The Organized Job Search

Many people, under financial or other pressures to find work
quickly, feel they can’t afford to take the time to get
organized. On the other hand, conducting your job search in an
organized manner will reduce the amount of time you spend
looking for information, following inappropriate leads, or
waiting for your dream job to fall into your lap. It generally
takes at least a month to find an entry-level job, and as much
as nine months for one requiring a high level of skill and
experience. Getting organized before you begin your job search
can ultimately save you a lot of time and frustration.

You should take several preliminary steps before you even begin
your active job search. You should start by identifying your
skills, interests, target market, and any child care,
transportation, or other issues that you will need to keep in
mind. A career or employment counselor can be very helpful in
this area, as well as with the preparation of your resume, cover
letters, and any other job search materials you will need.

Once you’re ready to face the job market, there are three areas
where you’ll find it beneficial to be well organized: your
schedule, your workspace, and your contacts.

Your Schedule

First, you must decide how much time you can realistically
commit to your job search on a weekly basis, and then create a
weekly schedule of activities. Keep in mind that looking for a
full-time job is in itself a full-time job! Some of your time
will be devoted to reading and applying for advertised
positions, but be sure to allow plenty of time for other job
search activities such as making telephone calls, generating and
researching new leads, reviewing old leads for follow up,
writing thank you notes or other correspondence, and visiting
placement offices, employment agencies, or other service
providers. The percentage of time you dedicate to each activity
depends on what is most effective for your field of work or
geographical area, so it may be worthwhile for you to ask others
what has worked for them.

Most people perform different activities more effectively at
different times of day. Take your natural energy flow, as well
as the availability of quiet time for conducting research and
telephone calls, into consideration when planning your schedule.
If quiet time is not available at home during the daytime or
evening, an employment resource center can be an invaluable
resource.

Keep your personal preferences in mind when planning your
activities. For example, if you dislike talking on the
telephone, it may be less stressful for you to get your calls
out of the way before beginning your other activities, or to
intersperse your phone calls between other activities so you
don’t become overwhelmed. If you’re planning to drop off
unsolicited resumes, map out a route of targeted businesses that
are in a particular area, and plan to cover the entire area in
one day. This will cut down on your travel time and expenses as
well as the number of times you need to dress up.

Keeping a log of the actual time you spend on each activity will
allow you to see whether you are on track and to identify any
problem areas. It’s not uncommon to become frustrated and
depressed when you’re out of work, so be sure to schedule
regular time for self-care and other personal activities like
going to the gym or the hairstylist.

Your Workspace

At a minimum, you need a chair and a desk or table with plenty
of space for you to work with your information, make and receive
telephone calls, and plan your job search. All necessary
supplies should be stored close by, including paper, pens, index
cards, paperclips, staples, and your telephone directory. During
your job search, you’ll likely accumulate various versions of
your resume and cover letter, job postings, company profiles,
advertisements, and business cards, but they will be of no value
to you if you can’t find what you need. A binder or filing
system, sorting the information into topics, will allow you to
refer quickly to both the job posting and that specific
application when you receive a telephone call from a prospective
employer. It will also allow you to find easily any other
information you may have gathered about the organization before
your interview.

You may find it beneficial to have an alternate “job search
office” such as your local library or employment centre, where
you can research, read, and write without the distractions you
may encounter at home. Many are equipped with computers that you
can use for Internet job search as well as resume and cover
letter preparation, which can be a great benefit if you don’t
have a home computer or must share it with other family members.
If you plan to use this type of service on a regular basis,
you’ll need some type of portfolio or briefcase to hold your job
search material, including your resume in printed form and on a
diskette, your calendar, and a notebook for jotting down leads
and ideas. Most facilities do not allow you to receive telephone
calls, so be sure that potential employers can reach you by
voice mail, pager or cell phone.

Of course, you’ll need a calendar for marking down job
interviews and other important meetings. You’ll also need a
system for keeping track of your job applications. This
information may be needed to confirm your eligibility for
unemployment insurance or social assistance, and will help you
to follow up on your applications.

Your Contacts

During your job search, you will probably communicate with
hundreds, if not thousands, of people, but in order to make
effective use of the network you develop, you’ll need a way to
keep track of all your contacts.

The simplest method is a card file system, with a card for each
contact. Each card should include the contact’s name, title,
organization, address, telephone number, fax, and email address,
the source of the lead, and dates and details of any
conversations, correspondence, or interviews. You may find it
helpful to set up a “recipe box” with a set of dividers labeled
with the days of the week and a set numbered 1-31 for the days
of the month. You can file each card under the date you wish to
contact that person. For example, you may speak with someone on
the 10th who suggests that you call him or her in two weeks.
After noting the information on the index card, file it in the
section for the 25th where it will serve as a reminder for you
to follow up.

There are wonderful software programs available that can help
you with organizing your job search contacts. WinWay Resume, for
example, has a section for storing contact information that you
can merge with your cover letter. ACT! allows you to schedule
tasks and reminders as well as perform mail merges. If you don’t
wish to buy or learn a new software package, email address books
in Outlook, Outlook Express or in free Web-based email packages
are also an excellent way to keep track of your contacts.
However, unless you have unrestricted access to a computer, or a
portable system such as a Palm Pilot, you won’t be always able
to access the information. The key features of any
organizational system are ease of recording and ease of
retrieval. If using an electronic system will make your job
search more complicated and time-consuming, don’t use it.

Job searching can be overwhelming, but when you organize your
schedule, workspace, and contacts effectively, you’ll be able to
stay on track and find your new job more quickly.

Contact Lenses or Lasik Surgery - Which is the right choice for you?

Contact lenses can get expensive, not to mention the fact that
you get tired of having to put them into and out of your eyes
every single day. With the advent of laser surgery in the last
decade, more and more people are discovering that they can have
20/20 vision (or better) without ever having to wear glasses
again.

Laser surgery is expensive and it’s not generally covered by
insurance because it’s considered an elective procedure. Some
insurance companies will cover a very small portion, leaving a
general cost somewhere between $3000 and $4000 dollars. So
immediately, it’s a cash investment of significant portion.

Many clinics do offer financial payment plans, but they are
usually one or two year plans that allow you to spread out the
payments. This option can still cost you about$180 to $400 per
billing period, whether it is by the month or quarter.

If the cost isn’t something to turns the option off to you
immediately, it’s good to weigh the facts. Everyone is a
candidate for laser corrective surgery. There are stages to the
evaluation, including the amount of correction obtainable by
corrective eyewear, shape of the eye, health of the eye, and
condition of the eye.

Following the evaluation process, the specialist can determine
which type of laser surgery, if any, they would recommend.

The procedure is done as outpatient care. The eyes are
anaesthetized and held open. You’ll feel some pressure when the
laser surgery begins, and you might even experience a few
moments of blindness.

It is not uncommon for patients to experience blurriness for a
day or two following, but most patients notice an immediate (if
not profound) change in their vision when the surgery is over.

Laser surgery isn’t a guarantee of correction. However, doctors,
as well as your own optometrist can never promise 20/20 vision
at the surgery’s completion. You may still need some form of
corrective lenses. Laser surgery is a popular and viable
alternative when compared to the lifetime investment in the cost
of new corrective eyewear every two or three years.

Ultimately, the procedure is not a guaranteed. The decision to
continue with contact lenses or try laser corrective surgery is
up to you and your doctor. The surgery has proven successful for
hundreds of patients, but contact lenses are less expensive in
the immediate time frames and don’t involve surgery or lasers.
Check out your options. Consult your optometrist and decide
which option might be the best for you.
===========================================================
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Met Online? Tips for that First Meeting

1. Before you meet someone, it’s essential that you let a friend
or family member know where you’re going and who you’re meeting.
You’ll feel better and they’ll feel better knowing you’re being
cautious.

2. Meet in a public place. There’s safety in numbers.

3. Keep the first meeting brief. As everyone knows, chemistry is
fickle. You may know right off the bat that you don’t want to
ever see this person naked, let alone sit through an entire
dinner with him or her. So don’t agree to spend the day at
Disneyland (which I did…so I know what I’m talking about) when a
quick cup of coffee or a drink after work will suffice. If
you’re both having a wonderful time, that cup of coffee can
always be extended into a walk around the park or lunch at your
favorite bistro.

4. If you have a favorite outfit, wear it! Ladies, do your
nails, fix up your hair, put on fresh lipstick. Guys, wear your
lucky “going out” shirt. When you feel sexy and confident, it
shows. It also shows the other person that you made an effort
and that is sexy.

5. Be polite. Even if there isn’t an attraction for you, treat
the person you’re meeting with respect. He or she may not be the
date of your dreams, but remember that they took the time and
effort to come meet you.

6. Keep the conversation light and fun. Don’t bemoan your bad
dating luck or how much you’re dying to have
children…immediately! Think of a first meeting as a cocktail
party: you’re meeting someone new and the talk is typically
frivolous and casual. Discuss your work, where you were raised,
any traveling you did recently. Based on your personal ads, you
should already have some idea of what you have in common. If
it’s your mutual love for the Yankees or your record of never
missing an episode of “Survivor,” talk about it.

7. Keep it casual and easy. Great ideas for a first meeting:
grab some java at the local coffee house, hit happy hour for a
glass of wine and buffalo wings (then go home!), have an al
fresco lunch where people-watching is ample (terrific for any
lulls in the conversation), or meet at the dog park with your
pooches in tow.

8. Don’t forget to have fun! Online dating, like any dating, is
an adventure. Go with an open mind and you’ll do well. If
nothing else, you’ll have great stories to tell your friends
later.

Are You a Project Manager Or a Project Mangler?

Which one are you? An effective IT project manager, able to deliver software on time, according to specs, and within budget, or someone referred to by your peers as a project mangler? Find out with these Top 10 Signs You’re a Project Mangler.

10. Your .mpp attachments are considered to be more harmful than the Netsky virus.

9. You think your job description is limited to running around and asking people “Are you done yet?”

8. Your record for the “longest consecutive number of days without changing your project plan” is 3, which was achieved over a weekend.

7. You don’t publish your project plan for fear developers might find out what the REAL dates are.

6. When the first 90% of your project is done, the second 90% begins.

5. You couldn’t write a line of code to save your life, yet you tell developers how long it will take them to complete their feature.

4. You only work from 9 to 5 but expect developers to work evenings and weekends to meet your deadlines.

3. Your best motivational skill: telling people you’re working from home tomorrow.

2. You DO think that 9 people can have a baby in 1 month.

And the number one sign you’re a project mangler…

1. Your name is R. U. Dunyet.

Luc Richard holds an MBA with a major in high technology. For the past 10 years, he’s been managing the development of software applications. He is the founder of The Project Mangler (http://www.projectmangler.com), an online resource that publishes free articles, stories, and other ready-to-use tools to help developers, team leaders and managers deliver software projects on time, according to specs, and within budget.

How To Win Your Customer Service Battle

Millions of people, just like you, end up with a customer
service problem that they just can’t seem to get resolved. No
matter what they do. Even though you are in the right, even
though you are being treated improperly. You may needle and
wheedle them, bellow and battle, but your problem still ends up
unresolved. Sound familiar? If so, here’s a proven, effective
FREE technique you can use that can help you get immediate
corrective action for those ongoing unresolved frustrating,
sometimes nightmarish consumer problems such as billing errors,
disputes, complaints, defective products and other consumer
rights issues.

What are your consumer rights? A product or service offered by a
reputable company should function properly. And, as a consumer
and a customer, you should be treated fairly and properly. And
customer service is supposed to help you when that doesn’t
happen. Of course, in the real world, this does not always
occur. However, the vast majority of legitimate organizations
that depend on consumer buying for their sales and profits are
willing and committed to stand behind their products and
services and are willing and committed to “make it right” when a
problem happens. But sometimes they aren’t. Or they are unaware
of a problem. Or their customer service is not capable or
properly trained or properly authorized to resolve even the most
obvious problem. And you get stuck in a battle with customer
service, a seemingly dead-end with no resolution, a consumer
nightmare! It happens. And when it does, here’s what you can do
…

First, take a deep breath. Relax. Your customer service battle
may soon be over.

Note: regarding exercising your consumer rights and winning the
customer service battle; in order to be effective you need to
act sanely and rationally, have a VALID claim, and expect a
REASONABLE solution.

The Rule of 3 Make sure you have first followed what I call the
“Rule of 3″; always give the customer service department three
(3) chances to resolve your problem. Also, if you haven’t been
able to get anywhere with the normal standard customer service
rep you should ask (nicely and firmly) for a supervisor;
sometimes a supervisor can simply and easily resolve your
problem. Sometimes not. But do give Customer Service 3 chances
and, above all, be courteous! If, after exhausting the limits of
both customer service and yourself, your problem is not resolved
proceed with the following technique …

The Mother Of All Emails To end the battle quickly and
victoriously you will compose and send what I call the Mother of
All Emails. If you want your problem resolved once and for all
follow these steps …

1) organize the most pertinent facts relating to your problem.
Facts … not feelings.

2) in a blank email set forth your unresolved problem. Here you
state that you have been unsuccessful in getting your problem
resolved via customer service. Be professional. State it
clearly. No more than 1-2 short paragraphs.

3) the next few paragraphs are where you state the background of
the problem. Here you state the most pertinent FACTS of what the
problem is, the nature of the problem, why and how it’s a
problem for you. Keep it short (3-5 short paragraphs).

4) next comes the ending paragraph where you tell them what you
want. I use the phrase, “I would appreciate it if someone of
appropriate authority would look into the problem and take the
necessary and immediate action to remedy the situation. Thank
you very much.”

5) at the bottom of the email put your name, phone number, and
if applicale, the order number or customer service case number
etc.

6) next, we will get the email address of the organization’s CEO
or president or director or whoever is ultimately running the
organization … the #1 big boss. Why? Because apparently no one
else in his organization seems to be able, or willing, to
resolve your problem … so now we are going to bring it to the
attention of the top dog! Yes, this does work and yes, if you
are a customer you deserve to get your problem resolved.
Contacting the person at the very top of the company is the
secret way of getting your unresolved problem resolved. And,
sometimes, it’s the ONLY way. The Mother Of All Emails. You can
do this! I don’t care how big the organization is, somebody is
running it and is ultimately responsible. That’s whose email
address you want. With a little hunting this can often be found
on their website, under About the Organization or Executives,
etc. If you cannot find the email address of the head honcho
then CALL the main number of the organization (unless it’s out
of the country; then the phone call may be too costly). Ask for
the Office of the President. They should connect you. If asked
why simply state that you “have to email him some important
documents”. Do NOT go into a whole story, do NOT get
sidetracked, just get the head person’s email address and get
off the phone.

7) address the Mother Of All Emails to the CEO, president, or
whomever runs the organization.
send the Mother Of All Emails.

After you have sent your Mother Of All Emails, standby for
action! It is not unusual for a legitimate organization to
respond reasonably quickly so be prepared. And don’t be
surprised if you get an immediate resolution of your problem. I
have used the Mother Of All Emails technique for many years and
have had remarkable success, resolving many different and
difficult types of consumer problems, both common and rare, with
organizations ranging from small local businesses to giant
multi-national Fortune 500 companies. Though the Mother Of All
Emails is a very powerful and effective technique remember that
you only have one chance to use it; if you don’t do it right the
first time you can’t redo it and and re-email it to a CEO.

Bottom line, have you had enough “customer service”? Do you want
your problem resolved? If you are still battling customer
service and still not getting your problem resolved … send the
Mother Of All Emails!

Hot Cold Calls - 7 Steps to Turning Cold Calls into Hot Appointments

When you hear the term “cold-calling,” a number of thoughts may come up for you. You’re calling people you don’t know, you may not get through to them, and if you do, they may not want to talk to you. Doesn’t sound like much fun, does it?

Having been a salesperson for many years, I’ve made my share of cold calls. Last year I decided I wanted to offer sales training to banks located in the area where I live. I developed a list of banks, created a letter, e-mailed the letter to the appropriate contact person at each bank, and started making calls. Lo and behold, I was able to get a meeting. I met with the prospect, learned about the bank’s training initiatives, and submitted a proposal. The outcome is that the bank is interested and I’ll be meeting with the decision-maker shortly. This happened because I created a step-by-step process and followed it.

With a clear plan in place, cold-calling leads to appointments that lead to sales. Let’s take a look at the cold-calling process and how to make it work for you.

1. Set a strong foundation for making calls. Begin by targeting an industry. Then make a list of companies, names of people to reach, phone numbers, and people’s e-mail addresses. Visit websites to learn more about each company. Is a particular company growing or launching a new product? Did it have a great year? Write a letter introducing your company and your services. Mention early in the letter a success story based on what you found on their website. Talk about how you’ve successfully helped similar companies and you can do the same for them. Send the letter by e-mail or “snail” mail. Send several letters at a time and begin making calls 2-3 days later.
2. The goal of your initial telephone call is to set the appointment and only to set the appointment. Every business has its own sales cycle. Getting in the door is step one. On a cold call or introductory call you are not selling your product or service, you are getting a meeting. You want your prospect to give you 15-20 minutes so you can introduce yourself, your company, your product or your service. That is it!
3. Call when you have the best chance to reach the prospect. The best time to reach a prospect often is early in the morning before his or her assistant is in and before the prospect gets caught up in the day. Lunchtime or after 5 are two other good times to reach the prospect directly.
4. Grab their attention in 10 seconds. A prospect is not expecting your call, so you must get his or her attention instantly. A 10-second introduction is what you say when you shake someone’s hand, call someone on the phone, or stand up in front of a group. It describes what you do and whom you do it for in a clear and memorable way. After you have a prospect’s attention, mention you’re following up on the letter you sent.
5. The purpose of your call is twofold: (1) to find out if this lead is actually a good prospect for you and, if so, (2) to get an appointment to make a presentation. After your 10-second introduction, move immediately to ask a question, such as, “Do you have a moment to talk about how I can help your company get better results from its training programs?” Or, “I understand your company is launching a new product. Would you be interested in knowing how I can help you double the sales?” If the need is there, ask for a meeting on the spot.
6. When asking for the appointment, state you’ll only need about 15 minutes of their time. Once the meeting actually takes place, you’ll almost always get more time, but it’s a good idea to be sensitive to time constraints. Give a few choices. Example: “I’ll be seeing clients in your area early next week. Would Monday or Tuesday work for you?” Then, “Which is better, morning or afternoon?” People will choose when they have choices.
7. Get on the phone like a winner! Your success in cold-calling depends on how you project your voice on the phone. A prospect can’t see you so it’s all in the way you speak. Project enthusiasm, confidence, and energy. SMILE! Have a mirror in front of you, and smile into the mirror as you speak. The prospect will sense your energy and enthusiasm.

ASSIGNMENT

• Make a list of five companies you would like to get into to make a presentation, the people you want to reach, their phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Visit the company’s website to learn more.
• Write your introductory letter and send them out.
• Schedule time on your calendar to start making calls.
• Get on the phone with confidence, enthusiasm and a big SMILE!
• Write a 10-second introduction describing what you do and whom you do it for in a clear, concise and memorable way.
• Prepare and ask 2-3 probing questions that qualify the prospect.
• Then ask for the meeting.

(c) All Rights Reserved.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System(TM), a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.SalesBreakthroughs.com.

Choosing Your New Tattoo

Considering that for most people a tattoo is something that will
stay with them for life, many put surprisingly little thought
into it. Modern inks and techniques mean that tattoo art is
limited only by your imagination within a few small boundaries.

After being certain that you actually want a tattoo and will
still do so in 10, 20, 30+ years time when it’s a little faded
and your lifestyle has in all probability changed, the first
thing to do is to choose a venue and artist. With the increased
popularity of body art, from piercings and body jewellery to
tattoos, almost every town now has at least one practising
artist or studio. However, using a studio just because it’s
local can be a very bad move.

The first thing to look for when checking out a potential artist
or studio is examples of previous work. Far too many studios are
covered with ‘flash art’ (coloured line drawings of available
designs on sheets of paper) yet have no examples of actual work
they have done. As a general rule keep very clear of these. Any
artist worth visiting should be proud of the work done and at
the very least will have a photo album containing pictures of
previous tattoos. If the studio in question hasn’t then it’s
generally advisable to move on to another that has, unless you
have seen examples of their work on others and are 100% sure of
its quality. Once you are happy that the artist in question is
capable the next step is to choose a design.

Again, most studios are covered in ‘Flash Art’. If you see
something on the wall or in a book that you simply must have
then this is fine. However, any competent artist will be more
than able and willing to use any design for your tattoo, be it
their own or one that you bring in to them. If a studio or
artist is unable to do this you again need to question their
ability and if you really want this person to mark your skin for
life. A good tattoo should not just look good but also mean
something to the wearer. Often the only way to achieve this is
to supply the image you want, not to pick something out of the
studios books because that’s all there is. Spend some time
discussing your requirements before hand and if necessary come
back another day to get the actual work done - the worse thing
you can do is to rush such an important decision.

When you are choosing your design a couple of points are worth
bearing in mind. In theory, with a good artist, your tattoo is
only limited by your imagination or that of the artist. However,
certain colours and styles lend themselves far more to a good
tattoo than others. Due to its very nature a tattoo will fade
and ’spread’ a little with age, which is especially true of
bright colours such as yellow and especially white, although
modern inks tend to be far superior to many of those used in the
past. Even so age, and especially exposure to sunlight, will
cause colours to fade and in some cases vanish, especially
bright colours. The other consideration is outline. A good
tattoo will benefit hugely from a strong outline for a couple of
reasons - not only will a strong outline cause the tattoo to
stand out from the skin and be crisp and clear, it will also
resist the ravages of time far better. A tattoo with a strong
outline will usually look much better 20 years down the road
than a thin outline with a single needle or none at all. It’s an
important consideration when deciding on a design that many
overlook. Try to pick a design that will lend itself well to a
stronger outline in the images.

Another point to consider when selecting an artist is which
styles they specialise in. For example, if you fancy a large,
body covering, traditional Japanese design ensure that the
artist in question has performed these before and has an
interest in the subject. Likewise if you want a portrait of a
celeb or family member, ensure that the artist enjoys doing
portraits and has skill in that area. These days many tattoo
artists will specialise in certain styles and it is well worth
travelling to get to an artist that is among the best in the
field you want. A few hours spent reading the various tattoo
periodicals available can quickly help to identify such people.

Finally remember that you really do get what you pay for.
Considering that a tattoo will stay with you for the rest of
your life, do not skimp on the price to the detriment of
quality. A decent artist may well charge more but the difference
in quality can be huge. Rather than rushing off to get a
mediocre tattoo, save a little more and pay for something that
is good quality that you will be happy with.

Top 7 Reasons Why Women Business Leaders Are Needed

That’s what they say…but business is being done a new way. Massive technological connectivity and access to tidal waves of information is causing a shift in society, workers attitudes and how business is done.

Rapid changes in technology are causing disruption in the way corporations do
business. Communication is now digital. Products are now digital. Marketing and
delivery of product and services must be done in a different way.

Added to that, the evolution of global business environments has significantly
increased competition and stress on the traditional corporation.

One other important shift is that now the “knowledge worker” (skilled and
experienced) is now becoming the most valuable asset of the corporation versus
capital equipment and they are leaving corporations by the thousands.

So what is a corporation to do? Find and retain the best people.

I believe a new, better corporate structure is evolving and it will take women of
ability paired with men of ability to make it the best and most profitable business.
However, few women make it to the top management positions.

This is where many women’s development programs have failed. They simply
addressed the soft skills of mindset and confidence for women.

The truth is that successful business is led by people of experience with specific
business skills AND the right mindset.

This is why we must develop women managers further through learning
experiences, coaching and training that insure the results a corporation needs to
obtain highly skilled women leaders.

Here are some reasons why we need more women as leaders in business:

1. Women, on average, are terrific communicators and tend to be better at it than
   men. It’s the information age and it’s highly competitive. This means companies
   will need more skilled communicators involved in all aspects of business where
   good, clear communication is critical to generate revenue, control expense, manage
   top talent and build a loyal customer base.
2. Global business will require expanding business networks. Women are natural
   networkers.
3. Diverse viewpoints can result in better, more creative solutions to business
   issues. Both women and men are needed to address business issues effectively.
4. Keeping a talented knowledge worker will require relationship strategies.
   Women instinctively care about building relationships which is why they tend to
   gravitate toward jobs where building relationships is a major component such as
   Marketing or HR.
5. Increased competition will require the resources of creative thinkers to develop
   new products and services that meet the needs and desires of the marketplace. The
   talent pool of creative leaders is doubled when more women leaders are available.
6. Rapid change in technologies requires more flexibility. Women have extensive
   multi-tasking abilities as evidenced by women who manage business and families at
   the same time.
7. Half of the workers available today are women. Women in leadership roles can
   act as mentors to develop other potential women leaders just as executive men have
   done for years.

With all this said, women are still not reaching top levels in management. There are
several reasons for this.

Part of the reason is societal in that women were often not included in business
conversations as they were growing up so they did not have the opportunity to
learn. Part is that the corporate structure was invented by men for the way men
think and work. Part is that women are still the primary managers of the family and
cannot always dedicate all their time to the company.

In a recent survey conducted by Womencorp, there were some striking differences
between what men believed and what women believed about the “why” women are
not succeeding as corporate business leaders.

Of the female respondents, 68.3% believe that lack of flexible options for work is
holding women back. 51.7% believe that lack of confidence is also a contributing
factor. 45% believe that women aren’t given a chance because men stick together.

This was what one woman had to say about that subject:
“This is a very complex issue. What I have found, after seven years at {a major
corporation}, is that men seem to internally denigrate qualified technical women
(perhaps because of jealousy). They do form cliques and do not wish to ‘include’
women in their cliques. They are group-oriented, no doubt. They will hang with
other guys, just because they are guys. There are individual males who
communicate well with women, but they are few. Despite years of emphasis on
including women, promoting women, and hiring women, I feel that the disparity of
women in the business world is growing, not shrinking. Still, both men and women
do not seem to ‘get it’. I wish I had something more positive and constructive to
give, but I do not.”

On the other hand, 53.7% of men believe that lack of flexible options is holding
women back. 32.3% said they feel the glass ceiling is still firmly in place and just
17.9% believe that women lack confidence.

Perhaps men don’t realize women lack confidence, whereas women know how they
feel. This mindset can be altered with a proper development program for both
women managers and men who manage women.

This comment from one male participant is noteworthy:
“Capable women are often unfairly fast tracked early in their career to positions
that may demand experience to be successful over a prolonged period. Found
wanting, they are then niched in dead-end executive roles. Rather like moving a ball
player to the majors too quickly because of their native talent. Their “rookie”
mistakes occur with too much exposure and can prove fatal.”

But what difference does it make as to why few women have achieved top leadership
roles in business? The reason to know why is because we can then use this
information to develop solutions.

The bottom line is that more women need to be in leadership roles for many
reasons including the 7 listed above. The challenge is to find new ways to enable
them to succeed at top levels.

For both men and women respondents, they seem to feel that coaching, mentoring
and multi-day workshops are quite important to help develop women leaders to
their fullest potential.

The Womencorp Team agrees and is working to make a difference for women in
business. Would you like to help? Just take a moment to fill in this quick 30 second
survey:

For Women

For Men

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Brian Kirk
Womencorp
(205) 835-8167
http://www.womencorp.org

Their BUSYNESS, Your BUSINESS

Imagine yourself buying an item in a shop at the third house to
yours and selling the item to a person in the third house to the
shop. In other words, imagine yourself carrying out what I call
’same-street’ business.

The above was never an imagination to me when I started carrying
out my ’same-street’ flexible business. I found it so flexible
because:

# I was doing it not with my own money.

# I was doing it at my own chosen time.

# Every task of the business started and ended on the same
street.

# Doing it only cost me up-dating myself with advances in my
ICT areas of interest.

# Some poeple kept themselves unceasingly busy and I kept
myself in touch with them.

The last reason may be remarkable to you. Yes! They continued
being busy (though they were not actually busy) and I continued
being ‘busy’ for them, thereby, reaping profits not only in cash
but also in kind.

Have you ever pondered on people’s ‘busyness’ these days?

If your answer is NO, then, think of the reasons behind the
following:

] The services called ‘WAIT AND GET’, ‘QUICK FIX’ etc. and

] The publications tagged ‘THE LAZY WAY’, ‘THE COMPLETE IDIOT’,
TEACH YOURSELF IN 5 MINUTES’, ‘WHEN THERE IS NO TIME’ etc.

More of course… Whether you call it PASTA or MACARONI, think
also of the reasons behind the NOODLES that cook in 2 minutes.
Consider also the computer programmmes’ TEMPLATES for ‘this’ and
BOILERPLATES for ‘that’ or the WIZARDS that cut your process
time to a quarter of the usually required duration. All are in
the bid to save time for the ‘busy’ me and ‘busy’ you.

I think you will agree with me on what the above points suggest:
that there are BUSINESSES in mondern LAZINESS called BUSYNESS
(especially as caused by the digital revolution we are presently
experiencing). Since we tend, more than ever before, to prefer
saving more of our time than saving more of our money, I believe
you must be in the know of BUSYNESS BUSINESSES now.

If you have been looking around for new money-making ideas, try
the ideas about being busy for ‘busy’ (no! lazy) people. Just go
to the intricacies for them, help them avoid hustles and
bustles, jump hurdles for them, overcome rigours on their
behalf, improve their pleasure and reduce their pressure,
provide them with gains by eliminating their pains and furnish
them with things of freedom and leisure. Also, think, observe,
write, move around, and even read for them and you will be
surprised of the returns you will get provided you know the
right ways to take.

Let me drop this with you. The lazily busy people will always
have what to pay you in cash and in kind - even for information
and things they can get or do themselves absolutely free.

Find Your Balance

Find Your Balance Helaine Iris © 2004

The other day I was introducing myself to a group of busy
professionals. I told them I especially loved to work with women
who feel they are overworked and have no life; and lack balance
between their work life and their personal life.

As I was heading out the door to my next appointment a woman
from the group stopped me and said she really wanted to work
with me, and she could totally relate to being one of those out
of balance women.

Neither of us had our calendars so she took my business card and
promised to be in touch to set up an appointment. She seemed
inspired about finding balance in her life and I was excited at
the prospect of a new client.

Days later when I hadn’t heard from this woman I began to wonder
why she didn’t call. She seemed so ready and enthusiastic. I
casually mentioned it to a friend who reminded me that she was
probably too busy and overwhelmed to even follow through with
scheduling an appointment. It was clear evidence of how much she
really needed some support. “Duh”, I thought to myself.

Most of us are in the same boat, we all live in the same
demanding culture…some of us work, some of us raise families;
some of us do both. We juggle a million details, we manage the
best we can and still barely have time to breathe. We often have
to beg, borrow and steal for personal time. Can you relate to
this?

Here’s my bottom line. You have a CHOICE about how you want to
live your life. Whether you work for a large company, own your
own business or are a stay at home parent how you live your life
is up to you. This might sound like a no brainer. You know you
have choice, but do you really feel like you have one?

I want to challenge you to take a step back and look at your
life. Evaluate your priorities and ask yourself if you are
living by choice OR by default? Is your life in balance? I
believe the first step in restoring balance and living your life
by choice is to acknowledge that you’re not.

How do you achieve a balance between your life and your work?

First, identify the obstacles or excuses that keep you from
changing anything. The most common excuse I hear is, “I’m TOO
busy”. Are you willing to break the “I’m too busy” excuse in
order to have more balance in your life?

Second, set up some very simple structures in your life that
will begin to make the difference.

Barbara was a woman in her forties with a family who was putting
her heart and soul into her job. She liked her work. She was
working a lot of hours and bringing work and worries home with
her at night. When she began as my client she was nearly burned
out and was considering leaving her job because she felt so out
of balance.

Over several months we worked on a program to recreate balance
in her life. By the time we were a month or two into it, she had
fallen back in love with her job, and her husband and she told
me she finally knew who she was and what she wanted from her
life.

The following is the backbone of what Barbara and I worked on: 5
strategies to bring balance into your life. I’d invite you to
play with them, perhaps take them on as homework and see if they
bring you results.

1. You are number one. Contrary to what you’re taught you have
to take care of yourself first. You know when you are on a plane
and the flight attendant gives you the briefing about what to do
if oxygen is needed? You must put the mask on YOURSELF first
before assisting others. What good can you be to anyone if you
are in terrible shape yourself? So, the first order of business
in creating balance is SELF CARE. Do you eat well, do you
exercise regularly, and do you take vacations?

2. Get to know yourself. Answer the questions: Who am I? And
what are my values and priorities? A good way to engage with
these questions is through journaling. Get a special journal and
begin a relationship with yourself. Light a candle; spend 5
minutes a day writing for you.

3. What are you currently tolerating? What sucks your energy and
drains you? What are the annoying things that if you eliminated
them would free up more time? It can be anything from a squeaky
door that bothers you to not having office equipment working
well to relationships that are draining or toxic. Make a list of
these things and begin to handle them. Get them off your plate.

4. Develop a really good support system. Let’s face it we all
need support and sometimes it’s hard to ask for help. Often
times the difference between getting successful results or not
depends on how well supported you are.

5. Nurture your spirit and your dreams. What lights you up? Is
it nature, culture, great conversations with friends, your
relationship to a higher power? Consider spending regular time
every week with these things. This is the time that refills the
well, so to speak. By paying attention to what inspires you, you
begin to build a reserve of energy to draw from when you are
stressed.

Play with these 5 strategies (even if you only can manage one or
two, you will receive benefit) and see what starts to happen…

Creating work/life balance takes courage, commitment,
willingness and support. When you incorporate these structures
and strategies into your life you will get results.

Aren’t YOU worth it?

It’s YOUR life…imagine the possibilities!