"Fashions fade, style is eternal." —Yves Saint Laurent With the trend toward dressing down at work continuing, it is important for women to remember that the power suit is still a thing. The Suit - The Great Equalizer The struggle for equality in the workplace is ongoing; but to make progress in all fields women … Continue reading The Power Suit – It’s Still A Thing
"You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today." ~ Abraham Lincoln With the voices of women echoing from the ranks of the entertainment industry and the chambers of Congress about the evils of sexual harassment, the jaw-dropping numbers of powerful men toppling from their pedestals and promises of severe consequences to perpetrators … Continue reading Will Corporate America Please Stand Up?
Dear Subscribers and Readers, Although I am not yet back from my summer hiatus, I am compelled to post the notice below from Bonnie Low-Kramen. No doubt you are familiar with Bonnie, who is the author of Be the Ultimate Assistant: A Celebrity Assistant's Secrets to Success and ultimate trainer of everything to do with executive … Continue reading Readers, Please Take Note
"In 1938... the year's #1 newsmaker was not FDR, Hitler, or Mussolini. Nor was it Lou Gehrig or Clark Gable. The subject of the most newspaper column inches in 1938 wasn't even a person. It was an undersized, crooked-legged racehorse named Seabiscuit." ~ Laura Hillenbrand, Seabiscuit: An American Legend For some the term, "leadership" raises anxiety and for others it … Continue reading What Are Leadership Skills? And What Is a “Leader”?
"The time has passed when a woman should be placed in a position and kept there only while someone else is being groomed for the job." ~ Hattie Wyatt Caraway, the first woman elected (in a landslide) on November 8, 1932 to serve a full term as a United States Senator (Note: This year's National … Continue reading Women’s History Month – Trailblazer Hattie Caraway
There never will be complete equality until women themselves
help to make laws and elect lawmakers. ~ Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906)
Although it took nearly three-quarters of a century, American women made good on Abigail Adams's threat in 1776 to her husband, John Adams, as he participated in the creation of the United States Constitution: "...we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.” Once underway, that rebellion -- begun at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 -- lasted another nearly three-quarters of a century, but it resulted in the Nineteenth Amendment, ratified in 1920, which guaranteed all women nationwide the right to vote. Prior to that, each state decided whether to grant women the right to vote, and, shockingly, some states actually revoked their right. But many states did grant women the right to vote, and it was in 1917 that a leader in the suffrage movement of one of those states, Jeannette Rankin of Montana, became the first woman elected to Congress.
White House Official Photo
Former First Lady of the United States Nancy Reagan
1921 - 2016
With the passing of former First Lady Nancy Davis Reagan last week, the nation's attention turned briefly to reflect on the role that America's First Ladies have played in building our country -- a position, I might add, that pays no salary. First Lady Pat Nixon once commented that, "Being first lady is the hardest unpaid job in the world." And President Obama brought up the subject a few years ago, mentioning that First Lady Michelle Obama does not get paid for all her work on behalf of the Executive Branch and the country, especially her work to eliminate childhood obesity and encourage Americans to live healthier lives, which in turn can reduce workplace absenteeism and healthcare costs.
How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate
our heroes and she-roes!” ~ Maya Angelou
Guest Post by Lyn Nelson
As we honor our nation's Armed Forces heroes this Veterans Day, I'd like to use this space to discuss some of the difficulties our returning veterans undergo in transitioning back to the workforce. Veterans possess a unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives to contribute to future jobs, and yet its members still face significant trouble getting hired. From my experience working with veteran clients, I'd like to share a few insights:
Step Up to the Salary Negotiation
Don’t Leave Money on the Table
“Don’t leave money on the table,” is the advice of negotiators, and applies whether you're investing, navigating a business deal, applying for financial aid, making an offer on a house, wrangling over the sticker price on a new or used car, haggling with a market vendor, bartering over your allowance or negotiating your starting salary, benefits, perks and other fine points of your newly-minted job offer.
The Luncheon Interview
“The world was my oyster but I used the wrong fork.”
~Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde's quotation is a metaphor for the choices he made. Its meaning for you is although you've made it this far, all can be forfeited if you fail the final test that many employers require: a demonstration of your table manners. Many positions require attendance at meetings and events that involve dining; exhibiting top-notch table manners proves that you can be trusted to represent the company well. In a close race, the smallest details can reveal the victor.
