Goals - Writing them is the first step

So why am I such a fan of setting goals? Because I've seen, heard and felt the impact. With a goal, you create a foundation upon which you:

• Move with direction and focus
• Avoid being side tracked by urgent but unimportant matters
• Develop a brand that others can recognize
• Communicate effectively
• Help others help you
  

But setting a goal is just the beginning. Here are some goals you may recognize:

• Pat: My goal is to become VP at XYZ.
  
• Sam: My goal is to own my own company.

Here's some goal statements you probably hear less often:

• Terri: I'm excited about working with teams and tackling huge challenges like helping a faltering business get back on track. I'm currently doing that at XYZ pharmaceuticals, a ## employee business with $$ revenues. Our goal is to increase revenue by #% in 2009. Once I've achieved that goal, I hope to take on an executive role there or at a bigger company, say ABC, DEF or GHI.
  
• Jan: I work at XYZ in sales. In my off time, I've also been working on developing a business plan and proto-type for a new product. The product is designed to help parents teach their children to self-manage their diabetes. I've always had a passion for business, health management and technology. I'm excited to create my own company and bring on others that share this passion.
  

Pat and Terri have essentially the same goals, as do Sam and Jan. What makes the differences?

• Terri and Jan moved beyond just setting a goal to creating a strategy for communicating it
• Terri and Jan helped you understand how they are working toward that goal (doing the work already)
• Terri and Jan tell you how they help others (help faltering businesses get back on track, help parents of diabetic children)
• Terri and Jan told you the types of organizations and the level that they are interested in (an executive role at XYZ, ABC, DEF or GHI, owner of her own company)
• Terri hasn't told you she has limited her goal to VP at XYZ. Jan has told you precisely the type of company and work she’s passionate about.
  

Ask yourself, if you met these women, which would you:

• Be able to help achieve her goals?
• Feel most comfortable referring?
• Want to call to discuss opportunities? (if you were an executive at a faltering business or knew one)
• Expect to be most successful in reaching her goals?
  

I'm pretty sure I know the answer.

Goal Setting - Where did I go wrong?

Ok, it's admission time. I set goals in 2008 for myself and achieved only one - continue to build Polish Your Star. What made the difference between achieving one goal and not the other 2 (eating 3 fruits a day and attending weight watchers every week)?

• I didn't have an outside accountability for 2 of the 3 goals - No one kept me on track to eat 3 fruits a day & attending weight watchers every week. They were relatively SMART RRR goals but were not ones that I told others about or for which anyone held me accountable. In contrast, I set goals for Polish Your Star and relied on quarterly meetings with the Polish Your Star Advisory Board to keep me on track and honest. As a result, we've expanded our customer base, increased our revenue and are building a strong foundation for success.
• I created 2 goals because others told me I "should," 1 goal for me based on my purpose. Don't get me wrong, I did continue to exercise regularly and eat healthier. I had regular check ups and maintained my overall health. (Turns out I have the genetic disease hypothyroidism and I'm getting treated for that.)
• I neglected to practice what I preach - Get a good coach and involve others in helping you succeed.

So what am I going to do about it? I'm going to hire a coach to help me set the goals I help others set.

Tomorrow's Your Day!

I can't wait to exercise my constitutional right tomorrow and I'm excited to bringing my 5 year old so that she'll begin to see the democratic process in play. What ever your political leanings, I encourage you to do the same.

Don't know where your polling place is? What is required for id or if ID is even required? Some one telling you can't go? Check out http://pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us/

See you at the polls!

Happy Women's Equality Day!

Happy Women's Equality day!

This day, formerly known as Woman Suffrage Day, marks the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (1920), granting women the right to vote. Hard to believe we've had that equal right for less than 100 years. Now, if we could just share the leadership of our country, our institutions, our organizations and corporations equally...

How appropriate that we follow this important day with the 1st ever Polish Your Star Executive Leadership event - encouraging women to embrace their equal share. It's almost here...less than 24 hours. The program has evolved from it's original inception as a parallel program (Leaders & Emerging Leaders separated) to a fully integrated program. I can't wait to see its evolution next year! (And there will be a next year!)

I'm very excited to meet each of the women I've been learning about. To hand her a Leaders' Books hot off the presses tomorrow. To see her appreciation of , learning and connecting with each woman there. To watch the connections being made and the start of a network like she never thought possible.

I've been gratified and honored to work with the women who've helped make this 1st ever event a reality: Sponsors Jennifer Hauschildt at Thomson Reuters & Tina Decker at Best Buy and our Facilitators Betty Albitz of Integrated Inc., Karen DeYoung of DeYoung Consulting Services, Gwen Gierke of Emerging Leaders Association, intern & advisory board member Elise Peterson and Rita Webster of WiseLeader. And our friends Sandy Johnson at Presentation Wiz (event designs) and webhosts Webblake, president Tami Coalwell (online registration.) Thanks too to Paul Hinderger, Catering Director, at the Womans Club of Minneapolis.

Let's make history again!

How to fix capitalism - Don't forget women

I was scanning the Time article "How to Fix Capitalism" by Bill Gates earlier today. (TIME, 8/11/08.) The only picture of a woman in the brief history of creative/capitalism was the Statue of Liberty. I'm not sure she really counts. [Don't get me wrong - there were women's photos later in the article. Women in poor countries benefiting from corporate good deeds and scantly dressed female model used to promote the PRODUCT (RED).] Oh, thank you capitalism for all you've done for little old me.

What ever happened to ads like that one from Coke that showed how sexy it is for a man to be a good parent? I'd personally help finance a company that helped solve the problems women face today. Perhaps some targeted specifically at the adult male who wants to contribute to making a difference?:
* "There is no cleaning fairy" products & services for men- products and training on how to run a house hold (wash dishes, organize, calendar school activities, clean a toilet; wash, fold & iron clothes)
* "Dinners with Dad" self bake stations- How to shop for healthy food for everyone in the family (dietary differences between kids, men & women), preparing meals, serving & cleaning up too.
* "Ask how you can help" training to move men from self to other centered
* "I practice what I preach" donation drop boxes for men who say they've seen the light and believe in pursuing good works later in life (after they've already hit it rich, ignored their 1st families and divorced multiple wives.) Surely they'd be willing to part with all that excess cash, right?
* No princess allowed toy & clothing stores
* "I spent it growing my company" low cost, practical clothes, shoes & purses for women.

Gender Fairness Impl Committee & Executive Compensation

I was honored to attend my 1st meeting as a member of the MN Supreme Court's Gender Fairness Implementation Committee earlier this week. Follow that with another spectacular day celebrating women at the Annual Mpls/St. Paul Business Journal's Women to Watch awards luncheon, and its been a full week. Tying it all together, I thought you'd find the following interesting:

• http://www.mncourts.gov/?page=1842 (OK, I'm an attorney but even I know 32 pages isn't a summary ;0) The report was published in 1989. It's 20 year anniversary will be upon us soon. Sample findings: Family law - while property was divided equally in most divorces, the nature of the property division, with the husband receiving the majority of the liquid and income-producing assets, can create inequities; Child support guidelines were too low and looked at as maximums and not minimums. The standard of living of the custodial parent and children (read mom) decreases substantially after divorce, while that of the non-custodial parent (read dad) often improves.
• report by the OESW (Office of the Economic Status of Women) of the state legislature http://www.commissions.leg.state.mn.us/oesw/fs/WomenPov.pdf. While women are participating in higher education and in the workplace in high numbers, the report suggests that women are still the largest percent of low income workers because women are (1) paid less than men; (2) more likely to be a single parent; (3) more likely to be victims of violence.
• Mpls/St. Paul Business Journals' Highest Paid Women Executives, 7/11/08 insert: Only 4 women made it on last years top 100 Most Highly Compensated Executive listings. The highest paid woman in this year's listing of Highest Paid Women Executives this year would just make it to 36 of the 100 most highly compensated men. (35 men, and then your first women breaks onto the list.)

Money and the ability to negotiate and network (for information) still matters.

Awards - Love them/Hate them

When I look in the local business publications, I'm always looking for names & pictures of women business owners and executive management. They are often few & far between. I came across the upcoming Hall of Fame award winners for Minnesota Business and, not surprisingly, there wasn't a woman's name among them. When Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal published their top newsmakers of 2007/2008, Marilyn Carlson was the only woman who made it. To get recognized and appreciated, it seems that annual special sections or awards need to be created just for Women. (Although we are a 51% "Minority.") I love to attend the events to support these inspiring women but wonder where the media coverage and influence goes after the big event. Are they simply honored that day by the people who know them and then simply set aside for the next year's story? Why do they so rarely make it into the general Top Business lists?

Weigh in on Polish Your Star's Guiding Principles

When I created Polish Your Star, I set out to take an entirely different approach to breaking the gender divide. As I share the Polish Your Star vision, women often ask me what we do and how she would benefit from our services. What we don't do is promise easy answers or provide the answer. What we do is work with our clients:

• to identify old beliefs that may be holding her back;
• to believe her person goals and aspirations are just as valid and worthy as anyone else's
• to take risks;
• to know that she can accomplish anything she sets her mind to
• to seek advice from others who have been there before
• to understand that she won't get a different result by using the same old methods
• to develop new methods that align with her vision and
  
• to share information freely and collaboratively

When I developed our Friends of Polish Your Star networking sessions and Women's Leadership Networking Circles, when I connect mentors, peers and resources, and when I work to support our clients, I do so keeping the guiding principles below in mind. Our products and services are right for you if you adhere to at least one of the principles:

Guiding Principles

To be recognized as a Friend of Polish Your Star, the woman must meet at least one of the following criteria:

□ I have or aspire to a leadership role in my community; corporation, institution or other organizational body

□ I recognize that it is my responsibility to identify and vocalize my personal aspirations but that it is equal important to help others identify and vocalize their personal aspirations

□ I believe that neither I nor any woman is no more/less entitled to financial compensation for her work than a man;

□ I do or aspire to recognize and positively acknowledge an individual’s skills, abilities, and aspiration regardless of age, color, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion or creed, sex or gender, sexual orientation, or veteran status;

□ I do and aspire to affirmatively act to place women in positions which represent her aspirations, regardless of perceived or actual societal limitations;

□ I commit to giving each woman the benefit of the doubt, to assuming her positive potential and to taking risks in allowing her to expand her experience base;

□ I commit to actively attempting to refer or consider at least one woman for any position for which I am hiring (whether as an employee or contractor);

□ I commit to mentoring and helping other women in their career development

□ I commit to becoming knowledgeable about whether the organizations to which you provide financial support (through payment for goods or services or donations) employees at least 30% of women in leadership and/or the most highly compensated positions.

Let me know what you think. Are these guiding principles you live by? Have we missed an important guiding principle? Are you ready to change the world?

Would you find value in joining a LinkedIn group that agreed to abide by these guiding principles?

Recessions' Impact on Women?

I recently asked advisory board member Andrea Lindgren if she'd seen anything about the impact on an economic recession on women. My assumptions were that:

• more women would lose their jobs (in part because they may not be hooked in enough to internal business networks to recognize or react to signs to get out before layoffs) and/or
• remain in lower paying jobs rather than take a risk during the down term.

Turns out, like most things, there is a lot more to it. At least according to the article Andrea referred me to - "The Slump It's A Guy Think: Men, concentrating on the weaker sectors, are losing jobs in the downturn - while women make gains" by Peter Coy in the May 19th issue of Business Week.

According to the DOL stats Coy sites, from 11/07 - 4/08, women gained nearly 300,000 jobs while men lost nearly 700,000. Good news, sort of. Turns out that "while they are getting more jobs, their pay is stagnant," and "even though men have done worse on jobs lately, they continue to earn more than women on average" with men making up 75% of the people who make over $100,000 last year. And the pay gap "actually widened a bit over the past year."

Business Book Club

In the last year, we’ve considered instituting a study and business book club. Unfortunately, we had limited amount of interest to support the efforts and will put our energy else where. We will continue to retain compensation survey data and hope to build a base of research to share with you in the future. We’d love to hear if you read any of the books in the schedule for 2008-2009 and to post your reviews here. Here's the proposed schedule:
July— “How She Does It”
September -“Blue Ocean Strategy”
November—Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever’s new release “Ask for It.”
January - “Firms of Endearment”
March -Gale Evan’s “She Wins: We Win;”
May- Dee Dee Myers “Why Women Should Rule the World.”

Women on Boards - US lags behind

On a related note, a friend of mine provided this snippet about women on European boards...

Norway is a land of strong female figures. So it seemed natural, when Norway passed a law in 2003 requiring companies to fill 40% of their board sets with women by 2008. The country has met the goal. Some companies were less than enthusiastic so the law did include a big stick. Companies could be shut down for not complying. Spain has followed Norway's lead. Its parliament has passed a law calling for 40% board participation by women by 2015. However, Spain's law does not have the enforcement measures included in the Norwegian law. In the Netherlands, an organization called TopBrainstorm is preparing a voluntary charter for companies to sign. Companies would be committing to targets for getting women into senior executive positions to make it possible for them to become board candidates. And in Britain, 123 women hold 11% of the board seats on FTSE 100 companies. Twenty percent (20%) of new FTSE 100 director appoints went to women in 2007. (The New York Times, 22-Mar-2008, National ed., p. C4)

Compare this to the figures in 100 Facts on the Status of Working Women: the total number of women holding board seats in 2003 was 779, up from 735 in 2001. (If we assume 12 members per Fortune 500, this is approximatelyl 7 percent.) It is estimated that in 20 years, women will still not be one-quarter of boards of directors if the current rate of change remains constant.

The title of a recent article in the Wall Street Journal by Carol Hymowitz says it all "On Diversity, America isn't Putting Its Money Where Its Mouth Is."

Female Heads of State - US lags way behind

It’s an exciting time in our nation’s history—the first ever viable female candidate for President is still in the race. If it doesn’t seem like a big deal to you, consider this:
· While there are currently over 30 female heads of state around the globe, the US has never had one.
· only 33 women have served in the US Senate over the last 80 years.
· In the House of Representatives, only 216 women have served over the last 115 years, compared to 11,489 men (no, that’s not a typo.)
No matter your party affiliation or voting preference, take steps for positive change and greater gender equity:
· Point out the positive, not the negative. As a woman, your critique of another woman may be used by others to support their belief that women aren’t suited to leadership roles. If you can’t say something nice, say nothing at all.
· Watch for “potential” in women. Take a chance on a woman. So what if a woman has never held a position or done the job before or the last one failed. If she wants to do it, give her a chance. We don’t stop hiring or electing men just because one of them lets us down.
· Watch out for expecting more from women or holding them to a higher standard. Women can be their own worst enemy. Don’t hold yourself to unreachable standards or criticize women for aiming high and taking a risk.
· Learn what your friends do and toot their horn for them. (And let them know what you do so they can send business your way.)
· Vote for and hire your friends. Your friends are the people with your best interest in mind, who lead with integrity and courage, right? Who better to work with and entrust?

Rant on fashion

To get it off my chest and move on, I have to stop to point out a recent Fashion + Style recommendation in a local magazine. The concept: Quick outfits to take on a tropical, weekend vacation get away. He can take off with $545 worth of clothing, she'll need $896 - nearly 60% more. Why? Not even getting into the pricing on individual pieces ($325 for sunglasses ?!?!?), I wonder what this says about us as "consumers" or them as "marketers". As a consumer, what are your reactions? As a marketer, how do you think about the pricing?

Re-entering the work force

Whether you're returning to the paid work force after staying at home, unsatisfied with your current situation or out of a job due to layoffs, sticking to the basics will serve you well:
1.) Keep it simple; 2.) Be confident; 3.) Use your resources wisely; and 4.) Know the market.

1.) Keep it simple. It can be easy to see the job search data, advice and resources available and become overwhelmed. Focus your efforts on defining:

* 3 skills you excel at and love to use
* 3 special abilities you have
* 3 types of knowledge you have developed
* 3 ways you can help a company or organization increase its profits/proceeds or reduce its expenses by using your unique skills, abilities and knowledge and
* 3 employers or industries you are most interested in and want to learn more about.

Note: But, not too simple. Telling people you're good with people and like to organize things doesn't help them help you. What does is being specific - I'm a great people and asset manager that knows the commercial real estate industry in the midwest region well. I'd really like to talk to someone at XX, XX or XX to get their take on where the industry is at. Do you know someone that would be willing to talk to me?

2. Be confident. If you're not confident in your ability to do the job, why should an employer be?

Going through a job search can be demoralizing if you're not taking pro-active steps to maintain and/or increase your self confidence. You can do this by educating yourself, preparing and practicing.

Remember the move from kindergarten to grade school, from high school to college? These transitions seem daunting and exhilarating when you approach them. But before you know it, you're teaching new students the ropes and moving on to the next big challenge. Educate yourself about the employers or industries you are interested in and plunge in. This will decrease your anxiety while increasing your self confidence and excitement about opportunities available.

The first college application you completed may have felt like completing a novel, but the next few were a breeze. You had the basics pulled together, you just needed to customize them to the next school's forms. The same goes for interviews and resumes. Pulling together all the information you need for a resume and interviews can take a while if you haven't kept it up. Approaching friends and re-engaging your network after an absence may feel overwhelming or awkward. Working through that ackwardness with people you know and trust will be easier than and prepare you for submitting your resume and interviewing people you don't know at all.

3. Use your resources wisely. For example, when your creating or updating your resume, take advantage of the great information out there at your local library, job placement office, your alma mater, and great online resources. Ask your friends in the field to share their resume with you as a model. It can be as simple as naming a few jobs you are interested in and then doing a google or other online search for "resume computer analyst", "resume sale association," "resume VP Marketing." Don't recreate the wheel when there are plenty of resources out there to help you.

4. Know the market for the job you're after - If you don't already have a pulse on this information, check out online resources such as www.salary.com and www.cbsalary.com, and ask a trusted advisors or trade association representatives. If you don't know the value of the job to employers and the marketplace, the employer may question whether you really have the skills, ability and knowledge you claim.

Being proactive during times of layoffs

Although they may be appearing more frequently of late, news of layoffs is nothing new. With the rumor or notice of layoffs comes:
§ uncertainty about who will be immediately impacted;
§ uncertainty about who will be next;
§ knowledge that colleagues or direct reports will be impacted before they do;
§ loss of resources and information sources;
§ work load increases and re-distribution, either for the health of the organization or to appear productive during times of change.

Is it any wonder knowledge of an impending lay off may be as stressful as the actual layoffs?

Tips for planning ahead if you know you’re part of a layoff:

• Update your resume, focusing on the value you bring to your current and past employers;
• Activate or begin networking today – let your network know you’re considering new opportunities. Help them, help you by being specific about the opportunities and industries you’re interested in;
• Assess your financial situation;

Tips for discussing with prospective employers:

• Focus on what you bring to the prospective employer. They care more about what you can do for them then they do about your concerns.
• If asked, be honest but don’t elaborate or talk negatively about your current employer. Model the type of professional behavior they can expect from you when you work for them.
  

Tips for dealing with the emotional side of being let go:

• Don’t minimize the impact of job transition. Give yourself time to grieve and accept the support of others;
• Join a transition support group. Check with your local unemployment office or place of worship to locate groups;
• Journal to uncover your emotions and help focus on what you envision for your next role.
• Some great books to read during times of transition are “Transitions” by William Bridges; “Embracing Uncertainty” by Susan Jeffers and “the Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruez; and “Empowering Women to Change the World: Career and Life Strategies for Women” by Julie Moore Rapacki and available at www.polishyourstar.com)

Resumes - You need at least 3, probably more

As the new year begins, many of us update our resume. Here are some tips:

Focus on what your target customer/employer is looking for. Look at the job description or ad and circle the words they use to describe job responsibilities and experience. Make sure your resume shows that you have the identified skills, knowledge and experience and that language matches their job description or ad verbiage. Don’t just leave it to the cover letter or to the hiring manager to assume that, for example, your “extensive computer experience” means that you have used and are proficient with the software product they specifically list as a job requirement.

This means, you're likely to have multiple resumes. Each one tailored to the job you're after. I recommend maintaining 3 versions, depending on the industry/target company. Then you're ready to update, as necessary, for each individual company or organization.

Tell your story with numbers – Employers want to know the scope of the work you’re experienced at and results you’ve achieved. If they need someone to supervise employees, don’t just say you supervised employees. Tell them how long, how many, what caliber, (line level, professional, management) and the scope of dollars or results you or your team achieved.
Avoiding the circular file – Don’t let a recruiter dismiss your resume because of bad grammar, misspellings or disorganized information. Always ask a trusted friend or colleague to proof read your resume.

There are often excellent, free or inexpensive resume writing resources at colleges and unemployment offices as well as great tips on monster.com and other national career websites*. Most of the big outplacements firms are backing off of “retail” (individual paid) career advising. Look for mentors, career and business consultants (like Polish Your Star) and recruiters to help you fine tune your resume.

* http://www.careerexplorer.net/resume_assistance.asp, http://resume.monster.com/
http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/CareerBytes/Articles.aspx

Updating your resume for the new year

A few tips for updating your resume for the new year:

1. Show your results – Don’t use the space on your resume to list the duties of your job. Use it to highlight the results you achieved for your current and past employers in numbers (for example, number of employees hired or supervised, $$ of budget or increase in sales, % of new business increased or expenses reduce, major accomplishments.) Show them what you've achieved for your last employer. Let them picture you doing it for them.

2. Focus on the job you want, not the job you have. Check out some online job descriptions for the job you want. Make sure the words you use in your resume match the industry/organization's language. Use your resume to shows you:

• have done your homework,
• know the business and
• can translate your current skills and abilities to make their company a success.

3. Count your words & tell the story in highlights. If your sentences are over 10-15 words long, make them more succinct and straight forward. See #1 above.)

4. Don’t rely on your resume to get you a job. Resumes may be lost, thrown away, deleted or missed in a data base search. A large percentage of hiring still depends on who you know and referrals. Make sure you spend the bulk of your time on informational interviews, making a positive impression on the hiring manager and demonstrating the ability and willingness to do a great job for the organization.

Learn Something New Every Day!

Ok, scratch yesterday's suggestion. I've been reading Dr. Carol Dweck's book "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success," and learned that it's actually the trying, even when you fail, and following up to learn that leads to greater success. Practice doesn't make perfect (a fixed mindset would want that), but it does lead to more growth and learning (a growth mindset.) So how about this, write down three things you tried today and whether you succeeded or failed. It's the trying and practice that leads to growth that matters. Writing down successes is just patting yourself (myself) on the back for getting the easy stuff done.

I'm reminded of my favorite author Susan Jeffer's book, "Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway." Successes that don't cost anything aren't really successes. They're just away to avoid the hard stuff. Now if I could just remember that each day a little bit more.

Have a great week!

Happy 2008!

Welcome to 2008! If 2007 went by in a blur and you can't recall all the great things you did and find yourself overwhelmed by the "to do" list for 2008, try this: (1) Buy or create a 2008 calendar. A small notebook or pocket calendar will do. (2) commit to writing down 3 of your successes each day. At the end of each month, you'll have nearly 100 successes. At the end of the year, nearly 1000 successes. (3) review your successes on a monthly basis and evaluate whether you want to keep on the same course or re-focus your priorities. My goals for 2008? To eat 3 fruits a day; visit weight watchers once a week; record 3 successes a day; and continue to build Polish Your Star. Feel free to help keep me honest.;0)