Voice of Experience: Barbara Novick, Vice Chairman, BlackRock

barbaranovickBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Right now, Barbara Novick, Vice Chairman at BlackRock, is focused energetically on change. “Companies and industries change, and very often change is an opportunity.”

Novick’s responsibilities have changed too – after twenty years working on the client side at BlackRock, she’s recently taken a new role leading public policy and government relations for the firm – and she feels strongly that change is leading to opportunities in this area too.

As the markets and regulatory structures evolve rapidly, she explained, people must be able to not only deal with change, but embrace it. She said, “Embracing change is probably the most important thing someone can do in their career, along with trying to turn that change into opportunity.”

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New UN Women Report Highlights Disparity Between Law and Practice

Woman with tablet computerBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

This week marked the release of UN Women‘s first report, Progress of the World’s Women 2011–2012: In Pursuit of Justice. UN Women was founded last July, in order to accelerate the UN’s progress toward achieving its gender equality goals.

The report produced some tidbits that may surprise you – for example, that women in Quatar earn 142% of what men earn in the manufacturing sector, or that women hold 51% of seats in Rwanda’s parliament.

But the report goes much deeper than that. The comprehensive study of women’s access to justice around the world is not intended to portray women as people who need protection, but to seek out ways to empower women and improve gender equality. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon wrote, “This edition of Progress of the World’s Women examines the injustice that far too many women endure. It also highlights how essential it is to see women as far more than victims, but as agents of change.”

The aim of the report is to acknowledge the global gap between what is set down in law and what really happens, and to establish goals in narrowing that gap.

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5 Ways to Get Male Executives to Invest in Women’s Initiatives

iStock_000016970197XSmallBy Melanie Axman (Boston)

Studies and statistics consistently point towards company benefits and increased profit margins when women are encouraged and emerge as leaders in the workplace. Consequently, companies are increasingly recognizing the importance of identifying and developing female executives. This movement parallels the success women feel when male senior executives become sponsors, mentors and champions of professional gender equality.

However, for those male senior executives who have not yet become involved with this effort, the question remains: how can we encourage and persuade them to invest in women’s initiatives? Here are 5 tips to consider.

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Voice of Experience: Sarah Lee, Managing Director, Global Head of Fixed Income Derivatives Legal, Bank of America Merrill Lynch

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“I do really believe that once you get to a certain level of seniority, it is important to encompass into your role the development of other women,” said Sarah Lee, Managing Director, Global Head of Fixed Income Derivatives Legal, Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Lee, who has spent her career developing award-winning expertise in derivatives law, is also passionate about the importance of passing on guidance and opportunities to other women.

She continued, “Mentoring… is critical for getting women into senior roles in the industry – and as women who are senior, we must bear that in mind.”

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Stepping Stones to Success: Charting Your Course to the Corner Office

SuzanneBatesContributed by Suzanne Bates

While it may not seem like breaking news, women are still underrepresented in corporate boardrooms. A recent survey by the Alliance for Board Diversity revealed that white men hold 73% of the board seats at Fortune 1000 companies (up several percentage points from previous years), white women only hold 15% of board seats, and minorities just 13%, respectively. Are women losing what once looked like their corner on the corner office?

Why don’t women in particular have more of a voice in corporate America, and why aren’t there more in management or executive positions overall? The same ABD study noted that companies with more diversity at the top are actually linked to better financial performance. It’s no wonder, since they’re capitalizing on 50% of the population and 50% of the workforce – and know the importance of including them in leadership and decision-making.

As a female business leader myself, I know this to be true. While coaching executives and CEOs at major corporations across a wide range of industries, and I’ve come across many leaders, both men and women, who “get it.” We have certainly come a long way, but we have much further to go.

When I started my first career in TV news several decades ago, I was one of the only female reporters in a fairly male-dominated field. It was hard to be taken seriously, and it was very frustrating. It was clear that as a woman, I had fresh perspectives and different experiences that could have been an asset, had those qualities been used to their fullest potential. Women in general are a unique brand; they’re inclusive, communal, consensus-building, multi-tasking workers who focus on getting the job done by checking their egos at the door. We are the true definition of a “transformational leader,” and should be breaking through the glass ceiling at an alarming rate – but we’re not.

It’s communicating those advantages to the rest of the world where we often fall short.

As a woman, you can actually thrive through these economically turbulent times if you have the right stuff, you get into the right company that appreciates what you bring, and you stand out among the other male and female leaders of your organization. You have to be willing to step up, to climb the ladder even higher than you have already.

Here are five ways you can really stand out:

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Voice of Experience: Viva Hammer, Principal, KPMG Washington National Tax

VivaHammerBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“I’ve been trying to get my driver’s license in the US for seventeen years,” began Viva Hammer, Principal at KPMG Washington National Tax. She continued, “I took the written test when I was pregnant with my daughter. Two weeks ago she graduated college and a week later I passed my road test.”

The story is emblematic of the careers of many women, Hammer said. “Sometimes for women, your career can seem like a long road with lots of detours. You need a lot of faith – or desire – to believe you’re going to make it.”

Hammer, a native of Australia, moved to New York City two days after graduating law school without a job prospect in sight. Now, twenty years later, with a high profile career in US tax law, having founded several non profits and begun her book Choosing Children – and, now with her driver’s license – Hammer can say she has made it.

“Never give up,” she exclaimed. “Never, never, never, never!”

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Changing Families, Changing Workplace Needs

iStock_000015208854XSmallBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

In June, PwC hosted its Diversity Leadership Forum, entitled “Business works when life works: Flexibility in a hyper-connected world,” in Washington DC. The Forum was a day-long conference intended to amount to a graduate course in diversity leadership, remarked Reggie Butler, Managing Director, PwC’s US Office of National HR Operations – Transformation.

Jennifer Allyn, Managing Director, Office of Diversity, PwC, asked, “How can we as leaders support the needs of our people and really get that competitive edge?”

One of the biggest ways workplaces are changing is to better support the needs of today’s families. Not only is the definition of family evolving, but as more women enter the workforce and achieve top roles, so are the responsibilities of family members. PwC’s panel on “Meeting the Needs of Modern Families” set out to determine how today’s employees’ needs are changing as more voices come to the work/life conversation.

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Happy Independence Day!

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Here in the US, The Glass Hammer is taking a publishing holiday. It’s the Fourth of July, and we got the memo to barbecue!

Reflecting on 2011 so far, we’ve profiled almost fifty successful women – and we’ll continue to do so, with some really inspiring women coming up in the next few weeks. We’ve got more informative and empowering content ahead for this summer and fall as well, plus some very exciting events in store. And we’re also excited about launching our first white paper later this year on women in technology.

But mainly, we’re your community, and we want to hear more from you. What are your career goals for the rest of 2011? Be sure to join our social network and subscribe to our weekly newsletter to ensure you stay connected and join in the conversation!

Also, we are delighted to welcome our dynamic new team member Jewells Chambers, an engineering graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an AmeriCorps alumna. Jewells is taking on the role of Community Manager and Events Coordinator.

Finally, we’re looking for contributors to our Intrepid Woman article series. The series chronicles the stories of professional women stepping out of their comfort zones passionately and courageously. How have you challenged yourself physically or emotionally lately? What was the outcome? What has your adventuresome, limit-pushing experience taught you about yourself, and how has it helped you professionally? Tell us your story! Get in touch with our editor Melissa Anderson at melissa@theglasshammer.com to learn more.

We look forward to seeing you all soon!

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10 Time-Saving Apps and Web Sites for Working Moms

Businesswoman text messaging on mobile phoneBy Elisabeth Grant (Washington D.C.)

It seems like working moms have to make dinner appear like magic, save the day like super heroes, and multitask like they’re more than one person. Now, to aid in accomplishing these feats is their magic wand and super tool: the smartphone. Whether it’s an iPhone or an Android, these fantastic treasures of technology can use apps or the internet to help you decide on dinner, make a list, find a gift, get in a workout, make sure you’re paying the lowest price, or even watch your favorite show on the go. Below we detail 5 apps and 5 web sites that can help busy working moms manage their lives.

Apps

1. Epicurious
“Feed us, feeeeeed us!” No, that’s not the call of zombies, but rather of your hungry family. Everyday they have to eat, but some days it’s easier to come up with a recipe than others. Get the Epicurious app (for iPhone, iPad, Android, and Nook) for ideas for what you (or your kids, or your better half) can make for dinner. From the simple and quick meal, to the complex and time demanding dinner. Need to pick up a few things to accomplish your culinary masterpiece? The Epicurious app also contains a shopping list function.

2. Netflix
For those pockets of time that crop up when you’re on the go (waiting at the DMV, picking up your daughter from soccer practice, taking the subway to work), catch up on your favorite shows (including every episode of Grey’s Anatomy) and movies through the Netflix app (available for iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Android). It’s also a nice option for entertaining the the kids while you grocery shop or run errands in the car.

3. Remember the Milk
To-do lists, grocery lists, sports schedules, music schedules, and more. You’ve got a lot to keep track of, and a lot to check off, and the Remember the Milk app is here to help. It offers the option to send yourself reminders by email, text message, or instant messenger. Use it on your iPhone, iPad, or Android phone.

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