It has taken me 15 years, an MBA, starting my own firm, acquiring and firing partners and staff to understand one infinite business fact. Your gut is always right, no matter what situation no matter who the players. That knot in your stomach that tells you something isn’t right, never lies. So as I come out of a difficult situation I find that I am not doing something that I … [Read more...]
Management by Generations
There is an absolute truth in being an entrepreneur that you will be out of your depth on many occasions. Knowing this fact makes it easier to shift your perspective from a defensive stance to a position on learning from unexpected sources. I recently encountered a similar situation with a younger member of a board for a national organization, here’s what I learned. While it’s … [Read more...]
Leadership Development: When NOT to be GUTSY
While gathering definitions for the word "GUTSY", to be used in my new book being released soon. I had an epiphany. Maybe there are times to just be still, not show your confident, brash, exuberant, irreverent side. I sat with this for most of a day, letting it roll around in my mind like a chocolate drop that did not melt quickly. What happens if a gutsy woman stays quiet? … [Read more...]
Business Leadership: Recycling Conflict
Last week I was delighted to be a workshop presenter at the HBA Conference in Philadelphia. The Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association is filled with many of the brightest executive women I have met. The key to the success of the two day program is the care and constant tending the presenters get once they have been chosen. Interestingly, I mused about this after the … [Read more...]
Leadership and the Art of Asking
How often do you ask for what you want? Better yet, do you get what you ask for? In our WELL Program (Women Executive Leadership Lessons) we have a module on the power and importance of asking for what you want. It usually brings up lots of memories of being a "good girl" as a kid, or of hearing parents say "it’s not polite to ask, just wait till you are given". Most women … [Read more...]
Women and Leadership – What Dialogue are We Creating?
Guest post by Valerie Dennis (read more about Valerie at the end of this post) I was just reading the thread of dialogue in a community forum and the question was asked about what makes a successful female leader. In truth, I was a little disappointed in the answers. Some of the comments went to the reasons why we lack a presence in executive management roles (I.e. … [Read more...]