traveled to the capital. We helped organize events for the younger scouts. We saw plays. We earned badges. We took photos and cemented friendships. We created scavenger hunts for the younger scouts with watermelons as the prize at the end. We learned leadership skills like mentoring, planning, encouraging and collaborating.
My mom volunteered hundreds of hours to the girls in our troop. She taught us leadership by letting us try it on one step at a time. And now, many years later, if you surveyed those dozen girls, you'll find women who have grown up to become leaders in a wide variety of roles including business, government and health care (and scouts, too). And now we are passing it on to the next generation.
Thanks Mom, for igniting the spark of leadership in all of us!
"I learned an important lesson from my Aunt Evelyn, a farm wife. When I was young, I used to think that Evelyn was the most patient person I had ever met. Evelyn was slow to judge and quick to understand. She taught me that you never know what is happening with a person until you ask. This has helped me to forge business relationships that I would otherwise never have considered."
- Julie Viskup, Law Professor at Champlain College
Lipstick Leadership: Accessorizing Your Life with Time for Yourself - Pam Robertson's Story!
"...I credit a good part of my efforts at celebrating myself as a woman to my mom and my grandmother. They both taught me how to step back from work, kids and family issues to take some time just for me, and do it with panache.
Nana had my mom in the midst of World War Two in Britain. Nana is a frugal woman and has lived what many of us would consider a hard life, but through it all - working as a housemaid and later, a hand model only to have to take work as a welder during the war, then moving to Canada with a young child - she could step back and unwind herself. Even if all she had was five minutes, my grandmother would spend some time on something that made her feel good, and often it was as simple as the way she put her lunch plate together. It was as simple as grating cheese on top of her salad and adding a sprig of watercress on the side. It was as elegant as winding her chestnut hair and pinning the curls in a way that crowned her head.
My mom could be going to the shops for a few groceries or simply stepping out to say hello to a neighbor, but even during cancer treatment and with most of her hair gone, Mom always made sure that she looked good when people saw her, and she continues to do so. She'll throw on a beautiful pair of earrings, a necklace, scarf or brooch, something with a bit of style.
When I was a young adult, I thought she was a bit over the top, always reminding me to accessorize, but I realize now that the effort that she made for herself made her feel good, and the energy and enthusiasm for life that she possesses also transfers to others around her and makes other people feel good. That says a lot for the power of a pair of earrings and a scarf, but it's true.
At times when I am really feeling the pressures of work and running a business, family and all the things that come together to make it work, I pause to think of these two women who have had so much influence in my life, and I celebrate a little moment for myself. A cup of tea in my favourite cup, a sprig of parsley on my plate or a piece of jewelry that offers a statement, and I am acknowledging both of these remarkable women. I thank them for the example that they set about the importance of celebrating me and for embracing life with all it has to offer."
Lipstick Leadership: Independent Woman - Christina Lemmey's Story!
"My mother is very independent and led by example that women could do anything we wanted to do. She was a stay-at-home mom and was not a business person, but she took art classes at the community college, and she would travel at least once a year by herself to visit her brothers across the country or her best friend. We didn't have sit-down conversations about all the things I could accomplish, but sometimes seeing a living example is just as powerful as hearing the words. I've heard from many friends how they are surprised I would drive 3 hours with my kids to visit an out-of-state friend by myself. I also decided on my own to start my business and figured out myself what steps I needed to take to learn more from coaches to increase my business.
While I do not consider myself a risk-taker, the independence that I learned from my mother has definitely helped lead me on the right business path."
"As a single mother I learned the value of planning ahead...planning big things. Back in 1976, I decided to celebrate the country's bicentennial with a cross-country (east to west coast and back) road trip with my four-year-old daughter. I invited a girlfriend with a six-year-old to join me. We planned the trip loosely on a small budget, loaded up my Toyota station wagon, and set off for an astonishing adventure. Plan it, do it, enjoy it, learn and remember forever! It's the same thing in business!"
"What I've learned from my four kids - and from the experiences of moms I've interviewed for my book - is the importance of consistency in children's lives. This is especially true when it comes to a mom's job. Whether a mom works part-time or full-time or has been home since her children were born, it's the predictability of the arrangement that makes it work for the kids. Messing with that consistency can be tricky - which is why moving in and out of the workforce must be handled with great care."
- Carol Fishman Cohen, Co-Author of "Back on the Career Track"
"Most everything I learned about work and work ethic, I learned from my father. The most important woman in my life was my grandmother. She taught me many, many things about gardens, animals and birds, and unconditional love - but not about work. On reflection, that probably was the best lesson to learn...work isn't everything."
Lipstick Leadership: "Stand Up!" - Dr. Carole Lieberman's Story!
"My mother taught me to stand up for myself and not be intimidated by rules. For example, as a little girl, I remember being awestruck by how she would persuade big department stores to take back merchandise that their rules said would never happen. Like the designer gown she got a store to take back because there were suddenly cheaper copies of it on the market all over town. This, despite signs warning that they never take back gowns. It may seem like a trivial example, but it taught me not to take 'no' for an answer.
Today, she has the same spunk when it comes to dreaming up audacious marketing strategies for her new children's book, Archibald's Swiss Cheese Mountain. I look at her and am reminded and grateful that she has passed this 'chutzhpah' on to me."
- Dr. Carole Lieberman, Beverly Hills psychiatrist/author/talk show host, www.DrCarole.com
Lipstick Leadership: Home Is All Around Us - Elaine Starling's Story!
"My parents are both college professors. Every Thanksgiving, my parents invited foreign students to join our family for Thanksgiving dinner. My mom would cook a turkey, a goose, tons of stuffing, green beans, homemade biscuits, and multiple pies. We all gathered around a groaning table to celebrate the holiday. My parents made sure there you pens on hand so that each guest could sign the tablecloth - a tradition handed down through my mother's family. They wanted to capture the good will, great memories, and joyful moments shared around that table. My mom hand-embroidered each signature before washing the tablecloth. We still gather around that table and reminisce about the fun we shared with our international friends. Sharing our Thanksgiving meal with others reminded us that, regardless of where we are, home is all around us, uniting us with the shared spirit of collaborative joy."
- Elaine Starling, Promise Power TM, www.PromisePower.com
"My husband's grandmother, 'Nana Vi', redecorated her apartment at age 92! Her sense of optimism was her greatest gift to me. With a book about to be published and an associated business plan in the works, optimism is what has helped me deal with the chellenges along the way. Coming from a family of worriers, I had to learn to be optimistic, and Nana Vi's example was my guide."
- Carol Fishman Cohen, Co-Author of "Back on the Career Track"
"As young girls, my twin sister and I loved to watch our mother dress for a function before she went out with my father. We would behold her beautiful, tall frame perfectly wrapped in any one of her saris from her vast collection. My most sensual childhood memories include my sister and I burying our faces in the safe folds of those perfect pleats, inhaling the scent of Chanel No. 5 permeating the shimmering fabric.
I owe my fashion career to precious afternoons spent with my mother as she unpacked her trunk of saris. Each sari had a story. There were several stories attached to each sari: who bought it for her, who presented it to her, what was the occasion for which it was bought, where she was when she first wore it. The beautiful light turquoise sari with a saffron border her father presented to her the day she immigrated to America was stained by the vermillion her mother wore in a round circle between her eyes as she embraced my mother tightly while she said goodbye. Then there was the white cotton sari with a pale green print that her sisters often borrowed right after she ironed it and starched it. She always knew it had been worn because of the red dusty edges that matched the earth of the town where she grew up. My aunts would always return it to her cupboard, neatly folded with the hope that she wasn't clever enough to notice.
I've always loved how her saris punctuate milestones both mundane and momentous in her lifetime. Add to this the story of the silk. Every time she pulled a sari from her trunk, she would tell us whether it was woven in West Bengal or in Tamil Nadu, in Maharashtra or in Karnataka. Each sari was linked to a particular tradition that had a story, a story that narrated the craftsmandship of our native country, India. The Dhaka silk tradition was nearly eradicated when the British chopped off the thumbs of the Bengali weavers so they would not compete with the colonial silk trade. The Kanchipuram silk, the King of all silks, hails from a glorious temple town where sillk was woven to swathe the gods and goddesses in the most royal of robes. I think my first education of India's geography was told through the artistry of these weavers.
It has always been the story and experience of a person, a work of art, or a place that keeps me riveted and curious. As the child of immigrant parents, retelling the story of India and its artisans is the gossamer thread spinning endlessly through my work. The stories of my mother's saris bring me closer to her joys, pains and discoveries, and are the seeds that sprouted into my own personal and artistic 'discovering' of India, a lifelong process, granting me the fortune of a fulfilling fashion career."
"My mom taught me to try new things and improvise. Mom's acts of daring tended to happen in the kitchen - she'd find a recipe for a bouillabaisse that took five hours and she'd find a way to make it in forty minutes. Or she'd take a fat-laden recipe for chicken and change a few ingredients to make a tasty, simpler and healthier version. She was never afraid to experiment. I'm not as daring as my mother in the kitchen, but I think her confidence shows up in my work as a book coach. I'm comfortable trying new things and applying them to my work for clients. I credit my mom with that ability to take something new and tweak it for my own purposes."
"The best lesson Mom taught me and I have taught many of my girlfriends is you can't get everything you need from just one person. Our spouses do not give us everything we need; they don't want to see chick flicks or try on new clothes. That's why we need girlfriends. I have also applied it where I work. Some people are fun to work with an enhance your day...but may not be best to delegate work to...but they help you keep your sanity in the workplace. Some are great workers and you can count on them to make your job easier. Some are great leaders and role models helping bring direction to the work environment. It takes them all to make your job work."
"My mother taught me to be real - never to lose who I am in the work environment. It has served me well in the past thirty-two years with IBM where, in the beginning, high heels wer an unusual sight. My ability to be authentic has helped me create a career that is rewarding and challenging and suited perfectly to ME!"
- Nancy DeViney, Vice President of Values and Organizational Capacity, IBM
"My daughter taught me how many activities I could cram into one day! A sign in my office states: 'I thought there were only 24 hours in a day until I went into business for myself,' but the truth is that having one's own business AND raising children is what really teaches that lesson."
Lipstick Leadership: Learning to Be Myself - Laura Ries' Story!
"Mom's greatest gift to me was encouraging me to be me. She valued my sister and I for who we are. It was okay if we had interests that were not typical. She was full of life and loved to celebrate. It wasn't until recently that I have applied this gift to my career. I kept a part of me separate when at work. This was in an effort to be 'business-like'. I was able to do my job and very well, but something was missing.
Oh, if I hadn't had the encouragement from mom, I wouldn't have ever tried being me. Now that I have, there is a new dimension to the work environment that enriches all of us."
"My mom taught me how important it is to have girlfriends to support you. She did this socially, but I do this where I work. I seek out older women or women with more experience than me to be my friends and part of my work support system. I do the same for the younger women with less experience in my industry, providing them with support."
"My grandmother taught me that a woman can be powerful by her very presence, even when she's embroidering flowered tablecloths. Although my grandmother didn't have a corner office, she had her corner of the living room from which she exuded as much power as a top CEO!"
- Carole Lieberman, M.D., Beverly Hills psychiatrist/author/talk show host, www.DrCarole.com
"My mother, Mabel Tse, taught me that a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step, and you should never ever give up, even if there are obstacles or disappointments along the way.
Our family encountered life-shattering obstacles such as murder, utter poverty and the isolation of being an immigrant family. My family and I have kept moving forward step-by-step and finally, I can say that I've achieved my dreams and those of my mother - becoming an attorney, award-winning restaurateur, and successful author of our family's memoir, Sweet Mandarin."
My Aunt Jennie is more than just a relative - she's an inspiration who taught me more than just how to make delicious bread during our baking lessons...
"When I was a little girl, my mother told me that women are like an iron fist in a velvet glove...which meant that we don't have to speak loud, shout, or be rude...we just have to be solid and strong on the inside to get things done. My mother, very softly and sweetly, never takes NO for an answer. As a filmmaker, I need a lot of people to help me get a story told. The ability to speak sweetly and appreciately while still getting my ideas across with authority has been an advantage in making films that make a social statement...thank you, Mom!"
"My first boss (a woman) shared a tip with me that has made a huge impact on my life and business: take a notebook and pen with you everywhere and take notes during your conversations. Ideas may spring up later when you review your notes...and it ensures you won't forget anything! Now I am a compulsive note-taker and my clients value my creativity and project management skills - all created via my notes!"
Lipstick Leadership: A Letter to Mom - Melinda Day-Harper
"Dear Mom: I remember waaaay back when I was in my early 30's and fretting about something or another, you patted me on the knee and said, 'Oh, honey, you'll mellow out as you get older.' Ha! This coming from a woman who with a single glance could intimidate the devil himself! I can just hear you laughing out loud right now!
You conducted your life, Mom, with such stature, such presence, and with so much love and grace. I don't know how I could ever begin to come close to the person you were while you were here. I was so proud of you and for you when the Mayor of Fort Worth presented you with the key to the city as Volunteer of the Year for your work with Hospice and as a children's advocate. I know that you were proud, too, but mostly just grateful for the opportunity to be of service again as you always were in your life.
What incredible tragedies you not only survived, but triumphed over! Daddy's murder, your son's tragic death, your own brain tumor, your younger daughter's overdoes and suicide attempts. You sat through the murder trial with the same peace and grace that you've always presented to the world, that you have always had within. When my daughter was born, you told me, 'The two most important things you can teach your child are the Love of God and independence.' Now, I have to say that my ex-husband thought you went a little overboard with me on the independence thing, but it has served me well!
You always told me I could do and be anything I wanted to as long as I stayed close to God. When I had to put you into hospice care yourself in 2005, you looked at me and said, 'This is a wonderful place, honey, don't worry about it. I'm ready to go home.' I am so very grateful, Mom, that God blessed me with you - as my Mom and my prime, supreme example of the woman that God wants me to be. You are forever in my heart and soul. - Melinda"
- Melinda Day-Harper, co-author of "Wake Up Women", entrepreneur, speaker, corporate executive, coach and CEO of T-Zone Consulting, Inc. www.TZoneConsulting.com
"It is very fun for me to balance what my mother has taught me with what you, Michelle, have taught me. In addition to the many business lessons you have taught me, the lesson that stands out the most in my mind is the lesson of bringing play into the workplace. When I painted with you and watched you bake bread, I saw this whole other side of you. This side did not reconcile at first with the passionate, bold business woman and mentor you had become for me. As we dove deeper into the creative process, it became clear that your painting was like my filmmaking...a calling. As I watched you paint and reflect on my business needs, I saw how you used your art playfully to work through abstract problems and fuel your imagination keeping you mentally sharp. Your lesson of play helps inspire me when I get to a place where creatively I need fuel."
Lipstick Leadership: "What Are You Wearing?" - Vicki Flaugher's Story!
"My mom and I have an inside joke about visualizing your success. We both believe that to reach a goal you have to really see it like it's already accomplished and if you do, it will come to you. So, when I would tell my mother about a project I was working on, or a dream I wanted to fulfill as an entrepreneur, she would always ask me, 'What are you wearing?' She would want me to describe my clothes and my hair style and everything that would be happening at the moment I achieved my goal, right down to the color of my dress and lipstick. She'd ask how I am celebrating my victory and who is with me. It's a little game we play and it really helps me to get clear about the end I am seeking. My mom has a great way of helping me see myself as a success. I just ask myself, 'What are you wearing?' and my confidence rises. I have to give her at least partial credit for helping me in that area. Together, we are stronger!"
- Vicki Flaugher, the original SmartWoman, SmartWomanPublishing.com
"My mother's mother, who we called Grandma, always made people feel appreciated - whether it was the painter, the butcher or the meter reader. When I served as Executive Director of a non-profit organization for ten years, I often heard from volunteers about how they felt appreciated in the organization. I wrote frequent thank you notes, celebrated volunteers with an annual potluck dinner, highlighted people's generosity (of time and money) in our newsletters and annual reports, and always made sure they knew how much their contributions meant to the organization. While I probably spent a good part of my time thanking people, in the long run, it supported a very loyal group of volunteers. Thank you, Grandma, for showing me the power of appreciating people."
Lipstick Leadership: Appreciate the Beauty of Art - Barbara Taylor Bradford's Story!
"My mother had a good eye for antiques. Not that we had any, but she loved paintings, furniture and good china. For years she dragged me to country houses like Harewood House in Yorkshire. She would say to me: 'That's a Georgian piece; that's a Constable. You must always keep your eyes open.' She imbued in me a love of beautiful things. And as all of my readers know, the pages of my novels are often filled with detailed descriptions of items just like these."
"Motherhood has taught me to keep things in perspective. When my children were younger and I'd be in the middle of a work crisis, the moment I got home and held one of my children and saw the look in their eyes as they talked to me, the big crisis just became a situation that had to be dealt with rather than an all-consuming problem taking over every single ounce of my energy and thought. My children keep me grounded and balanced. That is a necessary skill in my work - as well as a necessary attitude to possess - always keep things in perspective. Being able to step back from a situation, accurately assess it, weighing out pros and cons, obstacles, challenges and options prior to coming to a conclusion is critical. Having said that, I still struggle with not reacting to the moment but being a mother has taught me to be more patient, open-minded, flexible and wise!!"
Lipstick Leadership: "All I Am I Owe to My Mother": Denise Reed's Story!
"Everything I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." - Abraham Lincoln
"As Abraham Lincoln said, everything I am I owe to my mother. She taught me how to tie my shoes, how to match my clothes, and how to make decorative flowers out of Kleenex. She taught me manners, respect for myself and others, the value of a dollar, and the importance of an education. She gave me driving lessons without yelling, excitedly took me shopping for two prom dresses, and as a child, she even let me roller skate repeatedly in the air conditioned house when it was too hot to go outside. She taught me countless and invaluable lessons in life that have shaped me into the strong, confident woman I am today.
Throughout my life I have heard her recount bits and pieces of her childhood on the small island off of Japan called Okinawa. She ran through dirt-covered streets without shoes (not by choice but by lack of money) and went hungry more often than not. She had difficulty learning English when she arrived in the United States at the young age of 12, and she had an even more difficult time trying to fit in at school. After graduating from high school, she attended beauty school while working in the kitchen of a local hospital. She saved every penny to buy her own car and secured a position at a nearby beauty salon. She later met and married my dad, and they happily celebrated their 40th anniversary in April of this year. Their life together was built on a partnership, both in marriage and business.
Soon after my parents were married, they purchased a catering business and worked the business without employees for over 30 years. This required my mom to cook, clean, run a household and be the best mom a child could ever have. She managed all of these things like an Olympic skater on ice - gracefully.
My mom has worked harder than any woman I know and probably ever will. Her childhood was less than desirable, and she could have easily used that as a crutch to walk through life with an entirely different attitude. Instead, she worked all that much harder to provide me with a life than every child is entitled to. She showered me with love and affection, provided me with opportunities that allowed me to learn and grow, and she taught me that roller skating in the house is wonderful fun.
Thank you, Mom, for being the mother that I am striving to be to my son. I love you!"
"When girlfriends bond, they create the sound of music. When they bond together for a common cause, they create a symphony of unlimited and immeasurable orchestral power."
"As a stepmother, I often struggled to find that fine balance between friend and mom. My stepson has a wonderful mother who is helping him lead a strong, value-filled life. However, I'm a firm believer that it takes a village to raise a child. I didn't want to just be his friend - I wanted to be a 'co-mom' for him, basically a third-party for him to talk to.
After many years of struggle - taking him to the duck pond, playing football with him, and showing him that I loved him as a son - I sometimes wondered if it was working. That changed one day when I jokingly asked, 'Who's your favorite stepmom?' and he replied, 'You are.' I laughed and said, 'That's because I'm your only stepmom,' and he looked at me for a minute, and then what this 11-year-old said brought tears to my eyes. 'No, Kristie,' he said earnestly. 'Even if you and dad divorced and he remarried, you'd still be my favorite stepmom.'
This story means even more to me today, now that he's a teenager, as his father and I are divorced. I'm still trying to figure out how to be a 'non' stepmom. But the lesson learned here is that you don't have to strive to be liked to be respected and loved. You have to go for what's right. I've applied this to my career as a teacher as well. I don't have to be a child's friend; I have to be his teacher, and I have to be respected by him."
"My mother ingrained in me the importance of a prompt, nicely-written thank you note. This habit, while simple, has served me well in business - mainly because so many people neglect to express their gratitude for things."
- Rochelle Kopp, Managing Principal, Japan Intercultural Consulting
Lipstick Leadership -- Unexpected Kindness is the Best Marketing According to Seth Godin's Mom
Seth Godin writes the most popular marketing blog in the world. He is the author of the bestselling marketing books of the last decade, speaks to large groups on marketing, new media and "what's next"; and is the found of Squidoo.com, a fast-growing recommendation website.
He posted about advice from his mom...
"[My mom] pointed out that any time you do something because you're supposed to, or because everyone else is doing it, it's not worth as much. Flowers the week before or a nice poem on the day after were priceless compared to the trudge to the restaurant on the appointed day.
I think this is true of all marketing. Nice words to a customer the day they say they're quitting, or to an employee during an annual review aren't worth much at all."
"My mother taught me to 'catch more flies with honey than with vinegar!' I try to remember this when I am about to scream at someone for not doing what I want, when I want it!"
- Carole Lieberman, M.D., Beverly Hills psychiatrist/author/talk show host
"As mothers, we teach by what we do and by what we don't do. Sometimes what we are exposed to propels us toward action, and sometimes what we wish we have propels us. I am the youngest child in a large family and by the time my mother was raising me, she was exhausted from the demands of the five us us as well as my father's illness. As a result, I became very independent and this drive continued through my college years as I balanced working as a waitress (to pay for college) and my full course load. This independence and ambition has helped me success in the corporate marketplace where the ability to work hard and remain focused has served me well. So thanks, Mom, for what you did and what you struggled with. It has all helped me get ahead and become the successful woman that I am today."
- Jane Wolak, Vice President of Retail Product Services, The Hartford Life Insurance Companies
"...my mother taught me to be an effective communicator. She has the ability to gain trust from an initial meeting. My mother is the best at meeting someone and gaining their trust immediately. In a world where sales are everything, trust is a key factor to success, especially for a banker. It makes people take the extra step to doing business with you rather than your competition. [My mother] also has a unique skill of getting people to want to be around her, and [she] can make them smile.... [People] are very open, honest and feel comfortable giving her information about their needs. In business, this translates to knowing enough information about a customer or prospect to figure out products and services to help them. If not for my mom, I would not be where I am today...."
- June Goguen, Vice President of the Commercial Lending Division, Eastern Bank
"I remember when my mother was fifty, she took a class at the local university with a bunch of students in their early twenties. It was a class on ecology, and towards the end, there was field work that involved a day-long hike up a mountain. I remember my mother being nervous about it; I also remember the energy that radiated from her when she got home late that night, having completed the trip successfully.
She said that other students had encouraged her. I don't honestly know whether she fell behind, or by how far, or what it took to get her through that day. But what I do know is that there was a lesson in there about pushing yourself to do things that you want to do and also about being satisfied with your personal best. It is okay to be afraid or nervous about doing something you want to do - as long as you don't let that fear stop you. I draw on that in my own life. And of course, now that I'm close to fifty, I have a better sense of what she was going through. (But isn't 50 the new 30?!)"
- Regina Maruca, Former Harvard Business Review Editor and Co-Author of "The Leadership Legacy"
Lipstick Leadership: Making the Best Decision - Myriam Wead's Story!
"I was born in France. My mother was always fair. Her father had been a prisoner of the Germans in WWII, and she saw him for the first time at age six. There were many siblings. In a small village, many things happen and there are rivalries and misunderstandings, but she always taught us that there was a best decision that could be made in any given set of circumstances. Don't panic. Just make the best decision for the moment."
"I learned from a friend's mom that it is never too late to start afresh or mentally wipe a slate clean and give yourself a new chance to do what you want to do and be who you want to be. This friend's mom battled alcoholism successfully when I was in high school. She emerged as such a strong person and such a role model. Not that she drew attention to herself for accomplishing what she did, but her example - her actions - have reminded me time and again to look forward, and not feel mired in a path suggested by the past."
- Regina Maruca, Former Harvard Business Review Editor and Co-Author of "The Leadership Legacy"
"In my own career in nursing, I was always impressed with those fellow nurses who constantly performed under stressful life-and-death situations. Having been exposed to a variety of such time sensitive situations where many diverse groups of individuals required immediate assistance, I learned the importance of correct and thorough intervention while being sensitive to their needs..."
- Kati Machtley, Women's Summit Director, Bryant University
Lipstick Leadership: "No Matter What" - Ardice Farrow's Story!
"I was six. The youngest and the smallest of all the neighborhood kids and the family of cousins. I was a bit frail, not very athletic. My tiny system was susceptible to any cold, flu, ear, nose or throat infection in the near vicinity and I was treated on a regular basis with high doses of penicillin. Add to that the fact I was the youngest member of an angry, somewhat dysfunctional and highly suppressed family. My emotional anxiety played havoc on a sensitive stomach, and I could be counted on to throw up when the emotional tensions or expectations rose too high.
It was the summer before first grade and inspired by my playful and wonderful adopted 'Aunt Ginka', my family and two other families rented houses at the beach. Southern California beaches are noted for turbulent waves and rapid undertows. At the time, I had an unfounded and exaggerated fear of water, so as the older kids frolicked in the waves, I was more than happy to build sand castles and run down for an occasional bucket of water. But my Aunt Ginka, ever the creative adventurer, was determined to open up my world of experience.
She pulled two old inner tubes down to the water's edge and began to explain in great details the rules of the 'No Matter What' game we were about to play. Rule One - You had to face away from the incoming waves so you had no idea what was coming. Rule Two - You had to hang onto your inner tube 'No Matter What'. For a kid who was terrified by the shallow end of a suburban pool, I was in way over my head. My heart pounded as the water beneath us was sucked away to build a wave of unknown size that would soon be rushing toward us. With each wave, the thrill of the game escalated. We turned upside down, sideways, spun in any direction and yet we held on. With each pending wave, we screamed out to each other, 'No Matter What!'
The impact of my 'Aunt Ginka' did not stop at the end of the summer. Months later, she convinced my mother, who elevated anyone who went to medical school to the level of an omnipotent god, to take me to a different doctor. The new doctor immediately determined that the constant antibiotics had diminished my immune system and I was on a downward health spiral that would never end. He reversed the treatment with heavy doses of iron and a vitamin regiment. Within months, I was as healthy as any child you could imagine.
I don't know if I have ever thought of my Aunt Ginka in this way or realized and acknowledged how her courage and playfulness impacted my life. But I will tell you I am never sick. I am ridiculously healthy and live a life of adventure at every level. I love the ocean more than I can say. It is a ceaseless source of inspiration, peace and play. I have body surfed the most challenging waves on Hawaiian beaches. I have lived on a sailboat, sailed the Pacific, survived wild ocean storms and life-threatening conditions. I have swam with the dolphins, dove tropical waters, explored spectacular deep underwater caves and have never said no to an ocean adventure no matter how challenging. I have hiked exotic jungles and traversed steep mountain trails. I have lived and traveled alone without concern in other countries. And I have taken on huge business and creative adventures, never looking for what is safe but always seeking what might be possible and creating and imagining the unknown.
I have fearlessly sought the wisdom of life and traveled near and far to learn from masters and experts. Unconsciously, I have adopted my Aunt Ginka's philosophy that the simplest things I do can touch another and change someone else's life forever. From Aunt Ginka, I learned that when you stop looking for or trying to make life safe, you can experience the thrill and the wonder of life and call forth the best in you. When you give up being safe, you are instilled with the courage to follow your instinct and intuition and find new solutions to what seem impossible challenges. And you easily step forth to lead and inspire others which is what we are doing with our Wake Up Women publishing group and the Wake Up Women books.
I realize as I write this that thanks to my Aunt Ginka, I live each day with the attitude that life is an adventure, an unpredictable thrill that will surprise and amaze me No Matter What."
"My grandmother had a few choice sayings that nearly half a century later still ring true. One of her favorites was, 'The sooner you get done, you'll be done.' This is particularly true of boring, difficult or unappealing projects. If you can think about how much better you'll feel after you have them out of the way, it makes it a lot easier to jump in and take charge."
"My grandmother was one of the friendliest people you've ever seen. She was curious about others and took an interest in everyone she met. She was well-liked by everyone she came across. She'd be in a long line for the ladies room when we'd go to the ballet, and she'd make a new best friend with the woman in line next to her, sharing some little treat from her 'pocketbook.' She also treated everyone the same whether it was a nurse changing a bedpan or the daughter-in-law of the owner of the Super Bowl Champions.
In business, I've found that kindness, curiosity and just plain being nice go a long way. Taking a genuine interest in the hard-working secretary is as important as being friendly to the boss. Sharing - whether it is a free giveaway that you bring back from a convention for that hard-working secretary or a helpful piece of information for a colleague - is just a good way to go through life. Some people may think it's not 'business-like' to act that way, but actually, it goes a long way and is just plain good business to be well-liked."
"[There is] one thing that stands out in my mind that Mom used to say to us years ago (and still would today given the chance...I find myself using this and passing it on to my kids all the time, too!). You know how you wake up on a cold winter day with a sore throat from the heat and a stuffy nose and just basically feeling rotten? Mom used to always say: "Get up and get moving and you'll feel fine." I would never believe it at that moment because I was sure I was dying from the flu, but sure enough, I'd get up, get in the shower, and by the time I'm driving to work, I feel mostly fine.
Thanks to Mom's advice, I've made it to work more days than not and now I say it to my kids all the time. I sometimes wonder if Mom hadn't said that to me to many years ago on such a regular basis, if as a working person today, would I just give in to my sore throat, call in sick and go back to sleep? My employer should call my mom and thank her! I have a few employees I'd like to give Mom's number to, too!!"
"Because my sister has cerebral palsy, I spent my childhood watching my mother speak up at hospitals, doctors' offices, and various other settings to get the attention or assistance my sister needed. This provided an excellent role model for me to ask for what I need rather than always meekly going along with things."
- Rochelle Kopp, Author of "The Rice-Paper Ceiling"
"My mother taught me many things...mostly in poem form. Here is one of my favorites: 'Wake up early and do your chores. Count your blessings, the rest of the day is yours!' As a financial systems consultant, some of my work is tedious. I prefer the analytical work to the data entry. When I get tasks I dread done first thing in the morning, the rest of my day is easy and enjoyable. Mom is so smart!"
Lipstick Leadership: Evangelist Willa Short - Doug Wead's Story!
Doug Wead is a presidential historian and New York Times bestselling author. He has been an advisor to two presidents and served on senior staff at the White House of George Herbert Walker Bush.
"My grandmother, Willa Short, was an evangelist, a woman preacher in the Pentecostal Holiness tradition. I am only now beginning to understand what she went through. We have this trunk full of old letters and newspaper clippings. A Birmingham newspaper refers to her as the 'first woman preacher to stand in a pulpit in this city.'
The reality is that her husband walked out on her and she had no other way to support her daughter, my mother. I found a letter from my great-grandmother to Willa Short, describing her daughter's Christmas morning. Wow. Sure helps me understand my mother better. She really lost both parents.
In the Depression, an abandoned woman had to survive, and if that meant storming the male-owned pulpit, well, so be it."
"My mom was a single parent, a workaholic mom who worked three jobs to put food on the table for my sister and me. This has given me a boundless well of strength. Whenever I feel like complaining because I am tired due to a long filming schedule, I think of my mom who worked for longer hours for more primal reasons...feeding her daughters. When I feel my weakest, I call my mother to be with me emotionally and spiritually. She has helped shape me into a woman who knows that my opportunities are limitless if I am willing to work hard."
"My grandmother, Sally Hegle, was married in the 1930s. My grandparents had a farm during the Depression and the dust bowl years in the Midwest (North Dakota). When I was young, I thought my grandmother 'just stayed at home.' But she was an entrepreneur - it wasn't obvious to me. She taught me to work hard so you can play hard; to use what you have (including your brain); to save part of what you have, no matter how hard it might seem at the time; and to never give up.
When my grandparents couldn't make a go of the farm because of a serious drought, my grandfather traveled wherever he could to find work, leaving my grandmother behind with a baby, a cow and a dried up farm. My grandmother tied the baby to her chest, put a rope around the cow's neck and walked up and down the ditches on the sides of the road because that was the only green grass around. My grandmother used to chuckle when she told the story because she said it must have been quite a sight.
My grandparents made it through the Depression and were able to keep the farm. After that experience, my grandmother raised chickens, had a huge garden and apple orchard and used to take her eggs and produce into town to sell when my grandfather took the milk to the creamer to sell. She said she never wanted to go hungry again, and she didn't.
My grandmother is ninety-five today and last year successfully underwent knee replacement surgery because she didn't want to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair. I was lucky to have spent many summers with Grandma Sally, who taught me about work, integrity and love."
- Julie Viskup, Law Professor at Champlain College
"I learned confidence. Not just from my mother, but [from] my father as well. My mother did not work outside of the home for much of my life, but she was a certified teacher of Home Economics. She was good at her job, looking after us. If we had a problem at school, she took care of it. When I was denied the chance to take Shop Class, my mother went to the school to talk to the administrators. If my father was needed, they would go together on a second trip. I was a third child - second trips were not required. I took Shop."
- Cynthia Wood, Director of Facilities Maintenance & Engineering, Pfizer - Ann Arbor Campus
"My children taught me that sometimes everyone needs a nap and a snack! I try to remember that when I conduct long program meetins and begin to notice my staff's eyes start to glaze over...time to give them that nap (in the form of a break) and a snack!"
- Mary Wright Benner, Program Director, The Conference Board
"My sister and I were really into Rice Krispies Treats. Mom decided to make some for company that would arrive later in the afternoon. My mom hated to read recipes when she could just figure out how to make a dish on her own. Well, the treats Mom made that day were less than successful so she decided to add more ingredients and turn her concoction into a cake. That wasn't quite right either, so she added some more stuff and made these really thin, strange-looking cookies that were FANTASTIC! Our company arrived and was so impressed that they wanted the recipe, which my sister and I thought was very funny!
In business, you can create some predictability when you follow the recipe, but you can also miss out on intuitive genius. My mom always made fun, interesting, unique and wonderful dishes because she allowed her creativity to guide her; as an entrepreneur...I try to do the same thing!" - Elaine Starling, http://www.promisepower.com/
"My mother, Joyce Mullet Ross, had one particular gift that eclipsed all of her other mothering skills. She allowed me to be whoever I wanted to be. She encouraged it, in fact. She didn't have an preconceived ideas about what I should do or what I should 'be' when I grew up. If I wanted to play the piano, she found me a teacher. If I wanted to play sports and be in the play, she didn't make me choose one or the other. She let my own desire and intuition guide me to make the choices that were best for me. She gave me the space to discover who I am, and as I continue to build my own business I am continually grateful for my mother. She allowed me a wide space in which to create my life. This gave me confidence and a wonderful sense of independence. I honor my mother's lesson by allowing those who work for me to do the job that best suits their talents and personality. I remember to always give them space to shine."
Lipstick Leadership: Setting an Example of Success - Carrie Lauth's Story!
"For many years during my childhood, my mother, in addition to being a full-time stay-at-home mom, was also a leader in Direct Sales. For several years, my family drove a Tupperware van that my mother earned because of her sales and recruiting achievements. Seeing her do something and succeed at something she obviously enjoyed had a real impact on me. I've always had an entrepreneurial streak for as long as I could remember. Now I earn a full-time living on the Internet and am able to raise my 4 children.
Lipstick Leadership: "A Remarkable Woman" - Dawn Prince's Story!
"I always tell people that my mother is the bravest and strongest woman that I know. My mother is a remarkable woman. Ever since I can remember appreciating strength and character, protector and fighter is what comes to mind when I think of my mother. In the West Indies, when most women stayed at home, my mother was a career woman. She has been a nurse since she was 17. I remember her flitting around on that bike of hers in a crispy white nurse outfit with the starched cap that sat high on her woolly hair.
At 28, when I was about six, she left my two brothers and me with my grandmother to start a new life in the United States. At that time, coming from the West Indies, it was unheard of for a single woman to do that. 'Going outside,' as they called it, was a way for my mother to find the means to take care of us. It seems like she has always had a plan for making life better for us: go to the U.S., get a great job and then send for the children. I always tell people what a remarkable woman my mother is. I marvel at the sacrifices my mother made for my sister, my brothers and me.
A few years ago, I found out that my mother used to draw in her younger days, and it saddens me that a hard life took away a means of celebrating her spirit. I marvel at how she stood strong after heartbreaks with love and life and focused on the plan of bringing her kids to a better life. That search for a better life took her from the United States to Canada. A lesser woman would have given up and returned home, but there is something that is fiercely strong and independent about my mother. She refuses to give up. I would see this time and time again over the years: when my father had a debilitating stroke, she took over as his nurse and spent everyday at the hospital while he was in rehabilitation for 3 months - forgiving him for all of his transgressions. From her, I learned commitment and unconditional love.
At 42, when she found that she couldn't support a family on $5.00 an hour, she went back to school to get her Canadian nursing license. When she grew tired of our brief stay in government housing, she moved us to a better neighborhood and eventually into a house. From that I learned about ambition and determination. It must have been hard all of those years, but my mother never let us see that she was worried. Though she struggled to pay the bills, we were never without food. She always used to say, 'I will find a way' and she always did. When we wanted brand name, she firmly said no, and we understood and appreciated what she could give us. From her, I learned to live within my means, as well as gratitude. And despite the financial struggles, my mother's love was constant. There was a lot of love and laughter in our house.
I just wish that I had allowed my mother to love me the way she wanted to. I see it today as she cares for my nephew who lives with her. And I see the love of my childhood - the love I thought I had missed, but it was there all the time. Out of my own inadequacies, I could never fully take it. I think I allowed some of that love in the other day as we said goodbye before I left Canada to return to the United States. My mother was in tears. I squeezed her and said, 'I love you' for the first time in my life. And when she said, 'I love you, too,' - it felt like we'd reached a quiet understanding.
I always tell people that I get my strength, discipline and independence from my mother as I'd seen a lifetime of a woman doing everything for her children and her family and sacrificing herself. These days, she seems to have shrunk--smaller than I remember her. Yet when I think of my mother, I see majestic earth-mother doggedly defining mother-love and absolute strength. I always tell people about my mother, but now it is time for me to tell her how remarkable I think she is."
Entries for "Lipstick Leadership Week" have been pouring in, and soon the wait to share them will be over!
Next week (July 28th - August 1st) I'll be posting the submission stories here on my blog all day, every day. So make sure you bookmark me and keep coming back to read more!
I guarantee you won't be disappointed - the stories are a mix of the funny and the poignant, and all have important lessons that can be incorporated into our professional and personal lives to empower and inspire us.
The struggle between having a career and raising kids is a battle for the ages. Speaking from experience, I know that when I decided to re-join the workforce when my kids were little, I was in a constant state of guilt. When I was at work, I felt like I was missing vital time with my children. When I was at home, I felt like I wasn't giving it my all at my job - and that's just not my style! There just didn't seem to be an optimal way to fit both pieces into my life back then.
But thankfully today the working world is FINALLY starting to catch on that there are plenty of mommies out there who want to put their skills to work AND have the flexibility to raise their children!
I came across this article on CNN.com, "Moms Find Balance as High-Skilled Temps" by A. Pawlowski, and I said, "Amen!" According to the article, staffing agencies like Mom Corps., On-Ramps, Flexible Executives, Flexible Resources and FlexWork Connection have cued into the fact that the "Mommie Talent Pool" is an amazing untapped resource, and the companies' mission is to "connect career-women-turned-stay-at-home moms with employers."
These agencies are giving moms the opportunity to be successful both in their careers and in their personal lives by providing them with the flexibility they need and deserve. At the same time, they're giving companies a double whammy: highly skilled employees AND women who are enriching the workplace with their unique perspective as mothers. My book "From the Kitchen to the Corner Office: Mom's Wisdom on Leadership" is all about that! All of the stories I tell in that book are drilled down to a "simple truth from Mom"; the case studies (real-life business examples) show how that wisdom can be applied. And with staffing agencies like the ones mentioned in this article, even more women will be able to benefit organizations with the gifts of their knowledge.
Everybody wins!
This is what "Lipstick Leadership Week" is all about: sharing the knowledge. By sharing stories about the incredible women in your life and how they've influenced you (and judging by many of the submissions so far, they've influenced your professional success just as much as your personal success!) we're creating a wisdom network that can help everyone advance their careers - and again I say, "AMEN!"
With "Lipstick Leadership Week" being pushed back to July 28th through August 1st due to an overwhelming response, I have even longer to wait to share the incredible stories I've been receiving! No fair :) This is not a good thing for someone who purposely waits to the very last second to go Christmas shopping because keeping the presents a secret is too much for her!
So I'm going to have to give you another sneak peek before my head explodes! But this is the last one, I swear.
"My Aunt Mary is the most wonderful person I've ever known. If you met her, you'd understand why immediately. Warmth and kindness radiate from her like an aura, and when she smiles (and she always smiles, even through tears) she transfers that warmth on to you. It doesn't matter if you've had the worst day of your life. Just being near her is salve on your psychic wounds. When her husband of nearly 30 years passed away, we gathered around her ready to comfort and guide her through this devastating loss. She ended up being our source of comfort instead.
Growing up, I was always the loner, the black sheep of the family. I was painfully shy, and people - even family members - always seemed to mistake it for being aloof and cold. Not Aunt Mary. She always made the extra effort to draw me out, to sit and chat with me when my cousins excluded me from their play. She was - and still is - forever telling me what a great person I am, and only she can convince me of that.
It's no wonder that she excels at her nursing job. I can't think of anyone more suited to the profession. Every patient of hers is treated like family, and so many have come back to the hospital to give her special thanks for the care she's given them. The health problems she's had in recent years are no match for her quiet strength and perseverance and untouchable positive attitude.
She recently celebrated a milestone birthday, and her children threw her a huge party. When she saw me among the guests, she immediately enveloped me in a bone-crushing hug because she knew how difficult it was for me to be there, and she thanked me several times when I went to leave.
I wish I could say that I am just like Aunt Mary, but I think you have to be born with that kind of beautiful soul. I have adapted the old "WWJD (What Would Jesus Do)" slogan and changed it to "WWAMD (What Would Aunt Mary Do)!" When faced with adversity, I call upon her example and strive to handle it with the grace and strength that I know she would. Thank you, Aunt Mary, for simply being you."
- Erica Oldman
Thank you, Erica!
For more info on how to submit your own stories of the amazing women in your life and the invaluable lessons they've taught you, go to KitchentoCornerOffice.com or you can go here and submit your story right now.
I've gotten so many responses to my call for "Lipstick Leadership Week" submissions, that I've decided to extend the deadline and move "Lipstick Leadership Week" to July 28th through August 1st, 2008!
At first I thought, "Good for us. With gas and food prices the way they are, I'm glad we're able to get a little more for less." But when I thought about it further, my heart went out to all of the small businesses out there that are facing empty storefronts as people flock to these discount giants.
What about the small business owners? How can they compete with the "big boys?"
It's a question as old as the first five-and-dime.
At CEOSecretBlueprint.com, I've created a series of free videos that center around revealing the strategy secrets of the "big boys" and I welcome all of you small business owners out there to sign up and check them out for yourself. Remember, I've done my fair share of work with several Fortune 500 companies, and with my birds-eye view into their boardrooms, I've learned a thing or two about a thing or two! As an entrepreneur, I thought it only fair that I should bolster the small businesses around me by sharing those strategies.
So if your business isn't being "stimulated" by the government economic stimulus checks, go to CEOSecretBlueprint.com, check out the videos I've created, and apply the strategies I share to up your game against the business behemoths.
"The Entrepreneur's Starter Kit" - Find out if you have what it takes to start a business, how to name your business (so crucial!) and the pros and cons of partnerships.
"The Entrepreneur's Finance Kit" - *groan* My least favorite part of running a business is the finances, but in this CD set, I try to make it a little easier for you with my tips on hiring a bookkeeper, basic business finance and why it's SO important to the bottom line to write everything down!
"The Entrepreneur's Marketing Kit" - I called on my cadre of experts to share their insights into small business marketing, including Wendy Weiss (the "Queen of Cold Calling"), Michael Port (marketing guru), Andy Wibbels ("Blogging Evangelist"), and Lori O'Brien (Web Solutions, website development expert).
"The Entrepreneur's Office Space Kit" - I can't work in an office that's a disorganized mess or one that stifles my creativity - and you shouldn't either! Learn how to maximize and design your perfect office space with the help of experts Ed Morrow and Natalie Weinstein.
Now I'm going to go back to my tea and prepare for the busy day ahead. I may even find time to stop in a local shop or two and treat myself to something new!
Hope you enjoyed the long 4th of July weekend! There's still a hint of barbecue smoke in the air here, and I'm already craving another batch of potato salad!
I'm off to Boston today to meet with a coaching client, but I saw an interesting article on Yahoo! HotJobs that I wanted to share with you.
Now you might be wondering why this topic would pique my interest - or yours, for that matter, if you don't have college-bound kids - but when I read it, I saw it from a new perspective: professionals contemplating going back to school and making a career change.
If making more money in a new career is your goal, check out what this article has to say about which education path you might want to look into.
Boston, here I come!
Oh, and if you haven't already, don't forget to submit your stories about how your mother changed your life and made you into the successful career woman you are today on my site at KitchentoCornerOffice.com! "Lipstick Leadership Week" is rapidly approaching and I don't want you to miss the opportunity to be a part of it!
Wow! I'm amazed at all the submissions I've received for "Lipstick Leadership Week" (July 14th through the 18th)! So many women have incredible stories to tell about what they learned from their mothers, aunts, grandmothers, sisters and even their daughters. I can't wait to share all of them with you!!
In fact, since I've always been one to give gifts early because I'm so excited for people to open and enjoy them right away, here's a little sneak peek at one of those fantastic stories:
"My mother is Wonder Woman minus the invisible plane and the indestructible bracelets (though I still believe to this day that she had some sort of Lasso of Truth since she always knew if I was fibbing!). She has the strongest work ethic I've ever known, getting up every day and going to a job that pays the bills but doesn't offer her much by way of satisfaction. Even after long days spent on her feet, she always managed to have dinner on the table and time to spend with my brother and I. She's taught me valuable skills, like how to cook, and silly hobbies like how to crochet (although I never got past the scarf-making stage!). Thanks, Mom, for teaching me the best lesson of all: how to be a wonderful person, friend and mother."
- Cierra LaPlante
Thanks, Cierra, for this wonderful story!
So, readers, have you thanked your mother (or mother figure) today? If not, there's still time to submit a story of your own right here. What a great way to say "thanks" to the women in your life who've helped make you the phenom that you are today!
This question came from my friend Anna and was accompanied by a worried frown. Anna lost her job recently (cutbacks, cutbacks, cutbacks) and had a promising opportunity in the works. I was prepping her for an interview this week, and we'd finally gotten around to the salary question.
"Well, what's the salary range for a position like yours?" was my counter-question.
"I don't know," came her response. She knew what she had been making, after several years of being with the company she worked for, but didn't have a clue what someone in her position should/could ask for coming into a new company. And being isolated from the job market, she didn't know the salary trends for her industry.
Since I know that Anna isn't the only one who's unsure of the answer to the big salary question, I thought I'd do a little research on the subject of salary ranges and post a quick tidbit of salary info here on my blog.
Here's a quick list of salary resources to get you started:
* My personal favorite is www.Salary.com * Job posting sites can be a great resource: sites like craigslist often have salary info along with job descriptions, and sites like CareerBuilder.com and Monster.com have salary calculators and wizards. * Tons of salary info here: Economic Research Institute - www.erieri.com * The good 'ol government site: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - www.bls.gov * Professional and trade organizations often have a slew of info and some even have message boards where you can post your questions and get answers from other professionals like yourself. * Don't forget your research! Check out the company's website and tap into your personal network and ask around. First-hand knowledge direct from a reliable source can be valuable.
I hope this info helps all of you job seekers out there and even the non-job seekers, too. It's always a great time to make sure you're getting paid what you're worth!
The week of July 14th through July 18th, 2008 is Lipstick Leadership Week at KitchentotheCornerOffice.com! That means we want to hear YOUR stories about how your mother changed your life and made you into a successful career woman.
What lessons did your mother teach you that turned you into a leader? Did a Sunday afternoon of baking turn into an opportunity for responsibility? Did a Thanksgiving meal become a metaphor for organizational structure? Tell your story in writing or request to send an audio or video. To contribute, just submit your story to me here. You can read your submission and others' right here on my blog during Lipstick Leadership Week!
My new book, From the Kitchen to the Corner Office: Mom's Wisdom on Leadership, chronicles the lessons I've learned from my own amazing mother and other female role models. I'll be sharing those stories - and the stories of women I've interviewed for this book - during Lipstick Leadership Week - and I invite you to join me in this celebration of maternal wonders!
If the pictures weren't enough to convince you that this city girl actually got in the water and cast out that rod, here's a little video footage as proof! Enjoy!
Surprise!!! Fly Fishing Brings Balance to this City Girl's Hectic Work Life
When my husband Rich (and son Mike and our parish priest Fr. Gregg) left for their cross-country motorcycle trip in May, the last thing that they thought I would be doing with my "free" time was fly-fishing. I have to admit that when I was invited by Mark Victor Hansen, as a member of his Inner Circle, to spend 5 days in the wilderness of Colorado I was hesitant. Could an admitted city-girl like myself find any enjoyment in the rustic environment and activities that Dunton Hot Springs offered. When I googled the Hot Springs I was not reassured.
But being the open-minded person that I am, I agreed. Walking into the event with reluctant enthusiasm. As I shared in my last post, I experienced many firsts during this trip...but I fell in love with fly-fishing. There were three of us assigned to a field-guide that would take us to a good fishing hole...in the hopes of actually catching a fish. My footing was surprisingly steady (maybe it was all the time I spend balancing myself in 4-inch heels) as the current of the river rushed by. Mark did have some difficulty with his footing and proceeded to give me a cold hug after he fell into the drink (the river...not the bottle!)
I fell in love with the movement and rhythm of the fishing line as I gracefully cast and reeled in. It was soothing...listening to nature, smelling the pines, rocking back and forth as I cast, feeling the cold water rush past my legs. The tension of the city melted away as I enjoyed my brief encounter with the countryside. To my surprise, Dunton Hot Springs was just what this stressed out Mama needed to recharge me to move ahead with the work of tomorrow...by enjoying the wilderness today!
Hi, it's Michelle, and I'm in Dunton Hot Springs, Colorado at an amazing, very rustic resort. Well, it's rustic on the outside, but on the inside, it's stunning.
This place made me think about how quickly we make judgments of our teammates the workplace, how we look at someone and we immediately make an assessment, never taking the time to look a little bit deeper to see all of their talents, intelligence and skills.
As managers, we need to make sure that we're not rushing to decisions when it comes to our team members, whether we're assigning tasks or deciding who to downsize. We need to make sure that we're taking the time to evaluate everything that each of our people have to offer: their skills, their attitudes and their contributions.
In so many ways, people bring different unique elements to the workplace; for instance, some people help with keepu up morale more than they help with the actual work of their projects. That doesn't mean they aren't important!
And so this morning, I'm going to practice reserving my own judgments about our itinerary - I'm going fly-fishing! Can you belive it? - and keep an open mind to the experience. Today, take the time to think about people in your workplace and the talents they have that you may overlook and discover the unique value they bring to your team.
The Key to Personal Growth...New Experiences! Today Meditation with Steve Sadleir
Well, it has taken a little more than 72 hours for me to re-enter!
One of the things that was so special about DuntonHot Springs...in Colorado was that this city-girl got to try lots of new things. I know that I like to continually challenge myself to move out of my box (admittedly I have a pretty big box to start with!). The adrenaline rush of trying something new gives me a charge! So this past week I have quite a laundry list of "new experiences"...fly-fishing, horseback riding, skinny-dipping and meditation!
Have any of you ever meditated? I have never done a formal meditation with a guru...and this week we had Mark Victor Hansen's personal meditation guru with us all week. Helping us novices begin a meditation practice. I was so surprised when I met Steven Sadleir. He looks like a regular, California surfer dude. Here we are in the meeting room where we meditated daily...don't I look centered and peaceful!
His approach to meditation is so simple and authentic that it was easy for me to fall right in. He was kind enough to let us extend an invitation to experience a meditation with him to our friends...we are friends, right? Here is your invitation!
I would like to invite you to Steven's Global Shaktipat Meditation via teleconference (yep! meditation over the phone!) to deepen your connection. (it is not as complicatied as the name suggests!)
Thursday evening, June 19th, 6:00 pm Pacific, 9:00 pm Eastern, for one hour Just dial 1-605-475-8590 then pin 5490316#
I will share more of my first times...in my next post! But for now...think about what YOU have done recently to stretch yourself and what personal growth might be in store for you if you tried something new! Any of you want to share your stretch stories?
Excuse me if this entry isn't as coherent as usual, but my plane home from Colorado was delayed, and I didn't get home until 2:30 a.m.!! To say that I'm tired is an understatement!
The Mega Inner Circle conference was INCREDIBLE. It never ceases to amaze me how many interesting, intelligent and inspirational people attend these events. And the location was breathtaking - I'll try and post a few pictures next week (after I've had a chance to sleep for at least 72 hours!) and I'll fill you in on who I met and what we did, including the fantastic meditation practices I learned.
In the face of our flailing economy, I've been on the lookout for articles that offer tips on how to weather this recessional storm so I can share the info with you, my readers. In my own life, I've been through some tough financial situations with my family in the past, and I know firsthand how difficult it is to stretch that dollar to keep food on the table, a roof over our heads, and clothes on our backs. It seems like just yesterday I was ripping up my husband's old shirts and sewing them into shorts for our little boys (now grown college men) to wear during the hot summer months. Thankfully, those days are behind us now, and we've found great success in running our company, the Cove Group.
So today as I was perusing the headlines, I saw a few great articles from Yahoo! that listed jobs and industries where peop
My amazing friend (and Success Guru...she founded and runs Success IQ University) Stephanie Frank is launching a new program and I convinced her to let my readers preview it for FREE!!! The program, “The 13 Vital Traits of Super Effective People”, will help you understand the blueprint you need to get where you want to be in business and in life. 
