The economy and its wide-ranging impact on businesses.
As we expected, discussions around the current economic state and its far-reaching impact on our businesses and lives received a lot of coverage in FEWnet meetings this month. Contingency planning has taken a front seat as business leaders prepare for possible scenarios ahead. Managing budgets has also become a challenge for some organizations as budgets have lost their validity due to cost cutting or lack of funds. This demands new thinking patterns and strategies to be put in place to better manage expenses. We also discovered that some businesses are not only spending cautiously, but they are also saving more money along the way in the event that things don’t improve right away. On the bright side, companies that are currently hiring have found that new hire salary and benefits negotiations seem to be easier than in the past given the desire to be employed. Group members agree that although it’s an interesting and unpredictable time right now, we’re confident we will prevail.
Maintaining a positive work environment when the news is negative.
Despite all of the negative news being reported these days with regard to the economy, our FEWnet groups recognize the importance of maintaining a positive workplace. Group members shared tips for ensuring staff remain optimistic and engaged in their work. The ability to focus on the positives of a situation is a powerful way to maintain perspective – and yes, there is always a silver lining if you look hard enough. One member said a renewed sense of collaboration has been instilled in her team since job cuts hit their area. Team members are working better together than ever before and their synergy is leading to outstanding results, despite having lost two teammates. One member said even small acts of kindness can keep people smiling for an entire week. She brought in a coffee one morning to her assistant and it put her on cloud 9. Another important element is to make the decision each morning to be optimistic. Others will sense your sunny outlook, causing a viral effect as their own attitude improves.
Networking: What you put into it = what you get out of it.
Many people are overwhelmed and nervous about the current economic landscape and in the midst of busy, stressful lives, networking is one of the first things to take a back seat. Such a move may appear to be a short-term solution, but at a long-term loss. Our FEWnet members are clearly of the belief that there’s no better time than the present to make sure your network is strong! In fact, many of our small groups have started enjoying an occasional happy hour at a member’s home in addition to the monthly lunches or breakfasts. Cheers to that! Those who value professional networking recognize that the time invested in strengthening and growing your network is time well-spent. Capitalizing on networking opportunities that present themselves ensures you’re building your network day-by-day instead of waiting until the day you will really need it. Think about organized lunches, chatting with other parents at your child’s swim meet, business seminars, holiday parties, church events, and more. Seeing everyday opportunities through a networking lens will give you the chance to continually build your network in an increasingly competitive and connective business world.
Core strengths women bring to the workplace.
Women bring unique leadership strengths to the companies in which they work. Our FEWnet groups discussed the various ways women contribute and add value to their teams and organizations. Generally, women tend to focus more on relationships compared to their male counterparts, creating strong partnerships with trust and honesty that yield solid teamwork and high performance. Collaboration is a key strength of women. For this very reason, women are excellent mentors and coaches in the workplace. Several of our FEWnet members have served in a mentorship role and found it to be incredibly rewarding. Women also have a heightened awareness of the feelings and emotions of others, which does indeed prove beneficial in business. Emotional intelligence is a valuable trait when working in any role from team leader to manager to executive. Some members also mentioned that female leaders have the confidence to ask questions in order to learn more about situations or processes and are not worried about asking a “dumb” question. There are many strengths that women bring to the table – perhaps we’ll get to those in future issues, so stay tuned!
[ Back to Main page ] |
