I was asked for my ‘expert’ opinion for a Sunday Times article that ran last weekend on why so many women are opting to take the redundancy money and run. If you would like to see the piece which includes expert opinions from myself, Sarah Churchman who is Head of Diversity at Price Waterhouse Coopers and Gwen Rhys who is Chief Exective of Women in the City, please email me for a copy at tracey@eve-olution.net. The rest of the article can be found here.
Companies that are taking a short term view on this subject will face extreme talent shortages in the years that lie ahead. Money won’t fix the problem either because women are rarely motivated by money alone. It takes 10 years of consistent effort to reach parity at senior levels. It can be done and has been done by Deloitte in the US who save $170 million a year on recruitment costs.
Whether you are leaving or staying in the corporate world, now is the time to take yourself very seriously indeed. True leaders will be emerging already. Those are the people who look as though they are in control, who are poised to take the big roles that fall out of the chaos. Who exude an air of confidence (not aggression) and look unruffled and charismatic. How do they achieve presence at such a time? There are only 3 things that matter: Physical, emotional and mental capacity.
Leaders now know that in order to remain focussed in a recession they must have a strong body. Being fit and healthy is the best thing you can do for yourself in a crisis. Also, as I mentioned in my last blog – those people who truly know themselves – their values/beliefs/strengths and weaknesses will know how to control and maintain presence by focussing on the inner game.
In taking care of your physical and emotional health you will have the foundation necessary to be flexible. In times of radical change this is an essential skill. Take the time to up-skill, learn how to be flexible and more entrepreneurial. Continuing education gives you options and choices about your future. Remember, there is nothing more common than unrewarded technical expertise. Think about McDonalds for a second – is that a nice place to eat? Do they serve good food?
McDonalds has made more money than anybody else in their industry in the history of mankind. It’s not about ‘what’ you do. It’s about ‘how’ you do it. You can’t play the game unless you understand the game.
If you want to learn more about all this then please come on my next seminar – June 17/18th Click here for more information.
You can also find out more about new video webcasts coming soon.