Dr. Reece’s Weekly Wrap Up : Oct 30, 2010

October 30, 2010 – 12:05 pm

I hope that your week was as productive as mine.  Nothing feels better than being able to end on a high note, knowing that you’ve reached the goals you set for yourself.

Every weekend I try to find some time to reflect, refresh and make plans for the coming week.  This weekly wrap up was designed to share the blogs, websites and/or businesswomen that I found particularly helpful this week.  Relax, kick back, let your mind free to create your next big leap forward and enjoy my tops picks.

Time Management: Why you need to stop stealing

Businesswomen work hard to cram as much into a day as they humanly can, and then add some more for good measure.  Being a good steward of your time each day starts with the right attitude that leads to positive action.  Natalie Sisson offers her top 3 tips for getting the most out of your days and feeling victorious.

Stop Trying to Convince Everyone That You Suck –

Why do women feel the need to apologize all the time in business?  Traci Feit Love offers up backbone building suggestions to bolster your courage to reach out.  This is especially important for new entrepreneurs, who need the support of their peers to gain traction.  Your actions begin with your attitude, and your attitude stems from your self-worth.  Do whatever it takes to begin to believe in the value that only you have to offer the world.

Blogging: Out With the Old? Not So Fast!

Great post by Terri Holley on the benefits and future of blogging, and some smart tips on keeping your passion alive when you feel like you are getting burned out.

Thank you for reading! I’ll see you next week!

If you are planning to play dress-up this weekend for Halloween, I’d love to hear what your costume will be this year. Leave me a comment letting me know. 🙂

By Dr. Shannon Reece | Posted in Weekly Wrap Up | Tagged , , , | Comments (3)

Improvisation: Harnessing Your Inner “MacGyver”

October 29, 2010 – 6:00 am

If you have ever doubted a woman’s ability to improvise, you’ve obviously never witnessed a mom in action during a crisis.  A mom is essentially a female version of  “MacGyver” — watch her take a shoestring, a shopping bag, the contents from the bottom of her purse and in under five minutes flat a six-year-old will have an award-winning Halloween costume.  Crisis averted.  Now imagine harnessing and applying that kind of power in your business.

There’s more to improv than laughs –

At Fuqua, Duke University’s Business School, students are being taught how to effectively handle the unexpected through improvisation exercises.

“…there’s a connotation that [improv is] associated exclusively with comedy, though that’s not the case at all.  It’s not comedy and it’s not acting-it’s re-acting…” explains Robert Kulhan in an interview with BNET.

As a woman, you have an advantage when it comes to improvising because you innately know how to not only react but repurpose, recycle and reinvent in order to handle the everyday challenges of life — a talent which can be effectively leveraged in business.

Turning life’s lemons into a lemonade stand –

No matter how extensively we plan for the future it will inevitably be full of surprises.  As an entrepreneur you must be able and willing to roll with the punches, so to speak, by finding ways to adapt.  With or without children, women are hardwired with a survival instinct that I like to refer to as the inner MacGyver.  It equips you to handle the unexpected with grace and ingenuity.

The simple secret to harnessing this power lies in your perspective of the challenge.  If you view it as an obstacle, you will not easily find your way around it.  If you see it as an unanticipated opportunity, you essentially allow your ingenuity to take the lead and turn, what others might see as a bunch of lemons, into a lemonade stand.  By maintaining an open mind and summoning your inner MacGyver you will find ways to leverage life’s surprises into successes.

© 2010 Reece International LLC/Dr. Shannon Reece. All rights reserved.

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If you wish to use this article on your website or online newsletter, no problem, BUT here is what you MUST include:

Dr. Shannon Reece – The One Trusted Woman in a Man’s Business World

Starting your own business can be tough, but having the right tools makes all the difference.  Dr. Reece provides the strategies and tactics women need to get their businesses from zero to launch and achieve real results.  For more information visit www.DrShannonReece.com.

By Dr. Shannon Reece | Posted in Alphabet of Entrepreneurs, Aspiring Entrepreneurs | Tagged , , , , | Comments (2)

You’ve Gotta Have Heart

October 27, 2010 – 6:00 am

If you conducted a survey on gender and leadership styles I think most people would agree that men lead with their head and women lead with their heart.  But which style is better?  When it comes to dating, one of the first rules you learn is to avoid wearing your heart on your sleeve.  Everyone knows that in situations when you are still testing the waters it’s better not to lay all your cards on the table.

But now that I’ve exhausted enough idioms for one post, which approach is better in business?  According to an article in Business Week, leading with your head isn’t always enough, especially in a tough economy.

“…men and women need more than sheer business expertise, whether it be a smart strategy, the right organizational structure, or clever technical solutions…people also want honesty and humanity. They crave authentic connections to their leaders.”

Gaining the trust of your customers and your employees is crucial to having a thriving business.  People want to know that they are valued and respected.  Even my marketing guru has been instilling in me the importance of this approach in my social networking.  You must give, give, give, before you even think about asking for anything. “An effective leader touches hearts and balances that with head practices… to get work accomplished,” writes Jenna Perdue in a similar article where she presents seven tips to finding that balance.

Leading with the heart is one area where women have a distinct advantage over men.  As natural-born collaborators, women are interested in the thoughts and feelings of others.  They can tune in where men tune out, and can achieve an ideal balance between the analytical and emotional sides of leadership.  Creating more holistic work environments and long term relationships, women understand that in business you’ve gotta have heart.

© 2010 Reece International LLC/Dr. Shannon Reece. All rights reserved.

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If you wish to use this article on your website or online newsletter, no problem, BUT here is what you MUST include:

Dr. Shannon Reece – The One Trusted Woman in a Man’s Business World

Starting your own business can be tough, but having the right tools makes all the difference.  Dr. Reece provides the strategies and tactics women need to get their businesses from zero to launch and achieve real results.  For more information visit www.DrShannonReece.com.

By Dr. Shannon Reece | Posted in Alphabet of Entrepreneurs, Aspiring Entrepreneurs | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Grace Under Pressure: Part 2

October 21, 2010 – 6:00 am

Businesswomen face pressure on a daily basis, at work and at home.  Some things can be dealt with easily, while others have the potential to bend you into a pretzel pose that even a master yogi would be hard pressed to achieve.  But one of the greatest assets women have is the ability to maintain grace under pressure.

Keeping your cool when faced with unexpected surprises is an indication of your inner strength, maturity and self-discipline.  As an entrepreneur, your clients and staff are counting on you and your ability to hold it together.  There’s always a solution, but the magic comes in the approach you choose.  Here are some suggestions to smooth the waters and maintain your sanity in a crisis.

 

 

 

 

 

  • Don’t forget to breathe – When an unwelcome surprise smacks you in the face it’s easy to get the wind knocked out of you.  Before you do anything, remember to breathe.  If you are passed out on the floor, you’ll be no good to anyone.
  • Check your emotions at the door – One of the most important things to master in the problem solving arena is your ability to be objective.  Letting your emotions or your client’s get the better of you will only make things a lot worse.  You must separate your feelings from the issue to maintain a clear and level head.
  • Take a step back – A measured response over a knee jerk reaction can lead to much more favorable outcomes.  Sometimes you just need to step away from the situation to get a better perspective.  Go for a walk, listen to some music, do whatever it takes to “change the scenery,” even if just for a few minutes.
  • Maintain a “can-do” attitude – Attitudes are contagious, so as they say, make sure yours is worth catching by your staff or client.  If you seem unglued those around you will follow suite.  Believing that there is a solution will make it much more likely that you will find one swiftly.  When you are self-assured, grace comes easily.

 

If it feels like life is trying to get the best of you, remember to take a chill pill and approach each challenge with the style that only a strong woman can muster.  The most amazing women in history are not remembered because of the challenges they overcame as much as for how they consistently presented themselves with dignity, strength and grace.

“Courage is grace under pressure.”

– Ernest Hemingway

© 2010 Reece International LLC/Dr. Shannon Reece. All rights reserved.

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If you wish to use this article on your website or online newsletter, no problem, BUT here is what you MUST include:

Dr. Shannon Reece – The One Trusted Woman in a Man’s Business World

Starting your own business can be tough, but having the right tools makes all the difference.  Dr. Reece provides the strategies and tactics women need to get their businesses from zero to launch and achieve real results.  For more information visit www.DrShannonReece.com.

By Dr. Shannon Reece | Posted in Alphabet of Entrepreneurs, Aspiring Entrepreneurs | Tagged , , , | Comments (1)

Grace Under Pressure: Part 1

October 19, 2010 – 6:00 am

Imagine this scenario…

It’s half past four on a Friday.  You’ve been working your tail off for the past two weeks in preparation for the vacation you had every intention of squeezing in last year, but just never found the time to take.  A month ago your husband gave you the ultimatum that he was going on vacation, either with you or with the dog, your pick, so you committed to a completely unplugged week in a tropical paradise.

All your clients are set, and with your small but amazing staff you know that your business is in good hands.  You’ve read about successful businesswomen getting away, but it’s finally going to happen for you too.  Woo hoo!!

As you are taking a few well-earned moments to bask in your achievement, imagining a week of freedom on the beach with endless Mai Tai’s you are rather abruptly pulled from your musing by the phone.

One of your newest clients, as well as your largest, is having a complete meltdown on the other end of the line.  There is a crisis and you are the only go-to woman to put out the fire.  Your bags are packed and you are scheduled to leave for the airport in less than two hours.  To say that your stress level is rising would be an understatement.

What do you do to maintain grace under pressure?  I assure you that the answers don’t lie in a bottle of scotch or making Valium your newest BFF.  In part two of this post I will present my top 5 tips for keeping your cool when you feel like you’ve got your feet to the fire.

© 2010 Reece International LLC/Dr. Shannon Reece. All rights reserved.

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If you wish to use this article on your website or online newsletter, no problem, BUT here is what you MUST include:

Dr. Shannon Reece – The One Trusted Woman in a Man’s Business World

Starting your own business can be tough, but having the right tools makes all the difference.  Dr. Reece provides the strategies and tactics women need to get their businesses from zero to launch and achieve real results.  For more information visit www.DrShannonReece.com.

By Dr. Shannon Reece | Posted in Alphabet of Entrepreneurs, Aspiring Entrepreneurs | Tagged , , , | Comments (2)

Family vs. Career: Women Don’t Have to Choose

October 12, 2010 – 7:00 am

Laura Petrolino of 365 Days of Startups asked several businesswomen, including me, to comment on a recent TechCrunch article entitled, “Women Don’t Want to Run Startups Because They’d Rather Have Children,” that elicited a myriad of responses from both sexes.

You can visit 365 to read my take on the article.  I want to point out that innovation and a lot of out of the box thinking has created a business environment in which women no longer are forced to choose between family and career.

Living with a Biological Clock

According to Penelope Trunk’s assessment of a woman’s biological clock, mine blew a gasket nearly a decade ago.  I have accepted the fact that children are not in my future.  But those who would suggest that my childless status makes me less of a woman should be strung up by their toes.  My “family,” though not from my DNA, is composed of my seven nieces and nephews.  It’s a blessing to be able to invest in their lives.

Power to the women who are having children later in life and starting businesses.  Motherhood is not a death sentence to would-be female entrepreneurs.  In fact, women are leaving corporate jobs in order to have the flexibility they need to do what they love and invest in the lives of the ones they love.

New Era for Women in Business

Whether you wish to start your own business, find a job with flexible work hours or the ability to work from home, opportunities exist for you to have the best of both worlds, thanks to women like Sara Sutton Fell of Flexjobs.  A bit of juggling and sacrifice are required, but women are making it work every day.

My hope is that no women who stumbled across Ms. Trunk’s article will buy into any of the garbage she was throwing and be disheartened.  I am not saying that women can have it all.  But balance is achievable for women who wish to have the best of what brings out the best in them.  If that is a career and a family, then do what it takes to create a winning combination in your life.

© 2010 Reece International LLC/Dr. Shannon Reece. All rights reserved.

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If you wish to use this article on your website or online newsletter, no problem, BUT here is what you MUST include:

Dr. Shannon Reece – The One Trusted Woman in a Man’s Business World

Starting your own business can be tough, but having the right tools makes all the difference.  Dr. Reece provides the strategies and tactics women need to get their businesses from zero to launch and achieve real results.  For more information visit www.DrShannonReece.com.

By Dr. Shannon Reece | Posted in Alphabet of Entrepreneurs, Aspiring Entrepreneurs, Balance | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Do Women Rule When It Comes to Empathy?

October 7, 2010 – 10:42 am

Let’s begin by clarifying what empathy is not — it is not sharing someone’s feelings and experiences — that’s sympathy.  Empathy is an understanding or awareness of someone else’s feelings.

Considered to be one of the essential qualities in effective leadership, empathy has been predominantly assigned to women, who excel in their ability to effectively listen.  In business, especially in the current stressful economic climate, where layoffs and cutbacks happen every day, empathetic behavior has tremendous value.

The value of leveraging empathy –

Zig Ziglar summed up the relationship between empathy and credibility when he said, “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” A willingness to try to understand what it’s like to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes builds trust, not only with your employees, but also with your customers.  You demonstrate that you sincerely care.  Listening to the needs of others not only increases connectivity, but can open your mind to possibilities you might not have otherwise considered.

Tips to enhance empathy –

Women tend to be naturally empathetic, but we can all work on honing this skill when our ultimate desire is to serve others through our work.  I’d like to share my top 6 tips to help you enhance your ability to demonstrate empathy in your business:

  1. Work on your active listening skills.  It’s not a matter of simply parroting back what someone said, you must convey that you understand what they meant.  That requires focus and turning off the little voice inside your own head.
  2. Make time.  Life can be very busy, but a huge part of being empathetic is making yourself available to others.
  3. Be Authentic.  Nothing is worse that opening up to someone only to discover that they were in it to advance their own agenda.  Empathy requires authenticity, so don’t go overboard trying to be someone you really aren’t.  Your customers can smell insincerity a mile away.
  4. Reach out.  Don’t sit around waiting for people to come to you.  Get into the habit of checking in with your customers and employees just to see how they are doing and if there’s anything you can do for them.
  5. Keep an open mind. You’re not always going to agree with someone else’s ideas or perspective on things, but that doesn’t mean you should be unwilling to consider another point of view.
  6. Take ownership of your own stuff.  Next to active listening, this is the biggest tip I can offer.  Be humble enough to admit when you are wrong or when you make a mistake.  No one’s perfect and your customers know that applies to you too.  So be a big girl and take responsibility.  As the business owner, the buck stops with you.

I’ve been trying to keep my posts a bit shorter lately because I know how much we all have to read each day.  But I do hope that you gained some value from today’s topic and I would love to hear your comments.

© 2010 Reece International LLC/Dr. Shannon Reece. All rights reserved.

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If you wish to use this article on your website or online newsletter, no problem, BUT here is what you MUST include:

Dr. Shannon Reece – The One Trusted Woman in a Man’s Business World

Starting your own business can be tough, but having the right tools makes all the difference.  Dr. Reece provides the strategies and tactics women need to get their businesses from zero to launch and achieve real results.  For more information visit www.DrShannonReece.com.

By Dr. Shannon Reece | Posted in Alphabet of Entrepreneurs, Aspiring Entrepreneurs | Tagged , , , , | Comments (1)