by Paige Churchman (New York City)

The Business Council for Peace, affectionately known as Bpeace (“Be Peace”) to its members, is a couple of hundred businesswomen and a few men who work with women in regions of conflict to build businesses and thus foster peace. 

Bpeace describes itself as apolitical, but its members do share the belief that entrepreneurship can be a foundation for hope and stability in areas ripped apart by violence. This idea of “women + business = peace” came from Anne Glauber, a senior vice president at the public relations agency Ruder Finn, and Dr. Noeleen Heyser, who at that time was the executive director of UNIFEM, the UN’s development fund for women.  The year was 2002, and Glauber and Heyser were two of 700 women who had gathered in Geneva for the first summit of the Global Peace Initiative of Women.

“The conflicts fueled by men,” said Glauber, “Must be countered by a new process of peace fashioned and implemented by women. It is time and it is critical for women to assume a larger role and responsibility.”  Women’s natural and practiced skills in mediation, compromise, relationship building, Glauber felt, could be put to use to build a different paradigm for conflict resolution and peace building in war-torn areas.  A way for women to start claiming their power could be through the economy, and women where Glauber comes from knew something about that.

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by Kate St. Vincent Vogl (New York City)

Traveling to another country is a bit like traveling to an alien planet.  “Assume laws of gravity won’t apply,” international marketing guru Christin Walth says, “and just roll with it.”

With this attitude, no matter how strange the land, Walth has always landed on her feet. In charge of marketing for Microsoft in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, she’s worked in Stockholm, London, Paris and Shanghai. In all her travels, Walth has found one universal truth, even in the remotest reaches of China: the common language of currency. Even street vendors pull out foreign phrases as if another of their most precious wares. “Beautiful lady,” they’ll say, “for you special deal.” It’s small talk that’ll get shoppers to buy, these micro-entrepreneurs know.

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By Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro ®

Attitude, whether positive or negative, is contagious; so what type are you spreading?   Being negative takes extra energy you could otherwise be channeling into your favorite pursuits. Instead of sowing discord wherever you go, learn how to cultivate tolerance instead of impatience; optimism rather than pessimism; and gratitude versus an ungrateful spirit.

Here’s how to get started:

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By Erin Abrams (New York City)

This week, Forbes magazine released its annual ranking of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World. There were a few newcomers and surprises this year on the list, along with some women with staying power near the top of the list. Keep reading »

 by Pamela Weinsaft (New York City)

The management team at Merrill Lynch was puzzled.  While it was clear that Merrill  Lynch was recruiting its fair share of the most promising women from campuses around the world and developing that talent, the number of women dropped at each successive level up the corporate ladder.  Moreover, there was a recognition of the large pool of talented women looking to re-enter the workforce and an opportunity to tap into it. The management at ML set out to figure out how and why. 

Working with Sylvia Ann Hewlett, the founding president of the Center for Work-Life Policy and director of the “Hidden Brain-Drain” Task Force, they found that women who “off-ramped” from high-pressure “extreme” jobs rarely returned to the same firm or a similar job when they were ready to on-ramp.  Despite their considerable education and experience, these women often preferred to start over in a new industry. 

To become a firm that attracts women with significant industry experience to come back into the workforce and, once back, to stay, grow and advance within the firm, Merrill Lynch recognized they needed help.  They drafted Ms. Hewlett and Columbia Business School to help them create a program for returnees and a separate program for the advancement of current workforce women unlike any other.  Thus, the Greater Returns Program, launching this October, was born.
 
“We are so excited to be partnered with Columbia for this program.  We were looking for a NY-based educational institution with a robust executive education program.  Columbia Business School Executive Education had what we were looking for,” said Subha Barry, managing director and head of Global Diversity and Inclusion at Merrill Lynch.  

Greater Returns is billed as a “new suite of programs for women seeking to transition back to work as well as women professionals looking to accelerate their career growth and professional development.”  This fall, “on-ramping” participants will spend a rigorous 2 ½ days in courses designed to familiarize them with the newest industry practices and technology.  They will also learn how to tell their “off-ramp” story in a compelling and productive way.  “The key is getting [the women] to think differently about their capabilities and prepare them for their new roles, even if they are in other parts of the industry,” said Ms. Barry.  A program for current women professionals is targeted for the fall of 2009.

The faculty will be comprised of top people from Merrill Lynch, as well as Ernst and Young, Intel, and other top companies. “This is a collaborative endeavor.  Sylvia Ann Hewlett has proved invaluable in using her vast network to connect us with all these companies,” stated Ms. Barry.  She continued, “It is my belief that the broader the net we cast, the greater the possibility that we will find a solution we are looking for as it relates to women in the workforce.” 

In addition to the coursework, senior women at Merrill will host lunches and dinners to get to know each of the participants.   “The most important thing is that these women get exposed to a variety of constituencies within Merrill Lynch,” said Ms. Barry,  “They will even have the opportunity for one-on-one interviews with our HR people so they can get feedback on their interviewing style and resume.  It will be very hands-on for participants and Merrill Lynch.”

While the program does not guarantee employment for each participant, Ms. Barry expects realistic outcomes to include each member of the group developing a solid network of peers, establishing connections with each of the participating companies and creating an action plan for workplace re-entry. 

The group of women accepted into the inaugural class of the Greater Returns program—scheduled to take place October 27 – 29 of this year—will come from a wide range of backgrounds, including investment backing, private client-side finance, operations, accounting and even the entrepreneurial sphere. 

The aim is to have all participants share some common elements: to be highly qualified women who held upper-level positions before leaving the industry and who share a passion for re-entering the workforce. 

There are still openings for qualified candidates.  The program encourages those interested to apply today, as the deadline for applications is September 19, 2008.   

Contributed by Caroline Ceniza-Levine of SixFigureStart

I am dreading getting back into fall, when my kids are back in school so the morning routine is crazy, the pace is faster as everyone returns from vacation and needs things yesterday, and the days seem shorter.  What are some ways to take back control?

Knowing that things will be more hectic, block out time now while you have a moment to choose your priorities.  Take out your daily planner or log into Outlook and actually block out the following:

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Contributed by Sylvia Warren of SimplytheBestCoaching.com

According to award-winning author David Shenk, “The glut of information no longer adds to our quality of life, but instead begins to cultivate stress, confusion, and even ignorance.” When the overwhelming pressures of work and life accelerate faster than you can deal with them, does it feel like you don’t have space to breathe? If so, what you’re experiencing may be normal. Super-achieving women in business, finance and law often challenge themselves to the max and then wonder how they are going to cope with it all. As the song goes, it just takes your breath away.

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by Caroline Shannon (Pittsburg)

Joyce DeLucca is a mom of two living in the Big Apple, where she works as the managing principal of Kingsland Capital Management LLC .  When she first started out, she struggled on a daily basis with balancing the competing demands of her family life and work life until finding a creative way to avoid missing out on the once-in-a-lifetime moments with her children.

DeAnne Merey is a single mom  and founder of a public relations firm, DM Public Relations. But despite the success of her Manhattan-based firm, Merey’s biggest and most important client is a five-year-old. And that’s because he’s her son.

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by Jessica Titlebaum (Chicago)

With most Americans away from their desks for Labor Day, celebrating the waning days of summer with barbeques, burgers, and beach outings, we at The Glass Hammer felt the need for a brief respite of our own. It’s in this vein that we veer slightly from our usual realm of coverage to examine how the glass ceiling (or the breaking of it) is faring around the world.

We begin in the States, where there’s been lots of talk of late about the glass ceiling in politics and government. Both Hillary Clinton and John McCain’s VP pick Sarah Palin claim to exemplify the disappearance of the glass ceiling in US politics. That said, America still lags far behind other countries when it comes to women in at the top of government. In the country’s 238 year history, we can now name only two women named as vice presidential candidates; Ms. Clinton’s missed chance at the top of the ticket keeps the number of women nominated for President at an easy to manage, if embarrassing, zero.

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by Jessica Titlebaum (Chicago) 

 The Institute of Economic Empowerment for Women (IEEW) is in the business of providing opportunities for underprivileged women. Believing that nations with a stable economy are in a better position to promote and accept peaceful solutions, they launched the Peace through Business initiative.

According to Kathy Neill, Program Coordinator at IEEW, the program actually grew out request from the U.S. State Department  to develop a business training program for women in Afghanistan. “The program is founded on a simple premise: It’s possible to change the world by educating women about business and giving them the tools to succeed,” said Terry Neese, the president of IEEW in a Northwood University Press Release.

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by Elizabeth Harrin (London) 

In the United States, women currently make up almost 75 percent of the banking industry’s entire workforce, but hold only 9 percent of chief executive positions.  Conventional wisdom is that it is not much better in the United Kingdom.  Yet, against this backdrop,  an amazing 20% of women reach senior positions at Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), a bank formed in 1969 through a merger of two banks: The Standard Bank of British South Africa and the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China.  The organization, which prides itself on having one of the most diverse workforces in the global financial sector, knows it can do even better. Enter Maram Habash, Group Diversity & Inclusion Manager, who coordinates the effort to support women as emerging leaders.

“The Group Women’s Council was set up to drive the bank’s ‘gender agenda’ supporting our overall Diversity & Inclusion programme,” she says.  “The Council’s objective is to help women in Standard Chartered realise their full potential through personal development and supportive workplace practices implemented in an engaging and inclusive workplace.”

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by Erin Abrams (New York City)

Lately, several high profile women business leaders have reemerged onto the political scene, bringing their charismatic personalities and knowledge of the economy to the campaign trail.

Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett Packard, has become a familiar face on Sunday morning political talk shows as a surrogate for John McCain’s presidential campaign. Though she was asked to step down by the Board of HP in 2005 after amid concerns about the controversial merger with Compaq, Ms. Fiorina, 53, is a proven fighter who didn’t stay out of the public eye for long.

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Contributed by Caroline Ceniza-Levine of SixFigureStart

I just got laid off so I’ve been applying to as many jobs as I see posted or hear about, but none of them seem quite right.  Can I afford to wait for the right opportunity?

If waiting implies doing nothing until the exact dream job arises, then, no, you cannot afford to wait.  But even when you are laid off and in need of another job quickly, applying to everything in sight isn’t a good strategy either.  You might think that stepping back and taking time for career planning is a luxury.  In fact, career planning is a necessity that can both minimize current harm and prevent future damage.  In a time- urgent situation, such as a job loss, career planning needs to balance coping with the present while building a foundation towards the future.

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By Zoe Cruz (New York City)

A study published in “The Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance: Earning What You’re Worth in Sales” by Shannon L. Goodson, made news last week.  Ms. Goodson, co-founder and president of Behavioral Sciences Research Press, is a specialist in visibility management.  She compared nearly 11,500 professional women with about 16, 700 men from 34 countries, and concluded, “Being able to draw attention to your contributions and competencies at work has become an important part of modern career management, and it is something most women are still unwilling or unable to do as consistently as their male counterparts.”   Reuters printed the findings in an article entitled “Career women are their own worst enemies: study”.
 
According to the study, men get further ahead in the workplace because they feel little or no reluctance, uneasiness, guilt, or shame, in self-promotion.  Men often climb up the corporate ladder with ease; women don’t because most women “still cling to the myth that self-promotion is “socially unacceptable”, “unlady-like” and “morally suspect” says Goodson.    
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by Pamela Weinsaft (New York City)

When we think of the life of a lawyer in a big firm, we often think of the time commitment it takes to get to be partner. 

 In the past, women attempting to balance life and work have been unceremoniously pushed off the equity partnership track.  The times are changing, however.  While one still must put in the time and effort, top firms are now competing with one another to get and keep top talent.
 
Working Mother,  in conjunction with Flex-Time Lawyers, published its second annual list of the Top 50 Law Firms for Women this month.  The list recognizes the efforts of firms aspiring to hire the top female attorneys, including the availability of flexible work arrangements, in-house networking, mentoring and management training to enable the female lawyers develop the skills and contacts they need to advance to the partnership level.
 

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by Erin Abrams (New York City)

Kathy Robb, a partner in the New York office of the law firm Hunton & Williams, credits her success as an attorney in part to a willingness to embrace change and a passion for environmental issues.

The Glass Hammer recently sat down with Kathy, whose practice focuses on energy, environmental and administrative law, to talk about her background, her accomplishments and her advice for young women in law. 

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by Nicki Gilmour (New York City)

Every summer, the beaches of Long Island are filled with women and girls on surfboards. I am one of them. As far as I’m concerned, if the sun is shining, the ocean is clear and the waves are clean, the best board to be on is a surfboard.

I am sure that there are lots of successful professional women among my fellow surfers. It’s a tough sport—I have the injuries and scars to prove it. It’s thrilling. You need stamina and strength, as well as some talent to keep improving. You also need a desire to conquer yourself, not just the ocean; in other words, all the stuff that you need to make it in the other “boardroom” at the office.

The first time you catch a wave, it will rank as one of the best feelings in the world, like falling in love: the butterflies flit in your stomach, sending a signal to your brain that gives you a euphoric feeling of taking flight. You are flying on top of the wave even though it’s probably just the frothy white water breaking around you and lifting you along with it. Then you get bolder and better, paddling out further and taking many hits as the ocean drags you along the seabed like a spin cycle on a washing machine. A few hours later, you will emerge and you arms will feel like they each weigh 100 lbs. from all the paddling out and paddling in for the wave.

It’s all worth it.

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by Pamela Weinsaft (New York City) 

Last week, Advertising Age held its annual Women to Watch Awards Luncheon, honoring thirty of “the most innovative, empowered and accomplished women in the world of media and marketing.”  Hailing from industries as varied as energy, internet entertainment, professional sports and banking, among others, the honorees were given just a couple of minutes to answer a single question posed - mostly related to marketing advice or work-life balance.  

Each of the speakers was inspiring and powerful. Helen Clark, Corporate Marketing Manager of Chevron Corporation-under whose guidance the successful “Power of Human Energy” campaign was launched-advised “be brave…know your challenges.”  Lynda Clarizio, President of Platform A at AOL, the world’s largest online ad network, told the crowd of the importance of having a “clear, strategic vision…” and “to not be afraid to make the tough decisions.”  And Annette Stover, CEO of Euro RSCG, New York, advised to “capitalize on teamwork and technology” when attempting to achieve work-life balance. 

The room was packed with powerful and accomplished women–event organizers, honorees, and audience members alike–who have broken free of stereotypes and surpassed expectations to reach the top of their fields.  This made the announcement by Meredith Publishing, one of the sponsors of the event, all the more incongruous.  Meredith Publishing’s new study, “The Gamma Factor”, purports to define a powerful marketing segment: the “Gamma woman”.

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