Great article from The Glass Hammer about helping women become more comfortable with self-promotion in a way that feels right but still leads to professional development.  The article:  Five Ways to Beat the Self-Promotion Paradox

A short version:

1. Don’t Say a ThingUse emails, websites, and networks like LinkedIn to get the word out.  The next time a colleague—be it a client, a coworker or a superior—sends you an appreciative email, don’t discard it. Keep records of your rave reviews, and use them to your benefit.
2. Recognize OpportunitiesSometimes, effective self-promotion is all about context. So when the opportunity to show off presents itself, seize it!  If you’re self-evaluating, asking for a raise, or going for a promotion, modesty won’t get you anywhere. “These are totally appropriate places to say, ‘Here’s my contribution, and here’s why it’s really important,’” said Rikleen.
3. Accept the AccoladesWhen someone offers you a compliment, resist the urge to brush it off.  Simply say, ‘Thank you; I was delighted with the opportunity.’
4. Watch Your Language“Think about how you choose to let people know about an accomplishment. You can say, ‘I’m really excited to share this information with you,’ and then talk about something you’ve achieved.”
5. Ask for Assistance  Ask for help in promoting your achievements, and create a culture of mutual support.

In a spirit of applying these tips,

please check out the Idaho Business Review’s Women of the Year Awards which includes multiple Go Lead Idaho women:  http://idahobusinessreview.com/2011/12/21/ibr-salutes-2012-women-of-the-year/  and consider attending the event to celebrate these and other women leaders in our community on Tuesday, February 21, 2011 http://idahobusinessreview.com/events/woy/.

Great advice from Carolyn Buck Luce, Global Life Science Sector Leader at Ernst & Young, and Co-Founder of the Hidden Brain Drain Task Force.  Carolyn is the daughter-in-law of Bethine Church and spoke to City Club of Boise a year ago.  Some highlights of the article:

She recommends ten-year planning as a way to manage that life. “Every ten years, I go over what I want to learn in the next ten, and the critical experiences I want to have. I ask, ‘how do I live the next chapter as fully as I can?’”  In the next ten years, she said, she hopes to become known as an “organizational shaman.” She explained, “I would like to learn more about what happens in people’s heads, soul, spirit, and energy, and how I can help leaders be more courageous by calling on all their gifts.” 

“My advice for young women is to build your network before you need it,” Buck Luce said.  “Women do not have the internal or external networks they need to be successful. You have to be able to mobilize information, relationships, people, attitudes, emotions, inspiration – and you can’t command that. You have to have broad networks before you need them.”

As women become more senior in their organizations, she advised, it’s important not to shy away from politics. “It’s not a meritocracy, and the more senior you are, the less it is. You need to be clear about what you want and why you want it, let other people know, and elicit their support and build a campaign.” The full article is at:

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