8 Female Executives On The Habits They Gave Up

By Lindsay Tigar, Fast Company

There are many theories about how long it takes to form a habit. Some say 21 days. Others argue it’s more like 60, or more. Whatever the case, some aspects of our routine are beneficial to our personal and professional growth, while others just slow us down. For leaders who are tasked with not only meeting their own goals but also guiding others, paying attention to negative patterns is essential. That’s why these women, across industries, stopped apologizing. Or adding a “maybe” to every sentence. Or opted to do things their way–even if it wasn’t the “right” way.

We asked eight impressive female executives to describe the habits they’re glad they gave up:

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5 Ways To Galvanize The Next Generation Of Multicultural Businesses Owners

By Carla Harris, Swaay

Thirty years on Wall Street has taught me a few things about being a woman in the business world that I’d like to share with the next generation of multicultural women who want to start and scale a business. In the early days of my career, I had my own personal missteps amidst numerous victories.

I always vowed that when I reached senior management, and people came to me for advice, I would provide them with the tools, strategies and pearls of wisdom honed by my own experience. That’s why it is such an honor to be chair of the National Women’s Business Council and have an independent platform from which to share my pearls of wisdom. Here are five of my “Carla’s Pearls:”

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Public Perception Finally agrees: Women are as Competent as Men

By Anne Stych, BizWomen

Public perception has finally caught up with the idea that women are as competent as men — or even more so, a new study found.

The increased confidence in women’s abilities over several decades has been driven by women’s steadily-increasing participation in the workforce and increased attainment of advanced degrees, researchers found.

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How I became the CFO of my own life

By Phyllis Newhouse, CEO of Xtreme Solutions, Inc. and Member of the WPO Advisory Board and Zenith I Chapter

How engaged are you in your finances?

Some avoid dealing with their personal finances because they experience financial fear or believe they lack expertise, with many married women today still leaving investments and money management to their husbands. Or, perhaps you just haven’t taken that extra step to ensure you’re on the right track to maximize your wealth.

Many years ago, I realized that if I truly wanted to achieve my goals, I needed to approach my finances intentionally. How could I run a successful business if my own affairs weren’t in order? So, I began running my household finances much as I would a business. I became the CFO (Chief Financial Officer) of my own life.

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Better Benefits Means A Better Bottom Line

By Geri Stengel, Forbes

The number one concern of million-dollar-plus women-led businesses is talent recruitment and retention, according to the 2019 EY WPO Business Outlook. More than one third of respondents— 37%  — said that attracting and retaining talent was a challenge. The survey was conducted among EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women participants. These are successful and ambitious women entrepreneurs who take the Winning Women leadership program and become part of its community. This research was also conducted among Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO) members. WPO accelerates business growth and enhances competitiveness through its peer advisory groups. “Entrepreneurs learn best from each other,” said Marsha Firestone, Ph.D. its president and founder.

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From Project To Movement: Unleashing The Potential Of Business Transformation

By Maril MacDonald, Founder & CEO of Gagen MacDonald and WPO board member; The Holmes Report

Large companies today are contending with an astonishing array of challenges. They must simultaneously continually reinvent themselves to fend off disruption, deliver quarterly results to satisfy shareholders, compete for top talent in a brutal battlefield, confront political instability and uncertainty, protect their brand and reputation, and nurture their organizational culture. In short, they’re driving constant transformation.

When things feel unruly or overwhelming, our impulse is to try to organize them in a way that makes them seem manageable. We create projects.

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How Entrepreneurs Can Turn Investors into Champions

By Barbara Yastine, Managing Director of Golden Seeds

Fundraising takes hard work and a lot of time. So, it is no surprise that once the checks clear, entrepreneurs are eager to get back to building their businesses. Their investors want that, too. However, once the money is in the bank, some entrepreneurs may forego building stronger, broader and deeper relationships with investors by skimping on communications.

Read more here.