by Elizabeth Harrin (London)
On Monday evenings I punch people. Actually, mainly it’s bags or the air, but sometimes – in a restrained and respectful way – it’s people.
by Zoe Cruz (New York City)
Sustainability is the new buzzword in Corporate America – but what does it actually mean and why is it so important? Corporate sustainability grew out of the concept of sustainable development, which means to “meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” In terms of corporate goals, sustainability is the balancing of short-term financial gains with the “long-term goal of balance and survival”, as mentioned by Deutsche Bank CEO Seth Waugh during his opening words at this year’s Women on Wall Street conference, as reported on The Glass Hammer.
by Sima Matthes (New York City)
Corporate leaders shared the stage with big-name stars last week in Long Beach California, when approximately 14,000 women (and a few men, including California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chris Matthews, Bono and Michael J. Fox) came together for the 22nd Annual First Lady’s Conference on Women. Read more
Contributed by Emily A. Donahoe of www.womenspeaktraining.com
An Elevator Speech is defined as a persuasive, “call-to-action” presentation that is 30-60 seconds in length and approximately 100-150 words. The origin of its name is self-evident; it can be delivered, effectively, in the span of a typical elevator ride.
Elevator Speeches (also called Elevator Pitches) are all the rage these days in communications training and for good reason; these mini-presentations are fairly easy to construct and to deliver, and pack a powerful punch. Not limited just to entrepreneurs pitching to potential investors, these speeches can serve as compelling and competitive means of self-advocacy across several channels of communication for a variety of agenda and target audiences. Elevator Speeches can be used as a networking tool, a sales pitch, in a job interview or to promote a special event or project.
Contributed by Caroline Ceniza-Levine of SixFigureStart
What can I do to better my chances while the employer is thinking it over?
In a job search, there are many gaps: from when you submit your resume to when you interview; from the first interview to subsequent interviews; from offer to close. Don’t drop the ball, and let your target employer forget about you. Use proper follow up to ensure that these gaps don’t interfere with your hiring chances.
by Liz O’Donnell (Boston)
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70 percent of all jobs are found through networking. Hank Blank, owner of virtual marketing agency, Hank Blank Inc., believes the benefits of networking go well beyond finding a job. “Networking increases your revenue stream, improves your social currency and makes you smarter,” says Blank. With that kind of return, it would be foolish not to add networking to your professional skill set.
Contributed by Martin Mitchell of The Corporate Training Group (CTG)
Most people are so busy working at their day jobs to stay on top of the masses of news that is out there. We aim to bring you a quick press digest every Monday morning so you can enjoy your weekend and ensure that you didn’t miss a beat from the international financial and corporate news the week before. Start the week off right, and arm yourself with some great watercooler conversation.
The week that was:
Monday 20th Oct 2008
- Private equity group CVC is in pole position to acquire a 51% stake in Direct Line, the insurance business owned by troubled UK bank the Royal Bank of Scotland. It is competing against Allstate, the US insurer. The deal is expected to value Direct Line at £6.3bn.
- The Dutch banking and insurance group, ING accepted a €10bn injection from the Netherlands government. The government will buy a new class of securities that do not have voting rights, but pay an 8.5% coupon with a step up guarantee to match ordinary dividends and a buy back option at 150% of the face value. The securities are unsecured bonds that will count towards ING’s tier one capital. The injection was negotiated just after ING announced a quarterly loss of €500m. The loss was due to impairments on equity, bond and real estate investments plus losses due to the collapse of other banks and higher loan provisions.
by Sima Matthes (New York City)
Kudos to Madelyn Lankton of Travelers Insurance (#93 on Fortune 500), who recently received the Women In Insurance Leadership Award from Insurance Networking News (INN).
Ms. Lankton is the senior VP of Travelers Claim Shared Services. She was recognized for making a “significant impact” on her business according to the INN. In her role as senior vice president, Ms. Lankton is reposible for Claim Shared Services, an organizaiton of over 1500 people that uses the latest in information and data analysis to help the company in reviewing claims and evaluating the results. Ms. Lankton also serves as an executive mentor for individuals in the Finance and Information Technology Leadership Development Program at Travelers. According to INN, Ms. Lankton initiated the development of Women’s Mentoring Forum for high potential young women in the IT department.
by Pamela Weinsaft (New York City)
The Glass Hammer recently spoke with Dianne Ledingham, Director in Bain’s Boston office, member of Bain’s North America Telecom, Media & Technology Practice and leader of the consulting firm’s Global Sales Effectiveness group. Ms. Ledingham has played various local and global governance roles in the firm and is currently a member of Bain’s Worldwide Compensation and Promotion committee. In addition to serving corporate clients, Ms. Ledingham has advised several early stage technology start-ups in her career at Bain. She is also a Board member of City Year, a multi-regional non-profit.
By Sedef Onder
Some of my friends would be surprised to learn that I harbor a special affection for No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em poker. Truth is, I find a lot of parallels between the game and my life as a businesswoman.
The game, like any form of gambling, is inherently based on risk. In the case of no limit poker, you have to know when to take strategically-considered risks. Whether it be based on the strength of your hand; the personality, previous play and behavior, and motivations of your opponents; or maybe your position relative to the dealer button. Or sometimes simply based on a gut instinct. In short, it demands insight on your competitive landscape and market conditions.