eve-olution newsletter July 2005
Contents
- Statistic of the month
- Book of the month
- Women in Leadership Conference-21/22 June 2005
- Master your office politics by Jane Campion, eve-olution's strategic coach
- Creative Female Leader
Statistic of the month
Between 1970 and 2002, average working hours rose by 20% in the US; in France, in the same period, hours dropped by 24%. Source: New Statesman
Book of the month
Connective Selling by John Timperley
Connective Selling simplifies the sales process by advocating a practical 8-junction approach based on relationships and not hard selling. Sophisticated buyers do not want to be sold to. This book shows you how people buy high value products and services and how you can differentiate yourself to win business.
Women in Leadership Conference-21/22 June 2005
The Next Generation of Corporate Leaders
eve-olution went to Prague in June to learn how companies such as HSBC Bank, Procter & Gamble, GE and many others are benchmarking their ability to identify, manage and retain women as part of their talent pool.
The Conference Board defines talent as "any individual who has the capability to make a significant difference to the current and future performance of the company."
How does your company benchmark?
Highly performing companies are particularly focused on the next generation of women leaders:
- Who is in the pipeline?
- What are their concerns?
- How do you retain them?
- How do diversity champions drive change?
- What workplace changes are ahead of us?
In 2005 eve-olution has seen a dramatic increase in the number of companies who are committing resources to answering some of these questions and our research suggests that the drive for gender enabled organisations, i.e. those companies who seek to understand gender differences and build on that difference for increased competitiveness, has come from the women themselves.
Our coaching tip this month focuses on politics and it is the women leaders who are asking such questions as 'what are gender differences in leadership style?' 'how do men and women negotiate differently?' 'how do I manage politics and how does gender impact politics?'
eve-olution is in the process of delivering several large-scale projects with Blue-chip companies helping them to answer some of these questions for the male and female leaders of today and tomorrow.
Culture change is a long-term commitment and smart companies know that focusing on becoming a gender enabled organsiation means more profit. Companies with women on the board have up to a 33% better TRS than those with none*.
Sadly, there are still too many CEOs and Chairmen who believe that more women will automatically gravitate to board positions as a matter of natural progression over time. This is simply not the case. If we are serious about having women on our boards and improving competitiveness we need to be pro-actively working toward that change.
*Catalyst Report
Master your office politics
by Jane Campion, eve-olution's strategic coach
Managing politics is one of the top six challenges you told us that you face on your way to the top in the workplace. Even if you'd rather leave the subject alone personal integrity intact, this is not a tip you can miss, says our coach, Jane Campion.
Click here for this month's tip... (MS Word document, 115kb)
Jane Campion is eve-olution's strategic coach. She coaches senior executives and their organisations towards peak performance and lasting change. Email her at jane@eve-olution.net with feedback and ideas for future tips.
Out-in-the-Open
Women Leaders Speak Out survey 2005
Corporations who kid themselves that their greatest asset won't walk should take note of the latest eve-olution research findings to be published on 14 September. Opinions gathered from over 600 women in senior positions will prove a wake-up call to those firms whose commercial success is still restricted by rhetoric. It's no longer enough to claim an equal and diverse employment and development policy. These women have something to say; it's honest, in parts alarming, but at least it's out-in-the-open.
Creative Female Leader
This ground-breaking two day event still forms a key part of much of our progressive leadership work within FTSE100 companies. The CFL has helped countless numbers of entrepreneurial and ambitious women develop clearer visions, strategy and take actions to move towards new goals and horizons. The course is still open for individual delegate participation - Contact us now to see how you to can create a massive shift in your own awareness and effectiveness.
Some of our most recent comments have included:
"The time spent in the company of other like minded professional women was a wonderful opportunity to make time for my own personal development. I put my goals to paper and have been working towards them ever since. I have my goal map on the wall and look at it every day" MB
"A great mix of theory and doing... amazed at the speed of improvement... I am in control of my physiology and can make a difference" LM
"Enjoyed the creative picture drawing to bring dreams to life... great course, will recommend it to friends" JD