Happy New Year! Everyone is making resolutions and setting goals for the new year, and so are we at Women ON Point! We are on track for 2019 to be our biggest, boldest, and best year yet with new programs and initiatives, exciting partnerships, and the incredible opportunity to elevate even more women to the Next Level! (see details below)

We also know that one of the most common resolutions is to get in shape. But what about getting your career and leadership skills in tip-top shape?

It’s easy for your body to get out of shape, and the same is true about your career. You can get comfortable and complacent in your current position and stop dedicating the effort needed to advance your career. Promotions, raises, key projects, and leadership opportunities will not appear magically. This is the year to proactively get your career in the best possible shape and position to optimize those opportunities.

The more prepared and proactive you are, the healthier and more successful your career will be.

Here are 10 Ways to Get Your Career in Shape for the New Year:

  1. Update Your Resume

Before amnesia sets in and the New Year is in full swing, take the time to update your resume and turn it into a true success story highlighting your accomplishments and achievements. Better to build it before you need it.

 

  1. Invest in Yourself & Increase Your Skill Set

Don’t let your skills get rusty and outdated. Professional and leadership development is a muscle that needs constant exercise. Seek opportunities to grow and stretch yourself, sign up for a new certification, master some advanced technology, or really take your skills to the next level by registering for one of the Women ON Point leadership summits. Not only will new skills keep your mind sharp, but it will keep you current, relevant, and marketable.

 

  1. Expand Your Network & Your Visibility

Networking is not only the number one way to find a new job, but it will also take your career to the next level. Both internally and externally, you should be meeting new people, making new friends, and securing new strategic partnerships. Get out and join professional associations, networking groups, organizational committees, chambers of commerce, and more! Your network really is your “net-worth.”

 

  1. Become a Leader

Whether it’s initiating a new women’s group within your organization, sitting on a board, or running for president of a professional committee, becoming a leader and developing effective leadership skills is a terrific way to take your career to the next level.

 

  1. Build a Brand

Perception is reality, and how you’re perceived makes an enormous impact on your career…positively and negatively. Think carefully about how you want others to think of you and experience you. Proactively building a professional brand and reputation that accurately reflects who you are and what you do is critical for career success.

 

  1. Monitor Your Online Presence

Social media is here to stay. The big question:  is your online presence helping you or hurting you? Not only are your friends and family following your online activity on Facebook and LinkedIn, but so are prospective hiring managers and current supervisors. If you want your career to be healthy and to stay on track, build time into your daily routine to manage and sanitize your online presence.

 

  1. Recognize the Power of a Positive Attitude

One of the best ways to get your career in shape is by recognizing the power of a positive attitude. Instead of being “Debbie-downer”, give yourself a boost of energy with positive thinking and a jolt of joy by expressing gratitude and appreciation. People are attracted to and want to be around positive people. If you want to get noticed, recognized, and promoted, then it could be time to get your attitude in shape.

Professional health and fitness is just as important as personal health and fitness, and requires the same focus, drive and determination. Start the New Year off on the right foot, get your career in shape with the right routine and regiment, and you’ll be amazed with the results.

 

Halloween is right around the corner, and it’s the one day a year when it’s perfectly acceptable to dress up like someone else and pretend to be a nurse, fireman, or political figure. However, no one expects you to administer medicine, put out a fire, or pass legislation. It’s all done in good fun; adults and children alike get in on the action.

But what happens when you feel like you’re wearing a costume every day at work?

What happens when you show up at the office and cross your fingers no one will know you’re hiding behind a mask and are not really who they think you are?

This fear is a reality for so many of our clients and the women who attend Women ON Point…and you are not alone!

They are terrified their secret will be revealed and everyone will know they’re a fraud or an imposter. They fear that a small slip will let everyone know they’re not as smart, successful, or talented as they pretend to be.

Some women feel that previous accomplishments and accolades somehow were a fluke, and any future recognitions or promotions are not fully deserved. They think, “If people really knew the truth, they’d know I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m an imposter.” This is not simple modesty; it’s an expression of self-doubt characterizing a scarcity of self-belief on a fast-track to self-sabotage.

Wearing a costume and pretending to be someone else at work is not only exhausting, it’s inauthentic. Authenticity and vulnerability are critical to effective leadership and to developing quality relationships. People can sense a fraud a mile away and will try to distance themselves, which is exactly the opposite of what’s required for a long and successful career.

According to author Brené Brown, “Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It’s about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen.” 

It’s these brave choices, and the choice to ditch the preverbal “mask”, that leads to true happiness, fulfillment, and success as a leader. Instead of putting energy into perpetuating an imposter or perfectionist persona, focus on personal and professional development and being the best, and most authentic and vulnerable, version of yourself. It’s time to be yourself and save the costumes for Halloween.

Today, more than ever, leaders are not only there to inspire and make tough decisions, they are highly visible role models 24/7/365. We all played “Follow the Leader” as kids, and it’s important to remember the rules and bring the game into your workplace and leadership style.

Gone are the days when a leader could impose the “do as I say, not as I do” approach. Leaders are now intentional role models with a “when you see it, you can be it” and a “when you see better, you can be better” mentality. Your actions and behaviors can be even more powerful, and send an even stronger message, than your words. All eyes are on you…your direct reports, indirect reports, colleagues, co-workers, and supervisors are all watching.

We all know how critical leadership presence is and that our communication is 93% non-verbal, but what does that really mean? That means that your team will follow your lead, will emulate your behavior, and will do what you do. You set the tone, the expectations, and the culture of your team everyday an in every situation through your actions.

Here are some real-life Women ON Point examples of how to play “Follow the Leader”:

Embrace Networking 

Sally is a devout introvert and tries to avoid networking like the plague. She usually arrives late and leaves early with minimal interaction with anyone she doesn’t know. Sally saw her team huddled together in the corner at a work event, and realized they were copying her behavior…she also realized how other co-workers were looking and judging her team. Sally committed to having a much more outgoing and friendly approach at work events, her team followed her lead, and they all learned to embrace networking.

Check the Tech 

Jane, as the board chair, was on the agenda to deliver a PowerPoint presentation to all of the board members. The technology would not work, and Jane started to panic. Her “little self” wanted to have a complete tantrum like a two-year-old and blame someone else, but thankfully her “leadership self” prevailed and she navigated the technological glitch like a pro. Jane knew it was an opportunity to demonstrate how to deal with adversity and set a positive example for her team.

Dress Up the Dress Code 

Mary is a busy executive and admitted that she was not very inspired by her professional wardrobe. Over time her clothes got more and more casual. She also noticed that her team was implementing “Business Casual Friday” everyday of the week, and the slippery slope was out of control. Mary upgraded her attire when she looked down at a sea of flip flops, and realized she’d be mortified if any of them met with a client and represented her team and organization looking like they’re on their way to the beach. She raised the bar, reset the image expectations, and inspired her team to dress up the dress code.

Take Time Off

Sue is a self-diagnosed workaholic and leads a large team across multiple states…she also rarely takes a day off and never, ever unplugs. Without verbally expressing the expectations, her team adopted her workaholic style and suffers from severe burnout and a high turnover rate. Even though Sue encouraged her team to enjoy their weekends and take vacations, no one did because they witnessed Sue’s style and felt compelled to follow the leader. Sue finally realized that she was hurting, not helping her team, and needed to modify her behavior in order to set a more realistic example to save her team.

Your leadership style is always ON full display…you need to always be ON Point!

And we’ve got you covered!

We are thrilled to invite you and your girlfriends, colleagues, and co-workers to attend our next Women ON Point leadership summit on September 19 -21 28 at the Grand Hyatt in Denver, Colorado. Please register at (link) or contact Pam Borton at [email protected].

Looking for more ways to stay ON Point? For three years we have been asked the age-old question after every summit, “What’s next?” Well, we can finally answer that question! We are officially launching our new Women ON Point 2.0 that will take place in Chicago on August 9, 2018. This is a one-day summit where we take a deeper dive into the most relevant challenges in our lives and the workplace today. Mark your calendars and register quickly. Click on the link.

Wherever you call home, hopefully by now all the snow has melted, the trees are budding, and the flowers are making their first appearance of the spring season.

Just like flowers and bears, we all hunker down and hibernate in the cold winter months. We want to stay bundled up and hidden, but now is the time to make your appearance and to grow your visibility.

Limiting our Women ON Point leadership summits to 25 dynamic women is no accident. It was specifically and strategically designed with visibility in mind. There is no place to hide and no way to blend into obscurity. Each woman is seen, heard, honored, and celebrated…and that’s how it should be every day.

When it comes to your leadership skills and advancing your career, remember that invisibility equals dispensability.

You can no longer keep your head down and your mouth shut if you want to get to the next level. Just like the flowers are emerging from the earth and reaching for the sun, it’s time for you to expand your visibility and be seen, connected, and an active player in the game.

Here are 3 Ways to Grow Your Visibility…

  1. Internally – Pop your head up, bust out of your office, and get engaged in your workplace. Develop cross-functional relationships with new people, join a committee, start a new women’s group, and participate in the community involvement activities. This is not only a great way to expand your network, but also a golden opportunity to showcase your strengths. If you have super human organizational skills, then organize a food drive or an after-hours event. Everyone knows and appreciates the organizer, and you get to grow your visibility.
  2. Externally – Change is a constant and our new reality. That means that your visibility outside of your workplace is more critical than ever. Grow your visibility be joining professional associations, chambers of commerce, organizations like TeamWomenMN, and leadership summits like Women ON Point that are dedicated to supporting and connecting professional women across all industries. This is a strategic way to expand your horizons, share best practices, and increase your visibility.
  3. Online – We live in a world that is online 24/7/365, and the thought is that you literally don’t exist if you don’t have an online presence. You are invisible! A thorough LinkedIn profile and well managed, monitored, and sanitized social media presence is mandatory to growing your visibility on a global level. This is a highly effective way to get connected, stay connected, share your message, and skyrocket your visibility.

Unlike flowers that pop up only in spring, focusing on growing your visibility should happen all year long…internally, externally, and online.

If you’re ready to take action and to take your visibility to the next level, we are quickly filling our upcoming Women ON Point 2018 leadership summits. Together we can all shine and be Women ON Point!!!

Flowers aren’t the only thing blooming this spring…Women ON Point is blossoming, blooming, and bursting with wonderful news!

First of all, the Women ON Point leadership summit in Minneapolis on March 28-30 is officially OVER-SOLD. There were so many incredible women committed to investing in their leadership skills, we simply couldn’t say no. We have women coming from all over the country and from companies including 3M, Best Buy, Boston Scientific, Wells Fargo, Hyatt Corporation, Oracle, Medtronic, TCF Bank, Workiva and more.

Second of all, our next Women ON Point leadership summit in Denver on September 19-21 is already half full. If you’re interested in attending or know someone who would be, please don’t wait….this summit is going to SELL OUT fast.

Third of all, two of our Women ON Point alumni just appeared in the Wall Street Journal discussing the benefits of the experience and how the “Brag Book” has helped their confidence and their careers. Thank you Elizabeth (Elly) Bacon and Sherry Hicks-Buckles for continuing to be total rockstars and paying it forward…we are so proud! Read the article here.

Fourth of all, we are thrilled to invite you and your girlfriends, colleagues, and co-workers to attend our next Women ON Point Networking Event on Wednesday, March 28 from 4:00 – 6:00 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis on the Nicollet Mall downtown. Please RSVP to Aimee at [email protected].

Last, but certainly not least…we are bursting with our new announcement! For three years we have been asked the age-old question after every summit, “What’s next?” Well, we can finally answer that question! We are officially launching our new Women ON Point 2.0 that will take place in Chicago on August 9, 2018. This is a one-day summit where we take a deeper dive into the most relevant challenges in our lives and the workplace today. Mark your calendars and register quickly. Click on the link.

We hope you’re off to a wonderful start of spring, and we look forward to hearing, sharing, and celebrating so many of your success stories. Please keep them coming!

Let’s be honest…we all know what we want, but we don’t always ask for it.

Sometimes we feel like we’re being selfish or self-serving by putting our goals at the top of the list. Sometimes we avoid asking, because we don’t like to hear the word “no.” And, sometimes we believe other people should just read our minds and magically make things happen for us.

All of the reasons are real and very common, but they are also some of the biggest roadblocks and obstacles to your success.

We have heard from so many women who are desperately trying to attend Women ON Point, who know how much they will grow personally and professionally from the experience, and who believe they are worth the investment, but for some reason are hesitant to ask the critical question…”Will you sponsor and send me to Women ON Point?”

Of course this applies to any and all other requests we want to make, know we need to make, but yet struggle to make. Until now…

Here are 3 tips to asking for what you want.

  1. Be Bold and Don’t Beat Around the Bush

All of the “I was thinking maybe…”, “Here’s just an idea I was batting around…”, “Perhaps at some point down the line…”, need to stop! This is the time when you need to be crystal clear about what you want, why you want it, and to be able to provide all of the logistical information in anticipation of the follow up questions. Know what it is (type of professional development), when it is (days you’ll be gone from the office), and how much it costs.

  1. Make it a Win-Win

Wanting to do something fun and interesting is one thing, but wanting to do something that has a significant ROI for yourself and the organization is another. Strategize about how to create, and present, that win-win outcome when asking. Talk specifically about what you will learn, how it will benefit your current role and your ability to bring more value to your organization, and how you will pay it forward to other teammates, colleagues and co-workers.

  1. Don’t Give Up

No one likes to hear the word “no”, but we all do on occasion. The difference is that most people throw in the towel when they hear it and simply give up. Not you! This is when you need to think creatively and come up with plans B, C, and D until you hear “yes.” Maybe you suggest looking at “other budgets”, putting it in the budget for next year, finding a sponsor, sharing the cost, delivering a presentation after the fact so others can benefit from the information, and so on. No one is ever going to want it more than you do, so you’re the one who needs to fight for it.

 To illustrate that we practice what we preach at Women ON Point, we followed these three steps when we secured our new partnership with the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota. Sara was crystal clear about what she was asking for when she reached out to them, detailed the endless win-win opportunities that would result from the partnership, and she never ever gave up.

As a result, we are thrilled to announce that our philanthropic partner for the Women ON Point leadership summit in Minneapolis is the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota. They invest in innovative community-based, community-led solutions to ensure equal opportunity and pathways to economic security for girls, women, and families across Minnesota. We encourage you to learn more about them by visiting their website (Include link).

Success Spotlight

Congratulations to our alumni, Emily Rodriguez, SHRM-SCP on her recent promotion! Emily is now the Regional Vice President of Human Resources at Hyatt Hotels Corporation, and was previously the Director of HR at Hyatt Hotels Corporation.

Please reach out to Emily and congratulate her on her recent accomplishment!

In the meantime, we still have a few spots left for the Minneapolis Women ON Point leadership summit on March 28 – 30, and we’d love to see you there, receive your referrals and recommendations for other rockstar women to attend, and greatly appreciate your continues support in sharing this information.

Thank you!

It doesn’t matter how old you are, everyone still operates according to the school calendar.  We are conditioned to put our noses to the grindstone from September until May, and then take a physical and mental vacation during the summer months.  We can’t wait to sit on the beach, read a trashy novel, or travel to visit with friends and family.  They don’t call it the “lazy days of summer” for nothing.

This may be true for everyone else, but not for the motivated, driven, and committed women who attended our last Women ON Point leadership summit in Chicago in July.

While everyone else is taking the summer off, these women decided to invest in themselves and take their leadership skills to the next level…and it has paid off in a big way!

We are thrilled to announce that the promotions that are being highlighted in this “Success Spotlight” occurred just days after the Women ON Point leadership summit, and both of these women were hand-picked and sent by a previous Women ON Point attendee. It’s just another powerful example of “women supporting women”, and paying it forward in a significant way.

KaDee Holt – attended the Women ON Point leadership summit in Chicago, 2017

Congratulations to KaDee on her recent promotion! Kadee was previously the Director of Marketing at IntelliSource, and has now been elevated to the new Senior Director of Marketing and Sales.

Here’s what KaDee has to say…”Women on Point was much more than a summit, the structure and intimate setting allowed for quick and powerful relationship building between a diverse group of women resulting in a motivational and encouraging experience both professionally and personally.  It was the jump start I needed to identify professional goals and set a path to achieve them while developing long standing relationships with like-minded women who are encouraging and holding me accountable.  This opportunity was exactly what I needed to prepare me for this next level in my career as a Senior Director at IntelliSource.”  

 

Susan Murray – attended the Women ON Point leadership summit in Chicago, 2017

Congratulations to Susan on her recent promotion! Susan was previously the Site Operations Manager at IntelliSource, and is now the Director of Operations.

Here’s what Susan has to say…”WOP provided me with the opportunity to hear invaluable viewpoints, perspectives, wisdom, and guidance from other woman leaders that I can bring with me to share as I work with and lead other women. Invaluable!!!”

 

In addition to sharing amazing news, we are also hard at work planning for next year. We have heard, and are honoring, your requests to bring Women ON Point back to a couple of our favorite locations. Mark your calendars, because Women ON Point is all set for March 28-30 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. It’s filling up fast, so we encourage you to register early.

We are also on track to host another Women ON Point in Denver, Colorado in the fall of 2018, and we’ll announce those details as soon as everything is confirmed.

In the meantime, there is still plenty of time to make this season a huge success.

Here are 5 Ways to Make Your Summertime a Time for Success…

  1. Turn those bar-b-ques and block parties into networking opportunities and expand your network.
  2. Add a book about leadership or Emotional Intelligence to your summer reading list.
  3. Tackle some of those mid or longer-term projects that never make it to the top of the to-do list.
  4. Find a mentor or be a mentor…or both.
  5. Use the slower time to get more involved in your community, to get more engaged in professional development activities, and to get more visibility within your organization.

 

Today more than ever we are bombarded with fake news, bad news, and negative news, and it infiltrates our lives 24/7. It’s on every channel and on every device. There is no escape. It screams the loudest and demands the most attention…until now.

As we (Pam, Aimee, and Sara) prepare for our next Women ON Point leadership summit in Chicago on July 19-21, we are confident that we can drown out the mind-numbing negative news with not just one, but four success stories this month.

It’s not a secret that those who invest in themselves are exponentially more successful than those who do not. Every successful tycoon from Warren Buffett to Bill Gates enthusiastically commits 10% of their annual income to personal and professional development. They invest in training, education, coaching, and mastermind groups to ensure they stay on top and continue to grow.

We are beyond thrilled to announce that the same tycoon-type mentality is going gangbusters at Women ON Point. Women who have attended our leadership summits have experienced new dream jobs, promotions, raises, and are leveraging what they’ve learned in innovative ways to pay it forward.

Here are 4 incredible Women ON Point alumni we are honored to highlight in this “Success Spotlight”…

Ana Battung – attended the Women ON Point leadership summit in Long Beach, CA 2017

Congratulations to Ana on her recent promotion! Ana was previously the Associate Director of Sales for Hyatt Regency Long Beach and Hyatt Centric the Pike, and will now take her place as the Global Sales Director on the Hyatt Sales Force Americas Team. There’s even more great news…Ana has also been appointed as one of the Executive Committee Leaders for the Women@Hyatt West Coast Chapter. 

Here’s what Ana has to say…”Women ON Point was an absolutely amazing experience! It brought on a new perspective to my leadership style and highlighted specific areas of opportunity for me to focus on. I now have the tools and resources available to continue to propel me throughout my career and allow me to pay it forward for other women. I highly recommend Women ON Point to anyone regardless of where they are in their career and in their life. It’s truly the best way to invest in yourself and you will make friends that will last a lifetime!”


Katie Dittman – attended the Women ON Point leadership summit in Beaver Creek, CO 2016

Congratulations to Katie on her recent promotion! Katie was previously the Manager of Global Culture and Talent Management for Hyatt Hotels Corporation and is now the Manager of Global Operations Communications. 

Here’s what Katie has to say…”I am thrilled to be taking on a new role within Hyatt. Women ON Point was just the push I needed to validate my ability to go for a completely new position. I learned a lot from spending time with women from different industries, companies, and in a variety of positions. Working with Aimee gave me a lot more confidence to sell myself in interviews, ask for what I deserve, and promote my capabilities in a new light. She also completely made-over my résumé which was MUCH needed! I’m grateful for my WONP experience!”


Wren Brotzman – attended the Women ON Point leadership summit in Beaver Creek, CO 2016

Congratulations to Wren on her recent promotion! Wren was previously the Chief Operating Officer at RMC, and is now the Executive Vice President. 

 

 


Nicole Bunbury Sjowall – attended the Women ON Point leadership summit in Beaver Creek, CO 2016

Congratulations to Nicole on her commitment to “pay it forward”. Nicole is the owner of Bunbury & Associates Realtors and was so inspired by what she learned at Women ON Point she kicked off the company-wide annual meeting with personalized “Brag Books” for all team members to capture their personal and professional successes. Nicole also invited Sara to deliver specific Women ON Point presentations including personal branding, mindset, and executive presence to her team. 

Here’s what Nicole has to say…”Women ON Point leadership summit was such an empowering experience! There was so much useful information for me to re-energize my leadership and communication development. Sara, Pam, and Aimee are so effective in teaching us how managing our professional development can launch us into becoming successful leaders. Women ON Point is a game changer!”


BONUS “Success Spotlight”

Professional Women’s Club of Chicago (PWCC) – We are big believers that no one achieves any level of success alone, and therefore we’d like to shine a special light on our Chicago power partner, PWCC. PWCC creates opportunities for Chicago-area professional women to make connections that inspire personal and professional growth, support business and personal goals, and enrich lives. The membership consists of successful female corporate executives, junior and senior professionals, business owners, entrepreneurs, self-employed professionals, artists, prominent individuals in their industries, businesses, and communities. 

In the spirit of “women supporting women”, we encourage you to reach out and congratulate your fellow Women ON Point alumni and keep those connections alive and well. It’s easy to get mired down by an endless to-do list, to get distracted by fake news, and to get overwhelmed by life events — but it’s also easy to choose to focus on the positive, to celebrate key accomplishments, and to cultivate those quality relationships in your life.

And, we are here to help you do all of that and more!

There are so many women who could benefit from the Women ON Point magic, but there are only a few spots left in Chicago. We are reaching out to you, our valued alumni, to help us identify those individual women in need of this transformational professional development experience. We want to positively impact more lives, make an even greater difference, and catapult more women to the Next Level!

Contact Us

 

We kicked off Women’s History Month with a bang this year with our Women ON Point leadership summit in Long Beach, California. We hosted 20 of the most driven and dynamic women from all over the country, including Hawaii, and are incredibly grateful to our power partner, the Hyatt Regency Long Beach, for going above and beyond in every way. Read more

As we approach Valentine’s Day, it would be impossible if didn’t have love on the brain. As humans, we are extremely fortunate to have a huge capacity to love…we love family, friends, sports teams, charitable causes, and, if we’re lucky, even our jobs.
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