Women’s History Month: Do You Know These 7 Women of Power
In continuing with the Women’s History Month series, I have been publishing interviews since 2004, first in my newsletter, Ambeck Edge, and now on The Invisible Mentor blog. Along the way, I have interviewed many interesting women who are going places with their career. Although many of them have now changed jobs or even careers, their advice is timeless and worth reading. One of the things that I am noticing, is that many of the senior level women I know are very savvy in managing their careers and are very good at figuring out when it’s time to move on. There are many nuggets of wisdom and you can find information to help you manage your career.
Sarah Speake: When I first met Sarah Speake virtually, she was a senior level executive at Google UK. Since leaving Google, she has changed her job again. There are a few things that struck me while interviewing her, but the one that I’d like to mention is her response to the question, “What’s one of the toughest decision you’ve had to make?” Imagine having to turn off the life support on your child. Please read Sarah Speake’s interview Part I of Sarah Speake Interview and Part II of Sarah Speake Interview.
Christina Ioannidis: I met Christina Ioannidis at a conference in Toronto back in 2010, where she was a guest speaker a few years ago. One thing I particularly liked about her is her networking savvy, and I gained access to Sarah Speake because of Christina. Two of her life lessons are to love what you are doing and to seize the day. She is also bold, which is one of the traits that women need to succeed, and she was able to turn failure into success. Part I of Christina Ioannidis Interview and Part II of Christina Ioannidis Interview.
Patty DeDominic: A friend virtually introduced me to Patty DeDominic, and I recognized her as a strong woman who was going places. She is very client-focused and one of the things that I like about her is her courage to make the necessary changes in her life. In the interview Patty talks about becoming overweight and what she did to reduce her weight. There are other instances in the interview where you will see her courage shining through. Patty DeDominic is definitely a woman of power and someone who is always going places. Part I of Patty DeDominic Interview and Part II of Patty DeDominic Interview.
Martha Mertz: Martha Mertz is another woman of power and influence. I interviewed a colleague for this blog and she recommended that I also interview Martha. With all the technologies we have access to today, we can virtually meet anyone who we want to meet. She is the founder of Athena International, which is an organization that supports, develops and honors women who have achieved the highest level of professional excellence. One of the reasons that she is so successful is that she doesn’t hold on to her failures. When Martha started her first business in the late 70s, there weren’t many resources to support women, yet she succeeded. Part I of Marta Mertz Interview and Part II of Marta Mertz Interview.
Rosemary McCarney: Rosemary McCarney is the President and CEO of PLAN Canada. She is another woman of power and influence, and expert at problem solving, which is a key part of her job. By reading Rosemary’s interview, you will see leadership in action. She believes in ongoing learning, and the most successful people invest in their professional development. One of the things she struggles with is to find the proper balance between work and life, something that many women of power, struggle with. There are many nuggets of wisdom from this interview. Part I of Rosemary McCarney Interview and Part II of Rosemary McCarney Interview.
Carol McManus: I first met Carol McManus, also known America’s LinkedIn Lady, on a teleseminar hosted by Diane Danielson. I was so impressed with her that I asked her if I could interview her. Mentors were very important in Carol’s success, and also her ability to adapt to changes in her environment. In her candid interview, she tells us that when she has failed in her life, it's when she did not follow through – that is an important lesson there. Part I of Carol MacManus Interview and Part II of Carol MacManus Interview.
Diane Danielson: When I think of Diane Danielson, Brave, Bold and Pioneer come to mind. I always learn from each interview that I conduct, but there were many lessons in this one and I’m sure that you’ll agree. Some important lessons are: make sure that your career suits your personality, separate your emotions from the facts, figure out your passion and what you are good at and be at the forefront. And be flexible because your life doesn’t always turn out the way you expect, but change often brings lovely presents, so be open. She has since moved on from the Downtown Women’s Club, an organization she ran for several years. Diane is someone who knows when it’s time to move on. Part I of Diane Danielson Interview and Part II of Diane Danielson Interview.
Get Started Here – I want to help you get started on your learning journey. Read The Invisible Mentor 2015 Reading Challenge, then Join the Facebook Group for the Reading Challenge today, connecting the ideas from the books you read!
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