Category: Employment

Labor Day Special Pricing On The November 2nd Multicultural Conference

9/4/2017

By Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA, CDMP, CITM

You Are Cordially Invited To Register And Attend
The November 2nd Multicultural Conference
"Women, Work & Celebrating Self Worth"

Special Conference Labor Day Pricing Ends On September 5th More details at: http://bit.ly/2gx2EPD

Bring your managers, supervisors, staff, and colleagues to the premiere diversity conference of the region. This is the 11th conference since 2008 and will deliver the resources, toolkits, and answers you've been looking for. In addition, the networking opportunities will connect you to some of the movers and shakers who are committed to the advancement of multiculturalism throughout the marketplace.

Our theme is "Women Work & Celebrating Self Worth." It's an opportunity for BOTH women AND men to attend an exciting day long exchange of keynote addresses, roundtable discussions and panel presentations all focused on the value and opportunities of women in the workplace.

The Multicultural Symposium Series is the only African American led conference series in New England. Founded by African American social entrepreneur Carole Copeland Thomas, the initiative will deliver value, substance and new insights for you and your team.

Register during Labor Day Weekend and SAVE.

We'll See You On November 2nd!

-Carole Copeland Thomas
Complete Information at www.mssconnect.com.

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Lessons From Vacation In Italy: Unplugging

11/1/2014

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By Michelle Porchia

I have an annual day called “Innergize Day.” It encourages people to take one day a year for themselves to do something they enjoy or rarely take time to do. The goal is that you will take a day a year, a day a month, and a few hours a week for yourself.

A few years ago, I attended a panel discussion comprised of women at the level of CEO. They talked about the importance of learning to unplug; they were reminded of this when their children started commenting about them conducting business on the phone while on vacation.

Lastly, there was an AT&T commercial where the child asked the mother when they could become a meeting. The commercial, of course, was about being able to work from anywhere when you have your phone. The message I took away was the child was asking for more time with the mother.

I recently spent 11 days in Italy. It was beautiful. The food and drink were amazing. I love Italy and would live there if I could. What I learned from this trip is that people really do have trouble unplugging. There were 13 of us as a group on this trip. I only used my phone to take pictures, and I didn’t take that many. I took magazines to read and my journal to write and reflect. Several people had their phones and tablets. They were taking pictures nonstop, and at dinner they would be on their phones and tablets uploading pictures to Facebook and sending pictures to family and friends. Some even took calls at the dinner table. I believe they missed experiencing the beauty of the moment. They missed out on truly tasting the savor of the many courses of authentic Italian food. And they missed out on interacting and getting to know others. Now, I’m an introvert but at dinner I had conversation with the people sitting around me.

After the first day, I didn’t miss being on Facebook or texting. I enjoyed being in the moment. We stayed at a bed and breakfast on the second leg of our trip. The hotel had a room that had a fireplace in it. When we returned from our day’s excursion, I would sit in the room and just enjoy the fireplace. Sometimes I would read a magazine or journal, but most of the time I was still and just looked at the fire.

Europeans take vacation every year and they do not work during their vacation. They enjoy their vacation, family and friends. We, as Americans, can learn from this. I remember on one of my corporate jobs my message said I was on vacation and would not be checking for messages. People left me a message saying a novel idea and then they left me the business message. They actually thought I was still going to check my messages even though I said I was on vacation and would not check for messages. Why? Because in that corporate culture people worked during their vacation. At another panel I attended, a male CEO said he was in Italy and his daughter looked at him when he took a call and said, “Really, Dad? You are going to take a call while we are here in Italy?” She shook her head and walked away. He didn’t take any more calls the rest of the trip.

Whether you have family or not, you need to unplug. You need to enjoy vacation, time at home, lunch (without working). If a business cannot run without you for 30 minutes, two days or a week, what does that say about the people you have chosen to be part of your business or what does it say about your leadership style?

I encourage you and challenge you to try to unplug. Start small. Take lunch and do not have your phone. See what happens.

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The M & Ms of Life

10/12/2014

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By Nancy J. Lewis, MS, PHR, RCC

In our complex world of constant change and turbulence, it is important to find the M & M’s of life. The current climate of the day is downsizing, outsizing, resizing in so many organizations that we are unsure what the next day will bring. By the time you read this article, we may be at war where many families are now separated because men and women have gone to serve our country. The world is full of chaos and challenge, but you must determine within yourself to find the M & M’s of life.

The M & M’s of life are Motivation and Momentum. We must commit to being motivated to achieve the goals and dreams that life has to offer. We must be willing to allow the motivation we have to propel us forward and keep the momentum going.

As you reflect on the M & M’s of life consider some of the following points to help you in your quest of maintaining your personal motivation.

M- mindset

It is so important to consider the mindset we hold each day. What is your mindset when you get up in the morning? What do you do to maintain a positive mindset for the day? What do you feed your mind early in the morning? What works for me is beginning my day with prayer and positive thoughts and reading inspirational material. There will be plenty of time throughout the day to find out what is happening in the world. Starting my day with positive thoughts allows me to stay centered and at peace. It is important that each person finds what works for him or her to maintain a positive mindset.

O- overcomer People must see themselves as an overcomer when faced with the difficulties of the day. Trials and tests will come, but when you are focused on the positive things of life and have the momentum going, you can have victory in your present situation. Maintain the perspective that this challenge is an opportunity for you to be an overcomer. It will cause you to look within and find strengths and abilities you had forgotten were there. Then watch the growth you will have and soar!

T- totally committed It is vital that you are totally committed to accomplishing the goals you have set for yourself. Don’t allow the roadblocks of life to keep you from achieving all that life has in store for you. It is imperative that you are sold out for doing the hard work that will be required to make your dreams come true. What are you willing to do to get what you want is a question you must keep in front of you. When you are totally committed it is not about how you feel that keeps you going; it is your commitment level to finish the task or assignment.

I- integrity Integrity is essential in living a purpose driven life. Do you keep promises and commitments? Do you do what you say you will do? Do you walk the talk? Integrity is about being real and true to your core values. It may require you saying things that are not popular. A true test of integrity is what you do when no one is watching and also what your friends and family say about you in your absence. Integrity is about making sure your words and deeds line up. Consider a scale of one to ten, where one is low and ten is high. Where would your integrity-rating fall?

V- victorious It is necessary to believe in your heart that you can have the victory in whatever your situation is. You may feel like you are all alone and walking in the valley. It is at this time you must resolve within yourself that though you are in the valley at this time, you have the momentum and are climbing your way back to the mountaintop. Find your spiritual grounding and get anchored in knowing that our conditions in life don’t remain the same. We may be in a storm in for a season, but remember the seasons change as will our circumstance.

A- attitude It’s been said life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you respond to it. What is the attitude you embrace each day? What factors influence your attitude? Attitude is how you respond to what life sends your way. If it rains outside does that alter your attitude or do you carry your weather within? Be careful of the people you associate with because some people have bad attitudes that spill out on you. These people are often called toxic because they will do whatever they can to change your positive attitude to one that is negative. Your attitude determines whether people want to be around you. Who do you know that gravitates and longs to be around negative people? I rest my case. Look for ways you can maintain an attitude that is positive and worth catching. Smile more, do random acts of kindness, be polite and courteous to others, read positive literature are just a few of the things you can do to keep the momentum going and your attitude positive.

T- time-management mastery Find ways to effectively manage your time. Don’t allow procrastination, laziness, or other peoples’ agendas to keep you from accomplishing what you want out of life. Remember if you don’t master your time someone else will. We only get 24 hours a day. Are you making the most out of the time you have? Learn the importance of prioritizing the tasks you have to complete and then begin to chisel away at them until they are done.

Mastery of your time is essential if you are to keep the momentum going and moving forward in a positive productive way.

I- innovative So often we get stuck in the way things have always been done. That is when creativity and innovation are vital to getting us out of that rut. We need to open our mind to new ways of doing things and entertain out of the box thinking, sometimes called green light thinking. It is through some of these innovative times, that some of the greatest ideas have evolved.

O- optimistic Do you see the glass half empty or half full? What is your perspective on life? Maintaining an optimistic viewpoint is helpful in journeying through this maze of life with all its twists and turns. Realize that some days you will be tested on keeping an optimistic outlook. You have to remember that this is not a practice game. It is the real deal. It is important to remember that where you are today is not where you will end up tomorrow. Keeping focused and optimistic is a way to maintain your momentum in life.

N- nurturer In order for your garden to grow, you must cultivate and nurture that garden. This means watering it, fertilizing it, loving it, and whatever else is necessary to have a good harvest. The same is true with our minds. We must cultivate and nourish our minds as well. Failure to do that allows weeds to grow and choke the life out. You must evaluate your life and determine how you can nurture those things that are most important to you. Then just do it! When you do, watch the great harvest you will have in your life.

Revisit and review these practical points on Motivation throughout the year. When you apply them to your life you can maintain your Momentum and go to higher heights. Commit to the M & M’s and enhance the quality of your life.

Nancy J. Lewis is the president of Progressive Techniques, Inc. where the theme of her company is “Developing a Better YOU! Nancy can be reached at (770) 964-5533, e-mail: nancy@progressivetechniquesinc.com and website: www.progressivetechniquesinc.com

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You Survived The Pink Slip...Now What???

3/3/2014

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By Debra Gould, MS

Now that the economy is on the slow road to recovery, you might be breathing a big sigh of relief. You avoided the last round of layoffs, so you should be feeling on top of the world, right? But instead, you might be feeling down or unmotivated.

Many people go through intense feelings of guilt after a round of layoffs. They're glad they still have a job, of course, but they often wonder "why me?" They feel guilty they're employed when their friends and co-workers are not. Or they feel remorse in that they're left to pick up the slack and sometimes take on additional roles they were never meant to do.

Experts tell us that feelings like this are quite common after layoffs.

So, what can you do?

1) Stay motivated. Understand that your job exists for a reason, which means you're doing something that benefits someone else in some way. Figuring out how you're helping someone else can dramatically improve your energy level and productivity on the job.

2) Keep your morale up. One way to do this is by volunteering. I know what you're thinking, more work? Think of it as a work 'investment'. You could help someone learn to read so they could get a better job. You could teach computer skills, or mentor a teenager to ensure they get a leg up in their quest for a good job. There are hundreds of ways you can get involved to help others succeed. Volunteering is an incredibly rewarding way to spend your time, and it can really help you keep up the motivation and morale at work (and at home).

3) Reach out. Sometimes being social with people on the job is the last thing on people's minds. But getting to know your co-workers (and even your managers) as people versus just 'work people' is a good strategy. So get out or go out with people from work. It's a fact most of the internal information is still shared outside of the office. Winding down from work with a social outing with your co-workers may be your remedy for seeing work in a different light. But be forewarned, be on your best behavior because work outing behavior may come back to haunt you in the workplace.

It's important to actively combat low motivation and morale after a round of layoffs. You, and your role, survived for a reason. Finding out how you're helping others at your company, and volunteering to help someone else get a better job, can help spark your motivation and make you feel good about what you're doing.

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Debra W. Gould, MS is the president of Debra Gould & Associates, Inc. based in New Orleans and provides management consulting and training services to commercial and government clients. Debra is one of the founders of The Ebony Speakers and co-author of the book, Real Women, Real Issues - Positive Collaborations For Business Success. Debra can be reached at: (504) 244-6576, email: djgould@gouldassoc.com and website: www.gouldassoc.com

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Women Entrepreneurs and Celebrating Black History Month

2/23/2014

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By Michelle Porchia

Women have created businesses and impacted history, the economy, and personal lives throughout history. As a Black woman entrepreneur myself, I am highlighting a few historic, successful and impactful Black female entrepreneur who paved the way for Black women and all women to become entrepreneurs. There are 24.9% Black women entrepreneurs (catalyst.org). Many people have heard of Madam CJ Walker (1867–1919), a millionaire who built a business on hair-care products. I want to share about the women most have not heard of, except of course Suzanne de Passe, whom most people have heard of.

Although many details of Mary Ellen Pleasant's (1814–1904) life are obscure, she lived for a time as a free woman in Boston before coming to San Francisco at the height of the Gold Rush in 1849. Taking advantage of the opportunities available in the booming new city, Pleasant started working as a cook for wealthy clients but soon began opening laundries, boardinghouses, and restaurants, using the $45,000 she inherited upon the death of her first husband. Her establishments were patronized by many of San Francisco's newly minted elite, enabling Pleasant to interact with the city's most powerful businessmen and politicians. An ardent abolitionist and racial advocate, Pleasant employed many African-Americans and used her businesses as a way to promote Black employment throughout San Francisco.

Elleanor Eldridge (1784–c. 1845) stands out as an impressive success story from the beginning of American history. The youngest of seven daughters born to Hannah Prophet and Robin Eldridge, a slave who won his freedom fighting in the Revolution, Eldridge began working as a laundress at age ten following the death of her mother. Industrious and naturally bright, she quickly became adept at arithmetic, spinning, weaving, cheese making, and all types of housework. Drawing on her skill with numbers, at age nineteen Eldridge took over her deceased father's estate and quickly opened a business with her sister in Warwick, Rhode Island, weaving, nursing, and making soap. Realizing that investment and versatility were the keys to success, she used their profits to purchase a lot and build a house, which she rented out for forty dollars a year. Eldridge eventually settled in Providence, where she opened a profitable business whitewashing, painting, and wallpapering. Her hard work and enterprising nature enabled her to eventually purchase several houses in Providence for rent income.

A strong voice for education, Maggie Lena Walker (1867–1934) became the first African American female bank president. Walker was a member of the Independent Order of St. Luke, an organization founded by a former slave dedicated to the uplifting of African Americans. After becoming leader of the Order when it was on the verge of financial ruin, Walker became the first female bank president in the United States by founding the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank in 1903. Succeeding in her twin goals of revitalizing the Order of St. Luke and encouraging economic security for the black community of Richmond, Virginia, Walker grew her business by welcoming small depositors and helping to finance black home ownership. Her success is evidenced by the fact that the bank, now named the Consolidated Bank and Trust Co., remains open today as the oldest continuously black-owned bank in the United States. True to the Order of St Luke's goal of uplifting African Americans, Walker went on to found other businesses and advocate tirelessly for black rights and women's suffrage throughout her life.

Suzanne de Passe (1946 - ) has won numerous awards, including Emmys, Peabodys, and Golden Globes. She is so well known for her managerial abilities that Harvard Business School has conducted two studies of her management style. The twentieth century has seen the slow emergence of Black women in positions of corporate authority, a number of them in the entertainment industry. Suzanne de Passe was one of the first African-American women to become a power player in the music, television, and film industries. Beginning her career as a creative assistant at Motown Records in the 1960s, de Passe rose to become a vice president of the company before turning her attention to screenwriting. After achieving acclaim for works such as "Lady Sings the Blues", the successful film biography of Billie Holiday, de Passe eventually founded her own entertainment company, de Passe Entertainment, which primarily produces material for television. Her ability to balance her projects' creative integrity with the bottom line has proven so successful that Harvard Business School has conducted two studies of her managerial style. De Passe's versatility, creative integrity, and sound business sense has enabled her to become one of the most influential women in the entertainment industry today. Courtesy the Austin/Thompson Collection, by permission of De Passe Entertainment.

There were many women to choose from, and it was hard to narrow it down to just a few for this article. I chose women from diversified fields and eras to give a snapshot of the impact that Black women have made to the business/entrepreneurial world, not just for Black women but for all female entrepreneurs and business owners. Keep reaching toward your dreams. Women have sacrificed for us to live our dreams, build our businesses and make an impact.

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Your Comments Are Welcome

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AcKNOWLEDGEment is Power

11/18/2013

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by Michelle Porchia

There is the age-old statement that “knowledge is power.” I’ve often disagreed with that statement. I think having the right knowledge but knowing how and when to use acKNOWLEDGEment is more powerful.

If you want to get the best out of an employee, a colleague or even a child, I think that acknowledgement is very powerful. Basically, everyone wants to feel appreciated and wants to be acknowledged for what they have done.

Too often we focus on what someone has not done or what they have done “wrong.” I think to help a person grow into being good at, or even the best at, whatever they are doing, we need to focus on what they have done well; meaning acknowledge and thank them for it. If there are areas of improvement needed, then we can devise a plan–together–on capitalizing on their strengths and extending those strengths into areas that need more work. (I don’t believe in weaknesses, only areas that need a little more attention or development.)

The next time you want to approach an employee or colleague about something they have done, start off with acknowledging. It is important to be specific. “Thank you for stepping in when we were short on help.” “Thank you for catching that error; you saved us a lot of time/money.” You do not want to make a general acknowledgement of “good job.” Be specific!

When we acknowledge someone and they feel valued and appreciated, that is powerful and it inspires them to want to do more and/or better.

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For more information on innergizing or to schedule time with Michelle to help you to innergize, click here to visit Michelle's website.

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A Time For Change: Jumping Without A Net

10/28/2013

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by Michelle Porchia

Change – something most people do not like or are afraid of. There is a saying, “The only thing that is constant is change.” Change is inevitable. I, for one, like change (most of the time). I like new things. I like doing something different. So, why don’t most people like change?

People want to know what is going to happen. They have a comfort in knowing what was and what they think will be. Often people fight change before they even know what the change is and how it will impact them.

The unfortunate thing is, if one does not get on board with change, you may get left behind, be “left in the cold” or locked out entirely. The business world and the world as a whole is ever-changing. We have gone from an agricultural to a manufacturing to a technological society. Many people embraced the change and have been able to keep up and/or move forward. People have reinvented themselves, their business and even their lives. Continue to revisit this webiste for tips on retooling (http://www.ebonyspeakers.com/ebony-speakers-blog.html.)

I retooled my life from being a corporate trainer for almost two decades to being an entrepreneur in the midst of a recession. Yes, that was scary and challenging. At the same time it was exciting and invigorating.

Recently I embarked on a huge change. I jumped without a net so to speak. I decided to make my move from Connecticut/New England to the South. I have lived North, West and East and I now live South. This move meant I put my business on hold, although I am still coaching clients via the phone. It also meant disposing of most of my belongings and storing the rest. I gave up my personal space to share space in someone else’s home until I can get financially set and get my own place. HUGE change. It is scary and exciting.

I have the opportunity to meet a new group of people – potential clients. I also have the opportunity to expand my circle of friends. I get to try new and exciting things. Wow!

It is Fall, a time when the earth is changing. In New England the foliage is beautiful as all the leaves change colors (I will miss that this Fall). After a while though, the color goes away and the trees are bare as the earth rests and prepares to reappear in the spring more vibrant and beautiful than before.

I don’t know what direction my business will take other than continuing with my coaching clients. I don’t know what direction my life will take. What I know is that I am looking forward to resurfacing more vibrant, ready and innergized than before.

Here’s to the season of change!

Your Comments are Welcome Below.

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Retooling Your Career

10/7/2013

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By Nancy J. Lewis, MS, PHR, RCC

Today’s workplace is filled with uncertainty, chaos, and change. We are seeing things happen in business and with employees that is unprecedented. Downsizing, resizing, mergers, organizations simply going out of business is becoming all too common. As a result of this you have more and more people looking for jobs in totally different industries.

So how do you retool your career? You look within and identify who you are, what your strengths and attributes are, and what you are good at doing and enjoy. Retooling is about being authentic and true to your core values and recognizing how to turn challenges into opportunities. What are you passionate and energized about relating to work? What dreams have you been sitting on? Now is an opportunity to see if you can align your dreams with your passion as you retool your career.

You must get into action and take steps to retool your career. It means reviewing and making sure your resume reflects your strengths and highlights your accomplishments and successes. It requires letting people in your network know you are looking for an opportunity to share your skills and attributes in a progressive company that values stars. This is not a time to sit back and hope someone finds you. Remember it is not what you know or who you know, rather who knows you and what they know about you. You must BRAND YOU!

You must be willing to learn and develop skills in areas that you have not been exposed to before. It might require going back to school for a degree, taking professional development courses at a local community college, or getting a mentor or a coach. It may mean having to do research/reading on an area of interest you know little about. The important thing to remember is you must commit to lifelong learning.

In retooling, you take your transferable skills and apply them to your next career opportunity. If you were good at marketing, technology, teaching, etc. how can you leverage those skills in your next career move? It is vital to build on what you have learned in life and be willing to utilize those same skills in a new career. You can no longer guarantee that jobs you have had in the past will be what you do in the future. You must be open minded and have a willing spirit to adapt to the constant world of change.

Retooling makes you look at what is important to you and then begin a plan of action for moving forward in the face of change to achieve greatness in your life. Remember to ask for what you want, engage others in your job search, commit to life-long learning, look at failure as a detour and not a destination, keep a positive attitude, and continue to walk in integrity and faith.

Your Comments Are Welcome Below

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Labor Day Special Pricing On The November 2nd Multicultural Conference

You Are Cordially Invited To Register And Attend
The November 2nd Multicultural Conference
"Women, Work & Celebrating Self Worth"

Lessons From Vacation In Italy: Unplugging

The M & Ms of Life

You Survived The Pink Slip...Now What???

Women Entrepreneurs and Celebrating Black History Month

AcKNOWLEDGEment is Power

A Time For Change: Jumping Without A Net

Retooling Your Career

Book Debra, Michelle, Nancy or Carole for your next speaking engagement or training event.
Click Here
For Details

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You Are Cordially Invited To Register And Attend The November 2nd Multicultural Conference ​"Women, Work & Celebrating Self Worth"

Book Debra, Michelle, Nancy or Carole for your next speaking engagement or training event.Click Here For Details=======New Post Each Week

Archives

Categories

You Are Cordially Invited To Register And Attend
The November 2nd Multicultural Conference
"Women, Work & Celebrating Self Worth"

Book Debra, Michelle, Nancy or Carole for your next speaking engagement or training event.
Click Here
For Details

=======

New Post Each Week