What Can Google Tell Us About the Status of Women?

Ads for high-income jobs are shown more often to men than women. Arrest records are more likely to show up in searches for distinctively “black” sounding names. Predatory loans are marketing more heavily to low-income individuals. And apparently the highest-ranking female CEO is Barbie…as in the doll. At least that’s the conclusion one must draw from a quick Google search for CEO. After 26 pictures of predominantly white men portraying what the American public has concluded is the image of ... Read more

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Own It

Entrepreneurs are different from most of us. They are innovative risk-takers who prefer to start their own business rather than work for someone else’s organization. This may have been their ultimate goal as they obtained their education, or they may have arrived at the decision after working for someone else for a few years. Perhaps their family operated a business, and they were part of that endeavor while growing up. If so, they understand the dedication and time it takes to open ... Read more

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Wanting and Having it All Can Be Two Different Things

We all have dreams for our lives. Some of them are more realistic than others. When you were little, perhaps you wanted to be a fairy princess and a mom and an astronaut, all at the same time. As you got older, the combinations might have changed, but, generally, you still saw several interconnected roles in your future. Years ago, though, women didn’t have as many choices, and some of those choices used the conjunction “or” rather than “and.” You could be a ... Read more

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Eight Tips for Holding onto Spring Momentum

For those of us who live in geographic areas with changing seasons, May is a magical month. Winter has finally ended. The days lengthen. Flowers, leaves, and birds appear again. Spring is filled with hope and renewed vitality. For awhile, most people experience a boost in both mood and productivity. What would it be like if you could maintain your Spring momentum? Could you focus better, accomplish more, and achieve a desirable work-life balance? Would you be better organized, more ... Read more

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Digital by Default: 3 Ways to Take Advantage of Being an “Accidental Techie” at Your Organization

As the Founder of the Women in Tech Campaign, I’ve heard my share of stories from awesome women who self-identify as ‘accidental techies’. So what is an ‘accidental techie’? Often a communications professional by trade or study, these folks have somewhat organically turned into a digital ‘jack-of-all-trades’ for their organizations. But, the truth is, as the ‘Captain’ of your digital ship, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day storms and not look to the shore ahead. So, this post is ... Read more

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What About You and the Leaders You Meet?

The fact is, when you have a job, you are going to run into bad leaders. Why? Because leadership is difficult. Even for those with natural leadership ability, it is not easy. As the saying goes, “People quit their bosses, not their jobs.” In earlier posts, I wrote about two extremes of leadership: the good and the bad. This post is about you and what you do with the leaders you meet: 1) Be reasonable in your own expectations; but 2) Remove yourself from a bad situation when you can. Don’t ... Read more

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The Walls Have Ears

Today, thanks to cell phones, we are constantly surrounded by conversations. People talk while they are walking, shopping, and eating. It seems like there are no longer filters on language used or content discussed. If nearby, you can listen to the intricacies of a legal matter or the intimacies of a personal relationship. This same behavior can be observed in the office. Though a conversation you’re having may seem harmless, it can have damaging effects. For example, perhaps you use ... Read more

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Beware the Lemmings

The lemming is a small rodent that mostly lives in the Arctic. Folklore has it that lemmings follow each other even when it results in their jumping off cliffs in what some describe as mass suicides. The lemming analogy is a cautionary tale for a “group think” mentality and can be applied to several situations in the workplace. New employees are more susceptible to becoming lemmings than others who are better informed. Frequently, an established worker volunteers to help the new person get ... Read more

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Words Left Unsaid

When I got married, Betsy (co-founder of Start Smart Career Center) gave me a piece of advice that I cherish because it has proven to be invaluable. She told me that the words I choose not to say to my husband are just as important as the words I do say to him. I could not have possibly appreciated the gravity of that statement at the time, but over five years later it is a motto I’ve come to live by in every aspect of my life. This concept may be easiest to understand in regards to ... Read more

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Don’t Settle for the Cheap Seats

There is going to be a meeting with the boss that will be held in the conference room. Unfortunately, the conference table isn’t large enough for all the managers to sit at the table. There are chairs placed around the perimeter of the room for overflow. The men wander in and take a seat at the table without giving it a second thought. They may try to decide where the boss will sit so they can choose their chair strategically. Some of the women seem uncertain about where to sit and ... Read more

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