Posted by Andrea Heilbronner on Wed, Jul 01, 2009
I was happy to come across an article in the New York Times yesterday about new loan programs pushed through by the Obama administration. (read the NYT article here)
Starting today, the federal government begins offering a loan repayment plan that lets graduates reduce their loan payments based on their income.
Additionally, the interest rate on new Stafford Loans will drop from 6% to 5.6% and will continue to fall to 3.4% in 2012 based on a schedule created by Congress.
While the interest rate cuts only apply to those taking out new loans, the repayment plan might apply to anyone with Federal higher-education loans.
Those whose income is low enough will have the balance of their loans forgiven after 25 years. Anyone who works in public service (and the definition of public service is broad and includes the government, nonprofits, education, public health, etc) can have their loans forgiven after 10 years.
As someone contemplating more school (graduate degree? MBA? a certificate program?) and working at a non-profit, I'm thrilled at the prospect of cheaper loans. Hopefully this will help some of the FWL women out there who are joining our MBA mentorship program or are paying off college loans.
For more information on the new income-based repayment, check out the Dept of Educations new website here.
Posted by Megan Bergtholdt on Tue, Jun 30, 2009
Women on Top: Lessons for Life and Business from the Mountains
with special guest Emilie Cortes (an FWL
featured leader), Mountaineer and Founder, Association of Women MBAs.
What do you do when the going gets tough on a mountain?
Do you back down or charge forward one step at a time?
Do you assess the risk and retreat, cautiously continue, or blindly march on?
The same characteristics that make a strong climber also make a successful businesswoman. Young Women Social Entrepreneurs, Charles Schwab and the Women's Interactive Network, Future Women Leaders, and the Silicon Valley and San Francisco Professional Chapters of Net Impact have teamed up to bring you this inspirational event designed to inspire you higher in your career.
Emilie will share spectacular photography and the amazing parallels between the business and mountaineering words. Some highlights that she'll explore include...
- Performing and being judged in a "man's world"
- Balancing fear and risk to achieve your dreams
- Importance of teamwork, leadership and collaboration
- Perseverance, persistence and preparation
- Setting ambitious but achievable goals
Event Details: July 23 | 6:30pm | Charles Schwab Auditorium, San Francisco
RSVP now for the advance discount for Future Women Leaders!
Posted by Megan Bergtholdt on Mon, Jun 29, 2009
A guest post by Elizabeth Zirk (see previous post, "Becoming Fearless"):
You know that Beatles song, "The Long and Winding Road"?
It's been difficult lately to strike that elusive balance between business and personal. On the personal side, does everyone I know really need to have a birthday right now? I love my friends and family. To death. But seriously...were the winters just that cold for our parents!? I also volunteer my time for a non-profit organization that I feel deeply connected to (www.yfu-usa.org). It's a huge part of why I want to fearlessly plunge myself into starting my non-profit idea: support for study abroad program alumni. I love it. It's invigorating.
On the business side of things, I've slowed things down a bit. On purpose. A few weeks ago, I was discussing my non-profit idea every single day of the week with someone different. It became rather exhausting, even though I received a mountain of good information and feedback. But it was too much for me. Do I really want to eat chicken and rice every day of the week? I need variety. I can't forget that I'm a social person, with friends who have birthdays!
For me, it's also very easy to get pulled into the cycle of YES. Regardless of business or pleasure, it's hard to start saying NO to people. I don't like saying no, so I opt to say something else. In German (my second language), there's a word: Jein. It's a mixture of the words yes and no. It's when you truly believe that you can answer both yes and no to a situation. There's no English equivalent, but I allow that word to be my NO.
Why?
Back in March, Starla empowered us to go out there and interview someone who inspired us and also might give us some tips. Shannon, one of my fearless peer group companions, knew a friend of hers who would be a perfect fit for my interview assignment. Chris Balme, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Spark (www.sparkprogram.org), is one of those individuals who was gracious and talented all in one. His program is genius BTW!
Chris and I sat down together for an hour and I truly felt like someone was listening. We've even kept in contact since then, which only allows me to feel more at ease with continuing to ask questions. Since interviewing Chris (which didn't actually feel like an interview), I've met a large handful of people who are genuinely interested in my idea and are willing to help.
The other huge part of it is that they're human. Incredibly human. They are giving, humorous, intelligent, and social. Hey, wait, that's me too! If my theory is correct, I'm pretty sure they have bad days too. They're saying NO to people too. In their own way, of course.
So, I might be learning how to make my own pathways into becoming a fearless entrepreneur, but I'm also human.
Spark creates real-world opportunities for youth, arranging workplace apprenticeships that help middle-school youth become confident, engaged, self-motivated learners. Since 2004, Spark has turned hundreds of workplaces into learning spaces, opening doors for hundreds of youth. Spark is growing rapidly to provide this model to organizations around the US, showing that middle-school, often seen as a time of increasing problems, can be a time when students build the skills and personal vision to succeed in high school, college and career. More info at www.sparkprogram.org.
Elizabeth Zirk grew up in the Bay Area, and works at WestEd, a leader in educational research and development. She does a lot of other things too! Check out her blogs at http://www.aliascrazy.com.
Posted by Megan Bergtholdt on Fri, Jun 26, 2009
Kirsten Mahoney, a frequent speaker for FWL and a featured leader on this blog, recently appeared on The View From The Bay speaking on the topic of getting your to do list done. Kirsten is chock full of great advice, so check out her tips below:
Posted by Megan Bergtholdt on Wed, Jun 24, 2009
FWL has the privelege of having Lori Goler, director of HR at Facebook, speak on the topic of transitioning careers and industries. Lori speaks from experience, having started her career at Walt Disney Company focusing on strategy and business planning for their consumer products businesses.
In the spirit of encouraging mentoring among women, we'll also be featuring a silent auction where you'll be able to bid on time with a prominent local business woman. Hope to see you there!
RSVP HERE!
RSVP HERE!
About Lori Goler, Keynote Speaker
Lori Goler is the Director of Human Resources and is responsible for all aspects of Facebook's people strategy including growing, developing and retaining the Facebook team. Lori joined Facebook following five years at eBay, where she led consumer marketing with responsibility for marketing strategy, brand management, advertising, and consumer promotions. While there, she also served as General Manager of the eBay Stores business. Lori was a founding member of the executive team at babystyle.com where she led operations and merchandising. In that role, she led the roll-out of babystyle.com which became a leading online retailer in the category. Lori started her career at The Walt Disney Company focused on strategy and business planning for the consumer products businesses. Lori holds a bachelor's degree from Yale University, a master's degree in business administration from Harvard Business School and a master's degree in public policy from the Kennedy School of Government.
Posted by Megan Bergtholdt on Tue, Jun 23, 2009
A guest post by Amanda Huang:
I was asked by younger women who have been trained in science and technology about the pros and cons of finding work in industry and government. The definition of sciences is physical sciences, such as life science, biochemistry, chemistry and such; the social sciences are not in the discussion here. More and more women are in the sciences and technology field and they need thoughtful plans to explore their own career paths. Hope this note will provide some insights and be helpful in determining the better approach for their career development.
The primary alternatives for a female scientist or engineer besides academia are industry or government. For much of the recent history, scientists have had two options, academia and applied science. While basic sciences have been viewed as pure and noble, untainted by the prospect of profits; the industrial has been seen as the refuge for those who could not make it in academia.
In fact, industry and government positions have many advantages over those in academia. In general, it does not require a post doc experience from candidates. Women in industry can start working for better salaries sooner, which help their lifetime earnings in long term financial planning.
On average, industry and government positions require fewer work hours than do those in academia.
Women in industry and government are more able to focus on scientific research than their counter parts in academia. The disadvantage is that work gets done has to be done by them personally because there is no support from students. Another issue is that scientists must work on whatever that management thinks is important. After all, the commercial application of the research overrides other concerns in industry or government.
Another trade off for women in industry and government is that they lack the job security that tenured professors have.
Discrimination, bias and isolation are also challenges for women in industry and government, particularly in more male dominated areas. Women who end up supervising men may have an even more difficult time.
Not having a problem with women in engineering is quite different from treating them the same as men. For the woman who needs to feed both the creative and technical sides of herself, there are not a lot of options. Women fare better in groups that have formal hiring and promotion practices. A network based organization offers many routes to be successful.
We are living in the world that is progressing yet women in science and technology do face many challenges in their professional lives. Making deliberate and authentic decisions will help young women in science and technology to be successful in their chosen careers.
About Amanda Huang
Amanda Huang has been living in Toronto, Canada for the past two years, where she is a business plan provider and a part time clerk with TD Waterhouse. Her specialty is Business Communication in Energy, Investment banking, Material, Government policy and University and Medical Imaging.
Amanda Huang started her career with Air Products as a design engineer, then sales and marketing. She enjoyed long productive business relationships when she worked for Air Products.
Amanda Huang taught an ELS class in the United States after she finished her master degree in Management and Administration Sciences from the University of Texas at Dallas. She lived in Boulder, Colorado; Austin, Texas and Denver, Colorado for 4 years doing research projects while teaching English.
She has applied her experience and skills in Business to Business with her cross functional analysis and business intelligence ability with Fugro Airborne Surveys Corporation Canada.
Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn.
Posted by Megan Bergtholdt on Mon, Jun 22, 2009
:: Current title and company
Founder and president, Fearlessness Inc.
:: Online profiles
Follow Starla on Twitter
Join Starla on Facebook
Join Starla on LinkedIn
:: Favorite books?
Anything by Oscar Wilde - his humor, perspective and quotes are timeless ("Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.")
The Pearl by John Steinbeck - This short work is heartbreaking and encourages us to cherish what you have.
Let your Life Speak by Parker Palmer - His advice is soul-stirring. A must-read for those trying to find meaning in their career.
:: Who is a woman leader who inspires you?
She's not famous, but she inspires me everyday...my mom. She is resilient, grounded, wise, spiritual, pragmatic and in tune with herself and the world around her. Besides that, she is hilarious, absurd, and mischievous. She is completely unafraid to be who she is. She has taught me a lifetime of lessons - how to get up after being knocked down, how to laugh at myself, and to always find the good in people.
:: Who was your best manager? Why?
Maybe it was the world of finance, but I never worked for a woman I respected (sad to say, isn't it?).
My best manager was Ken Barnes aka The Pope. He sat about a foot away from me on the trading floor at Fannie Mae. He hired based on a person's potential, not whether they had done the job before. I managed a $35 billion portfolio and one of the best pieces of advice he gave me was, "When you make a mistake (and you will), be able to explain why you made it, what you're going to do about it and learn from it."
:: Your first "real" job?
International Marketing Analyst for Fannie Mae.
:: Where do you do your best thinking?
In the shower or talking with my husband.
:: What do you value most in employees? Colleagues?
Passion, originality, tenacity, conscientiousness, caring and a good sense of humor.
:: What would you like to be the world's best at?
Wife, daughter, friend, person on the street. Everyday, we have the ability to impact someone's life for better or worse. I believe that if each of us just tried to be fully present in our daily lives, the world would be a more positive place.
:: What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Leaving a career that was "successful" for the uncertainty of creating my own company.
:: What is your personal mission statement?
I have learned that the only way I can make a positive impact is by being absolutely true to who I am. There is an e.e. cummings poem that says, "To be nobody but yourself in a world that's doing its best to make you somebody else, is to fight the hardest battle you are ever going to fight. Never stop fighting.
Posted by Megan Bergtholdt on Fri, Jun 19, 2009
A guest post by Nancy Dailey, Ph.D.
What happens when technology conversions or implementations go wild? You get social patterns in your company that look like cross-talk, territorial disputes, fear of technology, open and subtle resistance, running faster and harder (but going nowhere), wasted energy and resources.
Over the years I've observed executives and senior leaders be so excited about adopting a new application like PeopleSoft, only to be mystified a few months later because they can't understand why things are taking so long, people are complaining and/or resisting and everyone feels overworked. What's going on?
Technology facilitates convergence and integration to achieve better, faster results. Executives and leaders nod and buy-in. They look to technology to drive business process redesign. After all, companies have been making heavy financial investments in technology for years now.
Yet, for many, the expected business results don't materialize. The reality is often unintended outcomes that sound like "...we can't execute well on what we have now..." "...there's enough technology to hold us for the next 10 years..." "...the focus needs to start with the business or end user and how to execute well, not more bells and whistles..." "...trying to do too much at once is a big mistake..." "...there is too much change, it's overwhelming..."
Here's the problem
Executives have been sold a partially valid proposition. What's missing is the causal relation. It should read: technology facilitates convergence and integration to achieve better, faster results if organizations can align their people and work processes to deliver on technology's promise.
The emphasis has been on what technology will do for the business. Little time is spent examining what technology is doing to your business. It's changing what you do (work process) and who you work with (relationships), not just how you work.
Making technology's promise come true is hard. It requires rolling up your sleeves, plunging deep into the inner workings of how your organization functions. Effective leaders understand that technology fundamentally alters the implicit social patterns of interaction in the company. In other words, the data might converge and integrate, but it will not become business intelligence until your people and processes converge and integrate.
Don't automate the dysfunction
When technology goes wild, often the dysfunction gets automated. What I mean is any dysfunctional behavior (email warfare, withholding information, passive-aggressive fighting, etc.) gets imbedded into how you do business. Successful technology implementation builds into the roll-out plan a mechanism to ensure helpful, productive relationships. Time is allocated for relationship management, for key relationships to be examined and perhaps reworked. If left to happenstance, you run the huge risk of automating dysfunctional social patterns that currently exist or will erupt as you move necessarily deeper into your organization to reach technology's promise of faster and better.
A final thought...
You're bound to experience many technology conversions in your life. For example, today is the end of analog TV. Realize that technology conversions, integrations, (whatever else it's called) are painful for the most part. It's like going to the dentist, a necessary evil. Don't use it as an excuse to fall into the trap of whining and complaining about it. Instead, pay attention to your relationship management skills at work - who you interact with (or don't), how communication happens (or doesn't), who needs to be in the know to make your job go smoothly, etc.
About Nancy Dailey, PhD
Whether coaching executives or consulting on an organization change project, Nancy helps leaders navigate the real world of leadership and management. She helps smart people get unstuck and expand their skills to solve complex people, organization and business problems. www.drnancydailey.com
Posted by Megan Bergtholdt on Thu, Jun 18, 2009
A guest post by Parneet Gosal:
Earlier tonight, I was reading JourneyWoman's eNewsletter, for women who love to travel, when one of the tips caught my eye. Pauline arrived in Mumbai late one night and engaged the Priyadarshini Taxi Service to take her to the hotel. She literally received door to door service when her driver walked her to the hotel door for safety. Pauline later learned that the service is a 24/7 fleet of pink cabs run by female cab drivers trained in self defense, with the slogan "Of Women, For Women, By Women". Now I'm no rabid feminist and find the idea of a pink anything-that's-not-a-piece-of-clothing pretty unappealing; but as an empowered woman I LOVE the idea of a badass all female cab service. You go girls!
This also got me thinking of other sites that are geared towards women. My favorites are iVillage, BlogHer and Dove's CampaignForRealBeauty. Email me at parneet.gosal@gmail.com if you have favorites to share - I'd love to hear from you!
About Parneet Gosal
Parneet is a quintessential New Yorker with more than a passing interest in Digital. She oversees online audience development and online marketing strategies for major corporations during the day and moonlights as a blogger and consultant on audience development techniques during her spare time. You can contact Parneet at parneet.gosal@gmail.com, via her blog - belly of the bEAST or Twitter @parneetg.
Posted by Megan Bergtholdt on Wed, Jun 17, 2009
A guest post by Lindsay Meyer (originally posted May 26, 2009 on "Life with Lindsay"):
For full disclosure, I've never read Covey's "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" (though people have definitely recommended it to me). However, as I've been reflecting recently on what makes me tick, and what makes people (particularly well-educated women) flourish or flounder, I've decided to take a stab at delineating (my observations of) the seven habits of today's best and brightest females. Each of the seven "habits" are based on my interactions with others and some degree of personal experience as a student or young professional.
Highly effective well-educated women...
1. want it all. Much has been written about the difficulty in simultaneously having a rockstar career and a perfect family. But the truly visionary women I've met have never stopped trying to achieve both. They might not know the path to being CFO and mother of four, but they're willing to keep experimenting in hopes that one day they will have struck work/life balance.
Highly effective well-educated women...
2. are willing to admit that they can't actually have it all. The same women that want everything (and work beyond their means to attain it) are also willing to admit that the "perfect, happy life" is probably not possible. So while wanting it all is commendable, so is a healthy understanding that there are limitations. Smart women have already accepted this. It doesn't diminish their drive, but it gives them a perspective on the struggle to "have it all" that enriches their repeat attempts to elevate themselves and their families to the next level.
Highly effective well-educated women...
3. are builders. Whether it's professional relationships, model investment portfolios, innovative school fundraising campaigns, or church potlucks, these women busy themselves with projects that have discrete outcomes. By building things, they gain recognition for individual or community contribution, and they receive the satisfaction of making things happen. High-impact leadership is levered on the ability to accomplish things. While motivating others and encouraging collaboration are important parts of leadership, women who can build things - from start to finish - are a valuable asset. And very often, being a "builder" means giving more than taking. And this notion doesn't intimidate highly effective women. In fact, they're used to it.
Highly effective well-educated women...
4. are master managers of emotion. Because emotion can cloud the judgment of even the most pragmatic "Plain Jane"-types, highly effective women are capable of recognizing when it's time for a time out. On the contrary, ther know that the ability to channel certain emotions into action can be extremely powerful. The most emotionally intelligent women are completely sensitized to which situations and scenarios warrant which response.
Highly effective well-educated women...
5. are impeccably organized. This is probably the most contentious of "habits" as some people just aren't born with an aptitude for organization. Yet for the women who are in the upper echelons of "effective," being a BlackBerry ninja isn't just a life skill. It's an art form, and it's done with precision. After all, "having it all" requires substantial understanding of multiple competing demands. Clutter and haphazard planning simply don't fit into the picture. Plus, having an organized life makes it much easier to respond to the inevitable variation that life brings.
Highly effective well-educated women...
6. know how to recharge. To perform at peak, successful women know when it's time to get out of the office (or the house). They recognize the value in getting away or taking the occasional "mental health" day. In addition to knowing "when" to recharge, they know "how" to recharge... which reflects their astute self-awareness and ability to defend themselves from burnout.
Highly effective well-educated women...
7. are confident. Because, let's face it, without a healthy dose of "I can do it" it's tough to survive, let alone thrive, in today's world.
About Lindsay Meyer
Lindsay Meyer was born in South Korea, raised in Minneapolis, and went to college at the University of Notre Dame. She moved to the Bay Area for a job at a biotech company in Palo Alto which was recently acquired. Visit her website at www.lindsaymeyer.com.