WIMBIZ

HOW TO HANDLE PRESENTATION SURPRISES

2010-11-17T20:53:00.003+01:00

by Kathy ReiffensteinDuring a recent speech by President Obama at Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit the presidential seal fell off the podium. Most likely this is something that the president's staff and the event organizers would like to forget. But the episode is worth highlighting because it so clearly illustrates one of the things so many presenters fear...disruptive presentation

WOMEN AS LEADERS, PART III

2010-09-23T14:53:00.008+01:00

by Kathy ReiffensteinIn the last two posts, we explored women's relative lack of success in reaching senior leadership positions despite their very applicable and desirable skills. To address this situation, McKinsey & Company, the global management consulting firm, embarked on an initiative to determine what drives and sustains successful female leaders. Out of their research with 85 women

WOMEN AS LEADERS, PART II

2010-07-15T22:02:00.010+01:00

by Kathy ReiffensteinConfidence -- specifically the lack of it -- is an issue that everyone deals with from time to time. But in the workplace, lack of confidence seems to be a uniquely female struggle that can and does get in the way of being seen as having leadership capabilities.There are undoubtedly a variety of influences that come together to fuel this lack of confidence:societal mores,

WOMEN AS LEADERS, PART I

2010-06-29T20:14:00.004+01:00

by Kathy ReiffensteinFor years, women in business have tried to be more like men. Men have traditionally held the power positions and it only made sense that the way to achieve that same standing was to imitate the leadership traits of our male counterparts.In this endeavour, women have tried to overcome or mask many of their innate characteristics like being collaborative, sensitive to others

PRESENTATION TIP: PAUSE FOR EFFECT

2010-06-21T16:45:00.007+01:00

by Kathy ReiffensteinA well-timed pause in a presentation is the mark of an experienced presenter but, with a little practice, it is a simple technique for anyone to incorporate. It works equally well in a formal presentation, introductory remarks as the chair of a meeting or a senior management update in the boardroom.The pause offers a number of benefits:It builds anticipation ~~ "The empires

USING FACEBOOK FOR BUSINESS

2010-05-26T18:14:00.006+01:00

by Kathy ReiffensteinI have a love/hate affair with Facebook. I never know what to post because I never know who I'm really talking to. I originally signed up to use it as a fun way to stay in touch with friends and family I didn't see very often. And then some of my business colleagues started friending me and suddenly my business and personal contacts were intertwined.While it's OK to share a

THE SKILL OF NETWORKING

2010-05-07T19:49:00.006+01:00

by Kathy ReiffensteinNetworking is about far more than collecting business cards. Rather, it is a business strategy which can position you as a savvy, connected professional and open doors you didn't even know were there.And, as with any strategy, flawless implementation is the key to success.The benefits of strategic networking are many:uncovering the "hidden" job market -- positions that may

COMMUNICATION STYLES - PART III

2010-04-28T23:55:00.004+01:00

by Kathy ReiffensteinIn the last two posts, we’ve looked at the four communication styles, based on Carl Jung’s work: Intuitor, Thinker, Senser and Feeler.And while it’s interesting to learn about how different people look at the world and communicate their ideas, we have to ask ourselves…so what? How can we take this information and apply it to our communications to improve our effectiveness? [

COMMUNICATION STYLES - PART II

2010-04-21T23:17:00.006+01:00

by Kathy Reiffenstein"The problem with communication isthe illusion that it has been accomplished." George Bernard Shaw, 20th century Irish playwright and Nobel laureateShaw's words are still true today. It's common practice to think that as long as we articulately convey some information or opinion, the listener will automatically understand it. Yet how many times do we shake our heads in

COMMUNICATION STYLES – PART I

2010-04-12T11:27:00.002+01:00

by Kathy ReiffensteinCommunication is a critical skill for being effective and getting things done in both our business and personal lives. Yet it is a skill that we often take for granted. I mean…everyone knows how to talk, right? [especially we women!]Do you ever wonder, though, why some conversations go so smoothly and some are so difficult? When communicating seems to be a struggle, perhaps

SPEAK PERSUASIVELY

2010-03-31T17:59:00.002+01:00

by Kathy ReiffensteinStanding in front of any audience, your goal is to persuade them • that you know what you're talking about • that your approach/suggestion/proposal is worth considering • that they should do what you're asking them to doOver two thousand years ago, the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, suggested that there are three available means of persuasion: ethos, logos and pathos. As valid

SELF PROMOTION WITH PROFESSIONALISM AND STYLE

2010-03-25T13:42:00.002+01:00

by Kathy ReiffensteinIn business, letting others know about your skills, your ideas and your accomplishments is key to advancing your career. Yet, as women, we are frequently reluctant to do this, feeling it will make us sound too conceited or too aggressive.Although it’s dangerous to generalize, studies have shown that men are better at self promotion than women. Men tend to be more focused on

SOCIAL CAPITAL IS A POWERFUL PROFESSIONAL TOOL

2010-03-11T10:32:00.002+01:00

by Kathy ReiffensteinCapital is what keeps organizations healthy and thriving, allowing them to achieve their goals. But the capital I’m referring to here is not naira, pounds or dollars. It is the kind you find in relationships instead of in bank vaults. It is called social capital.WHAT IS SOCIAL CAPITAL?Social capital is a bit intangible. You can’t actually touch it or see it. It can be defined

NERVOUS ABOUT A PRESENTATION?

2010-03-01T16:12:00.001+01:00

by Kathy ReiffensteinThere is a famous quote that says: “There are two types of speakers – those that are nervous and those that are liars."The panic about having to present or speak in public goes by many names: stage fright, jitters, performance anxiety, nerves. But whatever you call it, this feeling can range from mild anxiety, where you may experience a racing heart and sweaty palms, to

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR?

2010-02-13T22:37:00.003+01:00

by Kathy Reiffenstein“Success to me is not about money or status or fame; it’s about finding a livelihood that brings me joy and self-sufficiency and a sense of contributing to the world.” Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop Thinking about making the jump into the world of the self-employed? Dreaming about being your own boss? Before you give up

DON'T YOU DARE APOLOGISE!

2010-02-08T12:37:00.007+01:00

by Kathy ReiffensteinApologies certainly have their place in our lives...just not in our business presentations. WHY DO PRESENTERS APOLOGISE?We apologise because we're feeling inadequate, insecure, unprepared. We think that if we proactively point out all the things we feel aren't good enough about our presentation and delivery, then perhaps the audience won't judge us harshly. Yet multiple

Mentoring Training

2010-02-02T13:47:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone,Happy New Year. WIMBIZ wishes you the very best of 2010. Here's to inform you of our Mentoring Training scheduled for Saturday February 20, 2010.Venue will be communicated to selected participants. Please visit our website for details.

Women Making a Difference

2009-08-06T10:33:00.003+01:00

Madeleine Albright once said there's a place in hell reserved for women who don't help other women; then it seems only logical that the corollary be true that as well: there must be an exalted seat in the Sweet hereafter for women who help other women.Women's success is contagious and self-sustaining. It empowers rather than imperils. I'll like you to share with me the following:WHO ARE YOUR

Feminists and Feminism

2009-08-06T10:05:00.002+01:00

The word Feminism brings heated arguments whenever it comes up. Women who say they are Feminists are regarded simply as 'men haters'; etc. Men who say they are feminists are seen either as gay or "women-wrappers". What is your opinion?What do you understand by Feminism? Are you a Feminist? Can men be Feminists? Tell us!

Women Behaving Badly

2009-07-16T11:01:00.001+01:00

Get inside the mind of the office backstabber. By Joanne GordonAfter working for years in women-dominated offices in the software industry, Julia Hutton had had enough. "I saw so many things that were extremely counterproductive," says Hutton, referring to, for instance, female colleagues who spent more time talking about her "creative" clothing than her job performance. "The better I did, the

Corporate Governance Training

2009-07-14T15:40:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone, hope you had a lovely weekend. Was quite restful for me. Well just for you to know that WIMBIZ is planning a Corporate Governance Training Workshop in August. The dates will be online soon.

July Roundtable Business Lunch - Having a Will

2009-07-07T15:55:00.000+01:00

The July Roundtable Business Lunch held on July 2, 2009 and the topic for discussions was "HAVING A WILL".It was very very interesting to see high level business women and corporate executives discuss a topic sometimes avoided.Now my question to all of you is:DO YOU HAVE A WILL? SHOULD YOU HAVE A WILL?Send your comments and let's get this rolling!

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Defies Liberian Assumptions of Women –Employs Female Security Force

2009-07-07T15:42:00.000+01:00

(culled from Vital VOices Blog)Trainers from the UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia, UNMIL, recently conducted a mock hostage exercise for visiting Security Council ambassadors, showcasing the innovative methods and capacity of female-dominated Liberian security forces. President Sirleaf, the first woman elected president of Liberia, has teamed with Ellen Margrethe Loj, the senior UN official in

2009 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

2009-07-07T13:25:00.000+01:00

This year's WIMBIZ Annual Conference is slated for November 3 & 4, 2009 at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.See Newspapers for details.

Hello!

2009-07-07T12:54:00.000+01:00

Hello Everyone,Welcome to the WIMBIZ blog. I am excited that this is finally a reality and we have a Blog! Our new website is up and we hope you will make the most of it. Please visit the website as often as you can to get updates on activities and new events.Visit my blog and get titbits on business, the corporate world, women, children: everything that makes us the women we are.Enjoy!

The Wait

2009-06-16T09:08:00.000+01:00