Meet Featured Diva Lynn Bardowski

What is the name of your business and a description of what you do?

Million $ Party Girl -  I empower women to discover their glow and create a bigger vision for their business, and their life. Products include webcasts, teleconferences, speaking, best selling book, radio show, blog and candles.

How much has your business direction changed in the past five years and why?

My direction, and vision – To empower women to discover their glow.”-  is the same but, in the last five years, it has become bigger. As I got closer to 50, I added the word “gazillion” to my vision. That inspired me take action to serve more women. I created the Million $ Party Girl brand, started a blog, wrote a best selling book, developed my keynote speaking business and became a radio host, all while running my million $ PartyLite biz!

What advice do you have for women who are trying to grow their businesses?

My advice is to follow your purpose and passion, create a vision and share it with the world! Your vision will inspire you, and others, to act. Don’t wait until you know “everything” to get started. Enthusiasm on fire is better than knowledge on ice.

What do you know now that you wished you knew 10 years ago as it relates to business?

Failure is part of the success process. In essence, they are one in the same. When I first became an entrepreneur I thought you either succeeded or, you failed. My first failure was a huge setback for me because I put all my self worth into achieving “the goal.” I wasted a lot of time thinking about the woulda, coulda, shoulda. Now. I can see the lesson in failure, recalculate and move on quickly.

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Organizing Your Time By Knowing Which No

Guest Post by Janice Russell

I saw a cartoon by Ted Goff that said “When you say no, do you mean partially no, possibly no, or approximately no?” I had to laugh. We often help clients with time organizing challenges. One major culprit is having more activties or tasks than hours in a day. A major problem? The inability to say “no.” It’s a short word but incredibly difficult to use on a regular basis.

Let’s look at a scenario.

Someone comes to you and says, “I know that you are really good at organizing events. We have this event and would really like you to be in charge.” In this scenario, let’s assume that we are talking about a volunteer activity for work or some group in which you are a member. Let’s also presume that you neither have the time nor the desire. However, you immediately feel the tug of “the need” and you really enjoyed the compliment about your event organizing ability. Here are some possible responses:

1. “Well, I really don’t have the time but it sounds like you really need someone, so sure.”
2. “I don’t have time, but if you can find someone to co-chair, I guess I can do it.”
3. “I know I don’t have the time to chair the event, but I’ll be glad to help out in other ways.”
4. “Wellll. I really can’t.” (sigh)
5. “I appreciate that you think I can take on the challenge of organizing this event and I know it’s for a good cause. Unfortunately, all of my time is spoken for at this time so I’ll have to turn down the opportunity. I wish you success in finding someone for this position.”

Remember, I originally stated that you neither have the time nor the desire. Yet in statements #1-3 you end up with at least some responsibiilty. In statement #4 you’re a bit wishy-washy so the person probably ends up persuading you to do at least one task for the event. Only #5 acknowledges that while you appreciate the confidence and the intention, you are unable to help in any way.

Some of you are saying, “I would never think to say #5 when someone asked me to do something.” That’s fine. Instead, create and practice a generic definite no statement: “I’m sorry, but my calendar is full right now and I’m unable to add any more activities” OR ”While I appreciate you thinking of me, I’m not able to add any new tasks to my schedule.” Create a short sentence that feels comfortable to you. Then practice it in front of a mirror, with a pet, in the car, with a friend, etc. Until it rolls off the tip of your tongue the minute someone say, “Can you…?”

If you need help organizing your time, check out the information about our organizer coaching services. Just a few changes may radically increase your command over your calendar.

Janice Russell is a Master Organizer * Productivity Strategist * Speaker * Author * Organizer Coach.  Learn more about her and her business by going to:  www.mindingyourmatters.com   

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Throwback to the 60s Fundraiser Video

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Why Business Loves Older Women

Special Guest post by Anjana Ahuja, Ph.D for Psychology Today

What makes a powerful woman?  Check her birthdate.

There’s something that unites the female chief executives, politicians and policymakers on Forbes magazine’s 2010 list of the most powerful women in the world.

• Irene Rosenfeld, Kraft CEO, aged 57
• Angela Merkel, German Chancellor, 56
• Hillary Clinton, 63
• Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo CEO, 55
• Gail Kelly, Westpac CEO, 54
• Nancy Pelosi, 70.

Of course, it’s in the numbers. These women are in what we might call their business prime, which is rather different from their biological prime. Where are the female equivalents of Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, a mere stripling at 26, or David Cameron, the 44-year-old British Prime Minister who, while in office, has become a father for the fourth time? Scanning the magazine’s separate list of top-paid young CEOs reveals a similar age profile: not a single female appears. The gentler sex is also, once she gets into the boardroom or the voting chamber, the older sex.

Whoever heard of a “career man”?

Of course, it might simply be that, because of discrimination, women take longer to ascend to positions of power and are therefore older once they take the throne. But look at the sexism evident in media coverage whenever a young woman takes a prominent business position. When was the last time you read of a male appointee being quizzed about his childcare arrangements? And have you noticed how we don’t have the term career man, only career woman? So often, the term is used to denigrate women who step into the boardroom, to reflect an unspoken belief that their families are shunted into second place. The exceptions to the Forbes list are celebrities, such as Beyonce and Lady Ga Ga – but youth and beauty are especially prized in the worlds of music and fashion.

Once a woman reaches menopause or once her children are grown up, women seem to be taken much more seriously in the boardroom.  This might explain the very noticeable presence of post-menopausal women in the Forbes list. Is it possible that older women not just have the advantage of experience and authority, but also are taken more seriously once they are no longer perceived as biologically necessary for group survival?

To learn more about this subject, check out a book Dr. Ahuja co-authored, titled: Naturally Selected: The Evolutionary Science of Leadership, which goes some way to explaining the underrepresentation of young and middle-aged women in positions of power. While there has been decades of discussion whether social conditioning is to blame, Ahuja and her co-author believe the origins of male domination in public life stretch right back to our evolutionary beginnings, two million years ago.

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50 and Fabulous Top Bloggers Named by Boomer Diva Nation

Tips On Returning to the Workforce

Special Guest Post By:   Barbara Pachter

Have you been out of work for awhile and now looking to return?  According to business etiquette expert Barbara Pachter, author of  NewRules@Work: 79 Etiquette Tips, Tools, and Techniques to Get Ahead and Stay Ahead, “The position people hold, the responsibilities they have and the type of workplace they enter may be very different than the one they left. As a result, it is normal for people to experience anxiety while learning their job and their organization’s culture”

Pachter stresses that it’s helpful for new hires to remember that no one expects them to know everything at once. Follow these eight tips to overcome new job jitters and make an initial positive impression:

1. Do more than expected of you. Naturally it is important to do your job and do it well, but you also want to get noticed. Doing more than expected of you is one way to have others see you as a competent person. Help others and volunteer for additional assignments.

2. Don’t keep comparing your former position to your current one It’s easy to compare the old to the new, but your colleagues don’t want to keep hearing, “Well, in my old company we did it this way” You sound like a know-it-all. Also, don’t complain about your salary. You may not be making what you did in your last job, but complaining won’t make it any larger. It just makes you annoying.

3. Know your company’s social media guidelines Social media has exploded in the workplace over the last couple of years, but it may not have been an issue when you were last working. Learn what you can and cannot do on Facebook, YouTube, etc. Also, do not post negative comments about your new employer. You don’t want to bite the hand that feeds you.

4. Greet people As you walk the hallways, stand in the lunch line, or ride the elevator, make an effort to say “hi” or “good morning” to others. You appear friendly and approachable when you do.

5. Listen to others. You cannot learn what others know when you’re talking. Listen more than you speak. Eventually though, if you don’t speak up, you can become invisible. Just make sure that when you do speak, your questions are relevant and your comments worthwhile.

6. Don’t advertise your inexperience. People often say “I’ve never done this before” or “This is all new for me” You want people to view you as a capable person. Reminding them of your lack of experience creates a different image.

7. Dress appropriately. What was appropriate in your old company may not be suitable for your new position. Look at what successful people in your company are wearing. You can usually model yourself after them.

8. Take business social situations seriously. Activities held outside the office, such as dinners in restaurants or holiday parties are still business events. Attend, mingle and don’t get drunk. You will meet more people and learn more about your company when you do.

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Do You Have Smile Power?

1. You’ll feel better – even if you fake it

There’s no doubt that the “best” smiles are genuine. They light up your face, crinkle the corners of your eyes and produces positive physiological changes in your body temperature and heart rate. But consider research findings that even if the smile is mechanically produced, positive feelings still emerge. This study matched samples of people looking at cartoons. The first group ranked every cartoon as funnier than the second group. The only difference is that members of the first group were asked to hold a pencil crosswise between their back teeth. The simulated smile caused by the pencil between their teeth effected their emotion – and their perception of the cartoons as funnier.

2. You’ll be unforgettable

Why do some people make a lasting impression while others are quite forgettable? The answer may be in their smile.

Research from Duke University proves that we like and remember those who smile at us – and shows why we find them more memorable. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the Duke researchers found that the orbitofrontal cortices (a “reward center” in the brain) were more active when subjects were learning and recalling the names of smiling individuals.

3. You’ll encourage collaboration

According to research conducted reported by the British Psychological Society, positive and negative emotional responses systematically alter the use of language. Speak to a positive listener and people will likely use more abstractions and subjective impressions. But if people talk to a negative listener, they’ll probably stick to the relative security of objective facts and concrete details.

Researchers speculate that this is because the smiles and nods of a positive listener are interpreted as a sign of agreement and understanding, encouraging the speaker to provide more of their own opinions and speculations. By contrast, negative listeners provoke speakers to adopt a more hesitant and cautious thinking style.

4. You’ll improve your productivity

Charles Garfield, the author of Peak Performance, once coached the Russian Olympic weight-lifting team. Garfield noticed that when team members lifted to exhaustion, they would invariably grimace at the painful effort. In an experiment, he encouraged the athletes to smile when they got to that point of exhaustion. This seemingly minor difference enabled them to add 2-3 more reps to their performance.

No matter the task, when you grimace or frown while doing it, you are sending your brain the message, “This is really difficult. I should stop.” The brain then responds by sending stress chemicals into your bloodstream. And this creates a vicious circle: the more stressed you are, the more difficult the task becomes.

When you smile, your brain gets the message, “It’s not so bad. I can do this!”

5.You’ll positively contaminate others

Some nonverbal behaviors can bring out the best in people. Smiling is one of them, as it directly influences how other people respond. When you smile at someone, they almost always smile in return. And, because facial expressions trigger corresponding feelings, the smile you get back actually changes that person’s emotional state in a positive way.

Want to brighten your mood, make a lasting impression, encourage collaboration, lighten your work load, and positively influence others? Then smile – really smile. Think of someone who genuinely amuses or delights you. But if you can’t do that, then fake it . . . or hold a pencil in your mouth. 

Carol Kinsey Goman, Ph.D.

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7 Career Mistakes That Turn Your Mojo into Nojo

 Special Guest Post by:  Dr. Maynard Brusman

If you’ve been working hard for any length of time, in any field, chances are you’ve experienced at least one humiliating career failure. Career “hiccups” can kill your spirit and make it difficult to regain your intrinsic motivation and drive.

Some of the “bad” things that happen to hardworking, well-meaning, capable people each day include:

• Missing the big opportunity

• Getting passed over for a promotion

• Getting demoted

• Losing a lot of money

• Getting fired

• Going bankrupt

What happens to us when our worst career nightmares come true?

There may not be scandalous headlines in the local papers, but with the emotional turmoil you’re experiencing, there may as well be.

Public or company humiliations suck the air out of one’s spirit, making it hard to carry on with dignity and drive. Our lifeblood and mental energy are drained.

Career-altering events can happen to anyone — and they do. But when they happen to us, they seem incomprehensible, largely because we’ve worked so hard to be nice, dedicated and well-meaning.

But even when we can partially blame the economy, there comes a time when we must take a hard look at what we could have done differently. Despite faltering companies, imperfect leaders, coworkers who don’t like us and other external variables, we must eventually engage in private, honest introspection. It’s time to ask: What part did I play in the events leading up to the career crisis?

One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is “Am I maintaining my career mojo?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching and career development for leaders who want to be maintain their career mojo and be fully engaged at work.

About Dr. Maynard Brusman:

Dr. Maynard Brusman is a consulting psychologist and executive coach. He is the president of Working Resources, a leadership consulting and executive coaching firm. We specialize in helping San Francisco Bay Area companies and law firms assess, select, coach, and retain emotionally intelligent leaders. Maynard is a highly sought-after speaker and workshop leader. He facilitates leadership retreats in Northern California and Costa Rica. The Society for Advancement of Consulting (SAC) awarded Dr. Maynard Brusman “Board Approved” designations in the specialties of Executive Coaching and Leadership Development.  To learn more about Dr. Brusman, visit his website:  Working Resources

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5 Tips to See of Your Website is Up to Snuff

1. Is it simple, clear and fast—think of your homepage as a billboard. Tell them exactly what they need to know up front.
2. Leave plenty of white space around text. A simple font on a light background works best. Separate wide blocks of text into columns.
3. Sub-headings make for quick reading. Make sure pages are easily skimmed.
4. Let your best customers sing your praises. Display their testimonials prominently on your site.
5. After each update, click through your entire site. Mistakes or broken links will only send visitors away.

Brought to you by SCORE, America’s small business mentors, at www.score.org.
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Tips for Returning to the Workplace

Though the unemployment rate is still high, people are returning to work and hopefully this trend will continue in the future.

According to business etiquette expert Barbara Pachter, author of NewRules@Work: 79 Etiquette Tips, Tools, and Techniques to Get Ahead and Stay Ahead, “The position people hold, the responsibilities they have and the type of workplace they enter may be very different than the one they left. As a result, it is normal for people to experience anxiety while learning their job and their organization’s culture”

Pachter stresses that it’s helpful for new hires to remember that no one expects them to know everything at once. Follow these eight tips to overcome new job jitters and make an initial positive impression:

1. Do more than expected of you. Naturally it is important to do your job and do it well, but you also want to get noticed. Doing more than expected of you is one way to have others see you as a competent person. Help others and volunteer for additional assignments.

2. Don’t keep comparing your former position to your current one It’s easy to compare the old to the new, but your colleagues don’t want to keep hearing, “Well, in my old company we did it this way” You sound like a know-it-all. Also, don’t complain about your salary. You may not be making what you did in your last job, but complaining won’t make it any larger. It just makes you annoying.

3. Know your company’s social media guidelines Social media has exploded in the workplace over the last couple of years, but it may not have been an issue when you were last working. Learn what you can and cannot do on Facebook, YouTube, etc. Also, do not post negative comments about your new employer. You don’t want to bite the hand that feeds you.

4. Greet people As you walk the hallways, stand in the lunch line, or ride the elevator, make an effort to say “hi” or “good morning” to others. You appear friendly and approachable when you do.

5. Listen to others. You cannot learn what others know when you’re talking. Listen more than you speak. Eventually though, if you don’t speak up, you can become invisible. Just make sure that when you do speak, your questions are relevant and your comments worthwhile.

6. Don’t advertise your inexperience. People often say “I’ve never done this before” or “This is all new for me” You want people to view you as a capable person. Reminding them of your lack of experience creates a different image.

7. Dress appropriately. What was appropriate in your old company may not be suitable for your new position. Look at what successful people in your company are wearing. You can usually model yourself after them.

8. Take business social situations seriously. Activities held outside the office, such as dinners in restaurants or holiday parties are still business events. Attend, mingle and don’t get drunk. You will meet more people and learn more about your company when you do.

Barbara Pachter is speaker, coach and author of numerous business books, including The Power of Positive Confrontation ($15.95, paperback, Marlowe & Co.) and When the Little Things Count ($13.95, paperback, Marlowe & Co.). 

For a free copy of Pachter’s communication e-newsletter, Competitive Edge, go to www.pachter.com.

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