Connect With Kathy:
"The Leader in You"
Internet Radio Show
hosted by Kathy Garland
Tune in now
"Kathy is a natural. She's such a giving and entertaining speaker. She gives the sizzle along with the steak."
- Jeff Crilley, Emmy Award Winning TV journalist
Learn more
I recently heard a comment from Selling Power’s publisher, Gerhard Gschwandtner, that astounded, maybe even flabbergasted me. He was interviewing Mary Delaney, Chief Sales Officer, CareerBuilder.com, about how women lead.
What he said that startled me was that his staff had trouble finding women executives to interview. The comment they get a lot is that the women executives are too busy. And we wonder why there is a glass ceiling. We are doing a pretty good job of limiting ourselves when we avoid the spotlight.
For me, I think of the time about 10 years ago that I received a call from a recruiter about a position with significantly more responsibility and more money. I did not even go talk to this recruiter because I was very busy and happy where I was. However, there was definitely an element of insecurity there as well. Now I look back and wonder why didn’t I take time to meet with this person?
More recently, I wanted to interview some women executives for a webinar I led for a corporate women’s group. The committee members had trouble finding a female executive to interview. Eventually one woman was able to fit me in her schedule. However, they easily found a man for me to interview.
Say yes to these opportunities. Part of building your business and your career is being visible in order to build your reputation.
To view the video I mentioned, go to http://www.sellingpower.com/video/Â and search Delaney.
Tonight I am in Austin for a Public Speaking Workshop at The Wizard Academy, www.wizardacademy.org. Even though I’ve been speaking for 10 years, I am very excited to learn from someone who charges $25,000 (yes that’s right) per speech. Think there might be something here for people who want to speak?
For me to get the most out of the workshop, I need to enter the classroom as though I know nothing about speaking. I can’t show up and pretend to be what I’m not. I am going to have the attitude of a beginner.
If I go in the classroom tomorrow holding all I know about being a speaker and my 10 years of speeches, that will shut out the possibility of me learning and experiencing something that could greatly improve my speaking and success.
In the past, I’ve fallen into the trap of thinking I have to have all the answers and have it perfect. If you can identify with this, think about it because you may miss opportunities by already having the “right answers.” There are times we need to have the mindset of a beginner so we don’t shut out possibilities to big breakthroughs and insights. A beginner is curious. A beginner has an empty slate. A beginner has no baggage from past history.
The beginner’s mind can absorb more than a mind filled with the best way to do this and the right answer for that. The beginner mind is pliable, moldable, open.
There are times it is advantageous as a leader to have a beginner’s mind. With problem-solving, a beginner’s mind helps eliminate the “we’ve done it before” syndrome and can lead to innovation.
A leader with a beginner’s mind can see solutions from different perspectives and involve her team in developing answers to problems.
It seems contrary to common wisdom, however, to empty your mind on a subject matter you feel you are an expert in and put yourself in the shoes of a beginner is a powerful exercise.
Whether you are an entrepreneur or a corporate employee, what to wear that is comfortable and professional can be confusing. It’s so tempting to let comfort trump image when it is 90 degrees and beyond. Remember how you dress impacts your image which affects your personal brand. Always keep in mind what you want to accomplish or influence by wearing what you wear.
When you build your wardrobe for summer business casual, invest in pieces that are flexible, especially if you travel. Casual jackets with cotton tops and pants are a great choice. On Friday jeans day, you can look great in jeans according to Lillian Hunt, VP of Human Resources for a General Electric division, by wearing dressy jeans with heels and a jacket.Â
Working with a personal shopper will help you buy pieces to extend your choices. They will work with your budget and tell you what looks best on you. Nordstrom’s and Chicos are two of my favorite places to shop for business casual and great service. I get overwhelmed with too many choices and working with one person makes my shopping experience much more pleasant and I buy clothes that work for me.
Tip: If you are leading a meeting, black is a great choice even though it is hot in the summer. It commands authority and attention. Red, of course, has always been a power color.