Stomping Your Parameter
This is a guest post by Debbie Phillips.
Recently I was in New York City to lead a Women on Fire® Tea Party and to meet with reporters, editors and producers.
It seemed everywhere I went someone said something to me about “reinventing” themselves. Or, they commented that someone else has, should or is planning to. I was even asked if my work leading the Women on Fire organization is a reinvention after my career in journalism, politics and television production.
Hmmmmmm? It never occurred to me to think of it that way.
On my way out of the city, at the airport, I picked up More Magazine and what’s on the cover? You guessed it! A full-length article on “Reinvention—For the Risk- Averse.” The article actually contained some good strategies for changing careers.
But. Ugh. Something strikes me very wrong about the idea we have to “reinvent” ourselves every time we make a change toward what it is we truly want. “Reinvention” sounds like we aren’t good enough and we need to figure out something…anything…to become, and then try to be it.
The soul would much rather fail at its own life than succeed at someone else’s. – Poet David Whyte
Instead, what if it’s simpler than that? What if we made our life’s work to recognize our natural gifts, strengths and desires and create a plan to express them in the world?
That way, each mark forward (sometimes appearing as two steps backward) is the measure of getting us closer to what we were put on this earth to do.
Rather than the inevitable periodic “reinventions,” we would steadily refine what we want and love to do, and become more and more of who we authentically are. Over time, rather than a start-stop-start, we would g-r-o-w into who we are becoming.
Mary Lynne Musgrove, a career counselor in Columbus, Ohio, described to me 20 years ago the progression of my career as “stomping your parameter.” The idea is that when we are in our 20s, 30s and 40s, we are collecting skills and knowledge and gaining experience, expertise and wisdom. By the time we are in our 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond, we put all of that brilliance together and do the work we deeply desire.
Think Madeleine Albright. She went from immigrant child to newspaper intern to mother to college to divorced wife to politics to the National Security Council to U.S. Ambassador to The United Nations to becoming our country’s first female Secretary of State. (With many stops in between!)
Today, at 72, she has grown into one of the most trusted international leaders and advisors in the world.
She didn’t have to reinvent anything. She “stomped her parameter.” She kept moving forward allowing one experience, hardship and success to build upon another.
Living from true passion is what propels us forward – every step of the way.
Debbie Phillips is the Founder of Women On Fire® a national coaching organization to extend the outreach of inspiration, strategies and support for women to be successful. She is the author of Women On Fire: 20 Inspiring Women Share Their Life Secrets (and Save You Years of Struggle!) and co-executive producer of the film Inspire Me!
Spring Has Sprung!
Are you feeling the buzz? At least here in the northeast, spring has sprung. After a long and painful winter, the warm weather is such a blessing, and the change happened so suddenly that we were caught off guard. The beginning of the week, we were still in winter doldrums and by mid week, it was easy to forget the stormy winter and look forward.
The advent of spring has brought a great new energy and optimism. Can you feel it? Let’s dust off the negative energy, the worries of the recession and the fear that accompanies it, and embrace the new positive force.
What does this mean for you personally and professionally?
What have you put off this winter due to low energy? exercise? proper diet? quality time with friends and family?
Maybe it’s time to choose a new stretch goal. Use all the positive energy to fuel your self confidence. You can do anything!
Forge new relationships. Get out and build your social network. It’s an investment in you and your business or career.
Focus your energy on getting a new job, taking on new responsibilities, completing a difficult project.
Look for opportunities to collaborate or partner to build your business. The possibilities for co-creation are endless. Tap into your creativity.
Yes, spring has sprung. Can you feel the buzz?
Advancing Women’s Leadership
For those of you who follow my radio show, Head Over Heels: Women’s Business Radio (formerly Women Mean Business), you know that I am passionate about women advancing their careers and assuming more leadership positions. The weekly show, which is broadcast every Tuesday, 2-3pm EST on VoiceAmerica Business channel, features interviews with thought leaders and subject matter experts that provide valuable information for professional women to meet and overcome their challenges in the current business environment.
It is from this fabulous content that I have created my first ebook, Advancing Women’s Leadership. The book features my interviews with Marie Wilson, President and Founder of The White House Project, Alice Eagly, co-author of Through The Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders, and Alison Maitland, co-author of Why Women Mean Business.
This ebook is available to you FREE!
Here is an excerpt from the introduction of the book:
“The subject of women’s leadership in America and around the globe has been the focus on many new conversations, news articles, and books. What is becoming very clear from recent research is that having more women in leadership positions is no longer a gender issue. It is now a business issue. Diversity on corporate boards and in executive suites contributes to profitability. Although there may still be some debate as to why this is so, the fact remains: research shows that when leadership positions are inclusive of both men and women, businesses thrive.
Women are certainly up to the task. Women are now the more educated sex and now have the credentials to assume leadership positions. Although the glass ceiling metaphor has become outdated, some barriers to women assuming leadership positions, some subtle and some perhaps not so subtle, still exist in American businesses today.”
Click here to get your free ebook and send along your ideas for topics and guests for the ongoing show.
Speak Up and Promote Yourself!
As women, we need to speak up more and create visibility for ourselves whether it’s in a meeting, an interview with media, or a conversation with colleagues at work. This topic comes up over and over again in my discussions with clients as well as guests on my radio show. In my recent interview with Toddi Gutner, the hesitancy of women to speak up and stand out surfaced again.
In the interview, Toddi talks about how important it is for women as a group to become more visible in the media. Visibility in the media supports and contributes to women’s leadership initiatives across all industries and government. The White House Project’s Benchmarking Women’s Leadership Report confirms the fact that women get less bylines in eleven of the top political and intellectual magazines and that this lack of visibility needs to be addressed in order for women to advance to leadership positions. Women need to be visible and credible.
Toddi also says from her experience as a reporter she finds that women are not only hesitant to promote themselves, but are also not always organized, can often ramble, and don’t come across with the same confidence as men. Men are much more declarative. They frequently respond quickly to her questions in precise, short and often quotable statements.
Both the White House Project and Toddi strongly advocate media training for women. I agree, of course, but also feel strongly that women need to learn how to promote themselves more effectively and feel comfortable delivering their message. We must get over our belief that we are bragging when we talk about ourselves in a positive manner. Certainly, bragging turns people off and, as women, we need to be especially mindful of this in the workplace. Outright bragging can sabotage our efforts to advance our careers, but done diplomatically and appropriately, it is possible to get our message across to become more visible in the organization. It is possible to learn this and do it well.
We have valuable experiences, information and stories to share. We need to speak up and promote ourselves!
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