Need Leadership's Buy-in? Take Control with These 4 Strategies

Have you ever had that brief yet vitally important window of time to speak with your leadership or board only to let your emotions get the best of you and feel disappointed at the outcome?

Whether negotiating an offer for a new title, a monetary raise, promotion, or buy-in on an idea, it’s vital to prepare your mindset AND that of your counterpart.

Here are a few tips to make sure you feel in control of your next crucial conversation:

1. Have an ECO Mindset prior to entering into any high-stakes conversation. (Have "E"mpathy for the other, "C"uriosity for what he/she might feel/be experiencing, and "O"ptimism for how you’d like the conversation to turn out). If you’re not feeling the love, postpone the conversation. Anger and frustration, while 100% understandable, will likely come out in your tone/gesture which will not be helpful to your cause.
2. Begin with acknowledging the other’s perspective. Be...

4 Things to Avoid When Asking for What You're Worth

Have you ever felt like (or had the facts) another colleague is being paid more for an equal or lesser role?

The good news is that you’re not alone. The bad news is that it can be very unfair, disrespectful, demotivating, and bad for business.

You may be thinking that this shouldn’t even be an issue, and that there should not be a discrepancy. Agreed 100%.

But, until pay transparency is more regulated and more systems are in place to manage this very real problem,  it may be time to speak up! If you already have, a few new tools could make all the difference for round 2.

Yes, it’s going to take time to get further down this road on pay equality, so it may be helpful to get comfortable (or I should say, confident and influential) about asking for what you are worth.

There is progress being made however for pay transparency and fairness, partially in thanks to pay transparency advocate and former Corporate VP,...

"3 Strategies for Women to Take Control of Their Visibility and Impact"

Have you ever had the courage to speak up in a crucial conversation or to your leadership and then felt like someone pooped in your cereal? (I know that’s gross, but I cannot take credit! A recent C-level client said it yesterday:).

If so, I am EXTREMELY excited to share this with YOU! On November 5, I’ll be hosting a global live masterclass for VMware’s 6000 member Women in Leadership group, and I wanted to give my Limitless Leader family access to these important tools!

So, here’s the treat...:ghost:

A sneak peek of the outline...

Why?

Because it’s YOUR time to speak up, be heard, and share your unique area of genius even more.

While we have come a long way in terms of equality for women in the workplace, we are not there yet and likely will not be in our lifetime.

According to the recent (September 27, 2021) McKinsey report, 1 in 3 women are considering leaving the workplace.

...

The Importance of Empathetic Leadership

In case you missed my LIVE interview with the remarkable Lindsay Zwart (Chief Enterprise Officer and Director, Vodafone), here are a few of the wisdom gems she shared:

• Leading with compassion and empathy is what sets women apart. We can’t begin to understand what our customers and our team require without understanding where they’re coming from.
• You need to cut yourself a break and know that as much as you want to do everything, you don’t need to do everything. Pick what will be the best for you to engage and have the best outcome.
• You are the outcome. If you put the right structures in place, you can find the right balance that you need. Because work will continue calling, part of it, is accountability on understanding it’s on you as well to not take on more.
• It is imperative to ask for help when needed. There’s no shame in that. Bringing smart brains together, bringing the collaboration of minds can get you the...

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Top 4 Ways NOT to Bomb in the Boardroom

Have you ever had a meeting, presentation or any important interaction go sideways? Most of us have. Along with being a missed opportunity to  gain the influence, recognition or respect we want and deserve, what stings the most is usually our disappointment in ourselves. Let’s make sure it never happens again.

Here are the top 4 ways that amazing leaders and emerging leaders make mistakes AND how to convert the bomb to being a boss in the boardroom (or in any other crucial interaction):

1.) Lack of Preparation

Since you and your colleagues are likely Zoomed out, this is more important now more than ever. Plan key points/asks/needs/outcomes. Think through how you want the interaction to turn out, and how you want to feel once it’s over. Make it as vivid and visceral as possible, then visualize it until you believe it’s possible.

2.) Lack of Empathy

When it comes to crucial...