Show Us All: Why Media Visuals Need To Reflect BIPOC Women

Simone Biles is on the new August cover of Vogue. Viola Davis is on the August cover of Vanity Fair. It’s a good month for visual representation of strong BIPOC women leaders in mainstream media. But it’s been a long time coming. And it’s not nearly enough.

Even as the Biles’ photo shoot was criticized for how the lighting reflected the athlete’s skin tone as photographed by Annie Liebowitz, the trend of celebrating a wider range of women leaders is positive. Davis’ cover story was the first ever by a Black photographer, Dario Calmese.

Changing the Workplace, Change Leadership, Leadership Power Tools, MediaMichele WeldonJuly 24, 2020Diversity, Media, Representation, BIPOC Women, Women Leaders, Equity, Power ToolsComment

Is your career disrupted? How you can regroup, refresh, and rewire for success

Issue 135 — July 13, 2020

What had you planned to do in 2020?

I could hardly wait for 2020. It was going to be an epic year. The 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution giving women the right to vote. So many events were already being planned that my calendar was filled with places I wanted to go to join the celebration. It was to be the year that Take The Lead was finally poised to scale up with our strategy to achieve gender parity in leadership by 2025.

I had so many plans. Just the sound of those round numbers 2020 were enough to signal a special year.

We were about to find out just how special.

Career choices, Career success, Ambition / Intention, Leadership Power Tools, Women Career SuccessGloria FeldtJuly 13, 2020Career Path, Career Reinvention, Career Goals, Women Leaders, Covid-19, 50 Women Can Change The WorldComment

Share Your Story: Take The Lead Wants Your Power To Change Stories

Your story matters.

Take The Lead introduces the new initiative, Power To Change Stories, to highlight your personal story of specific experiences, strategies, insights and solutions to create change where you work and where you are.

At Take The Lead, we are committed to racial and gender parity as our mission. We recognize the importance of stories especially now during the pandemic of COVID-19 and the calls to action to affect ongoing racial injustice.

Take The Lead Launch, Leadership tools and tips, Leadership Power Tools, Community BuildingMichele WeldonJuly 3, 2020Power To, Power To Change Stories, Workplace, Mental Health, LeadershipComment

All You Need Is This Course: 9 Leadership Power Tools Go Virtual June 1

The world has changed drastically since February in every possible way across the world—for women especially. And while many are learning to adapt their professional and personal lives in what is the new mid-COVID-19 normal, adjusting to the status quo is not the only choice.

Transformation is another.

Change Leadership, Career success, Ambition / Intention, Changing the Power Par..., Leadership Power ToolsMichele WeldonMay 15, 2020Women Leadership, Gloria Feldt, 9 Power Tools, Online Learning, Career Success, How women can advance their careersComment

What Day Is It? 7 Keys To Maintaining WFH Focus During COVID-19

Is it Tuesday or Thursday? Are you mixing up your days of the week working from home?

Due to the COVID-19 shelter from home mandate for millions now working remotely from home, the challenges of isolation, distractions, interruptions, family duties and more are crossing the lines literally from work and home.

Changing the Workplace, Women Career Success, Life tools and tips, Leadership Power ToolsMichele WeldonMay 8, 2020How women can advance their careers, Workplace Culture, Life Advice, Work Advice, Leadership Tools, Covid-19, CoronavirusComment

Leading In Chaos: How Resilient Are You?

Millions of us are testing the limits of our own strength—physically, emotionally, mentally—whether in isolation, working from home or facing the enormous challenges of essential work and the multi-dimensional threats of COVID-19.

Life tools and tips, Take The Lead Events, Women Career Success, Changing the Workplace, Leadership Power ToolsMichele WeldonMay 1, 2020Coronavirus, Mental Health, Take The Lead, Women Leadership, How women can advance their careers, Covid-19Comment

New WFH Income: 7 Ways To Monetize Your Quarantine Hustle

Most everyone I know has an income shift or even income elimination due to the shelter in place mandate due to COVID-19. So many in event planning, retail, hospitality, restaurants, and pretty much anything that requires other people and is considered non-essential have been laid off, or their income streams have dropped.

Ambition / Intention, Career choices, Career success, Leadership Power ToolsMichele WeldonApril 21, 2020Coronavirus, Covid-19Comment

Quarantine Creative Distractions: Try Writing To Save Your Life

If only you had the time to write. Maybe now you just might.

Millions across the country are WFH—working from home—and have been for the past several weeks. They will be sheltering in place for several more weeks or months perhaps during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many at the same time are e-schooling children, caring for family members and partners.

Ambition / Intention, Career success, Leadership Power ToolsMichele WeldonApril 13, 2020Coronavirus, Take The Lead, Women Leaders, Life tools and tips, Covid-19Comment

How Can You Help? 8 Ways You Can Step Up During COVID Crisis

During this unpredictable time of great personal and professional upheaval with threats to the health and economic security of millions, it is a good time to step up and give back.

Particularly if you are in a position where you have not been wiped out or depleted by COVID-19 and its consequences, you can use your resources to help others.

Ambition / Intention, Gender Parity, Leadership tools and tips, Leadership Power ToolsMichele WeldonApril 10, 2020Entrepreneurs, Gloria Feldt, Gender Issues, Gender Bias, Women Equality, Coronavirus, Covid-19Comment

Listen Up: Binge On Scores of Helpful Podcasts

We hear you at Take The Lead, that your world has turned upside down personally and professionally in the past month due to the COVID-19 crisis. It has put us through some changes too. But Take The Lead wants you to know we have the content you need to get you through this.

Absolutely we hope you and your loved ones are healthy and we don’t dare diminish t he severity of this global pandemic. Take The Lead acknowledges the severe disruptions to your daily life and your career.

Change Leadership, Ambition / Intention, Career success, Changing the Power Par..., Leadership Power ToolsMichele WeldonApril 6, 2020Women Leadership, Power To You, Women Entrepreneurs, Gender Issues, How women can advance their careers, Women Equality, Take The LeadComment

Changing The World: 50 Powerful Women Journos Take The Lead

The crisis COVID-19 presents to everyone across the globe is dramatic, life-changing and career-shifting. At Take The Lead, hearing some good news about women who make news can be a welcome pivot. A comprehensive report from the inaugural 50 Women Can Change The World in Journalism program reveals remarkable results.

Parity, Take The Lead Events, Networking with Purpose, Inspirational Role Models, Changing the Power Par..., Change Leadership, Leadership Power ToolsMichele WeldonMarch 30, 202050 Women Can, 50 Women In Journalism, Gender Parity, Take The Lead, Gloria FeldtComment

Perfect Enough Yet? Why Women of All Ages Can’t Let It Be

All of us—we can assume—want to be good at what we do.

Many of us understand fully the need for validation, applause and recognition in the workplace. A nod from the manager, an email from the boss. It matters.