Zero Club from Pink

In the August/September/October issue of Pink, you'll find a list of companies with Zero women officers. Among them, such consumer brands as: Apple, Blockbuster, DirectTV, McGraw Hill, Tribune Co., and Whirlpool. Just thought you'd want to know.
http://www.pinkmagazine.com/career/leadership/zero_club.html

Monday Monday

Monday is the traditional beginning of the work week. Today's economy calls for a 24/7/365 "on" button. What does this mean for the way we tend to our business that isn't "business" or for which we aren't paid? For whom does the hourly rate apply and at what point will it invade all of our lives? Complaining customers can be put on hold. Does the same hold true for feeble elderly, crying children, and other dependents that don't have an on/off switch?

SCORE's Annual Women in Business Event

Thank you to those who attended SCORE’s Annual Women in Business event today. I was honored to moderate and inspired by the stories and audience questions. Congratulations to all the women who are on their path to success and thank you to their advisors. You can learn more about the panelists businesses at:

Laurie Crow
Sinful Wine and Spirits7949 Southtown Center, Bloomington, MN 55431, 952-888-9463 (WINE), http://www.sinfulwine.com/


T Lee T Lee Fine Designer Jewelry 18 University Av. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413, 612-789-2656, http://www.tleegold.com/

Adria Richards
Organic Technology Consultant
612-246-4568, http://butyoureagirl.com
Twitter: @adriarichards

Julie Moore Rapacki
Polish Your Star
6800 France Av. S., Ste. 120, Edina, MN 55435, 952-929-1722, http://www.polishyourstar.com/


Thank you to my advisor Judy Murphy and event organizer Caryl Sharp. Don’t wait until next year’s Women in Business Seminar to connect with SCORE!

Minneapolis Chapter
The Bremer Bank Bldg, Ste. 103
8800 Hwy. 7, St. Louis Park, MN 55426
http://www.score-minneapolis.org/

Do women make better bosses?

The New York Times asked that question on 8/2/09. To what end? If not, no promotion for you? If yes, move over boys? Please.

Contrast Oprahs Most Powerful Women with Forbes Most Powerful

Forbes puts a list out of powerful women out every year. Oprah started one this year. The difference? The Oprah version didn't focus on money, media exposure or title/scope of influence. I don't get it. Isn't power power? The ability to command resources and make a change in the world?

According to Webster, the definition of power is:
1 a (1) : ability to act or produce an effect (2) : ability to get extra-base hits (3) : capacity for being acted upon or undergoing an effect b : legal or official authority, capacity, or right
2 a : possession of control, authority, or influence over others b : one having such power; specifically : a sovereign state c : a controlling group :
establishment —often used in the phrase the powers that be d archaic : a force of armed men e chiefly dialect : a large number or quantity
3 a : physical might b : mental or moral efficacy c : political control or influence.

Can women who don't have independent financial resources, exposure to others and a large reach, make as significant impact on the future as the woman who does? I don't think so. Case in point: Oprah.

Recent studies

A couple of recent studies have come out with interesting results relating to women. One in Canada indicates that women tend to get less on the job training but when offered it, are more likely to take it then men. Another in New Mexico, indicates that women may rank themselves higher than they believe their boss, peers and colleagues would.

My advice: Ask for training and don't assume others don't share your opinion of how hard and well you work. In both cases, your boss or company may not say it but training is available and your work is valued. Don't forget to ask and promote yourself.

http://www.demodirt.com/index.php/world-demographic-trends/142-corporate-culture/276-more-like-a-plexiglass-ceiling

http://ebn.benefitnews.com/blog/daily_diversion/

Business Cards

I was recently asked what information should go on your business card. I say as much information, if not more, than you would put on your resume header. Include your name, title or expertise, company (if any), phone number, email, linkedin profile page and other helpful information that will remind the person of who you are and why they should be in touch.

Women and Money

I've been thinking a lot about women and money lately. It seems me a central dilemma of increasing the economic and leadership of women has to do with asking for money for oneself and knowing that you are worth it. (It's not just a gift, luck, good fortune or a mistake.) While we have so many female leaders in non-profits asking for money on behalf of others, how can we at the same time be comfortable asking for money for ourselves and using it to fund what we believe is valuable. Why do we set a double standard when we know that so much of what gets funded really depends on who has the money?

Women in Business

I've been doing a lot of thinking about women in business recently. When I think business, I think products/services for sale, pricing, volume but also resiliance, risk taking, innovation, cost saving. What does the successful business person see that other's don't? How do they continue to go after it when others don't? Here are some elements I think are critical:

• Tough skin
• Stick to it-ness/stubborness
• Good team player, listener
• Supported and supportive
• Willingness to ask for help

How would you test these elements? What do you see in people you consider to be "successful" in business?

Super women or martyr

Are you ready to react?

How often are you advised to count your blessings or feel lucky you have what you have? With all due respect to a higher power, when you're a woman waiting for others to recognize your contribution you can wait a long time. You can turn into a victim of circumstances you ignore. What's a wise woman to do? Be ready to react to what life hands you so that you can make your own blessings and luck.

Perhaps you want to be blessed with a great job that changes peoples' lives and brings you the ability to control your money and give to causes you care about. What are you doing today:

• to create that job?
• to be in the right place for that job?
• to let others know you want it?
• to let others know you're the right person to do the job?
• that communicates you're worth every $ you ask for?

Will you be ready to react when it comes or will you let it pass you by?

Do you say "yes" or "no" to the possibilities?

I had meetings with 2 very different women today. One that says "yes" to opportunities that come her way and another with a woman who's immediate response to any idea is "no" or who will take on the work (because it won't be her, is implied.) The first meeting was full of information sharing, general collaboration, hope and moving forward our mutual agendas. The second was hard to get through. It was as if our work together was useless and didn't matter. Which was not at all the case. Like pulling teeth.

I know which of these two women I want to follow and is a leader.

When will we be worth it?

I was talking with a stressed out friend today. She's gone months from one grueling project after another without a break to reflect and appreciate what she's accomplished. I asked her to step back and consider whether anyone really wants her to feel as crappy is she does or if she is just not asking for help. Turns out, she hasn't asked for help.

I (and she) know she's an extremely bright and accomplished individual. She works for one of the rare companies that is leading edge in this economy and is on course to make money hand over fist. It seems as she's buying into a reality that just isn't hers. I encouraged her to step back and embrace the energy of the possibilities she is creating, ask for what she needs to make those possibilities a reality (even sacred/carved out time during the day for her own strategy and management reflection) and then move forward. She deserves as much help to pull the economy forward as the rest of us. It's a big job and we need bright, energized leaders who aren't exhausted and feeling punished to bring us forward.

Jack v. Katty & Claire

I received 2 interesting article today about women in business. Compare and contrast:

"Former General Electric Co. Chief Executive Jack Welch has some blunt words for women climbing the corporate ladder: you may have to choose between taking time off to raise children and reaching the corner office."http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124726415198325373.html?mod=dist_smartbrief

"While the pinstripe crowd fixates on troubled assets, a stalled stimulus and mortgage remedies, it turns out that a more sure-fire financial fix is within our grasp -- and has been for years. New research says a healthy dose of estrogen may be the key not only to our fiscal recovery, but also to economic strength worldwide." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/10/AR2009071002358.html

Clearly, the questions of women in leadership is a hot topic. Where do you stand?

Tesla for $106K ?!?!?

I was listening to MPR this morning and heard discussion about the Tesla roadster, selling for $106,000 and which goes from 0-60 in 3.9 seconds. What percentage of female customers do they have? My mind immediately leapt to the assumption that there isn't any product/service comparable in price and frivolity targeted at women that a woman buys for herself. As with all assumptions, I'm probably wrong. Do you know of any products/services for which women pay that much money?

Gloria Steinem - One of Kind

I had the privilege of hearing Gloria Steinem present to 1200 women at the Depot last week. (Womenwinning's 27th Annual Luncheon.) Here are the notes I took:
* Advocate for tax change to recognize dependent care. A tax deduction or refund would be so easy to do, if we had the will. I agree and wish we could go further and create a social security place holder to recognize this "job."
* We are in a dangerous time, politically. Those addicted to white supremacy will react. She analogized it to a woman trapped in domestic violence. The most dangerous and likely time for violence is when the woman tries to leave.
* When you're feminist, you're for racial and sexual equality as well. Like sexism, racism and homo-phophia are just ways to control others bodies through male dominance.
* There is logic in the "Right's" stand against choice and pro-death penalty. They want the state to control the body, not individuals.
* Don't waste time - seek out those places in which you find joy, humor, sex, and audaciousness.