Welcome to Episode #10 of the newly re-branded Corporate Sister Podcast! In this episode, we’re all about Girl Power Networking, or successful networking for busy working women! In a world where the perks of networking seem to be reserved to men, we as working women have to start claiming our spot in the room. It starts with leveraging the power of networking and successfully re-defining it in the context of our lives and work.
What you’ll learn/listen to/enjoy in this episode:
Why networking is the #1 unwritten rule of business
Why working women need to leverage networking
How to shift your mindset around networking
Tips to harness the power of networking as a working woman
Thanks so much for tuning in and listening to this week’s episode! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please share it by using the social media at the bottom of this post!
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Also, leave me a review for the TCS podcast on iTunes!
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If you have any questions, please email me at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
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Welcome to episode #8 of the Working Girls Club podcast! In this episode, we’re all about working moms, and we’re discussing re-writing the rules around what it means to be a working mom in our day and age! As a working mom myself, I know the struggle is real, but so are the incredible rewards and the power to build our legacies and push the boundaries of what it means to be a working mama…Here’s to the badass, thriving, ambitious working moms who are taking over the world!
What you’ll learn/listen to/enjoy in this episode:
How being a working mom today is so different than any other time before
Why we owe it ourselves to shatter the ceilings around us and leave a legacy
6 rules to live, love and thrive by as a working mom today
Plus: my review of ” A Year of Yes” by Shonda Rhimes and some deets on my first workshop
Introducing a “Products and Recommendations” section on the podcast, where I discuss tools that I use and stand behind. Today’s recommendation is the Selz online content digital platform for all digital content creators and entrepreneurs out there!
Thanks so much for tuning in and listening to this week’s episode! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please share it by using the social media at the bottom of this post!
Any feedback you’d like to share? Please leave a note in the comments section below!
Also, leave me a review for the WGC podcast on iTunes!
Your ratings and reviews are not only greatly appreciated, but they also help the show rank better!
If you have any questions, please email me at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
Finally, please don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes to get automatic updates!
Thanks so much for your support!
This past week, I had the pleasure to host my first workshop on creating a strong brand for your career and business. To say that I was intimidated is an understatement! After all, conducting a workshop, especially your very first one, requires you to be adequately prepared, stand in front of an audience, and deliver valuable information, preferably without shaking, sweating profusely, or battling not to throw up your lunch…
As someone who tends to dread public speaking, signing up for a live workshop had me reaching for as much chocolate and coffee I could ingest in the least amount of time. Talk about stressful…
Interestingly enough, as the workshop happened (yes, I did show up), and went on, I enjoyed the experience so much that I actually wasn’t looking forward to it ending. I’m proud to say it was a success, which is why I’m here to share some of the nuggets of wisdom I learnt, applied and will enhance for my next workshop. These tips can be applied to virtually any presentation you may have to make in the future…
THE BEFORE
There’s always a “before” and after. When it comes to conducting any type of presentation, especially a workshop, the “before” happens to be as important, if not even more important, than the “during” or the “after”. What you do before standing in front of your workshop audience is crucial and determines how well you will actually do.
Set Goals: What is the Workshop’s Why?
What are you trying to achieve with this workshop or presentation? Are you teaching your audience about enhancing their career or business? Is this to help with team building? Are you trying to improve existing procedures?
Understanding and clearly defining your workshop’s goals helps you FOCUS the direction of your workshop. Think of it as a rallying cry for your audience! Besides, knowing exactly what you’re after will help you communicate it more effectively to your audience, while avoiding going in all directions and confusing people. It’s also a great assessment tool at the end of your workshop, to determine if you’ve met your goal, and what you need to improve on for the next time.
Mind Your Logistics!
Attendance or location may seem minor details at first, but they’re a hugely important part of conducting your workshop. Make sure you know exactly the location of your event. As the presenter, it’s your responsibility to get there ahead of time and be familiar with the room and equipment you’ll have at your disposal.
This also means making sure that everything is working as it’s supposed to before the event. The last thing you’d want is not to have a computer screen for your slide show on the day of, right? Make sure to confirm all these at least one day in advance, so the technical and logistical part of your presentation goes as planned.
Get your mindset right!
This should have actually been the very first point of this post. Any presentation or workshop you’re conducting will require you to be mentally sharp, present, as well as emotionally available. This is not just a matter of regurgitating information, but of actually engaging your audience, impart your knowledge and leave everyone in the room better off than they were before you left.
Practice meditation or breathing exercises prior, do your power pose, repeat favorite affirmations, whatever it takes to get your mind to a peaceful and productive place!
Have an agenda!
Right along with defining goals for your workshop, make sure to have an agenda. I usually include it as one of the opening slides in my workshop if I’m using a PowerPoint presentation.
It helps guide your presentation, and give both you and the audience a clear idea as to the structure of the workshop.
THE DURING
While what you do before a workshop usually sets the tone for it, what you do during it can spell success or doom. Here a few tips to get a handle of your workshop as you deliver your outstanding presentation:
Be there early!
Ok, let’s be real, I can be a bit on the late side. But getting to the workshop site early made a significant difference!
For one, it helped me put myself at ease mentally and get my bearings, in terms of setting the equipment, get the technology side running and taking a last look at my notes.
But the most important factor for me was the ability to establish a personal contact with the audience before even starting. This included greeting the audience, getting to know everyone’s name, profession, etc.
Make it a conversation!
The key to a successful workshop is engagement. So instead of standing in front of your audience lecturing, turn it instead into a living, breathing exchange of ideas.
Every section of my workshop started and ending with a question. After speaking for a while or noticing a lag of interest in the audience, I immediately switched into question mode, which kept them engaged.
Use your audience as part of your presentation!
Another way to keep your audience engaged is to elaborate on their participation. Did one audience member mention they’re actively looking for a new job? Or that their department’s policies are in dire need of improvement?
Build on these tidbits of information to make your arguments even more relevant. It’s one thing to use generalized examples and another (better) to actually use your audience for tangible advice!
THE AFTER
Your workshop doesn’t end the minute you’re done with your last slide or argument. There are many ways to leverage your presentation even after you’re done:
Have a Q&A!
While your workshop should be open to questions at regular intervals, closing it with an official Q&A is a great way to wrap up!
Aside from being able to help your audience further, the Q&A also helps you come up with other great ideas for future workshops!
Ask for feedback!
Pass around a feedback sheet or ask for verbal feedback if possible. You want to know what worked and what didn’t, so you can improve the next time around! Plus it doesn’t hurt to get some encouragement along the way…
Follow up!
If possible, get your attendees’ email addresses and follow up with them after the workshop. It could be as simple as an email thanking them for attending, and encouraging them to stay in touch with you via your email list or any other medium you deem acceptable.
What other advice do you have for conducting a successful workshop?
In this episode of the Working Girls Club podcast, we’re talking introverts! And we’re raising the dark curtain on what it takes to thrive as introverts at work, in business and in our lives too! As an introvert myself, it’s a topic that’s close to my heart…
What you’ll learn/listen to/enjoy in this episode:
Why introverts get a bad rap
How introverts can leverage their power of observation, discernment and close bonding
How to build a strong career/business around being an introvert
Thanks so much for tuning in and listening to this week’s episode! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please share it by using the social media at the bottom of this post!
Any feedback you’d like to share? Please leave a note in the comments section below!
Also, leave me a review for the WGC podcast on iTunes!
Your ratings and reviews are not only greatly appreciated, but they also help the show rank better!
If you have any questions, please email me at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
Finally, please don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes to get automatic updates!
Thanks so much for your support!
Bad bosses, toxic co-workers, destructive team dynamics, etc…: all these are symptoms of toxic work environments. Many of us have been victims of these types of environments, and have wondered how to keep their sanity and edges in place though it. While it may be easy to just call it quits, hop on a flight to the Bahamas and forget all about it with a sip of coconut margarita, escaping it isn’t always easy.
The most important thing I learnt in any type of negative environment is to make the difference between what you can change and what you cannot change. Let me say this again: There are things you CANNOT change, like the way some people will feel about you, which by the way, is none of your business. And thankfully, there are things you CAN change, like refusing to let the negativity take you out, and constantly re-committing yourself to your higher purpose.
It’s definitely easier said than done, especially considering most of us spend upwards of eight hours at work. When you add the pressures of daily life, unending laundry, crazy traffic and the fact that you’re not yet able to connect to a 24/7 caffeine intra-veinous device, surviving a toxic environment can seem like an insurmountable challenge.
Because we all need our edges, and sanity too, here are a few tips to not just survive, but thrive in a toxic work environment:
Look for the Bright Side (ANY bright side)!
I know it may be challenging to see any bright side to a toxic situation at work or anywhere for that matter…But if you’re at the point when your motivation is threatening to walk out the door with the rest of your sanity, seeing the positives can make a world of difference!
Fond the good, even if you have to dig deep for it. Whether it’s being thankful for having a paycheck that allows you to care for your family or pursue your passion, or being healthy enough to go to work, or having a strong support system, practice gratitude for what you already have! Then start looking for opportunities to use your current situation as a stepping stone to better opportunities. Maybe there are new training sessions you can sign up for to open up your career horizons, or interesting job offers coming up, take advantage of those!
And don’t forget to use the hard lessons you’re learning to empower yourself and others, whether it’s through starting a business to help other women (and men) in your situation, sharing your story, or simply encouraging someone who may be going through the same stuff…
Stay Away from the Drama!
Listen, the mean girls (or dudes) from high school never really disappear…They grow up, get jobs, and re-create the same drama they used to start back in high school. Remember when I mentioned those things you CANNOT change, this is one of them! You can’t change how people react or the kind of mindsets they bring to work, or to life, in general.
Simply make a commitment to stay away from all and any drama. That includes not participating in any watercolor gossip, or getting entangled in dark office politics. Will it cost you? Yes! But it’s a choice, you can either do business with integrity or not. You may not see the payback immediately, but in the long run, honesty is always the best policy, in and outside of work…
Communicate & Stick to The Facts!
The best way for a toxic situation to escalate is to let it fester. As much as you may have to stay away from drama, there are instances in which you’re going to have to step in the ring and clear up any misunderstandings or miscommunication. Address potential issues as soon as you can, in a professional and effective way. It may be a matter of sitting down with your manager to discuss a problem, or confronting a co-worker with the effects of their toxic behavior. In some worst case scenarios, you may even have to involved Human Resources.
However, make sure in any circumstance to stick to the facts. Leave the emotional part of the issue at bay, and focus on what exactly transpired. As a rule of thumb, if you can’t substantiate it with factual evidence, you may not want to bring it up!
Fight Back and Fight Smart!
Ok, let’s get something clear…It’s not because you may want to stay away from the drama and behave in a professional manner that you have to play the Office Doormat. Which also means there are times to put your career gloves on and fight back, the smart way…
Don’t lay there and take anything being dished out to you! Remember that you have a right to disagree and express your opinions. As a matter of fact, this may garner you more respect than desperately trying to maintain the peace at the cost of your sanity and integrity.
Find ways to de-stress during the day!
A toxic work environment will take its toll on you, whether mentally, spiritually and certainly physically! So make sure to take a pause and relieve the pressure throughout the day! Take a walk at lunch, call your bestie to vent, or practice prayer or meditation in an empty conference room (or in the bathroom) when you can!
Whatever it is, identify little (and big) ways in which you can take a mental and/or physical breather throughout the day! If you’re the visual type, surround yourself with pictures of loved ones and affirmations/quotes to lift my spirits at any moment during the day.
Set clear boundaries!
Repeat after me: NO is a full sentence! It’s so easy to start forgetting about your own needs, and actually putting others’ first in a toxic environment. The more you may be under attack, the more you may be tempted to prove yourself to others. Which can translate into taking on too heavy a workload, coming in early and staying late, and generally taking whatever’s dished out to you…
Instead, learn to set clear boundaries while still performing your work as required. For you, it may mean actually taking a break for lunch. Or refraining from putting in excessive overtime. It also means staying true to yourself and authentic to who you are and how you intend to live your life. Don’t let others change your image of yourself by violating your personal and professional boundaries!
Leave work at work!
Last but not least, don’t let professional negativity seep into the rest of your life. It’s tempting to bring all the negatives of work back home when we need an outlet or some extra support. Yet this also may mean poisoning your family life!
So refrain from sharing all the toxic work stuff, or checking email once you reach home, or even thinking about it as you park in the driveway. It’s certainly hard to do so, but this can make the difference between keeping your happy home happy, or seriously putting your edges in danger!
