Topic: Career Growth

WIR TV January 2023: Mentorship

Sarah Squires

Many professionals across a range of industries consider mentoring a critical part of their career success. Yet, studies have shown that historically, a surprisingly small amount of women have taken advantage of the many benefits of mentorship. 

Fortunately, we’re seeing that change — especially after the challenges and changes that have happened across the globe over the last few years.

Those interested in seeking out the guidance of a mentor may still be wondering how to approach someone about it. Others may not realize they themselves can become mentors — and this relationship can be beneficial to their own success.

Check out our WIR TV episode, “Why Mentorship Is Critical to Success,” as we hear from  Nicola Cronin, Head of Engagement at Guider AI; Lisa Ames, CMO at Norwest Venture Partners; Lisa HoLung, Media Director at April Six and Jill Melchionda, WIR Board Member, on the many advantages of mentorships. 

Their conversation covers:

  • How mentorship is more than just offering advice and having conversations about your life experiences.
  • Why being a mentor empowers others to discover their strengths, work with their weaknesses, and set new goals!
  • How mentorship can equip mentees with the tools and confidence needed to advocate for themselves at work. 
  • What it takes to be a mentor and the importance of “reverse mentoring”.

Watch the full recording here!

WIR TV January 2022: Gaslighting

Sarah Squires

‘Gaslighting’ was the word of the year for 2022, according to Merriam-Webster. The term refers to the subtle psychological manipulation of an individual in an attempt to make that person feel confused or doubt themselves.

In work settings, gaslighting can be used to diminish an employee’s accomplishments by redirecting credit for their work or excluding them from important and relevant meetings and conversations.

One poll shows 58% of workers have experienced this type of gaslighting at work, which can easily drive stellar employees to quit their jobs. 

Watch our WIR TV episode, ‘How Gaslighting Is Hurting Women, Equity and Belonging At Work,’ to hear from Dr. Beth Kaplan, Belonging Researcher and Champion, and Claudia Gonzalez, Business Development & Digital Marketing Manager at CoinCloud, who dig into the harmful effects of this manipulation tactic on people and corporate cultures — particularly women and women of color.

Key points in this episode include:

  • How to identify gaslighting behaviors in the workplace
  • What to do when you are being gaslit 
  • Where to seek support outside of your organization

WATCH NOW!

The Power of Community

Sarah Squires

If there is one thing the COVID-19 pandemic showed the world, it’s that while solitude may be enjoyable — and sometimes even necessary — we still need to connect with others. And it’s about a lot more than simply having people to interact with. 

Having a good community means being around like-minded individuals who get you. A place where you can bring your genuine self to the table. No need to scale back for fear of being labeled as too much, or too loud, or too outspoken. The point is to feel free to be yourself. While this may sound a bit idealistic, once you find it, it’s pretty empowering. How so? Let’s count the ways. 

Benefits of Being Part of a Community 

There are several reasons why being a part of a community is beneficial. While individual needs may vary, there are some common denominators across the board:

  1. Sense of Belonging
    Feeling like you belong within a group of people is essential for good mental health. This is because having a support network can help you feel motivated when things are going well, and less alone when undergoing difficult times. As a result, you feel connected and are better able to manage stress. 
  1. Mentorship
    While some individuals may seem like they’re infinite sources of wisdom, the truth is that everything they’ve learned has been a product of their life experiences — including their relationships with others. These experiences make them invaluable resources for advice, constructive criticism, and sharing of knowledge; all of which is crucial to help them — and you — grow as individuals and as professionals. 
  1. Support
    There are many ways to support one another. This can be done through encouragement to pursue a goal, guidance as we go through new experiences, and maybe even financial — especially at a time of sudden layoffs. As much as we all strive to be  independent and self-sufficient, life comes with many surprises. Having a reliable support system is essential to navigate them successfully. For example, you could connect people on LinkedIn to help someone find a new job, or be part of a group that pitches in to assist a friend facing a hardship. Members of a community can also serve as each other’s allies, whether they hear of an opportunity, or to link arms in the quest for social justice. 
  1. Access to Resources
    One of the biggest benefits of having a community is that everyone is good at something. Let’s say you all work in tech. Someone may be well-versed on database management, while someone else’s strong suit may be network security. When people work together, all bases are covered, and everyone benefits. 
  1. Professional Growth
    Having a professional network also helps you extend your reach for your business, as you refer contacts and business to each other. And since these referrals are done by people who know you, the likelihood of prospects being a good fit is greater. At the end of the day, word of mouth is one of the most effective forms of marketing.

How To Find a Community That’s Right For You 

While all of these benefits sound ideal, you may be stumped as to how to find the right group of people. It seems simple to look for, say, people within your industry, but it’s imperative to dig deeper. What are non-negotiables for you? Some factors to consider include: 

  • Integrity
  • True authentic commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • Experience with innovation 
  • Giving back to the community
  • Leadership
  • Accountability 

The next step is to narrow down your options by exploring your interests. Are you looking to forge a community around one of your hobbies? Find people with whom you can discuss work woes and accomplishments? If it’s the former, look for groups with common interests, such as running groups or book clubs. If it’s the latter, opt for networking events — whether it’s ones created to amplify women’s voices, offer mentorship, and/or foster diversity. 

At Women in Revenue, we recognize the value and power of community, and we proudly support women in revenue-generating roles. Read about what we offer, and browse through our resources and events. You may just have found the kinship you’ve been looking for.

WIR TV November 2022: Power Moms

Sarah Squires

Let’s face it: Burnout is real. It’s everywhere. Working mothers are feeling it, especially in recent years as the COVID-19 pandemic blurred the line between office responsibilities and family duties at home.

Approximately 9.8 million working mothers in the U.S. are suffering from workplace burnout. A reported one million working mothers stopped working altogether during the pandemic. Filling or choosing between these roles isn’t new, but the challenges of current events have made that decision even more difficult.

Women Can Have It All… Just Not Always At The Same Time

Balancing a career with having children is a tale as old as time, especially for women who have to work twice as hard to prove they can be successful as both a parent and a professional. For decades, women have been faced with the decision to choose family or a career, or they can ‘have it all’ but are met with roadblocks, struggles and challenges unique to their position in society.

WIR teamed up with Joann Lublin, author of ‘Power Moms’ and The Wall Street Journal‘s first career advice columnist, and Damaris Santiago, VP of Marketing at Skan, to explore their important insights on this topic.

Watch the episode for advice and expert perspectives on this important topic, moderated by Hana Jacover, Chief Hype Officer and Coach at Hype House Coaching.

Cultivating Your Superpower

Sarah Squires

What do you think of when you hear the word “superpower”? Captain Marvel flying or Wonder Women deflecting bullets with her special bracelets? Those are technically superpowers, but there’s a whole other category of superpowers that directly pertain to you and what you’re able to accomplish personally and professionally.

Think about the benefits and value that come from better understanding who you are and your inherent strengths as they relate to the workplace. These superpowers can help you partner with others with accuracy, navigate difficult challenges with grace, and move with boldness to deliver needed outcomes.

In our June 2022 event “Cultivating Your Superpower” we dug into this topic starting with an amazing keynote from Theresa Caragol, business influencer and mentor. She discussed how identifying and strengthening your superpowers can help you partner with others with accuracy, navigate difficult challenges with grace, and move with boldness to deliver needed outcomes. Here is a link to that keynote presentation! Have a pen ready because, trust us, you’re going to want to jot down some notes.

For the second half of the event we offered attendees the opportunity to participate in one of ten small roundtable discussions on a superpower of their choice: (1) Amplifying Others, (2) Change Management, (3) Empathy, (4) Executive Presence, (5) Grit, (6) Leadership, (7) Listening, (8) Managing Conflict, (9) Negotiating, and (10) Self Awareness. But because not everyone could attend, and because some people may have more than one superpower we compiled the top takeaways from each discussion and pulled it together into this infographic.

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