Consumable communication

Three times in the last week, I have had the same déjà vu-inducing experience. First, when I was helping a client prepare a high-tech conference speech, second, when writing an article about dark pools of liquidity in the European equity trading landscape (welcome to my world), and finally, while listening to a friend bemoan her ineffective interdepartmental meetings. My friend perfectly summed up the common thread in these experiences: “How are we supposed get anything done if we can’t understand a word anyone says?”

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Beware of the Telephone Jerk…

Just thinking back on my conversation with this guy makes me cringe. A couple of weeks ago, one of my co-workers gave me the contact name of a friend of hers, and suggested I interview him for an article I was writing. I called him up to let him know that I was going to be in his neighborhood, and to ask him if he would like to meet up and discuss his views.

In general, these informational interview calls go pretty well – either people are able to meet with you and are pleased at your interest, or they’re too busy so they politely decline. Oh no, not this guy. He made it clear that I was wasting his time, and used such a rude and obnoxious tone with me that you would have thought I was a telemarketer calling him in the middle of his Sunday night dinner.

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Upcoming Events

Whether you’re looking to learn, network, or just have a good time, one of these upcoming events is sure to be right up your alley.

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The H-Bomb

When I was in law school, my girlfriends and I had a favorite non-scientific experiment. We would go out to bars in Boston, meet a group of friendly guys, and tell them one of two things.

1) We were yoga instructors, dental hygienists or kindergarten teachers.
2) We were in our last year at Harvard Law School, headed off to work at big corporate law firms in New York.

When we told them that we worked in the first set of very worthy yet non-threatening professions, the men smiled, flirted, and offered to buy us drinks.
“That’s why you have such a nice smile!”
“If I was naughty, would you make me stay after class?”
“Wow, you must be really flexible.”
Requests for our phone numbers were common. Results were uniformly positive.

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Why Working Mothers Lie

I’m a liar. Actually, I’m a serial liar.

I refuse to admit that I’ve been late or absent from work because the kids have chicken pox/flu/a broken collarbone, or the babysitter didn’t show up. I would rather lie to my boss and cite train delays or urgent meetings.

Here’s the harsh truth about why: It is simply not acceptable admit that you are giving anything less than 100% at the office because you happen to be a mother. Any excuse, including chronic flakiness, a borderline drinking problem, or being abducted by aliens, is better than confessing problems on the mommy front.

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Ten Tips to a Healthy Office

Fresh from The Times’ Body & Soul segment, the following ten tips will help you get the most out of your work day.

1. Avoid office affairs
2. Go home earlier
3. Use the stairs
4. Move the computer screen
5. Buy some potted plants
6. Ration e-mail
7. Let it all hang out
8. Decorate the office nicely
9. Choose your desk wisely
10. Consider going solo and out on your own

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Forbes List – Top 100 Most Powerful Women in the World

Forbes Magazine has recently named its 100 Most Powerful Women in the world for 2008. Women in law and business are well-represented on the list, with six of the top ten women working as CEOs or chairmen of major international corporations. The top ten most powerful women, as ranked by Forbes, are as follows:

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What’s Your Personal Brand Equity?

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In the world of marketing, where the main currency is brand recognition and reputation, companies strive to build their brand equity, meaning the value that clients and prospects perceive in a brand.

But the concept of brand equity applies to individuals, not just companies and products. Just like Volvos are perceived as reliable and Rolexes are perceived as luxurious, people cultivate certain traits as they navigate office relationships and seek to advance their careers. These labels affect the perception of your value as an employee and define your personal brand equity.

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UK News: Equal pay tribunals overwhelmed with claims

In Britain, the large numbers of women taking employers to equal pay tribunals has left the system under such strain that the head of the Equal Opportunities Commission says that a moratorium on claims is urgently needed.

Jenny Watson, outgoing Chairman of the Commission, stated that the 155% increase in the number of claims from 2005 to 2006 has left the system overburdened and in danger of collapse.

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One of the Boys

I love being one of only three women in my office. I work at a small technology company in Chicago that caters to the financial industry. We have 20 male developers and a few business development guys. I work in the Marketing/Public Relations department.

We spent one of our recent happy hours at Monk’s on Lake Street. It’s the kind of pub where you throw peanut shells on the floor. One of our developers, a 23-year-old guy who just moved out of his parent’s house, was trying out his pick-up lines on me. He asked me if I knew a good vet. I said, “No, why?”

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