Mentoring Mondays
Permanent link for Mentoring Mondays - August 1, 2022 on August 1, 2022
“Do We Still Need a Movement for Women’s Rights?”
~ Cheryl Benton
At the IR’s Institute hosted by Madonna University on October 28,
2016, each attendee received a book entitled Leading Women: 20
Influential Women Share Their Secrets to Leadership, Business, and
Life, by Nancy D. O’Reilly, a clinical psychologist,
motivational speaker, and women-empowerment expert.
As I browsed through the book, I was drawn to the entry by Cheryl
Benton, founder and publisher of The Three Tomatoes (a book publishing
company), I was captured by the leading sentence, “Call it what
you want, but let’s not let labels like feminism keep us from
focusing on the issues and working together to create a world where
women and girls are truly equal – that is a world that will be a
much different and better place”
Cheryl raises the question: “Do We Still Need a Movement
for Women’s Rights?” Here is an excerpt from her response
to the question.
“Unequivocally, yes, we do need a women’s rights movement. Let us
go back to the CBS poll and one of its findings that really disturbed
me. Women were equally divided on whether there is still a need for a
strong women’s movement. In addition, 45 percent believe that most of
the goals of the women’s movement have been met.
“If that’s the case, are the goals of the women’s movement met
when women in the country still earn only 77 percent of what men earn?
Is it acceptable that women make up just 16.6 percent of corporate
board officers at Fortune 500 companies? That when it comes to
women’s representation in government, internationally, the United
States ranks 71st? Is it acceptable that our Congress debated through
two decades before finally passing the Violence Against Women Act
(VAWA) in February 2013? Or that the United State is one of seven
nations (others include Somalia, Iran, and Sudan) who have yet to
ratify the United Nations’ women’s right treaty?
“While most of us agree that our lives as women in this country are better because of the women’s movement, it is not just all about us.” There are some startling examples of what happens to women and girls in other countries as outlined in the United Nations’ gender equity statistics, but I wanted to keep this entry from moving into the darker side of the issue. Cheryl continues to say . . . .
“Let us also remember that women’s issues are men’s issues. We cannot
have women’s rights without men, so excluding them from our movement
will never achieve equality. It is time to forget the labels that
divide us, and focus on the end game – a world where women have
equal opportunities and rights and live in a world free from violence
and oppression. All this being true, what are some of the things that
each of us could do today to make this goal a reality? Here
are
three ideas:
Become more aware of legislation and how it affects women, for
better or worse.
Understand the issues and make your voice heard, especially by
your elected representatives.
Use your personal influence and power in your own sphere to champion women and girls in your company, your profession, and your community. Women need to help other women.
Think globally. While we have the luxury in this country of debating the issues on equal pay for women, and getting more women in the C-suite and into high-level political offices, there are women in many parts of the world who have few if any rights, and live under oppressive conditions that most of us cannot even imagine.”
So, yes, there is still work to be done. We will share moves from
Leading Women
in the next
few weeks.
___________
Source: Leading Women: 20 Influential Women
Share Their Secrets to Leadership, Business, and Life, by
Nancy D. O’Reilly. Listen to Nancy D. O’Reilly’s Podcasts at WomenSpeak.com
Posted on Permanent link for Mentoring Mondays - August 1, 2022 on August 1, 2022.
Permanent link for Mentoring Mondays - July 18, 2022 on July 18, 2022
Your Summer Reading List
Congratulations and kudos to the MI-ACE Women’s Network for putting together an amazing 2022 Annual Conference, held this past week at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, MI. A special thank you to our Host Institution, the College for Creative Studies; our Platinum Sponsoring Institution, the Wayne County Community College District; and to the many wonderful speakers, presenters and volunteers.
We are sharing with you this week a list of publications for your summer reading. Most of these publications were suggested during the Conference Presidential Leadership Panel. In some instances, there are multiple versions of the titles by varying authors. We have provided a brief description/overview of the publication and we urge you to search the book title to see what is also available by different authors.
The book is neither an attempt to advocate for a particular future direction nor a warning about that future. Rather, it looks objectively at the contexts in which higher education has operated—and will continue to operate.
Disrupting Whiteness: Talking with White People about Racism, by Drick Boyd (2021)
Disrupting Whiteness proposes an approach to talking about racism that is inclusive, nonthreatening and engaging, and welcomes everyone to the conversation.
The World Is Flat [Updated and Expanded], by Thomas L. Friedman (2007)
This new edition of Friedman's landmark book explains the flattening of the world better than ever- and takes a new measure of the effects of this change on each of us.
Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, by David W. Blight (2020)
In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, Frederick Douglass won the Bancroft, Parkman, Los Angeles Times (biography), Lincoln, Plutarch, and Christopher awards and was named one of the Best Books of 2018 by The New York Times Book Review and others.
It’s the future of work, and it’s here now. In this life-changing guide, you'll be empowered to find greater purpose in your own life and career, and to spread that power to others in your business and beyond.
Stumbling on Happiness, by Daniel Gilbert (2009)
Why? As Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert explains, when people try to imagine what the future will hold, they make some basic and consistent mistakes.
Kevin Lawrence has discovered seventeen habits that allow any leader to transcend the perils of success and keep achieving--habits that have already helped hundreds of CEOs and executives become stronger and more resilient.
Offers those who continually run into stumbling blocks when it comes to personal success five connecting principles and five connecting practices that the author believes are the keys to creating the change and results you seek.
A Leadership Guide for Women in Higher Education, by Marjorie Hass (2021)
In A Leadership Guide for Women in Higher Education, Hass draws on her sixteen years of senior leadership experience, her work with national higher education organizations, and her mentorship work with dozens of women to address fundamental issues women face when they lead in higher education.
Relax and enjoy your summer reading!
Posted on Permanent link for Mentoring Mondays - July 18, 2022 on July 18, 2022.
Permanent link for Mentoring Mondays - July 11, 2022 on July 11, 2022
“Ten suggestions for Getting Along Better with People”
Here are some useful tips to live by when building relationships, building your personal brand and interacting within your various networks:
Guard your tongue – say less than you think.
Make promises sparingly but keep them faithfully.
Never let an opportunity pass to say a kind word.
Be interested in others, their pursuits, work and families.
Be cheerful – don’t dwell on minor aches and small disappointments.
Keep an open mind – discuss, don't argue. Disagree without being disagreeable.
Discourage gossip – it’s destructive.
Be careful of others' feelings.
Pay no attention to ill-natured remarks about you. Live so that nobody will believe them.
Don’t be anxious about getting credit. Just do your best and be patient.
__________
Source: Excerpt from Bits & Pieces Magazine (date unknown)
Posted on Permanent link for Mentoring Mondays - July 11, 2022 on July 11, 2022.
Permanent link for Mentoring Mondays - July 4, 2022 on July 4, 2022
How to Get the Most from Your Volunteers
Happy Independence Day! Can you believe it’s July already?
As a follow-up to the 2022 Annual MI-ACE Women’s Network
Conference, the Executive Board would like to thank the many
individuals who signed up to volunteer for committee assignments and
become more involved with Network activities. Getting involved in
the Network is another way that we can support the professional
development of women in higher education.
As the premier organization for women in higher education in the
state, below are some tips from the Network’s leadership to assure
that volunteers are successful in their efforts, as well as make their
service a rewarding experience:
- First, and foremost, personalize your interest in their success.
- Assign volunteers to committees that match their abilities or interests.
- Train the volunteer in the various functions of the committee and culture of the organization.
- As committee chair(s), allow committee members to function. Don’t do everything yourself. There is no more hopeless a feeling than wanting to contribute, but not being allowed to do so.
- Seek opportunities to showcase committee members.
As leaders, we must understand that everyone has value and everyone has something to contribute – if encouraged. Let us work as a team.
Posted on Permanent link for Mentoring Mondays - July 4, 2022 on July 4, 2022.
Permanent link for Mentoring Monday - June 27, 2022 on June 27, 2022
Avoid Becoming a Casualty of Cultural Conflict
In the world of academics, we see a great deal of career changing and retirements at the end of an academic year. Change does occur but are you ready for the consequences? If you fit into the category of career changing, and you are considering a job at another institution, the key is to ensure not only that your skills and abilities match up with the needs of the new institution, but that you fit well with the organizational culture. There are two things to consider: the culture of the organization at large and that of the team of which you will be a member.
Following are a few suggestions for reducing the risks of becoming a casualty of cultural conflict:
Know thyself – It is vital to understand yourself as
fully as possible, especially your business-related beliefs and
decision-making processes. It is also helpful to identify those
aspects of different cultures that you relate to and those you don’t.
Write them down and refer to them as you gather data about the
opportunities under consideration.
Inquire about the culture at hand – Do people treat
it as “that soft people stuff?” That in itself tells you a great deal
about where and with whom you will work. This could be the reason for
high turnover and lackluster employees.
Use your network to verify what you have observed about the
institution’s cultures –
Former employees, suppliers, or consultants can shed light on
what you will actually encounter. You can also ask to obtain
permission to talk to a few potential peers or direct reports.
Think through the questions you want to ask about “how things get done
around here” to get a sense of how much agreement there is about the
makeup of the organization’s culture.
While a new situation may appear to be a perfect match, failing
to fit adequately with the organizational cultures you encounter may
impede your success. What’s more, the higher up you go in any
organization, the more important fit becomes.
_______________
Source: The Marshall Goldsmith Newsletter, July 2021.
Posted on Permanent link for Mentoring Monday - June 27, 2022 on June 27, 2022.
Permanent link for Mentoring Mondays - 6-20-2022 on June 20, 2022
Your Summer Reading List
Congratulations and kudos to the MI-ACE Women’s Network for putting together an amazing 2022 Annual Conference, held this past week at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, MI. A special thank you to our Host Institution, the College for Creative Studies; our Platinum Sponsoring Institution, the Wayne County Community College District; and to the many wonderful speakers, presenters and volunteers.
We are sharing with you this week a list of publications for your summer reading. Most of these publications were suggested during the Conference Presidential Leadership Panel. In some instances, there are multiple versions of the titles by varying authors. We have provided a brief description/overview of the publication and we urge you to search the book title to see what is also available by different authors.
The book is neither an attempt to advocate for a particular future direction nor a warning about that future. Rather, it looks objectively at the contexts in which higher education has operated—and will continue to operate.
Disrupting Whiteness: Talking with White People about Racism, by Drick Boyd (2021)
Disrupting Whiteness proposes an approach to talking about racism that is inclusive, nonthreatening and engaging, and welcomes everyone to the conversation.
The World Is Flat [Updated and Expanded], by Thomas L. Friedman (2007)
This new edition of Friedman's landmark book explains the flattening of the world better than ever- and takes a new measure of the effects of this change on each of us.
Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, by David W. Blight (2020)
In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, Frederick Douglass won the Bancroft, Parkman, Los Angeles Times (biography), Lincoln, Plutarch, and Christopher awards and was named one of the Best Books of 2018 by The New York Times Book Review and others.
It’s the future of work, and it’s here now. In this life-changing guide, you'll be empowered to find greater purpose in your own life and career, and to spread that power to others in your business and beyond.
Stumbling on Happiness, by Daniel Gilbert (2009)
Why? As Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert explains, when people try to imagine what the future will hold, they make some basic and consistent mistakes.
Kevin Lawrence has discovered seventeen habits that allow any leader to transcend the perils of success and keep achieving--habits that have already helped hundreds of CEOs and executives become stronger and more resilient.
Offers those who continually run into stumbling blocks when it comes to personal success five connecting principles and five connecting practices that the author believes are the keys to creating the change and results you seek.
A Leadership Guide for Women in Higher Education, by Marjorie Hass (2021)
In A Leadership Guide for Women in Higher Education, Hass draws on her sixteen years of senior leadership experience, her work with national higher education organizations, and her mentorship work with dozens of women to address fundamental issues women face when they lead in higher education.
Relax and enjoy your summer reading!
Posted on Permanent link for Mentoring Mondays - 6-20-2022 on June 20, 2022.
Permanent link for Mentoring Monday - April 6, 2022 on June 6, 2022
2022 MI-ACE Annual Conference
Women Leading with Resilience in Challenging Times
The countdown is on for the MI-ACE Annual Conference scheduled for Monday-Tuesday, June 13-14, 2022 at the Suburban Collection Showplace, 45100 Grand River, Novi, MI.
We are just one week away. Have you registered? If yes, we are looking forward to seeing you there. If you have not registered, we encourage you to do so immediately. Come share this state-wide conference with some amazing women leaders in higher education.
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE: Our conference theme is: Women Leading with Resilience in Challenging Times . The first day of the conference has been planned and produced by the Network’s Women of Color Collaborative Committee. It will feature breakout and workshop sessions, remarks from renowned Michigan women leaders, and a special segment on Public Policy insights. The coveted Public Policy Pioneer award will be announced for 2022.
The second day of the conference is devoted to sessions which respond to the issues voiced by our Network members as of most concern in their professional and personal development. A panel of presidents from Michigan colleges and universities will be a feature, and the Distinguished Women’s Award will be presented at the luncheon.
The 2022 Host Committee for the conference is the College for Creative Studies.
Visit our website at www.miacenetwork.org and REGISTER NOW! We are the voice of Michigan women in higher education. Be a part of it!
Posted on Permanent link for Mentoring Monday - April 6, 2022 on June 6, 2022.
Permanent link for Mentoring Monday - April 25, 2022 on April 25, 2022
2022 Annual MI-ACE Women’s Network Conference Scholarship
The Annual MI-ACE Women’s Network Conference will be held on Monday and Tuesday, June 13-14, 2022 in person at the Suburban Showplace Collection, 46100 Grand River Avenue, Novi, MI. The Network recognizes that accessing funds for professional development is a potential limitation for some women in the state who wish to attend this conference. To help remedy this, the MI-ACE Women’s Network has created scholarship opportunities to provide supplemental funding to cover the cost of registration for this annual conference.
Are you in need of financial assistance to attend the conference? The Lynette Findley Annual Conference Scholarship is now open for applications through May 13, 2022. Any woman working in a higher education institution in the state of Michigan, whose institution is an “institutional member” of the MI-ACE Women’s Network may apply. Funding is prioritized for women who receive no financial support from their institution.
How to apply:
- Submit a “Statement of Interest” that includes:
Name (last, first)
Current title
Phone number and email
Name of your institution
- A “Personal Statement” about your professional journey in higher education addressing the following questions (not to exceed 500 words):
What are you currently doing?
How do you think the conference will help you grow?
What are your professional plans in the next five years?
What is your motivation for attending the conference?
How will attending the conference assist you in attaining your professional goals?
- Outline your financial limitations and financial request as they relate to the conference:
Is your institution providing you financial assistance for professional development?
Do you plan on attending both days of the conference or only one?
Do you require funding for accommodations?
The maximum scholarship is $350.00. How much are you seeking?
- Submit your application to Martha J. Grier, Co-chair of the Professional Development Committee via email at [email protected] on or before May 13, 2022. Should you have questions regarding the application process, please call 248-488-1942.
For complete details about the 2022 MI-ACE Annual Conference, visit the website at www.miacenetwork.org.
Posted on Permanent link for Mentoring Monday - April 25, 2022 on April 25, 2022.
Permanent link for Mentoring Monday - April 4, 2022 on April 25, 2022
Top 10 Tips for Job Survival
Get off to a good start! An interviewer who seems almost like a friend is not your friend. Her job is to weed out people who might not fit or might be a problem in the organization. Many personal questions are illegal for interviewers to ask, but they can engage you in friendly conversation, hoping you might share that information voluntarily.
Your relationship with your division manager or supervisor can be a big part of your job satisfaction. Try to choose a good boss over great pay.
Always tell the truth – even if it does not put you in the best position. If it is discovered that you lied about a situation, you may never be trusted again.
Be decisive when you speak. Decisive people receive more attention and respect, than people who sound uncertain.
A new boss means new rules. Meet the challenge of playing the new game instead of struggling to play a new game with the old rules. Never say, “But we always did it this way.”
Go to meetings prepared and on time. If you don’t receive an agenda in advance, ask for one.
Meet deadlines by marking your calendar with each due date. Estimate how much time it will take to complete and set up a schedule.
Courtesy and civility to everyone counts in your favor. Also, remember that inner power comes from being kind to others, not controlling them.
Excuses don’t matter – but results do!
Make your boss glad she hired you.
__________
Source: Excerpts from The Job Survival Instruction Book, by Karin Ireland, Course Technology PTR, Cengage Learning.
Posted on Permanent link for Mentoring Monday - April 4, 2022 on April 25, 2022.
Permanent link for Mentoring Monday - March 28, 2022 on March 28, 2022
Fitting the “F” Words into Your Workplace
In today’s workplace, the forces of change are driving all kinds of new organizational strategies for survival. As a result, we must learn to recognize and adjust our behavior and skills to fit into this new environment. As leaders, we must:
- Be FAST at realigning our goals and skills in order to stay competitive;
- Be FLEXIBLE enough to adjust our behavior when necessary;
- FOCUS on what the institution/organization needs from everyone to assure success;
- Change will dictate how we FIT into the new structures.
The simple fact is that the world is too complex now for organizations and institutions to do business as usual with old rules. According to Allan R. Cohen and David Bradford, “Managers at all levels can no longer expect to be the dispensers of tasks, the dividers of work, the solitary expert problem solvers, and the final arbiters. They have to depend on everyone to take the initiative, deal directly with one another, and inform, stimulate and challenge the leaders who are nominally ‘in charge’.”
____________
Source: Influence without Authority , by Allan R. Cohen and David L. Bradford, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Posted on Permanent link for Mentoring Monday - March 28, 2022 on March 28, 2022.