4 tips for selling yourself on the spot, effortlessly!
I once had a position that involved cold calling people —without a script or template— and selling a product. I had no previous sales experience, and as you can imagine it was a complete disaster. The experience helped me realize that selling was a powerful art-form that I had seriously underestimated. It also gave me some good insight for when it came to finding ways to ‘sell’ myself to people I want to connect with. Whether you are an entrepreneur making connections, job hunting, or trying to win over co-workers, you need to know how to sell yourself. Many of us have no problem delivering a killer elevator pitch, or eloquently presenting our ideas. The problem comes when we have to convince everyone; why us? While being prepared is crucial, you may not always have the luxury of preparing. When put on the spot it’s easy to revert to a one size fits all prepared speech. To help with this I’ve come up with an acronym to ensure you can adapt on the spot. You need to think FAST. It’s not a template for a monologue but rather a few things to bear in mind in your conversation. Fit Getting the right ‘fit’ is about reading your audience, and deciding what skills or achievements would be relevant in that context. Yes, you are a #MotherlandMogul and you have LOTS of accomplishments, but is it necessary to list them all? Think from their perspective, and only include things that will help your pitch. Also mention things that you are working on doing, and not only past accomplishments. The Harvard Business Review points to a study which found that your potential could be as persuasive as your accomplishments. They note, “people are much more impressed, whether they realize it or not, by your potential than by your track record.” The study asserts that “when people seek to impress others, they often do so by highlighting individual achievements. Despite the intuitive appeal of this strategy, we demonstrate that people often prefer potential rather than achievement when evaluating others.” Keep it truthful and do not sell dreams, but don’t be afraid to use your on-going/future projects as well. Add value Essentially, you want them to realize they need you or at the very least your relationship can be valuable. Are there areas that you can collaborate with them in? Problems that you can solve? Demonstrate that you have grasped their needs, and paint a picture of just how you are positioned to solve them. If on the spot you have no prior knowledge, just ask what the needs are. What you want to avoid is going on about things that may not be relevant to them. Separate Unless you have a totally original idea or skill set, you must give compelling reasons as to why yours is different. Separate yourself from competition by mentioning the unique qualities/experiences that enhance your value. Salespeople would refer to this as a Unique Selling Proposition. Entrepreneur.com’s Small Business Encyclopedia illustrates this with some examples, “Charles Revson, founder of Revlon, always used to say he sold hope, not makeup. Some airlines sell friendly service, while others sell on-time service.” Whatever your personal USP is, make sure it actually adds value. Real estate coach Kevin Ward reminds us, “The goal is not just to be different. The goal is to add value to people in a different way.” (*For a humorous visual reminder of why different isn’t always useful, take a look at the Twitter account @WeWantPlates.) Tie it up So now you have won them over and you have buy-in. Remember, the goal of ‘selling’ is to make a sale.Wrap up your conversation by setting clear ways to follow through. Ending a conversation with:“We’ll chat more later” won’t cut it. Make sure you collect! Set dates, get signatures, do what you came to do. Don’t let a good sales pitch go to waste!
Leave or Remain? Lessons to take away from BREXIT
This year has been a huge year, politically. From the UK voting to leave the European Union to the US elections, we are in for a year on continued market volatility as a result. Through all the apparent doom and gloom, there are always lessons to learn! In this case, an interesting dynamic is emerging and all women must take note! Women are increasingly taking on dynamic political positions. As a politics student and resident of the UK, the Brexit week had me really in my feelings. The only positive thing I could take away from it was a better understanding of female leadership and the role we can play. What better way to look into this than to call out the top 4 women in the Saga? Let’s take a look at them closely, shall we! Ladies, a round of applause for Angela Merkel, Andrea Leadsom, Nicola Sturgeon and Theresa May. These women all have preference for short hair in common. (Sidebar- why do most women in politics have short hair??) Angela Merkel – She ain’t sorry ‘Madame-Non’ as she is known in France for her steely resolve and firm approach to politics, Angela Merkel is a woman who embodies the small but mighty leadership style. She is the Chancellor of Germany and the leader of the European Union in terms of GDP. Madame Merkel has been under a lot of scrutiny for her approach to Syrian migrants and her pro-EU stance and policies. Ladies, we can learn a lot from her. Through the Brexit debacle, Madame Merkel has said the same thing consistently: no entry into the single market if you will not uphold free movement of people. Her no is no and her yes, yes and she ain’t sorry! In other words, she is a principled woman who upholds the values she believes in without deviating from them. She is said to defend the four freedoms of the EU fiercely. She is also willing to allow the UK time to find its feet before making any drastic decisions. As a leader, Merkel shows us that you need to know what you stand for and defend it. Andrea Leadsom – Know when to fold Ms. Leadsom’s rise to the post-Brexit stage was incredibly unassuming. She emerged as the other top Brexiteers seemed to collapse. Gaining fame in her pro-Brexit role and making convincing speeches during the campaign, she seemed a natural choice for Prime Minister. Especially when both Boris Johnson and Michael Gove were engaged in a modern Shakespeare tragedy. It was almost as if she was the last (wo)man standing. She stood well for a couple of days but as time passed, she found herself putting her foot in her mouth a couple of times. Ms. Leadsom finally decided to graciously bow out of the race. Allowing someone with more experience take the role even when they were on opposite sides of the vote. In life and leadership, it is just as important to know when you cannot perform a role as it is to know when you absolutely can. Leadsom was smart, she understood very quickly that she was not equipped to shepherd the UK through a very difficult reality. And that if she could get overwhelmed by a simple scandal, there was no way she could live peacefully at No. 10, so she stepped down. Are you fighting for a position you are not certain you can handle? Perhaps you need to re-think this. You need to understand that leadership is just as much about stepping down as it is about stepping up. Nicola Sturgeon – Don’t just roll over Nicola Sturgeon became a headliner through the Brexit saga. She proactively denounced the results of the referendum and quickly went about the business of securing Scotland’s interests. Some of you may remember that there was a Scottish referendum in 2014, where Scotland voted to remain in the UK. The main reason they did so was to remain in the EU. UK politicians had threatened that Scotland could not hack the big EU outside of the safe UK. Well friends, two years later, Scotland has been dragged out and Nicola Sturgeon is doing everything in her power to ensure her people still have a voice. She proactively met with EU leaders post the vote. She gave an incredible speech encouraging her people that she would indeed lead in their interests. Ms. Sturgeon emerged a total bombass: proactive, clear and firmly defending her people. Sometimes leadership is about proactively having the difficult conversations. It’s about taking advantage of the moment to voice your concerns for your people! Theresa May – The patient dog indeed gets the biggest bone Of all the ladies discussed above, Madame Prime Minister Theresa May won BIG through the Brexit Saga. She emerged as the only stable choice for Prime Minister as it became clear that all other options were like ticking time bombs. Mrs. May remained very low-key throughout the Brexit campaign. A solid remainer, she was wise enough to hedge her bets and go underground. She remained largely silent until the cards started to crumble and she emerged as a dark horse. Mrs. May is very direct and straight talking and has established herself as an outsider to the rich boys club in the conservative party. Of all the politicians who were so vocal in the campaign, she remains sturdy and silent and this approach paid off heavily. She ended up being viewed as a steady pair of hands who could rationally lead the UK out of the EU. She definitely practiced waiting her turn and when the time was right, stepped up loud and clear. Leadership is sometimes about timing and Theresa May understands this very well. So there you have it Motherland Moguls, four examples to learn from. A time of crisis will show you who you really are. So much more than a time of calm ever will. How would you handle it?
Beyond the passion – What you need to get into the caregiving business
Are you a woman who wants to ensure that her family and community is well looked after? Are you passionate enough to sacrifice time and energy? Do you have some basic administrative, managerial or business skills? Maybe you’re thinking none of these requirements apply to you, but are you ready to be spat on, clean washbowls or change thousands of soiled diapers? Then the caregiving industry might just be the revolutionary business idea that you have been seeking. Mind you, it’s painstakingly hard but it is one way to give back to society whilst paying the bills. Interestingly, a famous African saying says, regardless the source of the income, money is money. I am sure that at this point your heart might be doing cartwheels at the thought of the coolest business idea ever. The fact is that home care is one of the fastest-growing businesses in the world. You can be rest assured that without a large capital and clients, you can feed your passion by starting a daycare for children or a nursing home for the aged. Location If you have a roof over your head, then you have the space to start and work with. Is your child in preschool? Are you a divorcee living alone? Or are you an elderly couple with kids off to university? You can always make space with what’s available. It could be a nursery turned into storage, a den that no one sits in anymore, an empty garage or a basement without piles of laundry. It will surprise you just how well, using the right colours, textiles, paint and partitioning can transform a space. Furniture and equipment Getting your initial set up furniture and equipment can be as easy as reaching out to friends and family, A lot of times, families hoard furniture in the hope of re-using them, but most times, they don’t. If you have a network that is accommodating, reach out to them for their old stuff. Most of these items are barely used and have minimal damage. They can be repaired at little cost. Staff Hire retired nursing aides, nurses, and early-year teachers because, with their experience, they are typically patient, may have less responsibility or financial needs and will be willing to help you grow your business. Recruit young people who are willing to work as volunteers for the first couple of months till you settle your financials. Acquire knowledge The worldwide web has a multitude of free resources and courses for business owners in the caregiving industry. Sign up for these courses as often as you can, acquire knowledge on creating a business plan, new trends and best practices in the caregiving industry. Research successful businesses in the industry, you can target studying one business a day. Learn new skills to minimize calls to experts for help with things as basic as installing a nursing station. Train your staff on acquired skills. Create a dynamic team. Give yourself space to grow! Your clients are right here Your clients are never in space or in the next city. They are the people you meet within the marketplace, at the hospital and at your place of worship. Familiar people will feel more relaxed because they think they know your story and can relate to it. They will feel safer around you than some savvy business owner who launches a similar start up in your area. These are your clients; be sure to invite them to your open house. Seek their ideas before implementation. Also, find out what their immediate needs are. Would they work full time or would they prefer a full day care? Are they more focused on the social interaction a group setting will offer? Furthermore, the elderly might just need to be tended to at different times or a group where they meet and discuss. That cozy setting might be your house. You can set up games and make homemade goodies, to create the perfect setting for old stories of love and war. Marketing and advertisement Design and print catchy flyers. Distribute them at supermarkets, playgrounds, schools, and hospitals. Also, volunteer for community engagements. These will increase your visibility and increase your trustworthiness. Remember that your most valuable marketing tool is word of mouth communication. This will get people talking positively about what you do. Registration and legal requirements Always ensure that you do a research on the requirements of registering a business in your country. You would want to create an atmosphere that is loving and devoid of stress. Seek advice within your network. You might just know a lawyer willing to assist with the registration procedures at a discounted value.
The 4 minute guide to SME marketing: Everything na packaging
This article in the on-going series was largely borne out of a personal experience. Did I mention that I am testing the entrepreneurship waters myself? To digress a little, I think there is a side-gigging bug making the rounds, especially in the city of Lagos. Let’s do a quick poll if you currently work a 9-5 job but still want to take charge of your working life, do what you love and not be dictated to by corporate rule, say Aye! Well, my business partner and I had a mini-debate about how products should be packaged for potential customers. My stance was a very practical and cost minimizing one seeing as ‘affordable’ was at the core of our proposition to customers. But she, on the other hand, believed in making an impression because from her perspective and quite truly, packaging can make all the difference! Let me quickly explain why this is so. Remember that saying about dressing how you want to be addressed? The same can be said of product packaging. Humans are largely visual beings and can form lasting impressions based solely on what they see. Also, seeing as we live in a cluttered world, you want to be able to, with your packaging, get people’s attention and inspire them to take action. Now I am not going to over-flog the “Packaging Matters” discourse because I am almost certain that as a (potential) business owner this is something you are definitely aware of. But while you do the needful, there are 2 things I think you should keep in mind: What’s your business model? As a new business, especially, one playing in an already saturated field, one way to win would be through your pricing model. You should actually aspire to deliver the lowest cost to your customers in the form of lower prices. This can guarantee you a spot on customers’ purchase considerations. I mean who doesn’t want to pay the lowest price for the best quality, right? If your promise is the lowest cost, perhaps you shouldn’t spend so much on the packaging of your product seeing as every cost you incur would have to be taken care of in your selling price. Of course, you should consider this if you intend to make a profit and remain in business. Going minimalist (please do not read this as tacky!) with your product packaging shouldn’t bother you at all if your proposition to customers clearly explains why that is necessary. So for example, ever noticed the difference in packaging when you shop via Jumia or Konga (proposition: lowest price guaranteed) as against shopping at a Montaigne Place (proposition: luxury at its best)? Packaging versus Product Quality I am sure we’ve all had this experience before. You go to a fancy restaurant with the most fantastic ambience and the food turns out absolute crap. Mind you, this is after much pomp and pageantry. Or you pick a pack of biscuit off the supermarket shelf because of a package design too catchy to ignore and discover that it tastes like sawdust. In both aforementioned instances, you’d have to be a masochist to want to relive that experience. The learning, therefore, is this: you can inspire an action (purchase) with package design but if the product/service experience does not meet expectations, there would likely be no repeat purchase. More important than the package design is the product/service quality because that’s what ultimately delivers value. There is the need to fully understand how your desired customers define value and give them that, else any other thing you do would be counter intuitive. So you start a hair salon business, what would your ideal customer appreciate more; gold-plated mirrors from Dubai or gifted and experienced hair stylists on your payroll? This is the ideal process: Know your intended customers. Understand their needs. Create a product/service that fully satisfies those needs. Then properly package that product or service. Do not attempt to prioritize no. 4 over no. 3. There’s so much more we can say about packaging but this is still the most important thing: “Packaging is a substantive aspect of your marketing strategy that you should pay keen attention to ”. Cheers!
Negotiating your way to financial success: 4 essential steps to effective negotiation
Women often shy away from negotiations for fear of being perceived as aggressive or of losing the offer. However, we tend to forget that the people we negotiate with are, sometimes, merely doing what they are hired to do – secure a deal at the best price possible! Indeed, at other times, the negotiator may be just be sticking to a strict budget or testing the waters. For example, I spoke to a Ventures Capitalist who stated that he could not trust an entrepreneur who never attempts negotiating an offer because such a person would most likely attract a lot of “lemons”, i.e. deals that no one wants. As such, when a potential business partner or employer offers a seemingly ridiculous price, do not take it to heart. Instead, Pause. Breathe. Negotiate! The goal of every negotiation process should be to negotiate effectively. Effective negotiation involves these key elements: Research Before commencing on negotiating a price, it is imperative that you conduct a thorough research. For example, if you have been offered a new job, you should embark on a prevailing salary research on the said job role. This information would come in handy and serve as a backdrop during your salary negotiations. On the other hand, if you are negotiating with a potential business partner, your pre-negotiation research might focus on determining your potential business partner’s interest and positions in relation to yours. This would greatly help create value during negotiation. Understanding your best alternative to any negotiation This is a great tool for preventing an undesirable outcome to a negotiation and guaranteeing financial success. For example, have you ever had those moments when just moments after agreeing to something, you blurt out, “why did I agree to that?” or “what was I thinking?” While this may be okay when negotiating with your siblings about who should do the dishes, this (hopefully) should never be the case when negotiating with a new employer for that dream job or with that new business partner. To this end, it is critical that before any negotiation, you determine your options (i.e. substitutes to your ideal negotiation outcome). To begin the process, first, determine your minimum threshold for the object of negotiation. For instance, if you are preparing to negotiate a new job offer and you are not willing to accept a salary below the current one, then your current salary is your minimum threshold. Secondly, on identifying your minimum threshold, determine your alternatives in the event you are unable to negotiate this with the new employer. Write these alternatives down in an order of preference. Your best option on the list should be one you’ll be happy with. Active listening It is also critical that you show some flexibility during negotiation by making a sincere effort to understand the other party’s points. This is can be achieved through an active listening habit. Active Listening ≠Hearing. John M. Grohol states that, “active listening is all about building rapport, understanding, and trust.” Active listening requires that you understand and make a genuine effort to understand the other party’s point of views. It requires: (a) Rephrasing what you believe you heard from the other party: This involves using phrases such as “to make sure I understand, you would like…”, “I understand you feel…” and “to make sure I capture your concern…” (b) Seeking clarity: During negotiations, it is also imperative that you seek clarity on fuzzy points. For example, if the other party has drawn a conclusion and you are unable to determine the logical steps to such a conclusion, seek to understand the underlying assumption. Examples of helpful phrases include: “You concluded XYZ, please can you explain the rationale?”, “what factors did you take into consideration in reaching that decision? etc. (c) Acknowledge the other party’s effort: It is good practice to acknowledge the other party’s sentiments during negotiations. This can be captured by using phrases such as “I understand you feel…”, “it appears that you are…” By implementing the different elements of active listening, you will capture the other party’s attention and help break down resistance (if any). Growing the pie (a.k.a. problem solving or value creation) Indeed, despite showing off superb active listening abilities, negotiations could still end up in stalemates. Even with a lot of patience, this is usually the time where people throw in the towel. But wait, not so fast! Do not give up yet, not without injecting a good dose of creativity into the process. So what exactly does injecting a good dose of creativity mean? This means looking for creative ways to make an unattractive deal attractive. The key here is to determine other factors outside your negotiation points like factors that the other party may be willing to consider (and vice versa). For example, assuming you own a sports drink company and currently seeking investors. On evaluation, your financial statements reveal the need to raise $60,000 and based on valuations, $60,000 equates to a 5% equity stake. Of course, you’d be confident to offer a lower equity stake for $60,000 as the minimum threshold for that percentage of the equity stake. If during negotiations, your preferred potential investor, who owns a sports club, offers $60,000 for an 8% equity stake. This counteroffer falls below what you’d expect but you would really love to have this investor onboard. Rather than end negotiations immediately, you could consider asking if she may also be willing to make your sports drink one of the choice drinks at the sport clubs or introduce you to other sports club owners who might be interested in serving your drink in their sports clubs. This could create publicity and boost sales for your sports drink. Some good phrases for these starting conversations may include “what if…”, “suppose we were to…” The agreement Once you have successfully completed negotiations, it is imperative that you put your agreement in writing. Writing an agreement is an essential step in ensuring that all parties are on the same page (indeed,
We need to start teaching women about entrepreneurship early
As young girls, we may have thought that that success in the real world means success at a corporate job. Working towards this goal, you start first by making sure you do well in school, entering into a good university, passing at university and ultimately finding a prestigious job in the corporate world. It really is tempting to believe that success in the corporate world is the only success that matters. But when you get get exposed to different kinds of people and career paths, you realise it’s not. Especially when you encounter entrepreneurship, where one can control their own destiny. Then you realise that corporate is not the be all and end all, and there’s far more available to you than climbing the corporate ladder. In my own life, I’ve come to see that there’s a huge misconception about entrepreneurship among women and I’d like to debunk some myths. It’s not as daunting as you think To some women, just the thought of struggling or having to put their lives into something that isn’t guaranteed to last, can be daunting. There is more focus on the negative rather than the possibilities of making entrepreneurship work for you. It’s true that we all fear of the unknown. When you add unforeseen risk to that, staying in your comfort zone seems easier. But staying in comfort zones implies that you’re scared of what starting your own business might bring. Yet there’s always hope. I’ve learn a few things in the past two years. It comes from being exposed to what entrepreneurship is and meeting various people that have found their passion here. Most important to me is, the advantages of being familiar with entrepreneurship from an early age. Start young Girls graduating high school need to know that entrepreneurship is an option when it comes to career paths. Once girls understand what it is, and what they can contribute to this exciting career path, self-doubt will vanish. Here’s how it works. High School No, I’m not saying young girls need to start hustling from high school. I mean that the knowledge needs to be instilled from there. This way when girls head to university, they know have an option to study entrepreneurship further. During school career fairs, the concept of what entrepreneurship is and what it offers should be shared. The onus is also on the high schools to make entrepreneurship knowledge more reachable to students. University and onwards Though Africa has many good universities, we have limited options for entrepreneurship as a degree. I didn’t even know that you could study entrepreneurship formally. I recently found this out when my colleague told me about her daughter studying entrepreneurship in one of the universities in SA. I can’t lie, I was shocked. Most universities don’t offer a degree that isn’t related to a corporate field. Still, it makes sense when you consider that pursuing entrepreneurship doesn’t necessarily mean you are saying goodbye to the corporate world. There are many #MotherlandMoguls who are successfully climbing the corporate ladder, while running their own businesses. In my opinion, if you have the opportunity of doing both, then you should take it. Juggling the work load might be too much, but at the end of the day the results will be fruitful and worth it. Find a community This is not as easy as you may think. It may be hard finding a community of like minds at first but more women are creating organisations that allow women to come together. With these groups, you can freely share interests, passions and ideas. I think such communities should become available for young women from high school onwards. (Imagine entrepreneurship clubs in high school). This helps so young women won’t feel isolated in choosing this path. I’d like to see more communities for young women become a safe haven. This will help us relate to one another and create a trusted and supportive community.
So, you want to start a career in education
When I was younger, the word education for me meant receiving instruction and strict teachers who I call, ‘madams’. In my naïve little world then, I equated education to the tutelage received from angry looking madams that always dressed appropriately. It was these madams that instilled the pride associated with accomplishing basic goals in reading and writing in us. They were the women who allowed us to proceed through the next grade, form and eventually to college. With time, I realised that lessons from the madams was just one aspect of education. There are also policy makers, administrators, researchers, project analysts, area experts and numerous education development practitioners at different levels. These experts work towards collectively improving the quality of teaching and learning in any system. The process that leads many to the teaching vocation is pretty clear and straightforward to some. However, having realised the versatility of the sector, I concluded that there was no one formula to getting ahead in education. Rather, there are certain basic principles that you need to follow to launch and maintain a successful career in education. Passion is half the battle won I am a strong believer of the mantra, “passion is half the battle won”. When you are hungry and starving for a specific goal, you are more likely to be successful. When you have the drive to achieve something, you will chase after the best results. You won’t rest until you have left your mark in your specific area of interest. Start with the basics Basic education in your area of choice is the much needed support structure to quickly launch your career in education. Many people go for any first degree and then struggle towards getting employed after. Don’t be one of them. You should carefully choose what course to enroll in at uni considering the area you’d like to be an expert in. While receiving basic instruction in your field of interest, you will learn the theoretical aspects of your trade. This will be what you put into practice once employed. Volunteering as a student also allows you to put into practice what you’ve learned at university and to start creating a name for yourself in your industry. Write academic papers Researching and writing academic papers on your subjects of choice is what will turn you into a specialist. While everyone has an opinion on educational topics, it takes a well recognised author, who has done the research (be it primary or secondary) on specific aspects, and produced papers with demonstrated and verifiable results to be taken seriously. It is the specialists that get to influence the decisions of policy makers and development agendas. They are also the ones who guide the way other academics think and move in the education sector. Be dynamic As the world is dynamic and constantly changing, any career path has to be similarly open to change. It is key to keep up with innovations in the education sector so as to remain relevant. For example, the increasing use of the internet to disseminate information on subjects should be taken into account for career development. Online courses make it easier for students to familiarize with their field of choice and areas of growth and opportunity. This can be employed by educators to spice up their trade.
Key steps to finding your voice
Like many girls and young women growing up in a patriarchal culture, I embodied this “less than” attitude as I grew up. While women are leaders in many regards, there is still a shadow that we live under. Women may have the education, the experience and the drive to successfully guide a team of people but still lack a well defined voice (and no, not “voice” as in Tenor and Bass). Voice in this case is an extension of the person. It’s their brand, their way of doing things, their expertise and how it is communicated. Those who show strong leadership skills have often developed this sense of voice throughout their careers. For those who haven’t, it may be time to examine it further. Determine your voice A women, we need to be familiar enough with our voices to know how we come across to peers, staff and clients. Our personal set of values is directly connected to this, what we stand for, our values, what people can learn from us. There is a need to be clear and concise about your voice, your stance and your ideas, and be sure that everything you do and say aligns with that. Look for inspiration There’s no shame in admiring the qualities of others, whether it’s a family member, a mentor, an industry leader, an iconic figure or a celebrity. Observe them closely. Have conversations with those you have access to. For those whom you don’t have access to, watch their public appearances and read their writing. Find them wherever they are, in business, politics, sports, TV and note down the characteristics that appeal to you. It is not enough to just admire someone, figure out what it is about them specifically that draws you in. Note their confidence, their ability to build relationships, their network, their charisma, their intense knowledge of a particular area. Identify what intrigues you and roll with it. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Experience matters All the important lessons learned throughout the beginning and progression of your career are a part of your professional voice. The decisions you’ve made, the wins and the losses, they help to make up who you are. One of the common mistakes women make is we feel that because we have a seat at the table and we say something, everything is good. It’s important for us to know that having a voice really means having a track record of success and accomplishments. That people want to listen to what you have to say because you’re saying something of value. So, use your voice and use it strategically. Experiment For those women leaders looking to evolve, especially those in the younger end of the workforce spectrum, it might be time for experimentation. Identify low-risk scenarios in which different approaches are feasible. For this experiment, try to make a decision with consensus, then in an authoritative tone and then one in the middle. After doing this, it will become clear what style fits you. You don’t have to do this in a high-risk client situation or in front of venture capitalists who will determine your funding future. Try making a plan with friends, getting your children to do what you need them to do, or sitting on a non-profit committee. Practice with your spouse, your friends, or your network. Just like building a business, this is a process. The earlier you are in your career, the more latitude you have to experiment. Your voice and leadership matters. When you begin to speak out for what you believe in and use your voice without apology, you not only empower yourself but all women and girls. You become a role model, and girls everywhere can begin to see themselves as leaders. You might not get it right in the first year, the first business, the first finance pitch, the first launch, or maybe even the second or third. But awareness is the first step.
5 things you should be doing after work hours to be successful
If you don’t know that the time you spend outside the office has a big impact on your career, you really need to. When you return home after closing at work, the first thing on your mind may be rest, food or curling on the couch to watch reruns of “Grey’s Anatomy”. Don’t do it. Time is very precious and if you’re aiming to be highly successful in your career, every minute counts including the time you’re not in the office. We’re not saying you should have work on your mind 24/7, but what you do after office hours can either build your career or hold you back. Highly successful people know this and that is why they engage in some of the following activities when work is closed for the day. 1. Work Out There is a reason some Japanese companies host exercises for their staff. Working out keeps you alert and is a great stress reliever. It’s also a great way to regain the energy that literally drains from you while you’re seated at your desk for hours on end. Exercising helps to increase your productivity which ultimately gets you working towards your career goals. 2. Network & Connect Networking is an important after work activity. But there’s good networking and there’s not so-good networking. The former gives you the chance to engage in deep, meaningful conversations with others. We’ll leave you to guess what bad networking looks like. If you have the opportunity to network after work, grab it with both hands! Connecting with colleagues, friends and/or mentors may even lead to brilliant ideas that could positively impact the course of your career. 3. Unplug Turn off everything, your laptop, your TV, your phone, your iPad too. You need time away from devices and the Internet to renew your mind, body and spirit. The close of a work day provides a great opportunity to unplug and ensure work is left behind at the office. If you find yourself bored while unplugging, meditate or read. The most successful people are known to always read books, fiction and non-fiction alike. 4. Make plans for tomorrow It’s best practice to plan ahead for the following day. Review your calendar every night and ensure you have everything ready for tomorrow. Check through so you have enough time to notice if anything is missing and then get things in order. This saves you the stress of panicking in the morning because you forgot something important. 5. Don’t forget to sleep Highly successful people sleep for more than eight hours. It’s true. Don’t be under the false impression that staying up late is good for you or your career. Adequate sleep is a wise career choice, if you’re not getting enough sleep it could affect your judgement and mood. Even worse, chronic sleep deprivation can lead to serious health problems. What do you spend your time doing once you’ve closed from work? Kindly share them by leaving a comment below.
What you need to get the most out of your mentor
Behind every successful woman, is a mentor. Someone who, at some point in their lives, helped guide them in achieving their own goals and dreams. Have you ever wondered how most world-leading entrepreneurs or business women became successful? The common myth is always that it was effortless –involving the least amount of struggle. That myth is never ever true. At the beginning of a career, or at the start of a new business, you may find that you are unsure of how to and pursue your dream. You have the end goal in mind, but the process of putting it into effect and finding direction can be a huge mountain to climb. Although learning through experience on your own is important, getting guidance on how to pursue your goals intelligently can very helpful. Having a mentor who can help guide you through the stages of your career does make it a little bit easier. First set your goals Mentorship, whether in entrepreneurship or corporate, is based on the same core principles. It is to create a relationship for the betterment of you, the mentee and your mentor. It’s extremely important that both parties create an environment of learning and growth. With this environment in mind, both your mentor and you should work together to set your mentorship goals for short, medium and long term. Giving yourselves goals helps in keeping the relationship from becoming too lax in achieving any kind of visible growth. It also sets the stage for a great working relationship. From my own experience, a good mentor also wants to see the goals you want to achieve. This helps them get a better view of how to can help you. One of the most important things a previous mentor taught me is the importance of putting your goals onto paper. And it works! Goal-setting will give you the opportunity to identify where your life is life to be heading. In turn, goals and expectations give both you and your mentor a common understanding of what the relationship is meant to achieve. Adding detail to your short, medium and long term goals will be beneficial in creating your career development plan. This plan can be used as a guide. It will allow you to communicate clearly what you want to achieve in a specified amount of time, and have your mentor to help you achieve those goals in the most focused way possible. Having a plan in place, and having a mentor guiding you through your growth process can help you grow. This will get you to where to where you want to be faster than you thought. Then establish a relationship In order to establish a good mentorship, and for you to be able to succeed in the industry of your choice, some important factors should be considered: Receiving valuable advice: You receive valuable advice from your mentor. As the mentee, you gain insight from your mentor into your ideas. Not only that, you get help on using that advice as a guide to achieving your goals in the most efficient way. Assistance with building strengths and overcoming weaknesses: As part of the goal-setting exercise between you and your mentor, you’ll need to discuss ways your mentor can help you overcome weaknesses and build strengths. Identifying your skills and competencies will help you know where your strengths lie. New ways of thinking: A mentorship allows for a way to bounce ideas off each other and gives you an opportunity to discover new ways of thinking. Win-win for both A mentorship should be a win-win situation. Both parties should be fulfilled in the mentorship. The mentorships that work are usually between people that want to make the relationship work. You will need to be engrossed in the growth of your career. And your mentor should have a sense of fulfillment from helping an up-and-coming young person. If it isn’t fulfilling both parties, then it makes no sense to waste each other’s time. A mentee and mentor need to find a formula that works for them, and stick to it. One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a mentee is thinking that the mentorship is one-sided. Inasmuch as you approach a mentor to learn and grow, the same applies for your mentor as they too have goals to pursue. Just as you receive the chance to learn from a more experienced individual, your mentor will receive an opportunity to pass on what they’ve learned in life.