Her Career Ladder

Her Career Ladder

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Her Career Ladder episodes

  • Episode 55 : Have Accountability
    What is going on Periscope replay viewers, viewers in the web Twitter. Thank you everybody for joining me. I'm Michele Heyward McMullen stem civil engineer, founder of a tech company positive hire everybody. Hey, girl, girl, guess what? It is time for gold digger Sunday. And gold digger Sunday for those of you who are new to me, gold digger Sunday is when I come on and I give tips, hacks, processes you can use to not only create your goals, but truly, truly win at your goals. So, hey, Michelle, even though you're too out, and you will come in here anyway, we all know the other one won't show up. So don't tell her we don't tell I'm live. Okay, so if you are into goals, put a one up in the chat. If you're like Michelle, I have always dreamed about stuff. But I don't know how to do goals put up a to put a two up in in the chat. So one is you all about that goal get in line two is it sound good? But I'm not sure how to do it. So if that is you? I have a few weeks of goal. Focus live streams here on Periscope and you can search for by hashtag gold digger. Hashtag goal. go getter? There we go. Yes, one. You about See. See. Okay, you all right with me? Michelle, you are you alright? You said one. Okay, so tonight, I want to talk about accountability. A lot of times when you're seeing so many people when you're seeing a person consistently hitting their goals, what number one, what you're not seeing is them failing people for whatever reason. Don't see you failing, all of all the attention goes to when you blow up, right? When you doing good. You get the new car, a new job, the new house, the new hair, the new nails, I'm just playing, people pay attention. But there's a lot of work that goes on to getting that newness to getting what I call it that shine. And one of the main reasons you see people when you see people achieving so much is the word accountability. And it was like what held me accountability, being accountable. But being accountable to yourself can be hard. If you're trying to do great things. You do not go it alone. And this is still true. When it comes to setting and reaching your goals. You have to have accountability partners. I have several Yes. Not one, not two. I think I have 236. Like that I meet with every week and I'm about at a seven. That's crazy, right? You think that's absolutely crazy that I have that many accountability partners that I meet with on a weekly basis. Let me tell you something. How many of you when you're looking to lose weight, you step on a scale every day? Or you try on a pair of pants or a dress or whatever to kind of get it Kana Kana, right to see how far you come. For me having accountability meetings with different people throughout the week. helps me stay on track, right? So even if you're hitting your goals, you're only doing it 30 day sprints or 90 day sprints, or six months sprint, for me talking to somebody it almost every other day, or every three days, really helps was like yeah, I do nothing on Monday and Tuesday. Ooh, I got that meeting coming up on Thursday. Let me do something on Wednesday, right, I gotta get it in. So let me tell you how you can create accountability groups, right. And some of you may call them masterminds, where you're really helping and grow. Sometimes you will pay for these groups. Sometimes they're free. I went from having I'm creating a free one with a friend of mine when I was looking to get out of debt and do some other goals in my life. To go on into paid masterminds, they're rolling out in a paid mastermind, and creating free accountability groups, then being back in paid mastermind, where I'm working with more people, and there's a difference. A lot of times in between the two. So number one, there's a lot of difference in the type of people that are in a pay than those that are in the free sometimes people in the free don't show the hell up because when you pay money and you pay a lot of money, guess what you're gonna do, you're gonna show the hell up, right? So that's the first thing you need to find accountability partners who don't show the hell up, they are not gonna flake out. They're not gonna have excuses as to why they can't be there. How often they can't be there. And trust me, I have been the person, September and October. I was just traveling, like, I did not meet, I think like six weeks in a row. And you know what my accountability is by like, yeah, we know, I like I really wouldn't be there. They're like, yeah, we know. But they knew for the eight months prior, I was there every single week. If I had a one of us, if I had a one group is four of us. If the other two could meet, I was one. I was the one that was was always available, and it'd be somebody else, right, that will consistently show up. And so for me showing up, even if I said, I have five goals for the week, even if I only had one set to go, I will, I was ready with one. Guess what happened. I was I got I got something done. And I was ready to talk about it. Or if I say you know what, this was not a good week. I didn't get anything done. But what it did do was help set up a process and a thought process. Where in it is truly truly important to have somebody that shows up. So you want somebody who is going to show up to every scheduled meeting. 

    So some of you like Michelle, I can't meet every week. If you can't meet every week, go for every other week
    excuse me, then go for every two weeks. But don't go any further than once a month, once a month, it's really hard. Especially if you're new to goals. If you're new to goals, you really need to be meeting once a week. More than once a week may be helpful. You just have to test it and try it out. All right. So you want somebody who shows up. The second thing is you want somebody who listens. And when I say they listen, they're not doing ah ha yeah, that sounds good. Okay. All right. Okay, you want somebody who's listening intently to what you said. So they thank you. So they are truly truly in tune to when they know you hold him back when they know you lie in. And when they know you're not pushing yourself. And maybe sometimes when they know you're pushing yourself too hard. So that person or those people that are part of your accountability circle, are helping to keep you in balance. Right? Now, that doesn't mean they're not going to do this. Number three, push you and what does what I mean by push you they're going to not let you always sit in your comfort zone when it comes to reaching your goals. Because the truth is goals are not about being in your comfort zone. That is why a lot of people do not reach their goals. It is about doing something you've never done before. That's what goals are. And that is why so many people never achieve them. It is very difficult to get out of your comfort zone. And I'll put this at I'll give this example. I am not a cold weather person. For me to leave my nice warm cozy home in the middle middle of winter, especially I lived in the Midwest and the Northeast. North knows I had to have a good reason. Five days a week. That reason was a job to pay the bill. So I had a nice warm cozy home are you feeling me? So when people have to go after their goals that is a reason for me like Ooh, it's cold outside and wind blowing and it's snowing. Number of cars kind of sliding on the road to data salt truck hasn't been through. I think I'm gonna stay in here is comfortable in here. I don't really need nothing right and they go sit back down. But for those of us who know that we got to go out in the cold in the snow in the winter, because we have a face to face meeting with somebody who is going to engage with us who want to take us to the next level. So we're gonna do we're gonna get us back as prepared as we can to go slide on the road, you're trying to make that meeting, right? We're going to do things that we have not done before, and get out of our comfort zone. So that person needs to be pushing you to the next level, pushing you to not sit in your comfort zone to not have a pity party to not let you say, Okay, well, I'll just do it another week. Honey, it's been three weeks, get off the pot a shit is one of them two bills to decision. They're separate, do or do not? Right. And that's what that's what you want to for somebody who is in your accountability group. All right. Now, this one may not seem important to a lot of people, but it truly truly is. And it's the follow up. Yeah, like the follow up. Okay, so we meet every week, we talk about what our goals are. And we tell you what the plan is. And guess what we do that every week? How to hell, I know, you really do what you say, do. You have to start every meeting with what happened? With the goals you said you'd want to do last week? Not a very first meeting, you may not do that. But your accountability partner should be following up with you as you follow up with them. And so right now I'm doing something that it's very difficult for me, I'm writing a blog post today a minimum of 500 words. That is my goal to write seven blog posts, a set seven blog blog posts every day for the month of November, because it is national blog writing mother blog, sunlight dad, diva, MD gear, Michel de guerre, it has me doing this. So blame it on her. So these are my goals. I'm actually I do a Twitter chat to talk about goals every week. And the second question and part of this Twitter chatter, what are your goals for the week? So I literally publicly announced my goals. Do you know what the first question is that they asked? How did you do with your goal? This week? Seriously, they do this and we publicly publicly? Announce it. So to follow up comes first. Next is what do you plan on doing the next week with your goals? Y'all with me? I know y'all got quiet on me. But it's really, really important that you have this as part of your accountability. It is truly truly important. Okay. Now, this is not a necessity. This will be nice to have. If you have accountability partner, or partners who are resourceful, yes, resourceful. your accountability partners do not have to know the answer. They just need to know how to know Google use Google, they just need to know how to tap into their, their network. They just need to know how to be resourceful. If you have these people, or at least one person in your accountability group, it pushes you further ahead and it cuts down the time you spend working on your goals. Seriously, how many? How often have you said oh my god, I don't know how I'm gonna do this. If somebody goes, oh, we'll just call such or such. Anyway, well, who is that? Oh, well, they're the vice president or the chair or such as like this organization. And then a friend of mine, we grew up together, or we went to college together or they're my next door neighbor. We go to church, we have dinner, why kids play soccer together and you like the hail? How do I not know this? Because you did not share your goals, especially publicly. So having risk being resourceful or having somebody who's resourceful in your accountability group, y'all is Bay. Oh my God. It is absolutely, absolutely Bay. So be sure you have somebody who is resourceful in your accountability group. Okay. Now, if you are looking like okay, Michelle, I don't have my goals written down. Go ahead and get my free guide to how to write out smart goals specific, measurable, attainable, reachable, and time bound goals are realistic timeline, time timeout will depend on what you want to our enemy. It will is a free guide. You sign up for it, you download it, and you just write on it. Just make as many pages copies A lot of it, when you look at the guy, there are only there's only room for seven goals. And it explains in there why it's only seven, which is a lot of goals to have in a year. But it's to really help you focus and I like to do certain goals. I work on year round. Other goals only work on certain times of the year. Right? So, so it helps you Hey, Jeff, to really really focus on one or two goals per quarter, or even less, a one or two goals every six months. So seven goals is a lot. I'm usually like five. I like the number five, sorta kind of me because I'm one to five, I have five fingers. On one hand. What did he say shorty neck, oh, Lord, Lord, help him. But it's really really good to stay focus on your goals. And not be overwhelmed by the goal by your by the number of goals you have. When you have a smaller number of goals, you can intently focus on them. And having a large number of goals, especially if you're not a goal oriented person, it is not your thing, do not do seven, do two or three. Thanks for the super heart, Jeff. So it is really, really important to keep that in mind. When you go download the guide and you start writing national goals. Just aim for two or three. And you do not have to worry about whether you want to start in 2019 started now. What is something you want to work on? between now and December 31? Hey, Natalie, what is something you want to work on? between now and January 31 2019?


    What does that look like? And because you do not have to wait to work on stuff for the new year. New year new me know you can start that change now. Do not wait to put a calendar four o'clock. Guess what? Um, one day, why not make it day one today? Yes, make day one today. Get the guide, fill it out, and just start writing out your goals. Then next Sunday. When we come back here we're talking about? Oh, yeah, you're not ready. You're not ready for this being in your feelings when it comes to reaching your goals? And you're like, what would you mean in your feelings? You're gonna be in your feelings, you're gonna be scared because going after your goals takes you out of your comfort zone, like I said earlier. Okay, so I'm gonna do a recap. What do you need to look for when it comes to building and creating your accountability group number one, they must show up as well as you they must listen. As well as shoe they must push you encourage you make you get out of your comfort zone is number three. Number four. They're going to follow up with you with where your goals were. What followed with you with last week's goals when you meet in the current week. So you don't just talk about oh, this is what I'm gonna do this week. No, we want to know what went well, what didn't go well, let us know. And number five, it is not a must. But it's really nice if that person or persons in your accountability group are resourceful. Yes, yes. Yes. Yes. So that is what I have for all of you go hustlers out there. Gold Diggers out there. Go getters out there. You got this. You got this. Yes, I do tweet out my goals. And then I take a screenshot of it. And I posted it on Instagram. And I know you're like Michelle, that's too much. You crazy. I will not share that with the world. Guess what? The world will come ask me did I write my six seven blogs? And guess what? I'll say no. I wrote and they'll go, Oh, that's really good. Or I'll go I wrote one is like or what happened? What you need, what went wrong? And then they'll start helping you? Because that is part of being accountable. And that is part of sharing even in a community and being held accountable for your goals. Alright, everybody, I'm out of here. Have a great week. You got this. What is that one? Action you're gonna take this week to get you one step closer to a goal does take just do that one action. That's all I ask. Alright, everybody, have a good one and I will talk to you later. Bye.
    21 min
  • Episode 54 : Mindset
    Hello Periscope, Twitter live what is going on everybody? Happy New Year's Eve. Some of you it is actually 2019 I am not that far behind you what I have, what? 41 minutes until it's 2019. So you will probably catch this on the replay, which is quite okay. But I wanted to come on. And let's talk about day six of the seven steps to prepare for your 2019 goals. 

    And tonight we're talking about your mindset. Yes, your mindset because it's truly key and truly important when it comes to achieving your goals. So this is gonna be real quick, real fast in a hurry. It is like the supercharged version of above what you need to do to be ready for your 2019 goals. Okay. So number one, believe in yourself. 

    Meaning you will look at yourself and say, Okay, I don't know how to do this, this and this, but I'm damn good at this. And you truly after you've done your self assessment, are able to understand what your strong points are. Understand what you enjoy doing and what you're really good at. So does it hold you back when you look and see that you aren't the best at everything because nobody is right? Nobody is. 

    But you believe in yourself that you want to achieve these goals. Number two, if you see it, you can believe it in your mind. You can see clearly what you want to achieve. And because you can see it is so much easier for you to achieve it. If you can't see yourself. Be where you said your goal is is going to be damn hard to get there. It is very, very difficult to envision it reaching someplace if you can't see it.

     Now, that doesn't mean you can see every step to get there. What it simply means is you can see the end goal. You don't know how you want to do it, but you know you're going to do it. Right because you believe in yourself and you can clearly see your vision, your angle, right? Then the third thing, fear doesn't make you stop. In your mind. 

    You know, you are fearless. You just know that your dream is greater than your fear. And because your dream is greater than your fear, you keep going, you don't stop, you may slow down. Take a breath rest a little bit, but you don't quit. Right? You just compose yourself. You gain your energy again, you get to move it, but your fear doesn't stop you. It makes you down but it doesn't stop you. And this is a bonus one when it comes to mindset
    and that is you.

    Learn not to listen to quitters. I'm being honest. You learn not to listen to quitters. What you find out is quitters don't quit as a maybe discouraging you. I won't say all of them are. They may be discouraging you from pushing ahead. And your mindset is so focused on winning your mindset is so focused on that angle. your mindset is so about you winning, quitters don't impact you. 

    So everybody have a happy New Year's Eve be safe. And like I said, this is quick, fast into the point as how to later I'll be back tomorrow and we will wrap up day seven, with a little something different. So if you miss any of today's days one through six, definitely definitely go check them out anywhere from looking at your habits. Expect the unexpected what else I have, how to stop procrastinating assessing your tribes and you don't have haters, you have quitters in your life. All right, everybody. I will talk to you later. Bye
    9 min
  • Episode 53 : Procrastination
    What is up everybody? Thank you so much for joining me. This is Michele Heyward woman of color still founder of the tech company positive hire. And tonight, we are on day three of seven days of talking about preparing for preparing for your 2019 goals. Yes, that is what we're doing. That is what this is about. Hey, Big Daddy, Panama. Thanks for joining. So if you missed the first two days, I'm gonna tell you day one was about looking at your habits, looking at your habits, and yesterday, which was day two, was all about planning for the unexpected. Um, how do you prepare, expect the unexpected and what you should do to prepare for them? 

    All right. So right now we're going to get into day three, which is all about her fascination goal setters gold gold status with gold diggers go getters don't procrastinate that often most of time they are in action. And you're probably wondering how do they How do they do that? 

    So I have three main tips and then something I really really want you to focus on Hey Stevie. When it comes to your goals when it comes to setting your goals when it comes to reaching your goals thanks for sharing this out. If you haven't press those three dots go ahead and press those three dots and share this out okay. We're done when it comes to you really going after your goals you really pushing for with your goals. You need to number Why? Because you know you're procrastinating 

    You know, you're not taking action. Hey, Tiffany. The first thing I want you to do is write down don't want you to first visualize and then write down what you see what the It look like after you have achieved this goal, a lot of times we know we have to get it done. And we say yeah, cuz once I get it done, I will have all the stress done. But what does that really look like when you pay off your student loan? When you pay off your mortgage when you lose those 40 pounds and you're no longer on the meds, right? 

    What does that life look like? visualize it and write it down some of your really great artists, you may be able to draw it out by hand, even using illustrator or something and really make a visual story of what your life would look like. Some of you can go through and put together a book and just cut out magazines. Right? 

    And it's really really important you do this because a lot of times we need that inspiration we need that push and us understand and literally seeing Seeing is believing right? Where we will be if we stop procrastinating will get us in action, right? will get us in action. So make that visual, be a visual person so you can get to where you want to be with your 2019 goals. Now, this is very, very hard for people to do. 

    So you have this big, hairy audacious goal. That's what they say right? But what happens If you're able to break that big goal down into smaller steps, then smaller steps, the smaller steps, and it's like, well, I can do that if I only have to do this, and I have to do it 1511 times to get here. I probably can do that. Right? Like how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time? How do you how do you prepare for a marathon? You start doing five K's 10 K's right, a half marathon. You keep doing those runs. 

    Most people don't jump into a full marathon. Right? So you start preparing a you make it? Yeah, the girl big hairy, audacious goal, right? You take it one step at a time and being able to break that goal down into those small manageable steps and actions will help you move through your procrastination. Yes, it really does where you would be amazed and some of you like Michelle It makes no sense. Okay. Okay.


    How long did it take you to graduate high school? Most people it took 1213 years dependent 14 of you day pre K, kindergarten and kindergarten. So 13 years, 13 years, right? If somebody told you it's going to take you 13 years to make $5 million, most of y'all would quit. But it took you 13 years ago damn sheet of paper. And you most of us kept going. And most like Yeah, um, I was motivated by my parents that will get out the house divided go to school, I will have a place to live Monday. You need to have that same motivation. So that 13 years it took you to get that one piece of paper write that one piece of paper was broken down into different levels of school. So you have high school Middle School. So you had high school junior high Middle School. elementary here we have high school, middle school, elementary and primary, something like that. And then in each one of those you still had kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, fourth grade, right? 

    And then even within those, you have time periods where you have not first nine weeks, the second nine weeks, right? That's half a year. Then you have the third nine weeks, the fourth time, you have different periods within you get summer break, you get spring break, you get winter break, right. There are different periods in your is all and we we often don't see those as small action steps. And they really are and then you go from the semester, right, you go from the semester, to a month to a week, to a day. Then in those days you have English class math class, science, class, art, music, pe I don't know something else in there. I'm missing some classes. Right. But you get what I'm studying or naptime. I say, study on laptop, never. 


    But anyway, you get what I'm saying. So when you break it down to that level, that minute level, guess what you say? Well, yeah, I can do fourth grade. I mean, all I'm going to do is learn this. all I'm gonna do is learn that and then I'm gonna go to this teacher. We have broken school down to such my new action items until Guess what? We go and do it. And we don't realize it has taken us 13 years to get a sheet of paper. Hello. And then we go to college, and we're gonna take me four to five years to do this. 

    And if I get a Masters we're gonna take to me like, Do y'all realize, and so we're so excited because we thought 13 years was nothing, but then let me tell you, some of y'all probably realize 13 years A long time so this way did they let you go to kindergarten? So you felt accomplished right? So what that was that was a milestone we call those milestones. And so you get rewarded with a piece of paper. Then you graduate from elementary or whatever.

    Oh, this breaking your grandma no show up your mom and your dad inertia, right? Did you graduate from middle school junior high graduation Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. Did you graduate high school and a pass out?
    Yeah, my house right.

    20 years ago, just exactly
    20 is gone. Just like that. A y'all have to put in those milestones in there.
    9 min
  • Episode 52 : When Fear Appears
    What is going on everybody? This is Michele Heyward, your woman of color and stem tech founder and gold digger. Yes, I'm a gold digger, G O A L digger. I welcome welcome everybody as usual on the Sunday nights. Hey Natasha, we are talking about your goals, reaching your goals going after your goals, not giving up on your goals. Tonight. Tonight, I want to talk about fear. Do y'all know what is the number one killer of goals? Do y'all know what it is? How many of you think is money? How many of you think money is the number one killer of goals? How have dreams of goals of dreams of reaching where you want to be? How many you think is money? The second option? It's your connections? And how about your third option? You just don't know what to do. Right? Which of those three do you think is the number one killer of dreams? You think it is money, connections and lack of know how? I'm going to tell you a secret. None of those are the number one killer of dreams. The number one killer of your dreams of your goals is your fear. 

    Fear kills more dreams, more hopes, more aspirations than money, lack of know how and having a right connection that it kills more dreams? Yes. Because when you fear something, many of us just give up, walk away, give reasons why it cannot be done. So what I want to do tonight, is talk about when fear shows up, because fear is going to show up. It's going to show up in different ways. And you're going to have to sit there and decide to do one of these three things. One or three. Right? You want to sit in fear, which means you ain't gonna do shit. You're gonna give up. You're gonna let it kill your dream. You're gonna walk in fear. And you're going to try to figure out how do I get this done. And the third thing is like, you know what, I want it I gotta have it. Uh, you want to run like hell in fear to get what you want. Those are the three things, three options you will see when it comes to fear when it as it relates to your dreams, your hopes, your aspirations, your goals, right? But let me tell you what fear is gonna show up as number one, no one I know, has done it before. You know how easy it is to drive a car because well, you see your family and friends driving a car. You know how easy it is to have your own place because other people around you have having your place. A lot of times we say it can't be done because we've never seen anyone or know of anyone personally who has done it. So we say oh, that's something that white people do. That is something that rich people do. That is something that people who go to college you give a reason why you can't do it because you're not like the people who have done it. Don't let that stop you. Don't let that kill your dream. Okay, number two, what when fear shows up? I don't have the money for it. Guess why?

    Figure out how to get the money. Is it working a second job a third job? Is that selling your house is like getting a smaller apartment? Is it keeping your same apartment getting to one or two roommates? Is it selling your car? What is it that you want to have to do to get the capital you need to go after your dream? Right where you want to get that money. Figure that out that don't let that fear of I don't have money. Kill your dreams. The third one is the most common one. And if you're watching me right now, I'm gonna tell you something nobody else on here is gonna tell you. If this is your reason as to why you can't go after your dreams. You say I don't have time. Get off Periscope. Stay off social media. Stop looking at TV. Only Come on, use the internet to find the information and to find a community to engage with to help you grow. If you take that time doing frivolous stuff, right? Talking on the phone. Watching Periscope Oops, but this one might add value for you. So you may want to be here, right, you have to be very selective on how you spend your time. And you need to make those decisions. So cut out, looking at how to get away with murder. Lords, I do miss it, I do miss and I do catch up on it. But I'll binge watch two or five episodes at one time and be done. And not watch it for I don't know the rest of the season and catch, you know, a month or two later catch some more episodes. But what I found is when I gave up a lot of time on social media, and I completely gave up TV to like, 10% of what I used to watch, y'all, I had so much more time to engage with people to find that supportive community to help me go after my goals. So yes, it can be done, but you have to be committed to it. Okay. The last one I just mentioned is I have no support data, my friends are interested in what I'm trying to do. I don't know where to find people, guess what, Google it. Find Facebook groups, find, look for hashtags on Twitter, Instagram, on Periscope, even on LinkedIn has hashtags to find those communities, and LinkedIn has groups. So you really, really have to spend the time to find that support. So you not knowing anybody, you're not having money, you're not having time, you're not having a support system, are strictly fear, telling you to give up on your goal, telling you to give up on your dream. Don't let it do that. Don't let it tell you, these things are the reason why you can't be successful. These things are the reasons why you can't reach your goal. In actuality, they are not. That is just fear hiding itself is dressing itself up. This is what you're gonna do. You're gonna show up one day, like this is gonna show up one day like this. Yeah, and if you're gonna come back the next day, talking about dress like this, right? If you're gonna show up again, like this fear is gonna keep showing up. It is up to you to come up with a way to deal with it.

    Sometimes that's phone referrals. Sometimes that's finding a friend. Sometimes like, you know what, I just got to do it. I'm just going to commit to it, make that call, shoot that email, make that video, write that email, whatever it is, just commit to taking that action and doing what you need to do to get through that fear. All right, if you want to start working on your goals for 2018, because 2018 is not over. So don't say, Michelle, I'm gonna start I'm like, No, I want you to go think about what did you want to do? Achieve in 2018? Get the gold diggers, this free gold diggers guy, fill it out one or two of your goals? Probably one that you can really start on and focus on between now the last week of November and all of December and really figure out that plan. What does it look like is that the guy that gives you a smart format, and then you can work on your 2019? Start writing those out, but focus on something else in 2018? Because don't keep saying one day I'm going to do it. Make it today day one guess like Michelle what? Don't wait for one day. You keep saying one day I'm gonna do that. No make today. Day one, make this the first day that you start working on that goal. Time is not guaranteed. Take it health is not guaranteed. Take this time take this opportunity. Grab the guy, write it out. In there. I add something I use the smart goal format, but I add one thing which is accountability. And you truly truly have to have accountability to help you get through your goals that accountability partner or partners help you stay accountable. help you stay focused, help you not give up to fear, no matter what it looks like. Alright everybody, I'm Michele Heyward. I will be back next Sunday in a new location, talking about your goals. Everybody, have a great week, and I will talk to you later. Bye


    10 min
  • Episode 51 : How To Focus On Your Success, Not Failures
    What is going on Periscope replay viewers really for the web and Twitter. I'm Michele Heyward. Be sure you share this out. Be sure you heart this up. What's up shelling? Okay, I need to share this out, because we are going to talk about goals. We are so focused on on making sure. Thanks, Daria. Thanks. I mean, Shelley for sharing this out. So, we are going to talk about how do you stay focused on your goals? Hey, Lala, instead of your obstacles? And what does that look like every day? And is that reasonable for you to do? And I absolutely think it is. So let's jump in on how do you stay focused on your goals and natural obstacles? Number one, look at your goals every single day. And some of you like Michelle, what's that? What else? Michelle? There was like, Michelle, what do you mean, looking at my goals every day girl, I can look at my goals every day. Yeah, you really can. When you look at your goals every day, you are starting to automatically think about how you aren't going to reach that goal in those small steps, small actions that we talked about earlier this year. So if you miss that live stream, if you miss that scope, you got to go back and and I may have done an under hashtag goal. Gold digger or go get go getter, one of the two but you can scroll here is probably is a ways down. So let's just say that. But you this is what I suggest you do. So these are some of my bigger posts. It's the I like the big sheets. But literally take your goals, put them on, post it and put them on your bathroom mirror, especially if you have like one of the big ones. That's like five feet by four feet. You know, bidness is the 80s Whatever. If you have one of those, put it on your mirror. If not put it on your dresser, bureau. Mirror, something some mirror or glass that you look at every single day. Because of what happens while you're brushing your teeth. You're washing your face you putting on or taking, putting on your makeup. You're like, Oh my God, I need to get my eyebrows done. Right? You are seeing your goals. And I can tell you I haven't done this on the mirror in a while. But I used to have one in my last apartment that said to build well, for at least three generations of my family. Yes, I want it to Bill Well, for at least three generations and my family. I didn't say how it's going to do it. But that was that is one of my goals. So you like but Michelle, how do you do it is not something that's going to happen overnight. It is not something that's going to happen in a week it is going to take me my lifetime to get that done. So I'm very intentional with how much time I will spend here with you ladies and gents on leaning on the everlasting arm. I will spin on social on Periscoping because unless it helps me Creek ate well for at least three generations. I got a backup say, deuces. I got things to do that is going to help me do that. But I looked at those goals every single day. Just like what Michelle would if I have a plumber come in and do work. What should the farmer go learn something the plumber don't learn to put his goals up on his mirror to her mirror. That's what a plumber go learn the plumber or how focused and determined you are about your goals because you look at them every single day. And they go home that you put a bill up on that mirror. So you you you determined to pay the bill on time. I'm just saying best go in life takes time. Yes, absolutely. It absolutely does. Okay, so number one, put your goals so place you will see them every day. So right now I have them in my office. All my quarterly goals are actually my quarterly goals on a big post and in a wall next to my desk across from my desk on the opposite wall are my annual goals. So I literally when I write up my quarterly goals, I am looking across the room at my annual goals and moving things around and knowing what to write out. Yeah, I'm Matt Adel, but if you want to learn it, I can teach you how to do it, but I don't do it for free. You know why? Because if you're serious about it, I'm serious about helping you get there. and it's a whole process that I go through in goal achievement. So trust me, it works. But you have to be committed, you have to find that accountability. persons or persons. I have three accountability groups that absolutely don't. I've been on to zooms this weekend, trying to get stuff together. I might have been on to Facebook calls, helping people get off the ledge. So we help each other reach our goals and stay focus, right? Yeah, I don't play. Right it. If you want somebody to play with, if you want a grown up, I can give you your mom, my mama number. She had a daycare for over 30 years, but she won't charge you because she don't play for free. She had to pay for that played out she had to pay for those puzzles. But she had played for a fee. I'm just saying Okay. Number two, when you're looking at your goals, so this is the topic, everybody. I'm going to put it in the chat just in case you missed it. Stay in focus on your goals instead of focusing on your obstacles. And this actually came from Noel's garden, who is Shelly Moyes, who was actually one of my accountability partners. And he I haven't been to one of my accountability meetings for like two months, and they like, yeah, we know you're not coming. I've just been traveling, I've just been busy, but I will be there this week. I'm going to go make it y'all. I'm gonna make it. I'm gonna be there. I'm gonna be there. Okay, so number two. How do you not you're like Michelle, but there are obstacles. How do I not focus on these obstacles? Okay, write your obstacles down. And for every one of your for every one of your obstacles, right there how you overcome it? You like Michelle? That will make no sense. Okay, let me let me see, let's talk. So your brain homepage between you and your spouse is $3,000 a month. The bills in your house are $3,500 a month. You trying to figure out what you're gonna get 500 extra dollars from or you need to figure out how you can cut 500 Extra $500 out of your expenses. You know what you're gonna do? You're gonna start tracking how often you eat out. Is that really a necessary trip to go back and go to every Happy Hour on Tuesday, Taco Tuesday, wine down Wednesday, Thursday, Thursday. Y'all need me every half hour because every happy hour, I'm gonna be happy when you can't pay your bills. So you sit there you look at what are the obstacles keeping you from paying your bills, right? And you're like, I gotta be a grown up. Go get that fight all about all one, right? Instead of spin. If I had all the glass and the place, just, I just say my friend over there. She she'd die laughing it'd be like, you know, you're over there. Right? So but you have to almost I'm gonna use another word. You have to adult? Yes. So write down your obstacles, at least one obstacle for every one of your goals that you foresee. So if you don't see an obstacle for a goal, don't write anything down. If you see an obstacle for a goal, write it down and write how you can overcome it like Michelle, I don't want to build build this billion dollar business, but I need a million dollars. Okay, but how do we get a million dollars revenue, go out and sell something for $5 $10. So you could start by selling stuff that you need to have, you know, using your house stuff in your closet to still have tags on it. Matter of fact, how old is your car? Have you Uber to lift lately? I'm just saying hey, Alan. That's what you need to figure out. You need to figure out what our obstacle is. And what is the most immediate action you can take to overcome that obstacle. And most of the time, the obstacles are really easy. Every now and again, it will take something huge and monumental to move ahead of that obstacle. That is number two. So number one, you need to look at your goals every single day. Number two, hey, Joanne. Hey, Dr. Tammy. Number two, you want to look at you want to look at and understand what your obstacles are and how to overcome and right now how to overcome one obstacle for each of your goals if you have obstacle for those goals for that goal, okay. This is what I am horrible at. I'm so bad at this. Y'all. I am the worst at this Yes, if you have not invited your followers, go ahead and invite your followers. Number three, celebrate your wins.


    Okay, now like Michelle, how can you not celebrate your wins? Because as a woman we are taught not to be boastful. We're taught to be modest. That's not very lady like To hell with that. I'm the boss. I did that. You say that you said it was built over there I did that would pop pop your callers ladies. Oh, net. Oh net. Hey, Nina, thanks for invite your false Oh, net. I have to learn not just you, but I have to learn to celebrate my wins. And when I celebrate, I need not go get food. That's the second thing I need to do. I need to celebrate my wins in another way than food and shopping. But at least when I do it, I do do do it for myself. I'm just saying. So be out there and celebrate your wins and let people now so I do little stuff. Like I don't know if any. If you follow me on Instagram, and you look at my stories, yes, up your collar. If you look at my Instagram Stories, you may have seen this really, really tall pop up banner. And that was huge for me to get a banner for my business. I'm in Atlanta right now. And my friend flew in for up from LA to help me be an exhibitor at this conference. It is really, really important for my business to be here, or at least to test it out and see if it's a good fit for me to come in and start marketing my business. Because getting a client y'all is a long game plan. It is not anything short. It is not anything quick. For most of us. It does take time, especially if you're looking at corporate clients. So here in Atlanta again, like Michelle, you'll just stay on Thursday. And I'll be here Sunday through Wednesday. Sunday through Wednesday. Oh yeah, I think I just fixed my page, but now I can't get it to connect. me that's a whole other discussion. Okay. So I So number one, look at your goals every day. Number two. Look at the obstacles for some or all of your goals. And find one way write down one way to overcome that obstacle. What is the quickest and easiest way that you can think of to overcome that obstacle? Because a lot of times the obstacle is really in here. And it doesn't exist most of the time most of the time do we keep ourselves from reaching our goals? Let's be truthful. How many people want to lose weight? How many people had this for dinner? They are not paying me. So let me do this they are not paying me but how many of us are maybe being you had some of this to go with that? I'm just saying that you want to lose weight. So we sabotage ourselves when it comes. So most of the times we are our own obstacle we blame I'm big boned did a bone don't go like this a bone is not easily put. I'm just saying I'm just saying. So really, really own the obstacles how many of them are really more in our mind than they are out in the world? Okay. Number three, hey glam queen. Number three, celebrate your wins. Post them share with your Insta bosses community, share with your paragraphs community, share them with your Periscope community. Share with your heart tribes community share with your Facebook family right share your win. I didn't come know Daraa you did not go with here with your big bone. Okay, share your wins but this is the bonus I have for you this is the bonus. And you're like Michelle what's the bonus? What is your why? Hey Natalie. Natalie isn't a by Natalie must be your favorite person or what is your why? What I say is so my goal. One of my goals I said was to create wealth with last which lasts at least three generations. And my why is I do not believe I do not feel and I do not want my I have nieces and nephews, my great nieces and nephews, and my great great nieces and nephews to continue to having to work. Okay gara continue to have to work a job. What I prefer them to do is work do work, which is fulfilling to them do work, which they are passionate about do work, which impacts the world. And a lot of times for people to feel that way they do not need they do not having to worry about student loan debt, a mortgage, health insurance, all of that is already covered. So remove removing that debt, removing that responsibility may give them hopefully the opportunity to create a life where they're doing so much more than just working a job to pay the bill. working nine to five, just make live in See that's why I don't do karaoke. See. That's why I don't do parodies. So yeah, I got it, right. So that is that that's my bonus. Now, there's like, Michelle, how do you how do you stay focused like some days are better than others? Some days, you will not work on your goals directly. And what you like what does that mean? That means you will take this last. You're gonna take this bottom line, you're gonna pour it, you're gonna sit at cipet and you could just chill and you're gonna be on Periscope, and you're gonna tell jokes about a time I sounded great, though. You're gonna tell jokes about that time. You found this great Groupon to Jamaica. And it said that a resort had no churn. Shuren children or children. For those of y'all who aren't southern or Midwestern. Head you oh my god, this is perfect. And you call your boy you tell like yeah, about he's like, okay, cool. You should definitely go you know, just be careful if you're gonna go because I went alone. I went to Jamaica about myself. I get to the resort. It ya know why I said no children allowed. Because they had a nude beach. Like it was two beaches. It was the clothes beach and the nude beach. Well, guess what? The cloth beach faces the nude beach. And guess who was? Yeah, I had all shades and I sometimes I wear my glasses. I pull it off my che so I couldn't see. Thank you. They were my glasses. I could still see it still I can still see. Even to this day, I can still see hold issues later. It was one of those times I wish I didn't have my context.


    So those are the take days you you come out and you really just relax. And you reminisce on things and you celebrate things and you just really look at you do a Netflix and chill with yourself. And you don't answer your phone and you're not on Twitter, you're not on social. And those are the days that you need to really recoup. Those are the days that you need to you can refocus. Those are the days so that you don't burn out. Right. So not every day, not every hour, will you focus on your goals. Girl, nothing could have prepared me for that. I thought like after so many wrinkles, you understood you were not supposed to go in the sun anymore. But obviously that's in my mind. Not everybody's know, nothing can prepare you for that. Least not engineering school. Maybe if I was in a medical space, I nursed to something but I wasn't ready. I wasn't ready. So take the time. Take the time to relax, relate, release, relax, relate release. And that way you're ready to go back in and really focus on your goals again. You're ready to go back in. And whatever that barrier are a couple barriers that you really, they really aren't in your head. You have to face and overcome. You're ready for them. because you know your why you've looked at your goals, you written down how to overcome at least one way to overcome that obstacle or obstacles. And you've celebrated your wins. So you're like, I've done this before. I can do it again. I'm not done this, but I can do this again because you know what happened? I don't know. I don't know. I'm a guess how many of y'all ride a bicycle have written a bicycle? How many of you like girl the last time I rode a bicycle like 25 years ago. And you looking crazy, right? But if I told you, I need you to ride that bicycle, from this corner of the block to the next corner that block you like it's gonna be rough, but I can do it. You know why? Because you've done it before. So while you may not have achieved this one goal, but you achieved these other five you might Wow cheap five I can do the one it's just a little bit rougher. Because you build up your skill set. The more goals you set, the more goals you work on, the more goals you achieve, so it works out. Yes, resiliency. I got the crew over there she like her. It's called resilience. I'm the English one you to math, one C is teamwork. Work is teamwork up in this condo tonight. So all right. So what are we going to do? It is is coming up on Monday bicycles that I have loved. You know what it is about bicycles. They teach us how to ride bicycles. They should teach us how to fall and there's a difference. So teaching you how to ride a bicycle, they're focused on you not instead of saying okay, when you feel yourself going to the right side, move your foot to catch yourself. When you feel yourself leaning to the left side, pull your core and suck your stomach in and try to balance and try to really focus on this. It says that they get freaked out and because they freak out, you freak out don't get the neighbor's car. Learn how to ride in the street. Right off this hill I'm having flashbacks of learning how to ride my yellow son duster as a kid. But I watched my now nine and a half year old nephew teach himself how to ride a bicycle. And you know why he taught how he taught himself to ride like 30 minutes or an hour because nobody was out there screaming at him. Nobody was telling him he was just like I felt like I was gonna fall so I put my foot down I didn't know how to fall if I fall over Flass See, I cannot do that. Karen is your name Karen did I get it right or am I wrong? So you gotta be cracking out too I already know how to fall Oh y'all I failed the other day the reason why I was in Atlanta I did not step both feet down like my left foot did not went like so it was a step down and my foot went like that and I fell
    in a parking garage that wasn't a bad part. The bad part was two people in there you fall up there see Karen we don't have to talk we don't have the top no care we don't have the top I know where you hang out you take you hang out with two well why now is it yeah because I know how to well do so so yeah, I fell Oh my God and I was like going to a different another Yvette Megan I got an eight n i and i i don't know i don't know why I care. 

    But Megan Okay, I got Megan Michele and Meghan hanging out. So I don't even know what I was talking about falling or somebody I fell. But really stay focused on your goals does take effort. It does take a team and it does take you stay in the game more times than you you jump out of the game. So we'll talk about that more because I forgot where I was unless Daria you remember are making you remember, I don't remember. It is stressing to see the number of slaves and say who refused to be saved by Jesus Christ. Then what you shouldn't do is go and try to save their souls. Because if that's what you're called to do, then you need to do that. Don't distress about it go to work about it. I don't even need drinks. So, yeah, no, no, that's fine. That's fine. I get it. But to that own self be true. So, so we're looking at the bicycle, my nephew, I like, Well, how did you learn how to ride a bicycle? And you know what I noticed there was not one adult out there screaming at him, you're gonna run into but it was not the other kids. And I saw him riding a bicycle. And I didn't realize he was learning to ride the bicycle. And then I'm talking to his mom like, yeah, so I saw him outside, right? And she's like, he don't know how to ride a bicycle. I said, Well, who told you that? Because he asked, I ran. She said, Well, whose bicycle? Is he? Right? Because he didn't have a bicycle at the time. And I'm like, oh, shoot, I don't know. Got my nephew in trouble. So he comes inside. And he like his mom's like, your Auntie said you will. You will learn it. Yeah, I'm back on track. I don't know it popped in my head. You were you were writing about it. Oh, yeah, I got off such such bicycle. But y'all know how to ride a bike. He was like, I just taught myself. And she was like, What do you mean, he just taught yourself? He said I could ride it. So I figured out how to ride. And he just, he just came and started to get something to drink. He's like, Well, can I go back outside and ride again, she was like, Okay, let me go out. So you won't be all up in the street when cars come. So that's when the yelling star said, Get over to your right side a cars come and staff get over to the left side. You know, stuff like that did. But he learned to ride because it would not want where he was one adult out there me. But I didn't know he couldn't ride a bicycle. So I didn't bother him. See what happens. See what happens when adults get out of the woods and get out of kids way. See the great things they do on their own. I'm just saying. So keep that in mind to keep that in mind. So that that brings me to another thing. When achieving your goals. I said accountability partners and having mastermind groups is important that you are sharing your goals with some people. Actually, anybody without the understanding of what darkness is, is really confused. Because my brilliance so scares you. Because my skin is so bolder than you, it stands out. And that melanin just pops until it blinds you and it confuses you. And you get lost and confused and your own thoughts of how brilliant and powerful I really am. Until you sit there thinking I don't understand that can't be instead of saying I want to know how I can be the same you focus and hits for think that I'm less than, but really, I'm more than and you yearn to be like me. So what I want you to do YOLO 678765, watch my replay, on how you can stay focused on your goals, instead of focusing on your obstacles. Because my being black, no, I don't feel stupid about that. What I feel is, you feel less than because you're not black, you feel less than because I get all the notice you feel less than from my brilliance and my boldness and my blackness. And once you're able to understand the power that comes with this, you will start to understand how you can evolve to this level, how you can share, like I am sharing and what I've learned to help others no matter the level of melanin in their skin. And until you have that revelation you will feel less than but I encourage you not to feel less than are encouraged you to open your mind and be able to receive wisdom and to grow from that. And I know right now it doesn't seem possible because somebody has spared you that you are more than because you have less melanin. But people with melanin Guess what? They don't ever feel that way. You know, they feel that when I walk up in this place, I'm like a diamond. I may not be cut, but I'm the purist and everybody notices me and how do you grow from that? So what is it that you bring to the table so that others can notice you? And you don't have to compare yourself to others? So stupidity is nothing. When you look at being black. Check that. So, everybody, what are we going to do? I want you to take some time, I know some of you. In reality, we're all different shapes as we really are, we really, really are making. So I want you to find some posts, it's four big posts, from big, big wall posts, and write your goals down. We are in the last part of 2018. And some of you are feeling discouraged, because you didn't hit your goals, you need to hit one goal in 2018, that you started. Trust me, I really know how you feel. But what I want to go through every Sunday, excuse me to start at the beginning of this year is we go through your goals. And I'll come on, and we'll talk about how to get that movement. Because while you may not hit your goal, remember your wins are not completing your goals, your wins, every step that you take. To get to reach that goal. I learned that it's like yes. Yeah, exactly. It really, really is I science Oh, man, that's been so long ago. So every every goal, every step that you take towards the goal, every action, even if you find that girl, going in reverse was what I should have done instead of putting the car in for that fits in that bush was not what I wanted to hit. Good Megan. So when you say lots of goals, so what I generally tell people, you don't want to have more than seven goals. And is one and like seven categories. So the like spiritual, mental, emotional, physical career or professional, personal, and financial. There are different areas, I tell people to have goals, but really only have one. In each one of those categories, each one of those seven categories at most. And then in there, you could have some some other things. So one of your goals for 2018 was, I want it to pay off a $20,000 in debt. And then I was like, Michelle, I paid off 10 I like what hell? Why are you mad, you only paid off 10 Because I'm wanting to pay off 20 Let me tell you, some of you have paid off $5 out of that 20, you still doing better than a lot of people. Maybe they have 720 to get to the end. So so so we my friend just says like don't pay her no attention. So you really, really need to stay focused on the actions you're taking to your goals. Those are your wins. Even though you haven't accomplished that goal, doesn't mean you're less than it simply means you're still in the process. And it's taking you longer to reach that goal. So we're going to look at that. I don't know what the plan is exactly. But I know I'm not traveling anymore. Some people can't even pay it out. Yes, some people really can't pay it.

    Right. Every step is a it is a small victory, getting and reaching a goal or goals and a main. Exactly. So I have like an overarching 2018 goal, y'all I had one of my goals this year. Written ins for September, like to hit this in September was to have my tech company a C Corp. I just wrote it down. And what happened in September, I started a C Corp process. It was nothing I was doing intentionally working on but I had written it down it was on my 2018 plan. There is power in writing your goals down. So if you're telling me Michelle I have these goals for 2018 and I said what are they just like oh, I can't remember them. I'm gonna be like Well where did you write them down this like I don't I didn't write them down. I needed to go write them down. So this is your homework for next week. Write your goals down and we will go from there. I need you to come back next week with your goals if your goal is to pay Bahama pay down my debt, that's fine my I want to lose I want to fit in a size eight pants. Fine write it down small goals for me are part of my it is exactly Megan. It is it is really about small tangible goals because when you hit the small ones, the big ones don't seem so impossible. They seem like okay, that's just going to take longer. I will be able to do that in three months or one year, it might be three to five years. But let me tell you something, something that you thought you would reach in five years because you've hit the smaller one and three, one month and three month and six month goals. that five year goal now gets done in two to three years because you're meant momentum keeps going. Me too. I had a lot. I had a lot manifest after writing them down and put it where I see it every day. It works. It really really works. It it works in our subconscious because we start doing things and taking action or not taking action girl. So my doctor Tammy texts me and she wanted me to fly to Corpus Christi to come hang out. The way my bank account set up Dr. Tammy, I'm not gonna be able to make that because unless it's a revenue generating type activity. Michelle would not be there. Deuces. I appreciate you that love you. I was yes. Go go. I need to join you, Megan. My goal is to hit 160. And I am a middle schooler from like 60. I must say that. So we really by our by like, like Natalie said she had a lot to manifest after writing down her goals. And putting them when she see them every day. It works subconsciously it truly, truly does. And so even working subconsciously and then going in them and tasks mastering them. On a daily basis, it helps a lot. I do at least one thing every day to accomplish my goals and work towards them. Yes, and it doesn't take and when you when we talk about goals, we will also talk about how much time each day you need to spend on them. And I will tell you, you can do a lot in 15 to 20 minutes a day on a goal. And you're like Michelle, you lie. If you want to lose weight and you're not working out at all now at all right now 15 to 20 minutes of walking a day it will make a difference. Going from zero to one five minutes a day makes a difference. I want to learn how to do real estate Hey, lady divine, I want to learn how to do real estate. listen to a podcast or audiobook, a YouTube video, reading a book 15 to 20 minutes a day will increase your knowledge. Right. It's small. So it took me about three months to get to that. It does. But you know what happens? You keep going and you keep going. And you keep going. And you keep going. That's That's my my breakdown of it. Okay, are we good? Are you so y'all know what y'all assignment is? Dr. Tammy, the assignment is to write down your goals, your 2018 goals. Now, if you're like Michelle is q4 of 2018, I did well, but for my 2018 goals, I'm focused on 2019 the Write down your 2019 goals. Let's go let's get started on him. Just got to 2018 don't mean you can't start on 2019 Hell, you can start on 2025 ball. I can't. But we got it. That's what we're going to do for the next few Sundays. I'm gonna say next five Sundays. We'll work on goals. Probably even the Sunday after Thanksgiving, because some of y'all gonna be like, I feel sick. I want Black Friday shopping. Better to take time and keep going to rush Exactly. Just keep it and even when you backslide even when you have a bad day even when you drink the whole bottle of wine and eat the whole bag of pita cinnamon sugar chips. You just you own it. And I own that I own that. But guess what got to keep going. It's no time to give up. None whatsoever. All right, everybody. We good. We good? Yeah, ready. I don't know who's pressing those hearts because I'm not on my phone is here. And I'm on E cam. So I'm on my laptop, which is at 9%. So I won't be on here much longer at all. But if you have not followed me be sure you follow me. I'm at Michelle C and I'm a one L Michelle. We shall see hey, we're here on Periscope. You can find me on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook. I have twitch and Snapchat but I just have to account that is it. I just have two accounts. And if you're like, do work with your 2019 and if you're like Michelle My 2018 can watch your 2018 goals. It is not too late. Let's get them moving. You might you probably can achieve one or two of them if you're committed. I'm committed with you You will get it in the next five weeks. Right? It is me I'm following you. Okay. Great. Glad Queen for God. Great, great. Great. All right, everybody. I'm out of here. We have a busy day tomorrow setting up the booth. I feel like big Tigger setting up the booth. No, don't worry about it. Alright, everybody might feel like you need to go to sleep and get back on track. Yes, that is what I don't want y'all to be for those of you like Michelle, I haven't looked at my goals for 2010 since January. Do not beat yourself. Yes, you are following me on Twitter. I have to check Instagram you probably are. I've just been really busy. But I know you are on Twitter. Because I followed you back. Do not beat yourself up if you have not reached your 2018 goals if you have not worked on them since January. Thought about them since February. It's not that kind of show. What we're about is really empowering you to get what you want in your life with the goals that you have in mind. Not about beating you up. But I will make you accountable. I will hold you accountable. And that comes with Dr. Tammy let them know tough love because I think Laura Lila key was on here. So if you don't know Laura La La ke Laura is a realtor in LA. And one of her goals was to have a million dollar listing. She had a Million Dollar Listing this year. Did that come overnight? Nope. took about a year. From the time it took less than a year from the time she said what the goal was to her reaching it. Good night. Thank you and so it can happen but you have to be dedicated Laura was dedicated to making changes. She was dedicated Shawna for accountability meeting she was dedicated to writing now she was dedicated to asking questions to do our research to putting in the work. If that is not, you don't show up on Sundays. Because you you I'm gonna let you know you're gonna get your feelings hurt. And I don't mean that to be funny. I'm just saying you're not ready. So So I won't say don't come. Just say you know what, I don't know if I'm in the right mindset for this. But I want to be here and learn, then come for that. But if you're ready, truly ready to commit to this, be here on Sundays, which are pen and paper with your goals with your questions, which are frustrations, which are obstacles. And we will work through this. All right. I'm at 7%. So I gotta go. Everybody have a great week, and I will be back tomorrow with mentor Monday. So if you're a woman of color, STEM professionals, data scientists, technologists, engineer, mathematician you might be doing you may be a developer, but you deal with Python. So you're doing stats. I'll be back tomorrow with mentor Monday. I think hopefully I'll be back in time. I'll be back in a condo to do it. Alright everybody, I'll see you later. Bye.



    44 min
  • Episode 50 : Let's Get These SMART Goals #GoalDigger
    Creating your goals using the smart method. Yes, my goals time tonight. So when we're talking, figuring out my schedule, how often and when I want to broadcast, need to get back. And Dr. Tam, and you can just commit to one day a week, just doing a show one day a week. So I do a show one day a week called mentor Monday. And all I do on at one day. On Mondays, I do mentor Mondays. And that's the only day I try to commit to live streaming. Now I'm doing Sundays as well, because I wanted to do six weeks, focusing specifically on goals, focusing on how not to beat yourself up how to really go through and create your goals. I'm going through daily actions. And I know it was something I did at the beginning of the year. But it's still something that we should always consistently do, because it is truly a process. Hey, Jeff, it is truly a process. So tonight, what I want to talk about is really how to create goals. I'll probably have to come back. And that's what I hope to do one day a week and a pair of relevant Yeah, come with it after tea come with it. Excuse me. So when you think about goals, a lot of people get very overwhelmed, just by having to write anything down. And the power with goals come and actually writing it down. Hey, Daria actually comes in writing it down. When you write a goal down, it makes it more real. So y'all know how we tend to overspend when we're using credit and debit, right? It feels it feels different than you when you write a check. It feels different when you're handing over cash. So when you write it down, it actually does something mentally, to you writing down your goals, and I keep I'm old school, I actually pay good money. And I get that this type cover. So it's the hardest, it doesn't tear off, like the paper ones. And sometimes I have the larger ones, like I have the larger one as well. And this is how I track my goals, my notes, and I tie things back to. But what it does, when I write them down, it helps me stay focused. And actually my goals are over here on a huge poster that hangs on the wall. It's not a I guess it's a three by four. And oh, I know I put $3 million, I hit 3 Million Hearts. Don't worry about if I hit millions of dollars, I would not be in here, unfortunately. So it becomes real when you're writing your goals down. And you're like, Okay, Michelle, I have these goals written down. But now what using the smart method really helps you write your goals down in a specific way. So that you are able to track them better, you're able to really understand what action you need to take to a certain degree. Yeah, I know, right? 3 million nodes, 3 Million Hearts, I hit 3 Million Hearts. So but if I say 3 Million Hearts, heels or whatever, but that's a $3 million. Actually, I actually put the dollar sign by accident. But hey, whatever. Okay, so we're looking at, we're talking about smart goals. And when you use SMART goals, it changes how you behave or how you really write down your goals. And it changes your behavior in in creating goals. All right, so what I'm gonna do, right click, and I've done this before what is somebody's goal they're currently working on and you'll see how it can work for you. Thanks, David. I'm just gonna call this creating SMART goals. 

    Yeah, I tell you, right. Okay, so creating SMART goals. And what does that look like? And what does that really mean? So when you're looking at smart, smart means Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and time bound. And being time bound is truly important. Because you need to see whether or not something really is realistic in the time that you have set up. Or if, and if you need to break out a major goal, it's to something less formal. Okay. So let me do this. There we go. So I'm gonna zoom in some. And so y'all can see this a little bit bad. I think 125 work best. But I don't want 75. So let's see. Okay. So let's say your goal is to make $10,000 in sales. Go to make $10,000 in sales. Now, that is not a very specific goal, because you could sell a lot of stuff. $10,000 is meaningful, and it's motivating. Probably for most of us who are here. I don't know if it's achievable, because well, we don't know what the timeframe in which you need or want to make the $10,000 in sales. And is it relevant? Meaning is it reasonable? Is it results base is a real listing. So let's take for instance, Dr. Tammy, you've written a book. So Dr. Tam is like, okay, within one week, I will sell $10,000 worth of my new book, right? The book is $10, which means you need to sell a minimum of 1000. We're not gonna include shipping. So we have a time, which is one week is measurable meanings to $10,000 of my new book. Now, let's say you're a new author. Is it reasonable for a brand new author to sell 1000 books? Nobody has heard of you. You don't have a platform. You haven't been live streaming. You don't post a social. You don't go to a church. You just don't have a following is. is selling 1000 books. really reasonable? 

    Y'all tell me y'all are so quiet. That scary Allah is this Tuesday. So I want you to think about it in those terms. So knowing how resourceful you are understanding who your network is, what resources you have, or the lack thereof of are some of your goals realistic now? Let's do this. Nope. Jeff like Nope. Now let's say you are Dr. Tammy. Dr. Tammy has a great following on Periscope. Oh, you're here. Okay. Daria is here. Dr. Tammy has a great following on Periscope so let's say she has 10,000 followers. Okay, she has 10,000 followers Yeah, she has 10,000 followers. On on Periscope. I'm gonna give her 5000 followers on Instagram and she has an email list of another 5000 followers
    so now She does she does she's appeared that is very true. Exactly. Now so then you look at partnerships so some student says her social media bold and underline that. Now you can look at your partnerships people you can literally partner with. And I'm a bullet This is the let's say Perry girls, let's say your frat or sorority and I know something about Dr. Tammy. Let's say she sits um other Facebook groups I know Dr. Tam is part of other Periscope communities. Right? So she can do all of she can utilize partnerships as well. Now she could also do additional marketing AI What is she doing? She could be doing interesting. I don't have a book. So take this for a grain of salt. She could be doing podcasts she could be doing um gasps blogging. 

    Now remember, she only has a week. So are some of these really realistic? She could do live stream interviews. She could do TV promos. What else? I would say you could do meetups and Eventbrite. Or just a lot. And I'm just gonna do this Eventbrite many live events. Now. So what what I want you to think about even though we're looking at, let me Let me reduce this a little bit. So even though she is looking at a goal, that something that she pretty much has never done before. Right? She's never done this before. Her goal is 10,000 books. I mean, to make $10,000 in sales in one week.

    While we I will sell $10,000 worth of my new book, one book costs $10. My sell $1,000 Once my sell 1000 books, let me right now in this books. Each Okay, so just additional details. So when we come back to this later, we will understand what I meant. Because trust me, I will not remember next week. All right. Now, like what Michelle, we talking about smart goals we are. So when you're creating SMART goals, and you're looking at specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound, you have to think through how specific well I want to make money off my book. How much money do you want to make? $10,000? Is it measurable? Is it saying $10,000? Gonna get you motivated to go out and talk to people? Is it going to get you motivated to create Instagram posts? Is it going to get you motivated to live stream everyday? Is it going to get you motivated to write emails to your list? What is going to motivate you so that you go after that $10,000 Now, what I did as far as the achievable and relevant and time bound is truly break down what it may take to get to that $10,000 So we're like well, if you if you've never sold a book before, this is your first book, and marketing and sales is not your ish is not what you're the best at how do you get there? What are the barriers? What do you need to think about and leverage that you have at your fingertips? Right? Because a lot of times I don't have the money to market they're true. But what do you have that you can utilize to help you make this 10 grand happen? You know what you do, you can come through and actually think about what you have, how you can leverage social media, how you can leverage relationships, how you can use other marketing methods. So part of the 10,000 to make that $10,000 in sales before Dr. Tami's book dropped, she should have been telling her followers, her Instagram followers, her Periscope followers, her email list that she had this book Kami, the books you've asked for the information you want me to provide to you in a format? Remember, you helped me pick the title, right? She has already created this whole process through social to get her community involved. That's 20,000 people. Right? Maybe some overlap. So we're gonna say it's 15,000. She does not even need 10% of the 15,000 to buy her book. She's just a little bit less than the 10%. Right? Then she's going to leverage her partnerships. She's going to look at her Perry girls and communities like the pair girl she's active. And she's going to look at her sorority or fraternity to for support, right? She's going to look at other Facebook groups, which she's a part of. She's also going to look at other Periscope bot really? Online communities.

    Yeah, yeah. Jeff. See, Jeff has priorities. All right, Jeff, I'll see you later enjoy the fight. So when you're thinking about your goals, how you figure out whether or not something is achievable, you can't just do it. In one statement, you really need to think through the barriers that you may encounter and how to overcome them with the resources that you have. That is all I wanted to show you tonight. I noticed this a lot for some of you. And you may find that doing this during the sales in a week, meaning you're doing two months of pre work. In order to make the sales happen in a week, you may find that you're working six months to make the sales for $10,000 happen in a week. 

    Right? As you build your community as you build your following as you build your authority. As you build your know, like and trust, it may take longer. It doesn't mean it can't happen. But I truly, truly look and think about whether it's achievable. Is it relevant? And is it is it reasonable? Because let's think about it, the 10,000 books, if you started working on it today, and you want to sell $10,000 worth of your books by Christmas II, that may work out better for you. That gives you 60 days to hit that goal 60 days. And there are various ways you could do it in that 60 days. Or remember, you may see more of your $10,000 Show up closer to Christmas Eve than you will even on Black Friday. So always keep that in mind that really what you're doing is you're going to look at is it reasonable to hit a goal within that amount of time? With the resources that you have? I'm just saying the connections you have to help and support you. Okay. That is what I have tonight, when it comes to creating SMART goals, how to go through it and think about it a different way. A lot of times OH is specific is Pacific notice the ocean boat, but it's specific, specific meanings. It's is it simple? Is it sensible? Is it significant to you, not to people around you, but to you? How is it measurable? And does that measurement really motivate you to put in the work because you will have to work for it? Is it achievable? Do you agree that you can make those 1000 sales in seven days? Can you can you really do that? And meaning is it relevant? Is it realistic? Resource and result based So remember, we went through two resources, what resources 

    Dr. Tammy had at hand to help her before she goes spent $1. You're welcome, Daria, and time down. You can make the sales in a week, Dr. Tammy can make the sales in a week we agree. But growing her following on Periscope, growing her following Instagram, growing her email list will take longer than one week. So you may be looking at 30 days, 90 days, 180 days to get that following to buy the book. So you have to do some reverse engineering as they say, I don't know where I got that from. But sometimes that's what you have to do. And then when it comes down to it. Is that one week? Are you really gonna say you want to make the sales in a week? Because once you get that book, remember you can do pre sales. Right? So is that 1000 books, your first 1000? Are you trying to do pre sales? I'm just saying. So you really have to be strategic and how you want to approach that goal. And sometimes I just want to buy this house. Okay? Why that house? Why bad neighborhood? Why right now. And in asking yourself the five why's. So it's really good to go deep in yourself, to find out if a goal is really worth you going after. Even if you're using a smart methodology and you can truly achieve it. I'm just saying it's not done and over with. But it's definitely definitely worth you checking out. Thank you so much for sharing this out. All right, so any comments, questions about creating SMART goals for tonight? I'll be back next week when I'm talking about taking daily action. So we're going to use the same goal. And let me let me because I have some other goals stuff in here. q4, we're gonna call this q4 2018. I'm in we are going to go next week and look at what does it take on a daily action to achieve this goal? What is it look like? Daily to help achieve this goal? And y'all are like, I don't know, I didn't think about that. Because getting to a goal is not about a one and done action. It is about small actions you take every single day. Yes, everybody thinks is something big you do. It is truly small actions you take over time, that compound to get you that result. Right. How do you eat an elephant one bite at a time? How did you lose weight one pound one ounce at a time. And if you're in a metric system, what is it one gram at a time, one kilogram at a time. 

    So just just be realistic with yourself as much as possible. And don't beat yourself up because we got to talk about the emotions, the highs and lows of going after your goal. I'm a very goal oriented person. And trust me, I can be very, very hard on myself. And 2018 has taught me a lot. And the most relevant thing it has taught me is you don't know what you don't know. Meaning I set goals for myself not knowing what was in between them. So you know how I went through and I broke things down. I do that for every single one of my goals and there was still and I still didn't get 10% of what I needed on for that goal. And it took me eight 910 months to realize that talking to different people over and over again before I realized that spending so much money doing things that I didn't even have to do to get a result. And it's going to happen and I'm sitting here frustrated like Lord so do not beat yourself up. Alright, everybody. Have a great weekend. A great night. Hey, Michelle. I'm going to get out. Get out of here. Daria. Michelle, you ladies have a great night and I will be back next week to talk more about goals.
    26 min
  • Episode 49: Creating Actionable Steps #GoalDigger
    I? Have B, I don't know Sunday, what is up everybody? This is Michele Heyward, we are in for another session of gold diggers. Yes. Today we're going to be talking about how to take action every single day, just a little bit of action to help you reach your goals. So I talked about last week how to create small, SMART goals, S M, AR T, specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound, you can check that out here on my channel. And this week, you can go get a free guide to help you create your own smart goals, just go to bit.li Ford slash goal guide, 19. And that is case sensitive. So make sure everything is lower case. Alright, so we're going to jump into this so that you are ready to absolutely, positively create your own goals, you are able to not only create them, but you're also able to take action every day. And what does that look like? So I'm going to do a search. And we're going to look at the the goals you created, or the goal we created last week. And this will help put some context Yes, some context to how to how to create daily actions, what do you need to do? So last week, the goal was to make $10,000 in sales. The small goal SMART goal was in one week, I will sell $10,000 worth of my new book. And we say the books costs $10 each, and we must sell 1000 books, then, but before we came up with that smart goal, we went through and discuss like your social media. How many followers do you have on certain platforms? Do you have an email lists? Do you have partnerships with other organizations and how you will market? So today what I want to focus on? How do you take actionable steps to get to hit the SMART goal?

    So the SMART goal is a little bit more than $1,000 a day. Right? Let's say it is 15. Now it's not 1500. Let's say Let's aim for $1,800 a day. We just want to aim for $1,800 a day. And hopefully I'm close. Because right now my math is not working. So $1,428 today, so we want to say $1,500 a day is is our goal, right? So what does this look like? In the seventh day of sales? We're going to look at specifically what we can do to market the book to make sales, right? So we know you have a we're looking at where you have partnerships where you are with social media. So weekly actions, and we're going to be very specific. And we're going to say Sunday, create and schedule email to go out to email lists Monday morning at 6:30am. That's what you're going to do on Sunday. Right? So we're going to actually create lists or tasks you're to undertake each day. You're going to create graphics, let's say seven graphics in Canva to post on Facebook, Twitter, so I would do Facebook and Instagram. So they can say they can take the same size graphics Twitter are about the same size Twitter Pinterest, and LinkedIn. Okay so then on for those graphics you got Let's schedule graphics on to post on Facebook
    at 6:45am, Monday and we want to write those for each social media account. Instagram at 645 A am on Monday, we're going to Instagram share posts into IG stories at 11:45am. On Monday, Twitter tweet, share two times a day at 7:15am and 11:45am.


    Pin posts to Twitter page, you got to do that? Yes, we're being very, very specific because you're like, oh, and so as you build these lists, as you look at what you can do, how to do them, where they come from, it really helps you get very specific. So what you can see what I did I did a, a when when you have to take action when you have to take action? Where are you going to take action, and specific to how you're going to create action. So create a schedule, tell you what actions are you going to take where, so you're going to schedule graphics, in buffer. And you can use any scheduler to post on whatever, right that's the tool. And what you want to do and you can block out you want to Sunday from 3pm to 5pm. You want to schedule out when you got to work on this. And you want to limit the time to get this done. And you want to limit this time because when you limit how long you work on itself, and you're more than likely we'll get it done. If Oh, I can do that tomorrow you will push it off and it will not get done. So you got to block out that time. Even if it's 20 minutes, even 30 minutes. I'm starting with a Sunday because it is done. All right. So this is what a Sunday. This is what we like to schedule posts. 

    Right so let's do something else I want to four we want to live stream to promo book on Monday, do a lunch and learn on Facebook Live at 12pm Eastern Daylight Time Eastern time. And then late night chat or late night show at 11pm Eastern time. Then on Tuesday, you may do a IG live for a chat which we'll call a chat and chew which is still a lunch and learn something at 12pm. Wednesday you can do working women wins they Facebook Live at 7pm Something like that. So you want to say where are you going to be each one of these days what time you're going to do it back and spell today. There we go. What time you're going to do it and you can come up also what what topics so depending on what your book is about, you may want to read an insert from your book you want to make you may want to drop do a frequently asked questions and you can do the same content in a similar format that fits that particular platform, or whatever you're doing. So just work out the details. So see we use a live streaming. We're using Canva. To create posts, we're scheduling posts. So literally, we're just going through our marketing. So we didn't do live streams where we're doing live stream interviews, where we're just talking about doing live streams. You can do TV promos, you can do event brights. But since you only have a week, you can do that live stream to promo book. The other thing I meant to say is you can create events. Hey, Bonnie, you can create events. So create events on Facebook and Eventbrite to help you really figure out what's going on. Sketch schedule last year, oops. All right. So that is part of what you actually do. And you're like, Michelle, this looks really nice and pretty. Guess what? You got to put this in your calendar. 

    So I actually use an old school calendar. Yes, sometimes your muscle mass, your memory works better. A lot of times when you literally write stuff down. So if I can slide this under the stuff that's sitting on top of it. This is the Passion Planner. And it's a PDF copy. So but I literally write in and block off Jim. I didn't make it there today. Some came up at it pitch deck. IB weekly live stream didn't do that. But I did have dinner. And they did meet my accountability partner. I'm scoping about goals. I did a goals Twitter chat. Then tomorrow, I have karaoke. I'm updating my website. So there are various things. So no, this isn't for me. So what I'm doing, Bonnie is I'm talking about people how they can take small actionable steps to actually reach any goals. So last week. Hey, Daria, last week. Where did it go? Let me click on it. Okay. Dinner. So last week, the goal was we had Dr. Tammy in here. So we selected to go to sell the smart, we created a SMART goal and a SMART goal was to it one week, I will sell $10,000 worth of my new book. So book costs $10 each. So you must sell 1000 books in that week. So what does that look like? So that's like 140, let's say 145 books a day. You got to sell 145 books today. So how do you sell 145 books today? Right? What are you doing? What action do you have to take to actually make that happen? So tonight, I'm talking about how do you make that happen? Taking small bite size, actions, right? And selling it $10,000 in books really could be part of your goal to actually become a Amazon Best Seller, right? So you're not worrying so much about the money you did in monetary amounts to keep to motivate you. But what you really want to do is sell 10,000 or 15,000 books in your category so that you are a best selling author on Amazon. And so last week, what we also did was we went through social, you know, and looked at what exactly, so okay, like, and that's exactly why it's a stretch goal. But if you're to sell that many books, let's really look and see if it's realistic. And so what I did was because we use a SMART goal Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and time bound, is it really is a real list for you to be able to sell 1000 books in one week. If you've done some promo, prior to your book, let's say you did your guest blog and podcast interviews and live stream interviews prior to the book. Then yes, it makes sense that you may be able to sell because you could have people pre order and they actually deliver the book, but this is assuming that you didn't do that. But what you do assume is you have 10,000 followers on Periscope That's probably not very realistic, you probably only have about 2000. And then out of those 2000, maybe 200 or active, you have 5000 followers on Instagram. If you use an IG stories binding like you and I know as well as Daria, you probably can pull a lot of sales off of Instagram, then your best bet, if you have an engaged email list, which means you're feeding them great content on a regular basis, whether that weekly, bi weekly, monthly, they will engage and open up and buy your stuff. So that's another reason to really, really look at the email this look at it, look and grow an email list. So that 5000 emails list. So that 1000 book sales out of 20 people, let's say all of these are unique people. So that's 20,000 people you could potentially reach to buy your book 20,000, maybe? Probably not. But let's say yeah, so let's say out of that 20,000, you only reach 10,000, you still need 10%


    On average, on average, each person is only buying one copy of your book. So then we look at it said, Okay, you have this is what you have as far as social and your email list. Do you have partnerships? So So maybe your it was Dr. Tammy, she's a period girl. She's in a she's in a sorority, and she's active. She's in other Facebook groups and Periscope and online communities? Can she leverage those communities and get sales out of those? So let's say just out of her Periscope community, or Instagram community and her Facebook, her email list, what if she's able to get 200 book sales at a just Periscope, Instagram and email this fast 600 books? And then out of partnerships, if she's able to get another 200 books, that's 800. But what does that look like? And that takes you literally taking action. And so I'm talking about taking weekly actions. And I started here, I'll move it down because we're going to break this up and use it utilizing discussing these parts. Right. And we didn't even talk about up here Facebook, but I have our live stream. I have actually live streaming on Facebook doing a Facebook event, stuff like that, but we don't even have Facebook on here. But you probably shouldn't because she's part of the paragraphs community. So she would have had she does have she would have to have a Facebook account. Okay, and then we're looking at overturning a sorority, she may be able to sell, you know, half our books there. I like how you break it down. 

    Baby fast on my end, good night. Oh, trust me, I'm asleep. My eyes are just opening my mouth is just talking. That's I'm gonna put it but I am so asleep. All right, and then. Yeah, so that's just the thing, to break it down is really, really how to help really make it seem reasonable for you to be able to hit these tasks is not about you feeling overwhelmed. Okay. So we looked at Sunday task, we looked at, you know, creating content, creating graphics, scheduling them. And then on on Monday, actually, this number four could be on Monday. And you could do this some of this would have to be done on Sunday. But some of it can be done on Monday as well. And you could just, you could just break it down that way. So this is literally how you want to go back and create that goal. Go from that goal, and really break it down into bite sized pieces. It does not have to be alive. It does not have to be overwhelming. It does not have to feel as though you're drowning. Okay. I remember one night I was working on like I was really, really behind, but a year ago pulling together this particular event online. And I just hadn't even done the graph. It's one of my friends like look, I can do graphics but don't expect them to look great. So I tell her Okay, fine, I just need you something was better than other So she put together some graphics. And this year we're talking about she's like, Hey, I remember I helped Jessie Ooh, you did help me put together graphics. So we were brainstorming this year on the event and I decided not to do it. And I'm doing another event. And I'm using a messenger bot this year. So Facebook Messenger bots, so that should be interesting. So that's why I'm like an hour late on here we needed to meet and go over the messenger bot. 


    Okay, now if you were here last week, we were talking about creating SMART goals. And I have this smart goals guide is get so get your free gold diggers guide [email protected] forward slash goal guide 19 And it literally explains SMART goals in more detail. It gives you space to write out your SMART goals. And for you really need to start preparing one goal at a time of what to do and how to create goals so you can achieve them starting now not waiting till New year new me in January but truly taking hold of it today. All right, I am tired. I'm gonna get out of here. You can always tweet me over on Twitter. Same handle is here. Michelle want L and et Cie for civil engineer, and as Heyward h e y w ARD. Have a great night and I'll be back next Sunday. I'm talking about accountability. We're going to get into accountability when it comes to your goals. Alright, everybody, have a great week, and I'll talk to you later. Bye.
    22 min
  • Episode 48: Let Them Tell You No
    What is going on Periscope replay viewers, viewers on the web and Twitter. Thank you all for joining me. I'm Michele Heyward, woman of color and stem civil engineer and founder of the tech company, positive hire. I am here for mentor Monday. Why are you here? I hope you're here. Because you are here to be mentored. If you're not, and you're just hanging out. Welcome, welcome. Anyway, I'm glad you decided to join me today. Now. Today's topic. Hey, is that Kim? I don't know. Who is that? I can't tell. Okay. Hey, Kim. Um, so today I am talking about from the title, let them tell you now. And you're like, let them tell you no. Yes. I know, we all feel fear rejection. But this is the one time when it's truly truly important that you step out, thanks for the heart, super heart. Hey, Michelle, that you let them tell you now. And you're like, who is they? And why are they telling me no. Oftentimes, women will not apply for a job, if they don't have 100% or majority of the requirements for a position a man or read like I'm alive and I can read it, I'm gonna apply seriously, they see no reason in not applying, women will find several reasons not to apply. Do not do that. Let them tell you no, and you're like, Michelle, I cannot wrap my head around applying for something and I don't know the job. So let's break that down. Let's truly truly break this down for you to feel more comfortable in applying for positions where you don't think you would be successful at the job. Because number one, I don't think you should apply for a job if you know 100% of what to do. Because you're going to be bored and like 60 days is going to drive you bananas. By Why did I take this job it is too easy. I learned everything because well you knew every day when you took it have some room to grow, to have some room to grow. So number one, when you read the job description of somebody describes the job to you, you are interested and you're interested in two different ways. One way is you go and research that industry that position what it would be like to hold that position that is like oh my god this really so you start investigating and researching and your interest continues to grow about this position. Right? Or you cannot get that that position that opportunity out of your mind. You're thinking about all the ways you could do something you can make it better you can improve the world you can improve the process you can make an impact it just will not leave your mind that is the number one reason why you should be apply like the deadline is like in two hours apply. 


    Just apply do not tell yourself no let them tell you no. Okay, so just because let me tell you what's going to happen. We generally do not regret the things we do we regret the things we did not take the chance on. Yes. You're probably like oh my god, I remember when I was younger. I should have done this. Right. Now there are some things that we regret that we did. But most of the time we regret the things that we did not do the opportunities we did not take the risks. We did not take take those and if you are just joining me and you have not shared this out, press those three dots. Press those dots away is it those guys? 

    Yeah, those guys go ahead and share this out. So the second thing you know nothing about this industry. I still want you to apply, especially as women of color in STEM we have so much to bring and we can learn so much from But we offer so much. You may know nothing about this industry, but you may be able to impact it and grow it in a way that it's never seen before. Yes, bringing in different backgrounds, different ways of thinking really can change the way something is developed, how it's deployed, who it helps, whose lives it changes. So it's truly important to take the time like, you know what, I'm gonna do it anyway. Yes. So don't get discouraged. So you know nothing about this industry, you know, nothing about position, but you know, you can do the job. You like? Well, Misha, I don't know if I can do it. Okay. Let's talk about it. You already got a degree, you're already in industry, you doing some damn things? Yes, you doing some damn things? Why not continue to do it in a different industry and in different employment with the same employees, just a different division different business unit, that you can go in and still make an impact? You know, what happens? All you got to do is learn and grow, learn and grow at the very least that's the that's the smallest you got to do. I'm just saying. So what's the third thing? Stand? In your own knowledge? 

    Do I like what are you talking about standing my own knowledge? Michelle, I don't know how to do this job. You don't listen? Oh, you don't listen, you already know so much. So this is this is what I want you to do. So oftentimes, yes, engineers are sweet as fi. But they also very brilliant. Oops, very brilliant and very smart. Very smart. So what does that look like? So I want you to take the time to truly look inside yourself and figure out what you're really good at. And there are two resources I want you to check out. And actually, while I'm where I'm talking about, I can pull them up. The first is the Colby test a or I thought it was a Kobe, Kobe eight index. And it is a test is K O L B II. And the other is a book that she can get off of Amazon and they've actually updated it and added a workbook called unique ability. And both of these really look at what you do innately differently, some things that are innately unique to you. And I bring them up because there's really a different way to find out what you're good at. And it can scare the crap out of people, when I have them when I have clients actually do this from time to time, if they're really stuck. So back to the Kobe, let me see what this is say. So this is the code, neither one of these resources are free. They do cost money. 

    And what is the Colby a index, it is truly at assessment. And it looks at what we call our instincts, or our gut feeling. And it's truly what I natural strengths are. And it focuses on our natural strengths. And as women we have several of those, but when we know what what our natural strengths are, we know how to build a team around those natural strengths. We understand why we're drawn to take on certain types of work certain types of roles, because within our instincts, our beings, we now know exactly what makes us tick. And that is truly truly phenomenal. This is why I truly love this test. It costs $50. Like I said, it is not free. But it is truly It was truly pivotal for me understanding who I was and what I really did well, and I go back and I read this test over and over again. I took this test six years ago. I think it was 2012, six years or six or seven years ago. But I go back and I read the results like once a year. If I'm thinking they can I'm falling off. Now the next one is a book. And the version I read was this one called unique ability. It came out in 2003 I probably read it maybe 2000 2010 and 12 at the same time I did um The Kolbe a index, what I really liked about this book, and this is the paperback, it's $105. Now that book called 105, I did not pay $105 for this book. It did, I'll say mine.


    Maybe it's a package together, let's click on us. But what's good about this particular book is, it really makes you focus on what is unique about you what is what are you able to do that others aren't able to do. And it makes you contact people whom you've worked with, whether it's been as an employer, you could have been volunteering together, maybe in church, and really ask different people who know you what you're really good at, and I send out emails and I go back and reread these emails, I had maybe four or five people respond out about 10 people that I sent it to. And they can write just words, short phrases, full sentences, but it helps you not only to understand what your unique ability is, but how people see you. So you may think that you're not a leader, that people don't see you as a go to person. And the feedback that you may get is like, yes, whenever I have an issue with this, I always think of the time when you did this are always reached out to you because I know you're so great at this. And you like Oh, I thought I was just helping you out. I never thought about that. I'm the one that everybody always comes to, to have this issue resolved. 

    Yes, it is so pivotal. Now they have the workbook that comes with this now unique ability 2.0 Define your best self, I have not checked this out. And this came out three years ago, just over three years, three years and 10 days ago. So you can check this out, too, I cannot tell you what it's about whether it's exactly the same thing on what's different about it, what they've added to it. So you can check into it. Again, this is selling for $50. I'm like, but for this to be 105 Yeah, I pay like $15 for this book, but you can buy used for a few dollars. Yeah, just buy a used copy. And pay to 1254 and 105. I don't know what the hell's going on. But it really is a great book, I've done live streams about the different steps in here on how to use how to you get through and go through it. It's been a couple years, actually, since I, I went through that. So maybe it'd be a good exercise to go through towards the end of the year beginning of 2019 to have everybody refocus and look at their their goals. So, those are the two resources. So let them tell you know, is about applying for positions where you do not have 100% So 90% at hell, you may not have 50% of the requirements, right? But you see, it has a great opportunity, you're really interested in that role, you can't stop thinking about it, you're doing research on it, you know that you have this skill set that you can bring in to there so this is a bonus. So you're like Michelle okay, I'm apply for this role. 

    But a way my resume is set up in a way my LinkedIn looks looks like this is why I want you to look at unique ability and the Colby a index because what happens with these two resources, now you know what you're innately good at a you can frame your cover letter and and redraft your resume so that they show your strong points. You can take what you previously done and been successful thus far in your career and frame it so that you are putting your best self as it relates to that particular position upfront. Because like you said, they're gonna look at you like, well, you don't have this, this, this, this and this. But if you know what you bring to the table is pivotal. Like, is no way anybody can be successful in this role, even if they have have all these other things even have 22 years of experience. If they don't have this, this and this which I have, they won't be successful. The other 70% the other 220 things they need they say they have to have they only need these five Guess what? I have those five hell I got one of those five. Let's go with it. Just apply let them tell you no. So you're probably like Michelle but how do you reframe a resume like that? So I'm and trust me, I did not do this. So don't don't send me messages, asking me I don't know if I want want to show you this, let me see. Let me see what is on here. But it is definitely if you pick up a great book


    Yeah, this is not gonna help you, because I didn't write any of my SP questions and I'm not gonna be able to help you. But you can definitely pick up some resume books to understand how to change like not do a chronological order. Resume, there are different formats, so that you are selecting the one that works best for you. When you're applying to certain roles, especially when you're changing industries, you're changing roles in an industry that you've not done before. And you think it's gonna be tough, you need to change it to look at your accomplishments. And that usually comes to like, dollar save amount of money managed number of people manage, it could be a reductions in costs. So cost savings, safety, whatever is really pertinent to your, your industry, or even that industry is even better if you can prove a track record, but any way that you can show a percentage or dollars, do that that really really has to be in your resume. any questions anybody? 

    Hey, now there's a Alan, you're telling you Are you a night person? Cuz cuz you're up. And otherwise, I want to get off off of here. I still got a few things to do tonight. And eventually, I'm gonna go to bed. But not yet. All right. No questions, no comments, guess what I'm about to do. Deuces everybody. Have a great night and I will catch YOU on tomorrow. Bye, Kim. Good to see you.
    44 min
  • Episode 47 : Forging New Career Path
    Welcome, everybody. Thank you so much for joining us. This is Michele Heyward, with positive higher ed in partnership for Women's History Month. I am here with Nomble Lee with SISTEM.  SISTEM is a community of women of color in the water industry. So if you have not been tuning in for the series of conversations, for leading women in water, and you're like, Michelle, I don't understand what you mean, like you want like Reiki, water cleaning, whatever it has to water, these women are all foot knees, whatever. But what I'm saying is, they are professionals that actually many different water systems throughout the United States. And tonight, we have a very, very special guest who's going to be talking about forging new career paths, but I believe it to nobly you share with you who she is, and then we will bring up our special guests for tonight.


    Awesome, thank you, Michelle. And Hello, good evening, everyone. My name is Nomble Lee I'm out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I'm an environmental engineer with a focus in water and wastewater treatment. Also focusing on P FOSS removal. I'm so excited to be here tonight. So not only focus on forging new career paths and water, but forging new career paths overall, outside of the water industry, I love plants. That's just something that I do as a hobby on the side. And I also love spending a great amount of time with my family.
    Thank you. Perfect. And with no further ado, here's our special guests for tonight joining us.
    Hello. Hello, Kathy, how are you this evening?


    I think great. I'm glad to be here. Yes, yes.


    So just start out if you want to give like a tiny tiny background, tiny, tiny space of your humongous background and all of your accomplishments just introduce to the people today.


    Sure. I'll keep it short though. So I am Kathy Bernardino Bailey. I am the Executive Director of Greater Cincinnati waterworks, Cincinnati, Ohio. And I'm one temporary assignment for one year with US EPA as a senior advisor to help them establish their lead service line replacement accelerators across the nation. So I'm there with my utility for 31 years, I've seen the good, the bad, the ugly. And I've been able to have a great career in it. And I really enjoy what I do, not only for Cincinnati, but in the industry. 

    Wow, that's amazing. Um, so yeah, just to jump right into forging a new career. And just focusing on the definition of forging means searching and looking for a new career, over the span of your career. What do you think has been your motivation to keep reinventing yourself? And has this been intentional, or just something that you fall into while while gaining different skills?


    So that's a great question. I think when I first tried it, my career, it was not intentional at all. You know, I just kind of went with the flow, you know, so I started as a chemist, I was in a couple different positions, I was in it. I did some strategic planning all of that, but reasonably years, it's been very intentional, intentional in the steps that I've taken to maximize the opportunities that have been given to me, because I've been thinking more about, you know, at this point in my career, what else can I do? It's beyond me, how can I help others come into this industry, you know, help them on their career path, take the steps that they need to get going in their career, in this male dominated industry, it's very challenging. And so I've been very intentional in not just my career, but in helping others at this point. For me, yeah.
    What are some of those experiences that you say were really pivotal in making those changes, whether it's being mentored by others, or simply just that grit and grind to do more and have more?


    You know, I'd say it's been a few mentors. For me, one was a mentor that I had many, many years ago, but he's, he's like family to me. And it's interesting, because, you know, in this industry, you're usually looking for a mentor that looks like you. And there's not many that look like us in this water utility industry. And so, you know, it's hard to find mentors sometimes, but for me, I've had a few mentors that have helped me, you know, get on the right path helped me make some decisions when I wanted to go from one step in my career path to another, and then just just really be there as a support for me, you know, as I made those steps?


    Absolutely. And, you know, while making those steps, how important would you say your y is, when you're talking about flowing into those different career paths? And kind of having a goal at the end? What was your why? And how important was that for you to be successful in changing careers?


    Yeah, so early in my career, I didn't have a y, you know, it was just pretty much let me let me do this job, let me get this check. Let me keep it rolling, let me have some fun, you know, I did not have that. That why I had, you know, family, friends and fun, right? Not that I don't have that now, but, but I, I was living differently if I put it that way. But now, you know, I do have a why it's, I'm trying to figure out how I can have a positive impact, you know, not just in it, my utility, but in my community, in my legacy that I leave, you know, and what can I do to have that positive impact in my community and in all that I'm trying to achieve, and so I do have a while, which then makes me act differently, walk differently step in my career differently. And I'm happy about that, because I really see myself as a servant leader, trying to help others, you know, along their path as well, but also to, to grow and do better in the community and, and leave it better than I found it for generations to come.

    Absolutely, and leaving it better than you found it is one of the great benefits, but also outside of I guess, getting new skills and new experiences and higher levels, what do you say, are the benefits of forging these new career paths, or something that you found? Well,
    for me, it's always an opportunity to grow and, and learn something else, to meet people to be, you know, of assistance to other people, you know, I think probably one of my greatest joys, is really meeting a lot of the women who are now in this industry, you know, many people of color, women of color, but it just gives me all kinds of energy to, you know, make myself available to help them, you know, and maybe they, they will have some of the missteps that I had along my path, but I can give them some of the insight that I have or share some of my experiences through storytelling, you know, but but that is something that's helpful. And so I think, you know, it's an opportunity to grow and make yourself available, you know, and as you grow, you learn new things, you experienced new opportunities, and then from that, you can figure out how you can, you know, take your next step along your career path.


    I totally agree with that. And speaking of the women that you're now seeing, as a woman, myself, and I'm sure many others who wants to forge new career paths, what do you say, sort of the mindset that one must have or should have, or you recommend to have to be successful in that?


    You need to be open. And, you know, as my mom was telling me, you know, you can do anything you put your mind to, you know, and at the time, it was like, Oh, Mom, what are you talking about, you know, but, but as I got I'm adult and thought about that, and now as I look back on my career, you can do anything that you put your mind to. And so, you know, I think it's important that that you are open, open to new opportunities. You know, I started as a chemist my degrees in chemistry, but I was in it for a while, as I mentioned, strategic planning, performance metrics. I dabbled a little bit in utility, mergers, performance metrics, you know, I've had all kinds of stuff going on, along my career in each one of the steps that I've taken to get to this point. And it's all been growth, you know, it's been growth and new skills and some skills that they, you know, probably fit me better than others, but but others at the time, it might have been something I didn't like to do, but then later on in my next step, maybe I needed that skill. And so then it became helpful and I appreciated it more. So I think growth and just a willing to change and be available and really know yourself know, know that you can take these steps and put your mind and your energy behind it so that you can be successful in all the steps that you take.


    Yes, and when you speak about like, some of those steps and growing, we all know that growth can be challenging and not always fun. How do you say that? How do you You feel you can stay grounded and focused when you're probably uncertain of your next career change. I'm sure foraging isn't always just a beautiful process, he get very tricky.


    Oh, yeah, I wouldn't say it's beautiful at all. But, but I think if you keep your eye on where you're trying to go, or that you know that there's something that's great or good, that's going to come from it. And I think that's what allows you to put your head down and keep going through it, right, because we all know that you often have to go through some stuff, right, in order to get to the other side, and have it be a good place to be in. And so I think growth and a lot of those, you know, those steps along your career path, some of them aren't good steps, you know, and you have to kind of sit down in it, and it's not good for a while, but then you rise up to that next step. And it's a good place to be, and then you appreciate, you know, what you just came through. And so I think, just having the right mentality and know, you're, again, I go back to knowing yourself, know how to talk to yourself and say, Hey, this is just a matter of time that I have to go through this, but I know the next step is going to be better, it's gonna be great, because I'm going through this now, and I can't be in this forever, you know, and, and, you know, if you're a faith based person, and of course, that gets you through as well. But you just have to know yourself and be willing to go through some of that that's not, you know, the greatest that it can be, but know that the other side is going to be a good place, and you're going to be better for it.


    Yeah, that's so it's so interesting kind of knowing yourself and knowing where you are, I'm sure a lot of people have struggles at work, and maybe they feel unfulfilled or just simply unhappy. It's not always I believe, unnecessarily, a change in career that you need. It could just be a change in job and maybe a glass of wine. So like, how do you distinguish? Or how would you say you distinguish when it's either time for a new career versus time for a new job? Like, what is that term point? You know, that thing that lets you know, Okay, it's time for a new career. It's not just my work?


    Well, I mean, if you know yourself, and you know, what challenges you, you know, what, what motivates you, you know, what gets you up in the morning, and get you excited for the day, you know, those things. And so, when that's not fulfilled, when you're getting up in the morning, you're like, oh, my gosh, I gotta do this again. And that's, that's happening more times than not, then you might know, it's time, it's time for you to maybe do something different, you know, or you're bored with what you got going on, because maybe it's not challenging you as much I remember, you know, some of those jobs that I landed in, Milan, my path, I went to my supervisor and said, you know, what, this, isn't it, this is not happening for me, you know, it's like, I can do this, you know, in a couple hours, and I'm bored. And what's, what else is there? And, and what can I learn, and I remember one time in particular, I did that. And then he took me down this path of this was a the CFO that I reported to, he took me down this path of teaching me all these spreadsheets and all this crap, and oh, my gosh, and always pro formas. And all this stuff that I didn't want to be bothered with. But in my mind, I was like, I asked for this, right. So I, you know, I gotta sit here. And I tell you, it was used. Years later, after we came out of an ugly merger, that didn't work. And the city manager separated utilities back out, we didn't have a financial financial officer she had left. And so we were coming out of that merger, into our own independent utility again, and everybody was saying, well, we don't know the financials. And for me, it was like, Well, I know these spreadsheets and I know where they are. And I think if I can get us to those, we might be able to figure it out. And and I go back to that often think about it, because at the moment, it was something that I didn't ask for. Well, I asked for something right, there was a little more challenging, but I didn't like what he gave me. Then later on, it was very helpful to me. And sometimes, you know, we get in the way of ourselves, and we don't let that new thing blossom, right. We don't let it grow. Because it's not what we really were asking for it. And I think I would say, you know, go with it, go with it and learn from it and know that everything that you're doing has a purpose and you're learning from it. You might not see the purpose right then. But at some point in the future, you will understand that and you will be able to use what you've learned. And that was definitely a case for me. So I think that's something that's important.


    Yeah, no, absolutely. I definitely agree with that as well kind of it will all work out in in sort of what I heard from an open to circle back some time, I did also want to touch on, this is something that I know people in my generation, and even some others are dealing with now sort of like this hustle culture, when it comes into forging those new career paths, and you feel like you can't see need to have maybe two or three different jobs. And if you're not growing by this time, and that time, I was wondering, did you ever feel that pressure? Or was it all very internal? Or do you feel that pressure to constantly I need to knew this, I knew that and constantly growing and showing?


    Well, I think is, is, is a black people, we always have a hustle, right? I mean, even when I was a chemist on the job, I actually years ago, I used to own a bakery, right. And so I had their door, you know, I'm actually I'm an artist, I have artists art that I sell, you know, so we all have a hustle, right. And that's something that we do to challenge these days, though, that we have two or three hustles. But COVID has taught us that those hustles could actually be your full time job. And so we've now seen people that are making some career changes, because their hustle has grown into way more, you know, then then just a side note. So it's actually turning into be something that could be the full time gig that they want. And so, you know, there's more opportunities there. And so I encourage people, you know, because I don't want anybody to be on a job that they they just aren't fulfilled. And so I'm people to be in tune with what they considered that their main job, but also pay attention to those side hustles because some of those are growing into being the main jobs and could be very lucrative, not only for the person, but for their family and their generations to come. And so it's just weird space to be in right now. But, but I like the weirdness of it, because I think we are more in tune with what's important. I think we have, in many ways, simplified our lives. And I think we are trying to get to a better place with work. And if we get to a better place with work, it's a better work life balance, which is a win for our families. And certainly, you know, the black culture, which is a, which is huge, because we often for many years, we haven't had a great work life culture, because we've worked two three jobs at a time. And if we can get to a place that offers something different and better than then I encourage people to explore all of that.


    Yeah, absolutely. And definitely, like you're saying a better work life balance. I think sometimes that's what hustle culture, sort of, it makes you risk that. And even when when thinking about those risks, what would you say are some of the risks of when you are forging a new career, whether that be taking a pay cut? Or I don't know, maybe hopping into something that isn't quite right for you? What would you say some of the risks maybe you've taken or experienced when forging new careers, it
    definitely some risks that come with it, you know, there's risk in putting risk in the job that I have now, you know, where I'm temporary assignment with USEPA for one year as a senior advisor. And so there's risks. So I've left my comfortable Executive Director, job, right. EPA has me on loan for a year, but after a year, there's an optional second year, I don't know if I'll take it. But then I come back to my utility. And so there's the risk of that not being what it was, because somebody else has been running the utility. It's the risk that I come back to something very different that I don't like it's a risk that they won't be warm and fuzzy when I get back because I left them for a year or two years, you know, so. So there's a lot of risk when you take some of these steps along in your path, but I think you need to, you have to wrestle, I mean, you have to wrestle with what's important to you, right? And what, what your feelings are about it. 

    And for me, you know, I had to think about what was important to me. And it's important to me, that across the nation, particularly in disadvantaged communities, that we get these lip service lines out sooner versus later, right. That's important to me. And so if I could take this one year assignment, and have you know, a role in making that happen sooner versus later, then I thought that risk was worth taking. Some might think differently, but, but with every step along their path, if it's important enough, there's going to be some risk with it. And so you have to really, again, come back to knowing yourself to know whether or not you're going to be comfortable with the risk. And then I always, always I got the positive Listen, I got the negative list and I'm going side by side to, to, you know, look at it and say, Is this worth it? Is it? Is it worth it or not? Is it worth it to me? Is it worth it to my family? Is it worth it to the organization that I represent? You know, I do all of that. And I think it's, it's important that people do that.


    Yeah, I totally agree. And I really liked how we keep touching back on knowing yourself and kind of I would assume, being very confident in yourself, your abilities, and the fact that, like we said before, having the faith that it all will work out, in the end, was there ever a time maybe you can speak or your confidence wasn't as strong as you would like it to be while attaining or going for a new career?
    Yeah, I've had moments definitely had moments. You know, I right out of college. I worked for US EPA for two years. And then I came to the city. And a couple of weeks after being at the city job, you know, my coworker said, Hey, you, you only hired because you're black. And we got in trouble because we didn't have any black people. And so now you're hit. And that's the reason you're here. And number one, it's like, how in the world do you say that to somebody, but for me, that hit pretty hard, because I had spent way more than four years getting a degree, right, and had put myself through college, two and three jobs at a time to get my degree, to have this confidence with this degree now to come onto this job and have them tell me that which basically said, the fact that I had that degree didn't mean anything. And so my confidence, wavered quite a bit with that, you know, and for many years, it sent me down a path to prove differently, you know, that that wasn't the reason why you hired me. But I got through all of that. And then my confidence has been, you know, going up ever since then. And, and that's something that I try to work with, you know, when I'm mentoring, particularly women and women of color, you know, it's like, hey, trying to work on their confidence and let them know, you got this, you walk in the room, and you know, the topic you have on the topic, you know, and how can you build confidence, but you have to be very confident. And I have had, I've had more than one thing, many moments, where, you know, your confidence does waver, but you have to figure out how to get back on track. And you know, you get knocked back. But, you know, get yourself back moving forward in, you know, again, I go back to knowing yourself, no, no, you know, what has happened. And then you know, get yourself through that, talk yourself through it, understand what has happened, be honest with yourself, so that you can, you know, realize what has happened, it's knocked you off your competence, trail, and then get back on it. So you can keep moving.


    Yeah, that's great advice. Also, in just speaking to, to your intersectionality of being both a woman and a black woman, while forging those career paths. I know that obviously, you've just expressed some challenges in that. Can you tell me about some of the benefits? Or advantages you found?


    Yeah, um, you know, I, I think it's a huge advantage for me to have had the experiences that I've had, and what I bring to the table, you know, you know, when we're, when we're talking about people who are struggling to pay their bills, well, I've had that growing up as a child and my family experienced that, you know, when you talk about making decisions on whether or not you're going to have enough to pay a water bill or or good medicine and some other stuff, I've experienced that, you know, so I think in many ways, my life experiences although at the time when when they weren't as pleasant as they could have been, they certainly have shaped me into being, you know, a more compassionate leader that is very much in tune with the community and the sub sections of the communities and the neighborhoods and experiences that they have. And so I look at that as a positive that those experiences might have been negative at the time, but they're positives now in how I can be a leader in what I bring to the table to be a leader.


    Yeah, that's, that's excellent. And in that leadership that you speak on as well. I was wondering if you if you found that maybe you give different advice depending on where different women are in their careers, versus someone that is early on, or one that's a little further down the line because as you know, you can change careers or four through career paths in any one time in your life, whether you're in your mid 60s, early 20s 30s 40s, every decade, you can really change. Do you think that your advice changes as maybe women approach different milestones? Oh, absolutely.


    Oh, absolutely. Your advice definitely changes. You know, as you as you change in your decades of years on this earth, you know, you, as you get more experience as you go through quite a bit, you definitely change with that in. So I think your advice changes to in, in your need for life changes. You know, I think early on in my career, I needed more advice on how to navigate, you know, a male dominated industry, you know, and how to not survive, but thrive in it, right, I needed to understand how to thrive. And so that then changed to, Okay, I'm sorry, I'm thriving. But now I need advice on how people will listen to me and hear that I have something to say, then I got that. And then it's like, okay, now I need advice on how to be more of an effective leader, I'm a leader, but I need to be an effective leader, right. And so needed advice in that way. And so I think you go through different phases, as you take all these steps along your career path, where the advice that you need, and the advice that you give, is very different.


    Now that's so interesting. And I think about that now, mainly, because as I turn 30, like you're saying, just how you think and how you feel, how you approach different career opportunities, from starting off, where money is the goal, and then now you have an actual purpose, and the why all of that does change over time. With those new careers. If you were to explain, I guess, your career path and all the different, you know, different trials and all the different roads you've taken, what was a word you would use to describe that?


    Um, I'd say intentional, intentional, early on in those first few years, not so much. But, but I had a couple instances, different things that happened early on, that then made me very intentional in how I engaged and what I engaged with. And so I've been very intentional, and opportunities, whether or not I take them or not, I've been very intentional in, you know, what I wanted to put a stake in the ground for and what I would not waver on, you know, different beliefs that I had, I've been very intentional in different projects and things that I wanted to do that had a legacy within the community, you know, and so, I say intentional, is probably one that comes to mind, I guess, I but I was intentional. And now learning space where I'm trying to inspire trying to inspire others to grow and go for different opportunities that might be before them.


    Okay, and we are approaching that 630. Mark, but just to end with everything, are there any final words you would say to encourage those who are considering a new career path? And maybe don't have that confidence or question themselves? Just any final words to encourage inspire them? Like you just said?


    Well, I mean, we are resilient people. I mean, we've seen that over the years and everything that we've been through in this country, right? We are very resilient. And so I think I often look at as an opportunity as why not, why not take that next step? Why not put yourself out there, go out on the limb, try something different. Try something different, that you can grow from, learn from, you know, and move on to the next thing from there. And so, I would encourage people go for it, go for it. Do not sit back and and be comfortable. Have courage, right over comfort. And get out there and try something new and different that will push you energize you, motivate you make you thrive and be more than you think you can be. Because I think sometimes we sit back and don't. This message came to me when I took this job when I was not going to take the job. And I was just going to do it temporarily. You know, I just thought oh, I'll step in. But they'll find somebody they'll do a national search and won't be, you know, a few months, and I was in church and the message It was all about we're given these God given talents, but we never fully use them. Right, we never fully use them, we just kind of dabble at it. But we never fully use our talents. And we need to step up and fully use our God given talents, and make sure that we are living the most in the best that we can be, not only for ourselves, but everybody else in the mess. It was as if I was the only one in the congregation that day. And that message just slapped me upside my head. And that next day, I applied for the job and got the job. But my point is, we often just get comfortable, you know, and I'd say, take the courage, get out of your comfort zone and go for it, you know, and find something new that you can grow from and be innovative, through that opportunity.


    I love them beautiful. And, you know, maybe it was it was by God, that message was given out here today. I love that it's definitely necessary. Kathy, I want to say thank you so much. This has been such an eventful and inspiring conversation, something for everyone to take away. I love this. The sun has been getting.
    marking it out. The
    sun is showing off. So it's never been this great.
    It must just be for you. Thank you so much. This has been amazing. Thank you.
    Michelle, we can hear you. Yeah,


    I could come off a mute. It really worked very well. I want to say thank you to Novalee so much for taking the time to have this great conversation and inspire so many of us here. I'm a civil engineer. Y'all may not know this. But I did other things. I built the facilities they designed right. And so I want to thank nobody so much for interviewing you. I'm going to we're going to switch over to the q&a session. And Nicole, the founder of system is going to facilitate that for us today over the Unicode.


    Thanks, Michelle. I like everybody said already I've been very excited about this session. Kathy, you know, it's you. And I had a had a special moment the day I met you. And I was like, I have to know the woman with that fro. Is my goal, this conference? And it was it gave me life, right? Because the energy that we put into each other is what we what was needed at that moment because we don't see each other often. Right. So from across the room, and I can say I know you're there for me, and I appreciate. Absolutely. So I do want I think there was a question on on LinkedIn, where did it go? There it is. Were there ever any career jumps you made that you regretted, in hindsight, maybe you wish you stayed a little longer or in a previous role, or tried something to get something else out of it?


    You know, there's one career jump I made. And I was I was, you know, the Yellowlees word titles, but I was the performance metric champion. And so I basically had to work with our seven different divisions, to figure out their performance metrics, and then track them and report out them on a monthly basis to our director at the time. And we we never figured out how to do performance metrics well in the organization. And I really felt like if I had more time in that before, we just said, forget it, that, that maybe I could have made something of it. And I wanted to learn more about performance metrics, right. And so I think that was a moment where I wish I had stayed longer. I think it would help me now because I'm struggling now to get my division heads to realize the importance of performance metrics. But I think that one probably would have been one that I would point to.


    It's interesting, when you think about your career, there's nothing in my opinion, even if you whatever you learn, you learn for a reason, right? Like you were talking about earlier. So it's less about regret, but like you said, it's like I could have I could have I could have gleaned more from that experience. But performance metrics is just tough in general. I mean, every organization struggles with, you know, the wording, how they, you know, because you get different information from how you worded things and all that. So that's, you know, and if that's not, you know, what you studied, where you would start so I'm impressed that you did it. You pushed yourself right to try it and, and see what happens. So yeah. Are there any other questions? Michelle? Oh, here we go. Have you been able to get yourself out of that comfort zone and how have you been able to get yourself out of that comfort zone and take that Risk.


    You know, like I said, I didn't have this, I didn't have this insight early on in my career, I was just trying to get a paycheck and, and survive. But I think in recent years, you know, I have had, you know, the vision that I want to be a positive change in the community, you know, I want to, to make sure that I can do something that lifts people up out of their circumstances and puts them on, you know, a better path moving forward. And so I think, knowing that there's a lot of work in that space. That gets me out of my comfort zone to run after that, to see what I can do, you know, at the utility, you know, to help people with their bills, customer assistance programs, more water main replacement projects, removed the lead service lines, think about what we're going to do against P. Foss, you know, all of those things, I think, because I want to have that, you know, that lasting legacy in the community. That gets me out of my comfort zone, because there's a lot of work in that space. Probably one new
    rookie move. I know some people have that confidence, you know, out the gate, but I think it also comes with, like you said, experience, and saying like, okay, all right, I succeeded pretty well with that. Right? What, what else can I do? And even though it doesn't necessarily mean it's less comfortable, but you're more prepared to take on the risk if you if you know what I mean? You know, it's just, you deal with that discomfort and you plow on anyway. Yeah, yeah. Do we have any other questions? Here we go. I love it. As your power and influence has grown in your organization and industry, how have you used it for change in the water industry? And I think, Kathy, before you even say what you think you've done, you know, if no one is following Kathy, on, on Instagram, I mean, Instagram, Twitter, she's the first lady of water, and just her presence. She is like, she is unapologetically black. And she is very clear about what she finds value in. And so I will say that, that's the way that I've seen you use your power influence, just your presence, right? And just being willing to speak out on things and just be you. Because I think for so many of us, you know, as we're coming up, we're like, I don't know how much of me I can be, they might not be able to take all of this and so so someone else in the water industry, that's, that's watching you. That's what you have been a positive influence for me.


    Well, thank you for sharing that. Thank you very much for sharing that. But But yeah, that's, that's dead on I Am I what you see is what you get, you know, I I'm showing up every day, you know, bringing all of myself, you know, all of my blackness to the table, you know, and in the industry. I call them on some of the craziness that they dish out, you know, and tell him he's like that. That's not true. It's not gonna fly. You know, I'm not here to hear all that crap. Let's tell the truth. It was so we have real conversations when when I'm in the room, in the room and on the boards and, and attending conferences, and it meetings, it's like, I'm not going to sit here and have you sugarcoat something, because it's what you like to hear. It's like, we're going to get down to the real deal. And what the truth is in certainly, I bring that to the table, you know, in the industry.
    And it's refreshing. For sure. Now, I don't know how much more time we have. We have any more questions, Michelle. I don't I don't know about anybody else. But I want to say that my word of the Year has been intentional. So when you said that it spoke directly to me, because you like you know, I'm a planner by nature and all those things, but you have to like say this is what I'm going for this is I'm very specific about it, right? Because it things don't just happen, well, things will happen without all that but you have to be intentional with your goals and your desires. And I think that you know, we have watched you go through your steps and learned a lot from you and your intentionality, even when you aren't saying okay, this is what I'm gonna do. You just can see the determination. And it is a it's a breath of fresh air for sure.


    Thank you. Thank you, you know, intentional is my word again this year. It's the only word that I've picked up when I pick a word. It's the only word that I've come back to. But But it's so strong in me to be very intentional, intentional, and where I am in my space because I've got 31 years in the industry. And so I'm trying to figure out what that looks like next. We're very intentional in what I do and how are pouring to others before I take that next step.


    We have Michelle's back so she told us we We don't have anything else. Any other questions? No more questions. I'm
    sad. I'm sad. But I did put your Twitter handle I went and found your shield. Is that the word that's too long is the number already before I started typing with those, you know, the Twitterverse. Like, that's too long. So if you're a little or you have pets that bark. Yeah, just go ahead and follow Kathy on Twitter. So now I got somebody else to do like what we talking about today. It's hard to take people over to talk and take, I'd be like yeah, okay. Do not without us. Yeah. Well, we would have folks have interesting things to say. Yes. Yes. I'm excited. Okay. Nicole, any final thoughts? Oh,
    well, yeah, I'll let Kathy go. And then I'll close it up.


    Yeah, I don't I don't have any final thoughts. I just want to thank you for having me here tonight. I appreciate it.


    Thank you. I just wanted to quickly tell everyone, if you haven't seen the rest of our sessions, you know, this is been hosted by positive hire with an with System and System is a group of women of color in the water space. And it is a safe space for us to get together and talk about things and, you know, encourage each other talk about opportunities, technical breakthroughs, all of these things, because we found that a safe space was needed. Because we want to strengthen ourselves and then go out into the world and make it make this industry even better. And on one of those calls, we talked about having a word of the year. And we brought that up. And I was like that is a great idea. Because I don't do resolutions, right? But I can have a word. And that word is forged me forward. And that that little bit of inspiration has been you know, Pivotal, right? So those are the kinds of things that we share with each other and goals and dreams and all of that. So, you know, if you'd like to join an event, if you want to be an ally, feel free to reach out to us because we want to know that you're out there for us. That's one reason why we did this right. So everyone can see and see the power that a group like this does. So thank you so much for joining. Hopefully, you'll hear from us very soon. Everyone have a great evening.


    Yeah, thank
    you, everybody. And for those of you that follow us on LinkedIn tomorrow, we will be having at one o'clock Eastern time. 10am Pacific, we will have just a walk on. It is black maternal health month. And so we know how black women die often during childbirth, young woman 21, that delivery her only child at 21. So come join us. I have an advocate named Jessica Walker, who has been in this space for over 20 years, talking about what the disparities are, but also what are solutions. So come join us. It will be on a positive hire company page on LinkedIn as well as over on YouTube at positive hire coach. So we do all things not only for our intellectual being but also on an individual level as we talk about our health and wellness as women as black women as women of color. So everybody come over and join us. See you there. Thanks, Nicole. Thanks, Kathy. See ya

    Thanks. For sure.


    44 min
  • Episode 46 : Meet The Speakers - Lisa Anderson
    Welcome, everybody. Thank you so much for joining us. I'm Michele Heyward. And per usual, I always bring y'all treats like Michelle. Really? Yes. Really? With me today I have Lisa Anderson. Lisa is an executive. She's also an executive coach, open women in the workplace, show up, show out and really drive their careers in the direction that she, they want to go. And so Lisa is back. I don't know, Lisa, you've done what three summits for me?

    Yes. And this three?

    If maybe this the third one, I think you've done a webinar or two with me, we've done a podcast episode. If y'all don't know Lisa Anderson, trust me, you are going to love her when I continue to bring people back is for a few reasons. Number one, the positive hire community are enjoying what she says or finding actual things from her. They're working with her to advance their careers. And I like Why y'all know us as engineers, scientists, analytical people. We like we don't like that many people like that. Especially not analytical like us. But I love working with you. Lisa, thank you so much for joining us.

    Thank you for having me, Michelle and I, I have fun every time every summit, I like to educate, but we also have a good time. And we have some very juicy good discussions as well. Exactly.

    Now, this, this year, we're talking about the from the glass ceiling to the glass cliff. But before we get into that, I want you to share with people a bit about yourself your career, and, and then we'll get into what you do in your organization.

    Sure. So I am a Chief Human Resource Officer, and I've been in HR for over 25 years. So now I'm starting to date myself a little bit. But I grew my career. in HR, I started my career as a recruiter, and worked my way up the ladder through you know, becoming an HR business partner. They recall HR generalist back in the day. But now the new term is HR business partner, HR manager, director, VP. And now I'm a chief HR officer. And every step that I took on that career ladder, I needed to get some different things in my toolkit. And so I love just love working with women in particular, that are looking to move to their next level, whatever or however that looks, and just making sure that they have what they need in their toolkit in order to be successful as they're climbing. And everybody's not always climbing up. I work with a lot of women that are going lateral, and there are individual contributors, but they're still becoming experts in their field. So that's me, and I am also a leadership coach for women and I love to you know, help women find their voice, especially in male dominated environments, build their leadership, courage, and increase their leadership and executive presence. So that's my passion work. Love it. So
    Lisa, business is positively in pursuit. Let's talk about that. That name. Why did you name your company positively in pursuit?

    Yes. So that name came to me years ago, you know how you get that download. And it's like, came to me years ago, when I decided that I really wanted to help people. Back then it was really how to get jobs, you know, how to interview how to dress for success, you know, the unwritten rules of the workplace. That's where I initially started my work. And so that name came to me, because in everything that we do, if you have a positive attitude and a positive outlook, that's half the battle. And so that name came because I said, if whatever you're in pursuit of your dreams, your goals, your career, you want to be positively in pursuit of that. So that's where the name came from, and it stuck with me. And then when I started my coaching business, that name just there it is, came two years before. You didn't know why you came to you but all The stars align like, okay, that's the name I'm supposed to use.

    I love it. I love it. We do vision start way earlier and calling start way earlier than we realize. And we don't know how much. I think it's like Atlas eventually holds up the world. But for for years Atlas was building the body, he needed to hold up the world. So you're often already doing the work, but you don't know really where it's going and where it's going to continue to go. So I love that. I love that. That story. One of the things that I think really resonates with the way you come into positive hire, because we're positive hires, she's positive, positively in pursuit. Yeah, y'all get that? Right. Because because it was funny what I'm just just beside my brand photographer. Her business, she's been in business 32 years, and her business called positive images. Because everything you would generally see a black people in the news, whether it's in print or on TV or hear on radio was negative. And she's she called her business positive images. When we met, and I'm trying to think of names it didn't even dawn on me when I came on positive height, that she probably like, oh, yeah, positive. Hi. And I'm like, Yeah, positive heart. She's like, Yeah, positive image. I said, Oh, I did. And she said, Yeah, you did. And it sounds good. So I hit No, I'm just saying I was first though I was hurt. So three of us, when we think about women, when we think about black, indigenous and other people of color, putting in that word positive is really important. Because we know the negative connotations, especially in the workplace, that happens to us. And so that's, that's an issue. I told you, I don't get along with like, I like a lot of people think, you know, I'm seeing the positive, the T in things. But the other part of that is you are always providing actionable steps. And that's what we have these conferences for women, we feel high, we feel good. And then you leave like, Okay, what do I do? There's just I was like, Yeah, but faith without works is dead. So what do we do? And so when you are in a Lisa Anderson conversation, when you're in a Lisa Anderson trading webinar, guess what you get? A it's not just for Anderson, it's for action. 

    So, yes, I love it. So yes, we you gotta take action, you have to have some movement. And sometimes we get overwhelmed, because the movement may be so big. And, you know, I encourage people break, break it down into baby steps. And if you can do a baby step that's movement, at least is one step further than you were, you know, before, but a lot of us get overwhelmed when because we're looking so far down the road, that is like, wow, look at the big giant thing I have to get to. And that whole thing sometimes just overwhelms us shuts us down. And then there's no movement, because we're overwhelmed. So yes, action steps are very important and small steps. They don't have to be conquering the entire thing in one movement. And so I strongly, strongly encourage that you break that thing down, and let's get some baby steps in there. And then celebrate the baby steps. That's the other thing. Sometimes we don't celebrate until we get to the end. Know the journey is all about that celebrate the baby step. That's gonna take you to the next step. I don't want to forget that.
     
    Absolutely.

    I am horrible with with cheering on at every step of the way. And being on a call, I was on a call with another business owner. And she was like, Well, I only had three people sign up for this. And then out of the three, only one showed up. She didn't even stay but she bought and I'm trying to figure out that hole up. So I ran out like let's run this back. Let's run this back. You didn't get 30 that you want it. You got three out of three. And when you know once one show and bought that's a win, win. It's a win. It's a win. win is a win. I need you she was like it. So sometimes for us what we're downplaying or not really seeing as an accomplishment. We need to go tell a three year old or five year old like but that's a good job. Mommy did good. It really have some else give perspective on because we're looking for the milestone, and sometimes just making to the grocery store or ordering the groceries. Right? Is the biggest thing for you is finding that time you like Yeah, but who gonna cook like whatever. But the hardest part was finding the time to or and you have to say, You know what, let me just have a glass of wine or something and let me sit down and rest. It really taking those wins. So I love that. I love that. I absolutely agree. Yeah,
    I mean, it is it is Avex experienced it personally, you know, I've always been a goal, achiever. And, you know, I forget, I used to be like, forget the baby steps, I can't celebrate until I check the box that it's done. And I had a coach tell me, like, whoa, you know, let's let's back and back up a little bit. Because look at all the things it took for you to even get that baby step. And so let's not discount that. And really gave me a different perspective. Like, wow, you know, how many times have I have done that where my eyes on the prize way up ahead. And all the juicy nuggets, is, you know, is the within the journey within the baby steps and I'm missing all of that looking way down the road. So absolutely.

    I love that. Yeah, we're too action oriented, and absolute in, you know, product driven. And sometimes you gotta wait, you're like you got you got unhearable you know, the herring done yet, but you get there. So I want to bring us back to one other thing people may not know about you, which is you're also an author, and you released a book. So I want to talk about a bit about your book, and then we'll get to the glass cliff.

    Sure. So my book came out in October of 2020. So during the pandemic, when I had the time, when you know, when the world shut down, and things slowed down, I finally had the time to finish a book that I had started writing like the year before, the name of it is invisible professional to influential leader. And it's a tip book for women leaders. And it was very therapeutic for me to write that book. Because all of the experiences that I had coming up the you know, coming up that corporate ladder, I wish I had a book that could have shared some things with me that I wasn't number one comfortable and talking to anyone inside the organization that I was working in at that time. And so this tip book is really about where at one point in my career, I felt invisible. And for me, in particular, it showed up for me in meetings, where I felt invisible. And a lot of times I was the only woman in the room. And nine times out of 10 I was the only person of color in the room. And I went through this experience in this phase where I was like, wow, you know, I had something to contribute to that conversation. But yet I set kind of silent. And so a lot of the tips in the book. The first about the book is the action book. Michelle, we just finished talking about action. So for each tip, there's an action and a reflection. So there's something for you to do around each tip. And it really is to sort of force you to sort of think about you and your experience and where you are and then to give you some nuggets of okay, let's reflect upon it. But then what's the action? What are you going to do to go forward? So yes, so I'm very proud of finally getting that getting the book finish. And I've gotten a lot of positive feedback from it because of course I share some stories in the book. And I had people call me Did that really happen yesterday it I've taken out names to the you know, as people, but in the world of HR It is never a dull moment.

    Now whatsoever So, I want to talk this, this year's theme for the virtual Summit is a little bit different, but it is very, I think, timely. But what we've seen since the murder of George Floyd, with so many women and black women getting jobs at mid management executive level. So this year's theme is talking really about women of color, specifically in STEM, because that's where we focus at positive hire. And Lisa, of course, has a crossover focusing on women leaders. We're talking about from the glass cliff, to the glass ceiling, breaking barriers and achieving leadership goals, and lead. And so when we talk about and think about navigating the glass cliff, Lisa's talk is focused on how to leave on your terms. Can you tell us why you decided to focus on that particular topic? Sure.

    That topic stood out for me, because a couple of things. Number one, and Michelle, I'm gonna have to kind of define glass cliff in order to kind of talk through this. But what a glass Cliff situation? Well, let's talk about glass ceiling glass ceiling is when you know, a woman gets to a certain level in her career, and it's hard to break through to get to that next level. For a lot of women of color, sometimes you hear it referred as concrete ceiling, because with a glass ceiling, you can at least look through it, sometimes concrete ceiling, you can't even see on the other side of it. So that's glass ceiling, then you have glass cliff, where you do get the opportunity to move into a higher position. But normally, it's a challenging position with a high risk of failure. And sometimes, as women or women of color, we don't want to let opportunities pass us by because we may not get as many opportunities. So we may take that project or that challenge or that assignment to get that experience. But we're walking into kind of a glass cliff, where there's going to be a lot of challenging challenges there. So the reason why I picked the topic, how to leave you on your own terms, because sometimes we find ourselves in a glass Cliff situation. And sometimes we stay in that situation longer than we probably should, or stay in it. And it becomes detrimental to us personally. And that could be burnout, stress, or mental health. So when Michelle presented the topics, I was like, Oh, my goodness, I would love to do the topic on exit, you know, exiting and leaving on your own terms. But then how do you take that experience, and use it as an opportunity to get your next experience? Because a lot of people, especially women were like, Oh, we weren't successful in that glass cliff, a roll. So now it's going to be hard for me to go and try for the next opportunity. So that is why this is like who I yeah, I love to share some strategies around. Okay, you've had this experience? How do you really store it? You know, we talk about your brand, storytelling? How do you flip this because now you get ready to go interview for the next opportunity. And believe it or not, even though it might not have been fun when you were in it, the glass, roll with all the challenges, you really need to be able to articulate what you got out of that. And it's not always failure. There's a lot of lessons learn that you would take from that experience to your next. And so we're going to talk about that next week on Tuesday.

    I love is pm Eastern time. So the glass Cliff can be looked at negatively and it is not necessarily a good thing. But I think it's important as analytical women as women in highly male dominated areas on how to leverage it, how to survive if you fall over, or maybe not. Maybe you gotta hook Good and you climbing your way back up, it is really important that we take different perspectives on how to do this. And I want to give a shout out to my friend Denise, she's like, Michelle, this is what you need to be talking about when it comes to the glass cliff. And like, literally, she jumped on a call for 2030 minutes with me. And I was like, ooh, ooh, I gave her an outline of similar what I shared with you, Lisa, and some in other speakers. And this is where we are like, literally somebody and she's like 25, about 28 years into her career in tech and engineering. And so she's seen a lot as well. So I really, I really think this topic, even if you're not, and you're still an individual contributor, maybe you still want to be a Smee. You know, like managing people and advancing isn't where you want to go. But I think it is still very, is still something that will help you in your career. So I have put into the chat, where you can register for the glass cliff, virtual Summit. It is free if you watch it live, and then you have another 24 hours afterwards to catch us up. And you definitely don't want to miss Lisa's. Because she is about that life. She is going to definitely definitely share with you actionable things that you can do in your career right now. It starts on Sunday. Yes, Sunday. And it's one speaker at night. So you don't have to like I gotta Carver like one hour a night. And you can come join us over for the virtual Summit. We will love to have you join us. And I'm speaking for Lisa. Right. Lisa, anything else you want to say? Because you've done the virtual summit before? You've done some other things with positive hire as well. Anything else you want to add?

    No? Well, yes, one thing. So I strongly encourage you what I love about the virtual Summit is that the ladies are all interactive. So you know, we do the presentation, but we also leave enough time. And Michelle and I are famous for going over our time limit. Because we will stay until we get all questions answered. So I Yeah, so I love that's what I love about the positive hire summits because it really is about you coming and being able to interact, give us feedback, you know, from the content that we're presenting, and really just being able to answer any questions or even help or elaborate. So I love that about the women of color and STEM Summit. So yes, hopefully we will see a lot of folks and that will participate. Absolutely.

    And if you need a shorter link, you can go to bit dot L y forward slash glass Cliff Summit. Yes, glass Cliff Summit. So yes, we stay on most of our speakers stay on and we try to answer most of the questions. Some of you will navigate it. I generally don't say your names during the recording to have privacy. And so we will work through that if you want to join and have questions if you want to join earlier, if you want to join that earlier. But if you want to come every night or if you're like Hey, I can't remember you have about 24 hours little bit more than 24 but at least 24 hours to catch the replay. So everybody, you got the links, you know where to go, you know where to show up. We are excited to have you and we will see you on Sunday 7pm. Eastern Time, up until Friday. So, so many y'all want to know, do y'all really want to know what the other topics are? Okay, now, what I know I forgot, I guess that's a good thing to share. Okay, so how to choose the right manager for you. Oftentimes, when we're interviewing for jobs into a new organization, we aren't asking the right questions like will who I got a new opportunity, I need to show up shiny, brilliant, and absolutely the best No, guess what they need to show up, shiny, bright, and absolutely the best to get you. You are the prize. So it's really important to go in and understand the questions to be asking, and how to assess an organization, because it may be a great opportunity. But now you have a manager that is setting you up to fail. And so what are the things you need to be asking for and how do you pre plan going into an organization pretty much known as the glass cliff and is not maybe the manager that is hiring you that you'll be reporting to has a different style. 

    And so we have Giselle Ben Azula, who is who is a software engineering manager at mail Jim, she's been in tech 25 years is going to be talking about this on Sunday. Then on Monday, we have creating your strategy to navigate the glass cliff, you're broke through the ceiling. Now you're walking on the glass ceiling and it ain't going too well. So how best can you navigate it? We have Evany Travis. She is an HR F. Austin scientific. She's the director of Global wellbeing and HR employee policies. She's done many roles at at Boston Scientific. She's been there over 20 years. So you definitely, definitely want to check us out. Y'all know who we got on Tuesday, y'all don't know. We have Mrs. Lisa Anderson, HR executive executive coach, she's going to be taught by NASA navigating the glass cliff to leave on your terms. Then we have my girl y'all like hold up? In my head. She is she's Afro Latina, Dominican, born and raised. She's a civil engineer. 

    She is a licensed professional engineer. Her name was Gladys Felix, she's gonna be talking about a little bit different. What happens when you can't get that job? Right. And you like what? Yeah, and so she is going to be talking about breaking barriers, Afro Hispanic Woman's Journey to the top. And it's a different viewpoint. And oftentimes during recessions and layoffs, it can be it takes a black women especially longer to get jobs. So what do you do in between, in between that time? And so she'll be talking about that. I'll be coming in on Thursday, February 23. How about embracing the glass Cliff turning a challenge into an opportunity? You know, they trying to set you up? You know what it is? But how do you set take the opportunity, that that negative and make it a positive? So I'll be talking about that. And then on Friday, I get asked these questions. So I do I know Lisa, United career coach, I do some business coaching, too. But I do it in a very niche specific way. And so somebody that literally DM me while I was planning out the virtual Summit, and it's like, how do I escape the corporate jungle to start my own business? I know. So I added this on the back end, on a Friday session is real chill, y'all come hang out. I know I have it on Zoom webinar, I may switch it to meetings. So you can ask more questions. But it's called the corporate jungle escape plan. You get out and how I found success as a woman of color business owner. And so really talking about what are some struggles? What are some things I would have done differently? Because I definitely would have done some things differently. 

    And what do I advise other women? And so we'll go through some five things that I have, you probably want to do before you get started. And you jumped ship, or if you've already jumped ship and you're trying to wade your way through the waters. Let's talk about or the jungle and see what that's about. And so we'll have that conversation on Friday. I added as a Friday session because I knew it wasn't gonna be a lot of women, but it's an opportunity for you to still ask your questions, and we can talk about it. So love it, and I'm really excited to have your joy. All right, Lisa, we ready? We're ready. All right. We will see you on Sunday. February 19 at 7pm. Everybody have a great week and we'll see you soon.
    29 min

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Her Career Ladder provides experience Black, Latina and Indigenous women in STEM with career advice to advance their careers into management or technical leadership roles.