by Solange Lopes | Jun 24, 2016 | Career
We’re often under the impression that networking has to happen at certain times and places. At networking events, or company gatherings, or select, formal association meetings or get-togethers…Hence the reservations of many professionals, especially professional women, when it comes to it.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of networking is “the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions; specifically : the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business“; which implies that all it requires, really, is for people to connect, exchange information and/or services, and keep in touch..Which if you think about it, we do pretty much on a daily basis at work.
How many times do you connect with someone as you’re walking down the hallway to the cafeteria? How often do you get introduced, even if informally, to someone from a different group or department in or outside of your company, and actually exchange some form of information or another? Every time you do this on any given day, you’re actually ahem… networking. The only difference may be your not realizing it, and consequently not using it to your advantage.
Once I realized the power of “everyday networking“, I started preparing myself mentally first. By thinking of networking as nothing more than the human exchange of information and/or services, I came to be less intimated by the whole concept. I slowly realized that society has actually turned what should come so naturally to all of us, into an unnecessarily cumbersome and exclusive practice.
Here are 6 steps to get yourself into the habit of leveraging natural relationships as invaluable opportunities to network:
Start with Hello!
It may sound too easy, but it all really starts with introducing yourself. If you happen to approach someone you’ve never been formally introduced to, don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation. And no, you don’t have to talk about the weather, or the state of the world’s pollution…Just state the obvious, and use easy, honest conversation starters like “I don’t believe we were ever introduced“, or ” I’ve seen you around so many times, I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name“. Oh and while you’re at it, keep some business cards handy too…
Do Your Research First!
Before introducing yourself at the cafeteria or in the parking lot, try doing a bit of research beforehand. Pull the person’s Linked In profile, ask around about them, look her/him up in the company directory, or just Google him/her. However, limit yourself to obtaining just their professional information. You don’t want to look like you’ve been stalking them online and know everything about their last vacation in Venice…
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone!
We tend to network with people we can relate to, which can also limit our networking potential. Make an effort to seek people outside of your circle, or people you wouldn’t naturally converge towards. You may have seen this person for years and never approached her because she was outside your circle. Remember that diversity has now become a huge priority in companies, and consciously making an attempt to network outside of your familiar “in-group” might help you overcome any biases you may have. All the while expanding your network daily…
Tap into mutual acquaintances!
When it comes to networking, your acquaintances’ network can also be your network! Ask your friends and acquaintances to introduce and/or recommend you to their own network. Attend events with them, join them when they’re with people you may not know, and introduce yourself. This doesn’t mean you have to become an opportunist, but it does mean you’re using the resources you have available to expand your network…
The rule of the game is “business casual”!
As friendly as you may be, you may want to avoid being too familiar as you network on a daily basis. Keep it “business casual” at all times. If you’re not sure what you sound like, aim for a professional tone at the intersection of introducing yourself at an industry event and going shopping with your girlfriend.
Be Social!
We can’t talk about networking successfully on the daily without mentioning the power of social media. Whether you’re connecting with other people on Linked In, or chatting up some friends’ friends on Facebook, use social media as a way to network as well. And while you’re at it, update that profile picture, refresh your information, and make it a point to make at least one new connection a month.
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To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jun 24, 2016 | Career
This is our weekly career and lifestyle news update, where we round up exciting news of the last week and we let you have it…ahem, news-wise that is…
Think of it as your career gossiping section on steroids…
And while you’re at it, follow us on Facebook, Twitter,IG, and Pinterest!
Here we go…
- Did you know France is pushing a law to cut down on work email, but Business Insider tells us why the US probably won’t follow suit;
- We’re still talking about the United State of Women event, and my favorite part was Oprah’s interview with First Lady Michelle Obama. Ellevate Network lists its 7 favorite parts of this fascinating talk;
- We all know about the wage gap, but how about the gender investing gap. Levo League interviewed Sallie Krawcheck on why investing is the ultimate career power tool;
- Are you an entrepreneur of color? Black Enterprise has a list of amazing loan resources for you;
- You know that feeling when you just can’t motivate yourself at work anymore (like when it’s beautiful out and you’re stuck in a cube). The Muse lists 3 reasons why and how to overcome them;
- Planning to ask for that raise? Here are some great tips on becoming a successful negotiator;
- Want to avoid putting on weight in the summer? Check out these 3 healthy substitutes for your next lunchtime;
- Need to sleep more? This healthcare giant is paying employees up to $500 to sleep more;
- In fashion news, this summer bag makes it much easier to find things;
- Last but not least, on the blog this week, I discussed 4 smart ways to prepare for any networking event.
PS: Like this post? Click HERE to get The Corporate Sister’s career, lifestyle and entrepreneurship, bi-weekly updates.
To your success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jun 19, 2016 | Career
Every year for Father’s Day, I call my dad. Like so many other people celebrating this holiday, I’m blessed to still have him around. Yet for me, and for so many others, Father’s Day has this bittersweet taste stuck somewhere between our hearts and minds. That bittersweet feeling you have when dad wasn’t there…
For so many women, growing up without a dad present is reality. One they’ve been accustomed to living with, and suffering the consequences of. Some of these consequences are more visible than others, like for instance, according to the Fatherhood Factor site, ” a study of 263 13- to 18-year-old adolescent women seeking psychological services found that the adolescents from father-absent homes were 3.5 times more likely to experience pregnancy than were adolescents from father-present homes”. Others hide beneath the surface, revealing themselves through women working tirelessly to please everyone, be accepted, and receive the love they missed as a child.
These may be the women who log in countless hours at work, silently toiling in their careers to prove their worth; yet never satisfied, however much success they end up garnering…The women who’d never want to depend on a man for fear they’d be disappointed. The ones who seek validation in all the wrong places, sometimes settling for less they deserve because somehow somewhere along the way, they were robbed of one of the essential pieces of a woman’s life: a dad’s unconditional love and validation…
And this also deeply affects the types of careers we choose throughout our lives. We already know about the confidence gap; but what we don’t often realize is all the ways in which our dads, especially the absent ones, affect our work and purpose in life. From speaking up at work, to whether we see ourselves at the top of the corporate ladder or in a low-paying job, the relationship we have with our fathers play a huge role in how we see ourselves, in life and at work.
For those of us who grew up with absent dads, it also means we have to learn self-worth and value on our own…It means confronting our own limiting beliefs and mindsets, and being willing to change them for the best.
It took me decades to realize the impact of not having a father around for most of my life. Decades to realize that although my mother did an absolutely phenomenal job with all of us kids, there was a space she couldn’t fill…A space that I had replaced with a lot of things, time, and relationships which weren’t exactly for me…And that’s where my own journey of self-discovery and self-affirmation really started, one that’s painful at times, but oh so rewarding… A journey that helped me define my career in terms of who I am, and not the opposite way…And define everything in my life in terms of who I was made to be…
Throughout this journey, I’ve had the privilege to meet other women who also were on the same path. As we spoke and shared common insights, we were able to change the way we viewed ourselves, which in turn changed the direction and impact of our careers. Some of us shed the fear of speaking up, others finally confronted their dads, and others are making major changes in their careers and lives…Out of this shift, businesses were born, associations were made, separations happened, and overall, life changes happened…
If you’re a woman who grew up with an absent father, today and every Father’s Day may feel a bit strange. Like a pull between who you were and who you’re becoming…A reminder that while things are not always perfect, they always teach us a valuable lesson…And maybe you’re seeing all the ways in which your own experience has affected your career and life, and you’re ready to change that…
As for me, I’m still on this journey, and am amazed by all that I’m learning…I’m thankful to be blessed with a wonderful husband and father to my babies, and my relationship with my dad is getting stronger by the day…And I’m off to celebrating not just the fathers in my life, but the journey they’ve all helped us undertake…
Happy Father’s Day to all!
Love,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jun 14, 2016 | Career, Find Your Purpose
We’ve all been there, at some point or another, in our careers…That point when you’re not too sure where your career’s going…When you doubt yourself and your professional abilities. to the point of considering dropping everything and backpacking through the Himalayas (except you haven’t owned a backpack since 8th grade and the kids are sure as hell not coming for the ride walk)…That point when you just need to raise your head up, lift those shoulders, and reclaim your power at work…
When I was in between jobs, changing industries and not exactly trusting in myself, I remember telling myself over and over: “You got this, you can do this, you need to get your power back!” And thats also what I talk about in the “TCS Guide to Taking Back Control of Your Career“, my e-book on reclaiming your power at work
Whether it’s after a layoff, or struggling through a particularly challenging project at work, or facing annoying issues at work, feeling powerless at work isn’t exactly the best. The danger is that for some of us, it starts with a temporary feeling and ends seeping into every facet of our career. Before you know it, you’re dragging yourself to and fro work, going through the motions day in and day out, and doing the absolute exact job for decades. Dreary enough?
Here are 7 ways to get out of that temporary funk and reclaim your power at work:
Work on your mindset first
It’s a mindset thing first and foremost! The first place we lose our confidence, and hence our power, is in our minds. For women at work, evidence has been strongly suggesting women are way less self-assured then men. While there’s no doubt women’s competence seeing how companies employing women outperform those who don’t, the confidence gap is undeniable.
Work on your mindset first, to eliminate any tendency to see yourself as unworthy of success. The less mental barriers, the more power you’ll regain over your career. In my new e-book, the “TCS Guide to Taking Back Control of Your Career”, I borrow one of Southwest Airlines’c ore values and call this mindset power the “warrior spirit”!
Prep Time!
“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity”: the saying still holds very much truth to it. In a highly evolving, complex and volatile work environment, its becoming increasingly necessary to be prepared. Taking even a small amount of time to prepare sets you apart from your competition and makes you stand out. Think of it as bootcamp to prepare you for outstanding results in your career!
Manage Your Rocks!
Stephen Covey used a great analogy to make us think about managing our time more effectively. By illustrating that we should prioritize our tasks (put the big rocks in the jar first), he demonstrated as early as the ’80s how important it is manage our time. And even most importantly, how important it is to set our own priorities, based on what’s truly important to us…
Work Smarter
Working all the time and not making time for fun, rest, or relaxation, can rob us of our power at work (and in life). Is it any surprise that so many of us caught in the rat race end up feeling disempowered and disengaged in our careers?
In my e-book, I talk about how through my own career, I’ve come to believe less in work-life balance (or any balance at all really), and more in the concept of ironing out our priorities and making peace with the fact that while we CAN have it all, we just can’t have it all at the same time(thanks Oprah)!
Position Yourself!
Taking your career back is also about positioning yourself at work. It’s about being visible, and making the right moves in your career. In the TCS Guide to Reclaiming Your Power at Work, I discuss how it takes a village to build your career!
Dare to be visible, and to surround yourself with the right influences, mentors and guides in your career!
Refill your confidence mug
One of the biggest assumptions among women at work is that there’s “not enough room for all of us.” There are so few women in top career positions that every time any of us gets close to accomplishing a milestone, it seems others are robbed of the same opportunity.
Learn to refill your confidence mug constantly, and to see more opportunities where there seems to be scarcity!
Don’t ditch your emotions, but use them wisely instead.
“Emotional” is a word that’s gotten a bad rap with professional women for the longest time. You can’t show emotion at work! If you’re a woman at work, your emotions may overtake you and reflect badly on your performance. It’s not until the concept of “Emotional Intelligence” or EQ became popular that the corporate world started paying more attention to emotions at work, especially as it relates to gender differences…
Yet our emotions are also our guides, as I explain in my e-book. They’re the barometers that help us assess whether we’re going in the right direction or not. Don’t ditch your emotions, but instead use them wisely as an asset at work.
How do you reclaim your power at work? Share your insights with us…
PS: For more on taking back control of your career, get a copy of my e-book now available on Amazon!
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jun 10, 2016 | Career
This is our weekly career and lifestyle news update, where we round up exciting news of the last week and we let you have it…ahem, news-wise that is…
Think of it as your career gossiping section on steroids…
And while you’re at it, follow us on Facebook, Twitter,IG, and Pinterest!
Here we go…
- Summer’s here, and with it the official drop of work productivity! Here are 4 hacks to keep employees motivated this summer (and not lose your mind in the process);
- Hello #GirlPower! Forbes finally confirms Serena Williams is the highest-paid woman athlete (unseating Maria Sharapova who’s held the title for the last 11 years);
- On a funny note this week, as Undercover Recruiter explains why laughter is the life of the office;
- Do you wake up feeling overwhelmed at how much work (and little time) you have? Ellevate Network tells you the crucial time management mistake you don’t know you’re making;
- Are you bummed out because you’re not finding the summer job of your dreams? Check out this Business Insider‘s article where people share unglamorous summer jobs that changed their lives;
- Coffee-addicts alert! Levo League is suggesting 10 ways to wake up without coffee (I’m testing this, people);
- Fashion at work can be tricky (yes, even for the most seasoned fashionistas among us). Check out the 5 most common fashion mistakes professional gals make at work (I’ve done #4);
- Do you know where your career is going? If you tend to be a tad direction-adverse, Ellevate Network suggests 3 ways to ensure your career GPS is on track;
- Last but not least, this app helps savvy career women find their dream jobs.
PS: Like this post? Click HERE to get The Corporate Sister’s career, lifestyle and entrepreneurship, bi-weekly updates.
To your success,
The Corporate Sis.
