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Toolkit for Women’s Success: Working Smart (aka Will Women Take Over the World While Men are in the Bathroom?)

Seriously! What are you men doing in there? “I’m going the bathroom,” my husband informs me as we get out of the car and walk toward the house. “Keep me updated,” is my joking response. So, here is what happens. He disappears inside. I accomplish the following:

  • Clean out my car
  • Wash my car mats
  • Water the plants (see picture below as PROOF for non believers and friends who know I have a “black thumb.”)

If you guys don’t watch out, I seriously think we women could take over the world while you are in the bathroom.

Step 1. What CAN You Do?

But, the more serious point (for your toolkit, versus your snarky-remarks book) is this: Over the years  – and in my resarch for the Hot Mommas Project – I hear women say they don’t have enough time, and that they’re spread thin. But, think about THIS!!….Just look at what we CAN do. And, in a short period of time. I am always glad to get my hands on an organized mom as a staffer because – why? Ladies, men, we know this….wait for it…wait for it….BECAUSE ORGANIZED MOMS COULD RUN A SMALL COUNTRY. So, I am not sure what some dark corners of corporate America harbors against working moms, but, I view them as a massive asset of energy, organization, no-nonsense, and efficiency. Not unlike the herculean and many tasks I accomplished while my husband was – er – occupied.

Step 2. Come into Your Power

In the New Sisterhood of Success presentation I gave on 6.19.10 for Women Grow Business, I talked about “coming into our power.” It’s about recognizing what we CAN do, and capitalizing upon that…even if it has been hard and tiring learning that lesson.

Quick facts on women and power:

  • Women make 80% of household purchasing decisions in the U.S..
  • Corporations that promote women to executive positions are more profitable.
  • Globally, many nations invest in women as an economic development strategy because we invest BACK IN OUR COMMUNITIES and make it better for everyone.

And, isn’t that what we do best? Make it better for everyone? So, rise above the giant sucking sound of the email vortex and your to-do list.  But how?

Suggested Exercise to Come Into Your POWER:

1. On an index card, sticky note, or something you can carry around with you and look at several times a day: Come up with YOUR top goal that you would REALLY like to accomplish and would make a DIFFERENCE in your life.

2. What goal should you choose? You should be able to say, “If I accomplish this, I would be proud of myself.” It could be big or small. You are going for the feeling vs. world domination.

3.  Ask a friend to help you (e.g., Check in with me in a week, would you, and kick my butt a little bit on this goal).

Need MORE help? Attend the #sisU pilot in DC October 9. Click here.

WRAP UP – What it IS and IS NOT about.

What it’s NOT about: It is NOT about anti-men (despite my semi-snarky comment re: men and bathrooms).

What is IS about: It IS PRO – US (as in plural, you and me, we)

Go sisters. Do it! What are your strengths? What herculean tasks have you seen women in your life accomplish? That is our Toolkit Topic for today.

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What is the Hot Mommas Project?

The Hot Mommas Project is an award-winning resarch project started by GW School of Business faculty member Kathy Korman Frey.  We make women’s stories teachable using our “case wizard” at www.HotMommasProject.org . The Hot Mommas Project library is the first of its kind, providing scalable, global access to role models and virtual mentors that can be used by educators, trainers, and parents. We’ve been featured in Prentice Hall textbooks, the Washington Post Magazine, NPR and are the winner of a national Coleman Foundation case award.

How you can get involved: Write your story, or nominate a dynamic woman 18 or older.

Our call for 2011 nominations has begun. While the contest runs through January 31, 2011 – Start now! There will be prizes this spring and fall for early bird publishers.

How it works: Nominated women come online, write their story using our “case wizard,” and click “publish” to be permanently archived in our case library.  Winners will be published in a leading Prentice Hall textbook in addition to other honors and prizes. To participate, nominate a dynamic woman 18 or older (yourself included) here or find us on Twitter. No, you do not need to be a mom. To inquire about sponsorship, email us.

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Whew. That was long. Now remember to comment: Herculean CAN DO comments below. What miracles have you witnessed ?from women in your life?