Vicky had just finished giving her project update at the department meeting. She felt relieved that it finally was over. She had been so busy, she hadn’t had time to prepare as much as she would have liked. So, she was nervous. Vicky’s boss, Juanita, wanted to speak with her after the meeting. “Vicky,” she … Read more
Do you want to advance in your career? If your goal is to rise up through the ranks quickly, you’ve got to have executive presence. The impressions you leave can directly impact your ability to move up in the organization, to be trusted with greater and more important responsibilities, and to be an influencer. You … 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
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
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
“Fortune 100 Company Lays Off Employees” “Corporate Restructuring Offers Early Retirement to Hundreds of Employees.” You see these headlines all too often. You may have been personally impacted or know someone who has by announcements like these. My family has been personally impacted by both. An unexpected layoff or early retirement brings with it a … Read more
For more information on building a quality professional network, check out Chapter 8 of the book “FuelForward: Discover Proven Practices to Fuel Your Career Forward“. Available on Amazon. “This is a relationship culture, but it’s hard to break in. There’s a closed network of people who have known each other for a long time. Or, because … Read more
As you move up into leadership roles, more is demanded of you. There’s so much flying at you each day. And, the demands on you are different than they were as an individual contributor. In the leadership development training I facilitate, I hear rising leaders talk about the challenges of balancing these demands. Once these … Read more
“Hard to Find: Workers With Good ‘Soft Skills’,” was the focus of a recent article published in the Wall Street Journal. According to this article “companies across the US say it is becoming increasingly difficult to find applicants who can communicate clearly, take initiative, problem-solve and get along with co-workers.” Other research shows similar trends. … Read more
Copyright 2023 Vivian Blade
