Posts in Career success
Unify Your Team: 10 Ways Great Leaders Move Forward From Discord

In a chaotic political campaign season, it’s all about having the right team, from candidates to social media message branding. Beyond the realm of politics and winning a single election, how do you as a leader in an industry or as an entrepreneur bring together a team of different intentions, skillsets, locations, identities, and career history to succeed for the present and future?

Perhaps you are in a new position as a leader, or you are a colleague and team member who is part of a shifting of titles and responsibilities. Holding it all together with purpose and transparency is the mark of a great leader. The puzzle pieces do not need to remain puzzling.

Read More
"Don’t Underestimate Yourself”: Lynda Carter on Leadership, Success and The Power To Be Whomever You Dare

The wonder of her accomplishments never stops.

Lynda Carter, a Wonder Woman in real life who turns 73 this month, is a global performer, singer, producer, actress, philanthropist, leader and inspiration to women and men around the world for her ability to excel in multiple arenas.

“We know how to wear many hats because we are so busy. We collaborate,” says Carter, who will be honored with the Leading Woman Award at Take The Lead’s Power Up Concert and Conference August 25-26.

Read More
Empowering Women in Educational Leadership: A Conversation with Dr. Stephanie Duguid and Gloria Feldt

I had the opportunity to join Dr. Stephanie Duguid, owner of Do Good Leadership, on her podcast “Empowering Women in Educational Leadership” in a compelling discussion on women in leadership. We delved into the critical disparities between men and women in leadership roles with a mission dedicated to propelling women into their rightful leadership positions across all sectors by 2025.

Read More
You Get More Than You Give: How Volunteering Shapes You As A Leader

 Just out of college, early in your career or mid-career, it is not likely you are able to easily join corporate boards or enter into the world of philanthropy with substantial donations. But you can still make an enormous impact volunteering your time and skills for missions and causes that you care about deeply.

And the experience will help you tremendously in your growth as a leader.

Since the pandemic, the volunteering landscape has shifted, and there is a gendered and generational element.

Read More
Pursue Your Big Idea: 7 Best Tips For Becoming a Successful Entrepreneur

Anyone who watches the ABC-TV show, “Shark Tank,” can witness in just a few minutes how a great idea that someone believes in unequivocally can either get supported to the next level or attacked with keen criticism. They either leave elated or deflated, sent back to develop their business further.

So what is the best advice for women entrepreneurs? What strategies can you put into practice to see your side hustle or your business dream launch into reality?

Take The Lead’s Power Up Conference, “Together We Lead,” on Women’s Equality Day in Washington , D.C. August 26, features a roster of speakers including Daisy Auger-Dominguez, author of Inclusion Revolution, and artist and filmmaker Tiffany Shlain, who excel as founders and entrepreneurs. There are also multiple networking opportunities at the conference to learn, connect and share your big ideas.

Read More
Prioritize Yourself: Why Conferences, Networking Matter Most Now

It may be way easier to stay home and stay quiet. But it is not in your best interest—not for your professional advancement or for your well-being.

Particularly in 2024, as post-pandemic realities set in at many organizations, staying lean and looking to retain and onboard top talent, and as many women entrepreneurs launch their drwam businesses, it is urgent to take advantage of conferences to learn and launch your best ideas.

With Take The Lead’s annual Power Up Conference on Women’s Equality Day on the calendar for August 25-26 in Washington, D.C., this year’s theme, “Together We Lead” addresses the importance of learning, networking and sharing experiences with others in-person as well as virtually.

Read More
The M Factor: How Motherhood & Work Is Changing—Or Not

Just ahead of Mother’s Day, it’s prime time to examine the changing M Factor influencing the role motherhood plays in the workplace. Some say it is changing for the better. Some say it is the same.

Others say mothering in this culture—often referred to as the Motherhood Penalty-- is worse, thanks to COVID and economic factors forcing women to take on traditional roles.

And those who voluntarily embrace the “trad wife” role newly popularized on TikTok, say that full time parenting when not working remotely or out of the house is a welcome return to the 1950s era of stay at home moms. Still some trad wives find themselves without options if they face divorce.

Read More
Enough Gender Pay Gap: 5 Ways To Get Paid Your Worth & Why It Matters

As if shaking up the world of sports coverage is not enough, new WNBA draft Caitlin Clark is embodying the gross discrepancy in pay for women for the same work as men.

According to CBS News, the former University of Iowa basketball superstar will make $76,000 in her first year with the Indiana Fever. That compares to “rookie Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 NBA draft pick last year, whose 2023-24 season salary was more than $12 million,” according to ABC News.

No worries for Clark, though, as she recently signed a $28 million deal with Nike.

Read More
A Little Lie? Why Fibs In Hiring And Workplace Happen and What You Need To Do

 The  truth is on both sides of the hiring process at many career levels, the recruiter often offers misleading information about the job and perhaps the company. Potential employees often pad their resumes.

Does the employer’s white lie and candidate’s CV padding cancel each other out? Maybe each party deserves what they get because they were less than 100% honest and transparent.

In the Australian TV series, “Fisk,” that debuted in 2021,  the main character, Helen Tudor-Fisk, tells some big fibs about her experience as a trial lawyer after a divorce and career upheaval in order to get hired at a low-budget law firm. The show, many report, is very funny.

Read More
OK To Cry? Expressing Emotions and Vulnerability Is A New Wave At Work

Raise your hand if you have cried at work.

My hand is up. Once early in my career when a boss was cruel in her comments to me in front of the newsroom and later in my career when a boss viciously chastised me for calling attention to a problem in the organization. Both outbursts were confined to me standing alone at the sink in the ladies’ room.

While this has been a definitively banned reaction for what seems like forever especially for women, new research shows being emotionally vulnerable in the workplace is optimal not just for employees, but for leaders and management.

Read More
Shirley Chisholm Lessons: 7 Inspirations For Each Level of Your Career

The new film, Shirley, with Regina King as U.S. Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm in her 1972 run for the presidency as the Democratic Party nomination, is a vibrant reminder of the value of male allies and mentorship for younger women.

 In the months leading up to the 2024 presidential election, these are key lessons women can take to heart in every field and into practice at every step of the ladder from college to early career to mid-career and even the highest office in the country.

Read More