PWCC Blog

May’s Luncheon Offered Inspiring Tips for Successful Leadership

Administrator Account — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:06:00 -3650

The attendees at the PWCC luncheon on May 9^th were entranced by our phenomenal speaker Connie L. Lindsey, EVP, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility for Northern Trust. Connie delivered a moving (and witty) presentation where she opened with she vowed to adhere to her 3 B’s – Be Good, Be Brief and Be Gone! Connie reminded us that although as leaders we have good intentions, this does not equal actual attention with our actions.

Empowering us with her 3 B’s, here are the Seven Tips Connie gave as guidance to “Occupy Leadership: When Our Intention Drives Our Attention”

1) Be Bold – To be a good leader, you must be willing and able to stand alone in order to make a difference.

2) Be Authentic – You need to know yourself and own it. “Being a bad version of you is better than being a good version of someone else.”

3) Connect Your Soul To Your Role – Believe and inspire from within to gain the trust of those you lead.

4) Great Leaders Listen – “Are you listening, or waiting to speak?” If you are doing the latter, you can never be a good leader. God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. Listen to your team so that you can become a better leader and advocate for them.

5) Take Care Of Those We Lead – Enough said.

6) Abandon Cynicism – It’s better to be skeptical rather than cynical because at least a skeptic will research and be open and persuaded to change. As a leader, you must encourage change and get those to trust management.

7) Be Still And Grow: Rest, Reflect and Play. There is no such thing as a work and personal life balance, but there is importance in a leader’s work-life integration and doing that well. You can’t forget to live or consider new ideas since a good leader never stops learning.

One final take away that was inspiring and gave our table food for thought – “’No’ is a complete sentence.”

Join us for our PWCC Annual Springboard Event on May 15 at Carnivale Restaurant or the next luncheon on June 13 with Col. Jill Morgenthaler who will be speaking on “Winning at Work: 21 Ways to Lead and Succeed as Women in Business.” www.pwcc.org .

Heather Bailey is a Partner with SmithAmundsen’s Labor & Employment Law Group, assisting the management-side. Heather is a PWCC and Communications Committee member and may be reached at 312.894.3266 or hbailey@salawus.com.

Mentoring Program Successes: Testimonials from Karen Jones and Alexis Bettis

Administrator Account — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:01:00 -3650

I have been a member of PWCC for almost 5 years and hands down this is “the best” women's’ networking organization in Chicago. Last year I participated in the Mentor program as a Mentee, and it was an incredible experience to connect with a high level professional executive. Deb Schmidt was a great listener, provided direct feedback and various recommendations and options. She and I remain friends and I am truly grateful for her time, friendship and guidance. This year, due to my experience last year, I signed on to be a Mentor. Deb Cato, team co-leader in membership, kicked off this year's session with guidelines, tips and expectations.

Creighton Hartanov, co-team leader, has been instrumental in keeping the group on track with follow-up, questions and next steps. I feel as a Mentor, you gain a lot more than what you give. My Mentee, Alexis Bettis, has truly impressed me with her commitment in her role as an attorney and the generosity of her time and talents as a community leader to non-profit organizations. She is a leader and inspires those around her to follow in her footsteps, yet she does this in a quiet humble way by leading by example. I look forward to continuing our friendship beyond the Mentor program and know that this program has helped benefit both of us.

by Karen Jones| J.P.Morgan Private Wealth Management, karen.m.jones@jpmorgan.com

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I’ve been a part of many networking organizations and this has by far been my most rewarding experience in the PWCC and elsewhere. My mentor, Karen Jones, constantly provides me support, honest feedback and sound advice through her own experiences. Karen has helped me identify my career objectives and helped me design a plan to achieve my goals. Since our first meeting, she has shown a commitment to help me benefit from this program. I’m truly appreciative of all the time and effort Karen has given me. The mentorship program is the reason I’ll to stay involved in the PWCC. The program fosters a sense of belonging to the larger PWCC community and is a wonderful opportunity for personal and professional growth.

by Alexis Bettis, Esq., Klevatt & Associates, LLC

I have 30 new business cards from professional women I met...now what?

Administrator Account — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:59:00 -3650

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I was certainly exhausted after an afternoon of connecting with three tables of wonderful women at April's Progressive Networking luncheon. I don’t know where else one can find so many talented professional women under one roof. Chances are that you have collected almost thirty business cards of women from an array of different industries. If you are thinking, “Now, what?,” let me please make a few suggestions.

First, connect with each of your new contacts on LinkedIn. This is a great way to stay connected with the women that you meet. LinkedIn serves as my personal Rolodex making it extraordinarily easy for me search for a contact or shoot someone a quick message.

Second, find at least two women that you think might become a solid business connection for you. Reach out to that person and recommend a time to meet for coffee or lunch to get to know each other better.

Third (and this was a tip that I actually learned at the luncheon), get yourself a reliable business card scanner so that you can keep your desk clean and appropriately store the stack of new business cards you just received.

Finally, you might have met someone that might not be a professional contact that you were targeting, but you may have a connection in your network that might be a good connection for that person. Introduce the connections! Happy Networking!

Kimberly Bacher

Shaw Gussis Fishman Glantz Wolfson & Towbin LLC
321 N. Clark St. | Suite 800 | Chicago , IL 60654
Office - 312.980.3836 | Fax - 312.980.3888
kbacher@shawgussis.com | www.shawgussis.com

The Power of PWCC

Administrator Account — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:00:00 -3650

Kay McKeen, founder of SCARCE (School and Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education) spoke at our March luncheon and inspired all of us to do our part to make our earth a safer and cleaner place.

Since Kay spoke, some fantastic things have happened, including...

1. Donations have been made to SCARCE -- both cash and supplies from PWCC members

2. A teacher heard about SCARCE through a PWCC members and already went to SCARCE for supplies.

3. Gidley Management started a SCARCE collection bin.

4. Kay is going to Lane School to do a Waste Audit (a PWCC member has children that attend that school).

5. A donated piano is getting placed, organized by a PWCC member.

6. SCARCE sent super crayons to members who know children that can use them

Talk about taking action!

SCARCE collects books, school and office supplies, musical instruments, crayons, cell phones, buttons, eyeglasses, keys and flags. If you have these things, SCARCE will put them to great use AND save them from being put in a landfill. Every little bit helps! Contact Kay McKeen, 799 Roosevelt Road, Building 2, Suite 108, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137, phone 630-545-9710 ,ecoed@sbcglobal.net, www.scarceecoed.org.

Inspiring People to Care for the Earth

Administrator Account — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 20:00:00 -3650

The tagline for this month's Professional Women's Club of Chicago luncheon featuring Kay McKeen was, "Inspiring people to care for the Earth!" And I think it's safe to say that the objective was achieved.

Kay, founder of SCARCE (which stands for School & Community Assistance for Recycling & Composting Education), is very clear that her ultimate goal is to eliminate the need for trashcans in the world. Her mantra is, "We don't have garbage, we have resources that we haven't figured out yet." And that's exactly what she is accomplishing with SCARCE.

What impressed me the most about Kay and SCARCE is that she is essentially a resource matchmaker. Have you ever cleaned out a closet or desk and come up with a pile of things like old books or unneeded office supplies and wondered what to do with them? Now you know: send them to SCARCE, where they will be passed along to schools and teachers who will give them a second life.

The 5,300 square foot warehouse in Glen Ellyn has saved over 4 million used textbooks from landfills along with countless crayons (SCARCE melts them down then uses molds to make them into bigger shapes for use with special needs children), old cell phones, keys, safety pins, running shoes and just about anything else you can think of.

Kay shared a story about how a local school recently brought in their old microscopes after the science lab received a technology upgrade. Three of the microscopes were sent to a hospital in Ghana where they were received with tears of joy from a doctor who can now more easily diagnose and treat malaria. Not only is she saving resources from landfills, she's helping to save lives!

Finally, I overheard several people commenting that they don't recycle because it's not available in their building. I would like to point out that there are several drop-off points throughout the city and with just a little bit of effort, everyone in Chicago can recycle. A list of drop-off points can be found here: http://www.chicagorecycling.org/dropoff.htm.

A big thank you to Kay for the work she's doing to sustain our resources and environment and for taking the time to share her passion with us at PWCC!

Kelley C. Long, CPA is President of KCL Financial Coaching and considers herself to be a household recycling expert. In fact, she and a group of peers started a program in Cincinnati that promotes recycling in bars and restaurants that continues today. To learn more about Kelley and her "day job," visit www.kclmoneycoach.com.

Grateful for Networking Connections

Administrator Account — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:44:00 -3650

I just read Marlene Franke's blog post "When you least expect it" and was so happy to hear that the photos I have been taking at the events actually lead to more networking opportunities for members. I have enjoyed my year of networking with PWCC and I am extremely grateful for the fantastic women I have met and the direct work I have done as a result of members. The first experience was that a lawyer introduced me to someone she met after meeting me that lead me to a five day beauty shoot in Chicago. This was my first experience with networking outside of my industry and it leading to a direct job.

Then at one luncheon after the event I was in the bathroom, I started talking to someone who just happened to have a clothing line. I have shot two times for that company and have another shoot scheduled next month. I found that networking with PWCC has been way more effective than email or direct mail promos or cold calls. My taking pictures at PWCC events is my way of appreciating the organization. Thank you!

Lisa Sciascia a Chicago based commercial photographer with 21 years experience shooting for clients such as Coca Cola, American Express, Kohls, and Maybelline. Please visit her website at www.sciascia.com, or she can be reached at 917-805-4472.

Hoping to Make a Difference in Caregivers Lives

Administrator Account — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:26:00 -3650

Even before I went to law school, I noticed something was a little "off' with my mother. She groped for words, had some memory issues, and made unusual comments. By the time I graduated, Dad and I knew she was suffering from some form of dementia. Hiring freezes were making job hunting very difficult, so I did not mind being a caregiver for Mom -- at least for the time being. However, her symptoms became worse and later Dad had a heart attack.

I became a full-time caregiver without ever making a conscious choice to do so. Soon I was dealing with heart disease, leukemia, arthritis, diabetes, prostate cancer, deafness, blindness, and severe high blood pressure, as well as Mom's senile dementia. I continued in the role of being a parent to my parents until first my mom and then my dad passed away. More than twenty years were gone and my brilliant law career never realized.

I was encouraged by family members to write a book of my experiences, which they were convinced would help others. The result is the recently published When Your Parent Becomes Your Child: Advice for Caregivers...from a Daughter Who Spent 23 Years Dealing with Aging and Dementia. I hope it does make a difference in caregivers' lives.

Georgette H. Tarnow is an attorney, writer, and administrator in Chicago. When Your Parent Becomes Your Child: Advice for Caregivers is available at http://booklocker.com/books/5726.html and elsewhere. Ms. Tarnow may be reached at G@TarnowEsq.com or YourCaregiving.com

When You Least Expect It

Administrator Account — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:44:00 -3650

It is funny how the PWCC continues to enrich my networking experience. Even when I least expect it.

Let me share my story with you.

I was at the salon on Saturday a few weeks ago for my mani-pedi. As I was relaxing and soaking my feet in the nice warm water, waiting for my manicurist, Janet, to finish with a client, I picked up a copy of Today’s Chicago Woman and started flipping through the pages. It just so happened that the pictures from the PWCC December Progressive Networking Luncheon were in this issue and I realized that I was in one of the pictures. When my manicurist came over, I said jokingly, “Hey Janet, you are working on a celebrity today”, and showed her my picture in the magazine. Before I knew it, she was showing it to her client, Allison, who she had just finished with and was waiting for her nails to dry.

Allison came over to look at the pictures and of course we introduced ourselves. As we were talking about the PWCC and what we did for a living, I learned that she works with a very long-time business colleague of mine, Dan, who I had not seen in quite some time. We ended up exchanging contact information and not an hour later I received an invite from her and Dan to have cocktails one night after work.

Needless to say, I had a great time getting to know Allison better and catching up with Dan over cocktails. But this is yet another example of how the PWCC continues to enrich my life, even when I least expect it.

Marlene Franke is a CPA and is the business development manager for Ostrow Reisin Berk & Abrams, a local public accounting firm. She has been an active member of the PWCC for the past five years and currently sits on the Board as the treasurer. Her email is marlene.c.franke@gmail.com.

Top 5 Networking Tips: Here are some helpful tips to recharge your networking in 2012

Administrator Account — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:56:00 -3650

Hand written notes. Take time out of your day once a week to send out a few hand-written thank yous and follow up notes. I can’t tell you how much this means to people and REALLY makes you stand out in a crowd. You can also have fun with it: personalize some of them to match your personality…my favorites are the Lu Lu note cards. If you know the person you just met with loves to golf, send a golf note card!
Quality vs. Quantity. Instead of trying to greet the whole room, set a goal of meeting 2 or 3 GREAT contacts. Do this for each and every networking meeting you attend. Try to connect with many people but prioritize 3 names. Pick people that can impact your business or individuals that you really connected with on a personal level. For example, you walk your dogs at the same city dog park.
Commit to one fantastic group. Then get involved. There is only so much time in the day and it can be exhausting running from one networking group to another. Many times you are so busy planning and getting to these networking meetings you forget all about the group or industry focus. My favorite is PWCC -- Professional Women’s Club of Chicago (www.pwcc.org ) I can’t say enough about the group, the structure and the connections it has given me the past years. Also, when you focus on one group, you build a consistent message. The same people see you every month and this builds character, which you cannot do by just passing your business card to 5 people as you run to your next networking meeting.
Always GIVE before you receive! And the sooner the better. Really take time to listen to what others do, ask questions and ask for specific examples, such as “Who do you want to meet?” If we listen and give more, I promise the referrals will keep coming to you. It may not be from every individual you meet or even the person you made an introduction for, but it will come back to you. It's karma: your good deed will jump start the universal principal of cause and effect. If you are not sure how to help someone, just SMILE and ask, “How can I help you?”
USE YOUR NETWORK! So many times we forget to use our network. I pride myself on using my network and just before the holidays I found myself ordering gifts from a company in Connecticut, someone I did not know and from someone in a different state! I immediately stopped myself as I read a blog on my networking group PWCC’s website, and placed an order with someone in the group. It is so easy to lose track of time and contacts. Challenge yourself- pick 2 or 3 individuals, write their name on a post-it note in your planner or on your desk, and find them business!

Pam Flaherty is a Vice President with Schwartz Brothers Insurance in Chicago, IL. She is responsible for developing new business and ensuring a consistent flow of new revenue for the practice. Pam has served the insurance and risk management needs of clients for more than 16 years, specializing in the needs of the affluent and high-net worth individuals. The foundation of her practice is built on service, realizing that every individual and family has different needs. Pam Flaherty (#312-630-0858) pflaherty@schwartzbrothers.com.

A version of this article appeared in the January issue of Today’s Chicago Woman. Check it out at www.tcwmag.com/5-tips-to-b-a-ower-networker

Top 5 Reasons Not To Miss PWCC Luncheons!

Administrator Account — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:07:00 -3650

On Wednesday, January 11, 2012, PWCC luncheon attendees were graced with the presence of Kathleen Ameche, CEO & President of Ameche Group LLC and author of The Woman Road Warrior. Kathleen, with her wit and charm, gave us not only important tips on personal safety while traveling but also practical do’s and don'ts while traveling – something many of us do on a daily basis even if it’s just commuting to and from work. Here are some of the tips Kathleen shared:

Every time you get into a cab, text the cab number to a friend or family member. This way should anything happen to you – like being held up at gun point by your driver (which happened to Kathleen) – someone will have this valuable information.
When your hotel front desk attendant says “Thank you Miss Smith, you will be staying in Room 202 tonight,” respond back, "I’m sure Room 202 is lovely, but can I get another room and just write the room number down on this paper for me?" You never know who can be lurking around to hear what your room number is.
When you get into the elevator with a stranger and you get an eerie feeling – act like you forgot something and don’t get off on your floor. It only takes a few minutes to head back down to the ground level and back up to your floor safely without worrying you may be followed.
Use concierges and valets when traveling to an unknown location. Concierges are there to assist you in getting where you need to go safely and via the best route, and they can also explain any nuances or differences with the culture at your destination. Valets keep you from entering unsafe parking garages.
When in doubt, ALWAYS follow your gut instinct. It was given to us for a reason, so we should use it! 9 times out of 10 if something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.

Kathy also mentioned that she is COO of a tech start-up, called CareBinders. It's personal record keeping software that helps simplify your life. It stores all of your medical, insurance and banking information. It also keeps track of your passwords, emergency contacts and much more.

If you're interested in checking it out, go to www.CareBinders.com. The cost is $199.00, but you'll receive $40.00 off if you type in the word "Ameche" (as a discount code) during checkout.

To learn from Kathleen, visit her website at http://www.womanroadwarrior.com/author/index.html.

Lastly, don’t miss next month's luncheon on February 8, 2012, where networking and getting what you want from it are on the agenda!

Heather Bailey is a Partner with SmithAmundsen’s Labor & Employment Law Group, assisting the management-side. Heather has been a PWCC member for almost a year and may be reached at 312.894.3266 orhbailey@salawus.com.