Friday, April 10, 2009

Using the Strength of Women to Rebuild the Economy


BETH BROOKE,
VP Global Policy, Ernst & Young
Beth has recently blown the covers off women's progress in the work world by suggesting that they could be the jet fuel required to power economic recoveries.
My friend and fellow author, Anne Doyle of Anne Doyle Leadership Strategies reminded me about Ernst & Young's research and has published the findings of Beth's studies on her fabulous blog.
If you plan to be a leader or are already at the top of your organization, please visit her blog at http://www.annedoyleleadership.com/


Using the Strength of Women to Rebuild the World Economy

"The current financial crisis presents a real need to challenge ourselves and to rethink the way we do things. We need to draw on the widest range of talent. The vast economic potential of women as an economic force has yet to be realized." Those are the opening words of a cutting edge White Paper on why women are the high-powered octane that will help turbo-charge our global economy back into gear.

Groundbreakers: Using the Strength of Women to Rebuild the World Economy is the title of a fascinating report that was released -- and caused a lot of buzz -- at the recent World Economic Forum in Davos. Ernst & Young, one of the largest professional service firms in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, developed the report under the leadership of Beth Brooke, E&Y's Global Vice Chair of Public Policy, Sustainability and Stakeholder Engagement. Brooke, who is pictured here, has been named to Forbes' list of the World's Most Powerful Women multiple times. I've had the pleasure of hearing Brooke speak at a Global Conference of the International Women's Forum.

For the past two years, I've had my finger in the "clay" on the latest research and trends on women's momentum, as I've been working on a book on women's leadership. I can tell you that Groundbreakers is the most comprehensive and insightful report I've seen on the topic of women's economic progress and potential. Its perspective is global. Its facts are fresh. The story it tells on the undeniable evidence in favor of women's empowerment -- at all levels in every sector of society -- is one that every leader and thinker interested in how we learn from our present economic crisis should read.

Here's the link to Ernst & Young's Groundbreakers view on where we are and where we could be once women are fully engaged. http://www.ey.com/global/content.nsf/International/About_EY
Thought you might like to see this one!
Patty DeDominic, California & Los Angeles & Santa Barbara Business Consultant
Helping Achievers Soar, www.dedominic.com

1 comment:

Ellie Nieves said...

As women continue to pave their paths to leadership, it's important that they learn key skills that will get them to where they want to go. In my signature women's leadership development article, Show up, speak up and step up, I provide 3 leadership strategies to help women get ahead in the workplace. In that article, I suggest that you be an active participant in meetings and company sponsored events so that you can become visible and build key relationships in your organization. In this article, I provide further insight on how to "show up."

1) Dress for success: Your overall appearance and dress communicates your professionalism and ability to perform adequately on the job. Unless you have a legitimate reason not to, make it a point to adhere to your company’s dress code. One of the reasons a company develops a dress code is because it wants to communicate a certain image, when you disregard that policy you’re communicating that you’re not a team player. Moreover, make it a point to always dress professionally and neatly; even on business casual days.

2) Communicate self-confidence: Your body language speaks loud and clear long before you open your mouth to say a word. The way you carry yourself sends strong messages about who you are and how you feel about yourself. Your presence and demeanor should communicate self-confidence. You can start to communicate self-confidence by watching your posture: hold your chin up, shoulders back, feet 12 inches apart with your weight evenly distributed on both feet. Be relaxed and comfortable in your own skin; own who you are. As you communicate self-confidence with your body language, others will begin to view you as a leader.

3) Be engaging: Whether you’re at a meeting or at a social event your interactions with colleagues and key influencers will establish a foundation for your future success in your organization. Make it a point to be engaging and genuinely interested in the person you are talking to. Dale Carnegie, a master at building relationships, said it best when he wrote the “6 ways to make people like you” in his book How to Win Friends and Influence People:

Become genuinely interested in other people
Smile
Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language
Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves
Talk in the terms of the other person’s interest
Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely
If you follow through with these three (3) leadership strategies you will be sure to make an impression the next time you “show up.”Ellie Nieves