Vivian Blade 
Patricia was considering the candidates from the final round of interviews for her open senior manager position. She asked Ron, her Human Resources partner, to review the applicants with her as she made her final decision. Both candidates were well qualified with the skills and experience needed for the role, and had a track record … Read more
Kathy and Miguel work for a mid-sized manufacturing company. Kathy works in operations, while Miguel is in Finance. Both have worked for the company about five years and have worked together on various projects over the years. They have formed a good working relationship. There have been times when Kathy needed a custom report run … Read more
Women still struggle to get ahead. That’s evident in the results of the recent Women in the Workplace Study* by LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Company. The corporate playing field for women remains uneven. The study* found that women’s experiences at work differ. And, women question the fairness in opportunities in the workplace. Will you sit … Read more
If you’re frustrated with your career progression and it seems like your total commitment to working endless hours, doing whatever it takes to get the job done and then some, Navigating the Corporate Environment is not being recognized or rewarded… and you feel like you’re trying to push through the journey on your own… it’s … Read more
Women are not only missing critical relationships such as allies, mentors, and sponsors in their careers. You also are not managing those relationships so that you get the most benefit from them. A mentor is one of the most important strategic assets in your career advancement toolkit. Yet, you don’t treat your mentoring relationships that … Read more
The Mistake: You don’t manage the mentoring relationship and fail to get the outcomes you’re looking to achieve. A good mentoring experience doesn’t just happen without planning and care throughout the process. There are four stages of a mentoring relationship that define your progress: Selecting Engaging Progressing Closing Each stage has its own set of … Read more
Lisa was one of the hardest-working people on her team. She would come into the office early most days and stay late to get the job done. Then, she’d head home for the evening. She got a lot of pats on the back; plenty of attaboys, and ’thanks for being so committed.’ But, she found herself … Read more
“Women get less access to the people and opportunities that advance careers and are disadvantaged in many of their daily interactions.” LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Company, 2016 Women in the Workplace Report Why has this situation not improved for women? Both sides contribute to this challenge. Company leaders tend to have rose-colored glasses. They don’t realize or … Read more
In my coaching practice, I run across a number of female professionals who are frustrated with their career progression. They feel like they’ve been committed to the company, working endless hours and doing what it takes to get the job done and then some. A big part of the problem is, they feel like they’re … Read more
Your employer has announced layoffs and extended early retirement to a number of employees. You’re among the employees who are not leaving and, at least for now, will remain employed. We often consider the colleagues who are staying the lucky ones, yet, don’t realize that this is an emotional and challenging time for them, too. … Read more
Copyright 2023 Vivian Blade
