Volume II Issue 7 • September 30, 2014

Note from Susan and Lynn

We all have occasional experiences that cause us to recommit to making a change. Susan had one of these experiences recently during a cycling trip in Spain. Her recommitment was to be better prepared when she embarks on a new experience. You’ll see in our feature article this month what drove this recommitment.

Being prepared for a new job or to make a career decision is the focus of this month’s newsletter. The strategy “Prepare for Your Next Level” addresses this in our 5 Strategies to Own Your Career™ program. Career decisions should be intentional and fully informed. We use tools, assessments and personal coaching to help women come to understand the “next level” unique to them and help take the mystery out of getting there. If you’d like to learn more about the 5 Strategies to Own Your Career™ virtual program starting in November, click here.

Warm Regards,

Lynn and Susan

Feature Article

Are you Prepared?

One, two, three, four, five…counting my pedal strokes one at a time, down, up, wiping sweat off my brow, will this never end? …548, 549, 550. Counting kept my mind focused so I could make it to the top of the next hill when I was cycling in Spain along the Mediterranean. Who knew Spain had so many steep hills and mountains? I made it…to the top of that hill and many others (well, at least most of them) but it was a challenge. There was one day that I actually traded in my bike shoes for running shoes because I was walking more than I was riding.

It was a fun and a beautiful trip…but clearly I was not prepared. I had not spent the time to understand what it would take to achieve my next level of fitness for this trip. I had been on a similar trip before, signed up for this one without knowing too much about it and then got “too busy” to research it or train for it. So on Labor Day, my husband and I naively got on a plane to Spain without knowing just what we were in for.

This can happen in your career. If you don’t know what it takes to prepare for your next level, not only do your job choices become arbitrary and risky, you lose ownership of your career. Without knowing whether a job is a good fit for you and knowing what it takes to get it, you can end up being swayed by the impressions and needs of others who, with all good intentions, may be guiding you.

Let’s take a look at a story of a woman who found herself in a mess because she wasn’t prepared for the next level.

Anne (not her real name) had a successful career in her industry. Not long after she had settled into a new job, she was asked to take another job within the company. The new job was a promotion in title and responsibility. She felt valued that they had chosen her, so, without considering her options, she agreed to take the job.

The job ended up being very different from what Anne had expected: the areas needing attention in the role were not what she enjoyed and the skills required were not ones she had developed. Others had assumed that Anne had the required skills. Anne had always avoided jobs that emphasized the now-critical skills because she didn’t enjoy that part of the business.

In a year’s time, not only was Anne stressed and miserable, she was failing in the job. By exploring a few key areas, Anne could have made a better decision about the job, and kept her career on track to move to a next level she enjoyed and for which she was prepared.

Know yourself. By knowing her unique characteristics and understanding how she best adds value, Anne would have had a big indicator that this job was not a good fit.
Know what others know about you. We think we know what others (e.g. bosses, peers, HR decision-makers, sponsors) know about our abilities, but do they really know the full picture? What assumptions might they be making?
Know what will be required in the job. Titles do not tell the story. The circumstances, business environment, management team, culture, all play a part in what any given job will really be like.
Know how to get the skills you need. Everybody has advice on this. The key is to get the right perspective. Anne believed and was advised by others that her past experience had prepared her for this next job. Had she examined it more closely, she would have known that was not the case.

In the 5 Strategies to Own Your Career™ program, we work with women to help them understand and Prepare for the Next Level. Using what we call the Inside/ Outside Model ™ participants dig deeply using tools, assessments and coaching to understand the best fit for them and how to get there. If you’d like to learn more about the 5 Strategies to Own Your Career™ virtual program beginning in November, contact us at seminars@womenleadingtogether.com or click here.

Resource Corner

“Exposing Hidden Bias at Google”, New York Times September 24, 2014:

It’s good to see a company addressing the more subtle gender bias issues. Let’s hope that Google eventually gets it right!

“Can Women Fix Capitalism?”, McKinsey Quarterly, by Joanna Barsh

Ms. Barsch, retired Director Emeritus at McKinsey & Company posits that the principle of “centered leadership” and the natural strengths of women could lead toward a better long term allocation of resources in business.

Ms. Barsh, with co-author Johanne Lavoie has recently published Centered Leadership: Leading with Purpose, Clarity and Impact. Ms. Barsh is the author of the best seller How Remarkable Women Lead. She has taken the principles from her research about women leaders combined with her experience with McKinsey’s Centered Leadership Project and developed a leadership model for men and women. What is unique about Ms. Barsh’s work is that it teaches how to embrace both the masculine and feminine sides in our leadership. Ms. Barsh and Ms. Lavoie want to inspire leaders to make a significant impact.

Upcoming Events

November 2014- 5 Strategies to Own Your Career Virtual Program

About Susan and Lynn

Susan Hodge and Lynn Rousseau created Women Leading Together in order to provide seminars, workshops, and coaching circles to help career women move forward to create fulfilling careers. Visit our website at www.WomenLeadingTogether.com.

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Events

5 Strategies to Own Your Career Virtual Program Begins November 2014

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