Most of the time when I tell people that I am researching women and business, the conversation wanders into what I now think of as “the analysis paralysis” conundrum in which we try to suss out the why’s of women’s place in society. Here are common themes that come up. Women are more collaborative...
career advancement
Assertive or Aggressive? There IS a Difference (in Leadership Communications)
"The minute I express my opinion clearly, I get labeled as aggressive." This may be the most recurrent refrain I hear from the women leaders I coach when discussing leadership communication styles. They report that if they hold back or are soft-spoken, they get run over in conversations. Yet if...
Sponsor vs. Mentor – 3 Tips for Attracting a Sponsor
Is “Executive Sponsor” is the New “Mentor” for Women Leaders? The missing piece in women's advancement strategies into leadership? Mentorship helps us be effective, but it’s not as helpful at helping us get a job as sponsorship is. Dana takes a look at what is means to have a sponsor vs. a mentor...
Define ‘Authentic’ At Work
We love it when smart thinkers challenge buzzwords, which is why we love Laurie’s post this week as she endeavors to define Authentic behavior in the workplace and explore the deeper meanings of this important idea. After reading the post, take a moment and think about what is most authentic about...
Want An Executive Job? 4 Tricks To Get Out Of The Weeds
In a previous post about job interview tips, I outlined the findings of several research studies about advancing your career – especially for professional women in leadership who want to land a C-suite executive job. The research basically pointed up the following: If targeting a C-suite job,...
Research Says: The Language Power of Female Leadership
Study The Language of Female Leadership (Judith Baxter, UK Economic and Social Research 2011) Finding: Women tend to take on apologetic language pattern styles in executive committee meetings. InPower Insight: Turn powerless language into powerful language and own your place in committee...
5 Tips to Making A Difference At Work and In the World
We all flirt with burn-out for a million reasons. Here are five strategies from Laurie to help us put out the flames before they consume us and making a difference at work. How many of these things are you doing already? What more can you do to invest in your sanity and impact? - InPower Editors...
Research Summary: The New Path To C-Suite Leadership
Title: The New Path to C-Suite Leadership Study: The New Path To The C-Suite (Boris Groysberg, L. Kevin Kelley, and Bryan McDonald, The Harvard Business Review 2011) Finding: Would-be executives in each functional area have different paths to follow to the top. Learn what helps those in your...
Five Steps to Start A Mentoring Circle
Did you know that according to this 2011 Linked In survey of 1,000 women professionals, while 80% said having a mentor was important, only 20% actually had a mentor? In my work as an executive coach and speaker, I notice how easy it is for many women to second-guess ourselves. We tend to focus...
FAQ: Career Coach Advice
Though most of my executive coaching centers on leadership, authentic personal branding and thriving in the midst of office politics, I often support people in job search and career transition. When I am giving career coach advice, I often find some themes in the conversation around how to handle...