Pick up Steam: Are Efforts To Get More Women, Girls in STEM, Tech Working?

The Oscar-winning film, “Oppenheimer,” that recently won Best Picture, has stirred national interest in the STEM career of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the nuclear physicist who is called the “father of the atomic bomb” as well as the field of physics.

With a predominantly male cast, in the film set in the 1940s, the closest a woman gets to sharing in scientific work and notoriety is his wife, Kitty, a traditional non-working spouse. Lisa Meitner, a prominent German nuclear Scientist, was asked to work on the project and she refused.

Career choices, Career success, Changing the WorkplaceMichele WeldonMarch 15, 2024Women in STEM, Women in TechComment

Where Are The Best Jobs? 5 Strategies for New Grads Landing Tech Careers

It’s job application season for those who are graduating this winter and spring.

The good news is newly minted students graduating now with undergraduate and graduate degrees are finding high paying jobs in engineering, computer and IT, plus transportation, according to new data from QRFY.

But for many women and those identifying as women, the work cultures of engineering and tech jobs are steeped in gender and racial bias.

But where there is disruption, there is opportunity to change the culture.

Career success, Career choices, Changing the WorkplaceMichele WeldonJanuary 12, 2024Women In Tech, careers, diversityComment

Pivot To 2024: 6 Tips for Leaders to Succeed in New Year

It’s time to strategize.

Looking to pivot to a successful 2024, here is the latest research on trends in social media, ecommerce, AI, workplace culture, and customer concerns that can help you shape your plans this year.

Put effort into social media content. A new study from StoryChief.io evaluating 44 U.S. firms, all are in the top 10 companies for sales in their industries, shows a mix of high engagement and poor engagement rates on social media platforms. Accenture seems to do it right with more than 913,000 Facebook likes per post.

Changing the Workplace, Leadership tools and tipsMichele WeldonDecember 29, 2023New Year, Tools and TipsComment

Take A Stand: 8 Strategies To Navigate Transparency In Global Workplace Statements

Colleagues, teams, clients, customers and mentees are looking to leaders now for direction in difficult global times. The words and phrasing all leaders and managers use in every discussion at work and in public statements are of crucial importance. Reactions can lead to firings, resignations—or support.

Care and fairness is critical. This is where leadership can shine or dissolve.

Sizeism at Work: What You Need To Know To Make Workplaces Safe, Inclusive

It’s holiday party time at work.

If you are spending your days in an office, or you are going in from your remote office for the special in-person occasion of a year’s end celebration, there will be an abundance of buffets, holiday treats and goodies.

That can be wonderful and it can also be dreadful, particularly if you are labelled as overweight, a person in a larger body and fatshaming, fatphobia and sizeism are prevalent in your workplace culture. Subtle or overt comments such as, “Thats a full plate!” or “Why not try the fruit instead of the cookies?” may make anyone want to opt out of any celebration.

Sizeism is defined as bias or discrimination against an individual based on their weight or size. Women and weight is a toxic workplace stew with millions affected.

Changing the Workplace, Career success, MediaMichele WeldonDecember 8, 2023Sizeism, Workplace Culture, InclusivityComment

Yay Or Nay: 5 Questions To Help You Decide To Take Promotion Or Pass

Z friend was recently agonizing to a handful of us at a party about her great job offer in the company where she has worked for seven years. The offer included a title promotion, raise, cost of living expenses, global travel and high visibility.

What was the problem?

She would have to move almost immediately to New York from Chicago, a city where she enjoyed her personal and professional life with a great apartment, positive workplace culture plus family and friends close by.

Changing the Workplace, Career success, Career choices, Ambition / IntentionMichele WeldonDecember 1, 2023career path, career goalsComment

Turn The Page: 11 Books You Need To Read Now And Give This Holiday Season

We can always use a new book, life approach, history lesson, toolkit or bible of strategies to improve ourselves and how we think and behave as leaders. Reading and learning is what great leaders do.

At a time when books and the prohibition of books makes news across the country, it is necessary to maintain reverence for books as a way to create, recreate and reimagine our lives.

Pink knows books are essential gifts to ourselves, our children and all others as she announced recently she is giving away thousands of banned books at her concerts, in cooperation with PEN America and poet laureate Amanda Gorman.

Changing the Workplace, Life tools and tipsMichele WeldonNovember 17, 2023books, Leadership Books, Life AdviceComment

Are You OK? 5 Keys To Deal Effectively With Trauma in The Workplace

Sometimes it is impossible to keep calm and carry on.

With so many affected by catastrophes globally, nationally and locally that are top of mind, as well as additional personal considerations and tolerated toxic behaviors, learning how to effectively handle the impact on yourself, colleagues, clients and customers is a necessary skill.

Changing the Workplace, Leadership tools and tipsMichele WeldonNovember 10, 2023stress, trauma, Leadership Skills, Work AdviceComment

Scared of AI? 13 Keys To Leading & Succeeding With AI

ChatGPT will be one year old in November. In its first two months of operation, there were more than 100 million users. It now has 1.6 billion users. Open AI, its parent company, launched in 2015 and has a valuation of $29 billion.

Some leaders, managers, academics and professionals in all niches are scared. Others are eager to embrace the power of this technology.

Changing the Workplace, Life tools and tips, Tools and TipsMichele WeldonOctober 26, 2023AI, Technology, ChatGPT, business-strategyComment

Great News: Women & Minority Owned Small Businesses Succeeding Now

Finally. We all could use positive news about women business owners in the post-pandemic, pre-recession universe. Thankfully, it’s here.

“Women business owners have a positive business outlook… Most expect revenue growth over the next 12 months, and a majority feel equipped to weather a potential recession.” According to a new Bank of America report, 2023 Women & Minority Business Owner Spotlight.

Authenticity Is Key: Bring Your True Self To Your Leadership

”Why not bring your authentic self?”

Sandy Ko, founder and principal of Customer Contact Week Women, says her background as a South Korean immigrant shaped her leadership style and gave her permission to “exist loudly.”

“Growing up in the 90s, in my second corporate job, senior leadership was the Boys Club of all white males.” She adds that she found, “There is power in connecting outside of your wheelhouse.”

After moving with her family to New Jersey when she was six, she found, “Everyone had a network. We didn’t have any family here. It was difficult to find Korean communities.”

Back to Work: 6 Tips On Shifting From Remote To IRL Or Hybrid

Now that the pandemic is officially over—in spite of spiking cases nationwide— many leaders are calling for a return to the physical office.

Farmers Group CEO Raul Vargas recently mandated everyone be back in the office because it breeds creativity, camaraderie, and collegiality.

According to Business Insider, “The CEOs of Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan have said remote work is a solution for some, but not all, and larger companies like Disney and Starbucks have recently updated their requirements for employees to work in offices at least a few days per week.”.

Changing the Workplace, Entrepreneur, Life tools and tipsMichele WeldonSeptember 29, 2023Covid-19, Workplace Culture, Workplace AdviceComment

View Newsletter Archive

Info

Action