eve-olution newsletter August 2005
Contents
- Statistic of the month
- Book of the month
- eve-olution launches Women's Leadership Development in Boston, USA
- Manage your boss by Jane Campion, eve-olution's strategic coach
- Out-in-the-Open: Women Leaders Speak Out survey 2005
- Creative Female Leader
Statistic of the month
70% of Americans have no doubt that God exists, compared with 22% of Britons. Source: Ipsos/Independent
Book of the month
I'm OK – You're OK by Thomas A Harris MD
A time-honoured classic, which is the basis for much of eve-olution's work on assertiveness. Many people confuse assertive with aggressive. This is a practical guide to Transactional Analysis, which will help to explain why people behave in aggressive and non-assertive ways. We all have a parent, child and adult tape running. Learn how each of these recordings affects your behaviour and the behaviour of everyone from your spouse to your boss!
eve-olution launches Women's Leadership Development in Boston, USA
by Tracey Carr, CEO eve-olution
July was an exciting month for eve-olution as we spread our wings and ran our first seminar for women at a Boston based division of a large global organisation.
I readily volunteered myself to be workshop leader for this event, as I have a particular interest in cultural differences and how those differences affect women's leadership styles around the world. I have had the great privilege of delivering seminars in Asia and Europe and was fascinated to go find out how women are developing themselves as leaders in America.
Generally, women in the States are way ahead of the UK in terms of breaking through the glass ceiling. Not only are they in senior positions in far greater numbers but also American women hold most of the key senior positions that are held by women in the UK. I have had some personal theories around why they seem to further ahead for some time.
The workshop that we chose to run was the Creative Female Leader seminar. This particular seminar has been running in the UK for 42 months and is the most familiar product to me from eve-olution/s range of Leadership products. Hence, my ability to notice subtle but powerful differences in the way that the material was received in Boston!
The most profound difference that I noted was the lack of 'Queen Bee' syndrome. Women at all levels of seniority attended the seminar, including the most senior woman in the organisation. I have never seen this happen in the UK. In fact, quite the opposite – UK women tend to want to associate with women at their own level. There are a number of problems with this segregation – lack of role models being one of them. There appeared to be no hierarchy restricting participation in Boston and the whole experience was enhanced for all women as a result of the support.
Lack of skepticism added to the ease of the whole process from booking through to funding and finally to peoples ability to gain something meaningful from the seminar.
If we are serious about the role that talent plays in the new economy... then we must make the connection between 'talent', 'leadership' and 'women'. This is a responsibility that has been more readily accepted in the US by organisations, by men and by women themselves.
I do, of course, realise that this perspective is subjective and there are many more similarities than there are differences. But I, personally, found the experience richly rewarding and I am certain that the cross fertilisation will be of he benefit to women leaders in the UK and the US.
I will leave you with some quotes from the women who attended the Creative Female Leader in Boston, July 2005.
'I enjoyed all of it – particularly the stories and quotes – quite inspirational'
'Loved the networking/building relationships with other women'
'This was extremely beneficial and I greatly enjoyed it. It surpassed my expectations and left me feeling good. I did not find myself worrying and thinking of outside things, which happens in many other trainings. Thank you!'
'Tracey did a great job; she has a tremendous knowledge base'
Manage your boss
by Jane Campion, eve-olution's strategic coach
"Managing the boss" is the subject of today in response to our snap survey about the top challenges at work.
The quality of managers is a major factor in staff retention; they are a primary reason people stay and a major reason they go. Respect and appreciation are the most important criteria people use for rating the quality of a manager, but as many as 60 percent of managers assume managerial positions without any training in how to manage people. So what if your boss only proves the rules negatively?
Rather than spending your summer break thinking dark thoughts, spend some time planning your next moves positively – within your job and not out of it. And if your boss is terrific, this tip isn't just for the "bossed and beleaguered", but for anyone wanting to improve respect and appreciation – both ways.
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