by Dot Callihan | Mar 26, 2013 | Thinking Like Empowered Women
It seems every discussion lately about working women is tied to the term “work-life balance.”
Having been there, done that – I don’t get it! I don’t know what the issue is or what point women are trying to make.
Are women trying to justify leaving work to watch the kids at soccer practice? Are they seeking recognition for carrying a greater load in taking care of their children and homes?
Or are they setting “work-life balance” as a higher moral purpose – as a rationalization to why we are not advancing up the corporate ladder?
No matter what the reason is, I don’t see women coming from a position of strength and empowerment in this discussion. It seems we are trying to justify what we are doing. Instead we should take a lesson from men and just do it!
by Dot Callihan | Mar 21, 2013 | Thinking Like Empowered Women
In my last few articles I’ve danced around an issue and now I am just going to put it out there.
Is corporate America using female employees as a ploy in their business development and marketing? And even worse, are women blind to it?
by Dot Callihan | Mar 19, 2013 | Thinking Like Empowered Women
I’ve looked at a lot of company websites lately and notice that there are a lot more women listed in the staff and corporate officer pages. Can it be – women are finally breaking through the corporate ranks?!! Being me, I always do a little more reading – where is the company headquarters, where are their key markets and critical clients. Then I start matching up this information to the staff and see who is running what.
I’ve noticed a trend. Yes! – Women are definitely running more corporate offices – in Timbuktu!
Is that a good thing or a bad thing?!
by Dot Callihan | Mar 15, 2013 | Thinking Like Empowered Women
A magazine published an article about the advances women are making in construction. To my surprise the article featured a former co-worker of mine and painted a pretty rosy picture. Reading the article it sounds like women have finally achieved parity with men in construction.
There’s only one problem…all the stuff the article didn’t mention.
by Dot Callihan | Mar 8, 2013 | Thinking Like Empowered Women
An article titled “Another Woman Makes It In Construction” caught my attention. The article was about a woman who was retiring after a successful career in construction industry. Cool! As I read further into the article, I learned that her career was not as I expected. She was the Treasurer and financial manager for a construction company and not directly involved in the construction projects. She did not estimate projects or go out to the construction site. I was disappointed in the article.
Even more so, I felt misled. The title said she was “In Construction” instead of “In the Construction Industry”. To me being “in construction” means you have construction expertise.
In the months since reading the article I’ve been experimenting – what response do I get if I say “I’m in construction.” Most of the time I get a surprised look and get asked if I am a trade worker. So I don’t think my response to the article was unreasonable.
This article got me thinking though – How honest are we being about how women are progressing in business? Are we painting a rosier picture than reality?? And if so, why??
by Dot Callihan | Mar 6, 2013 | Thinking Like Empowered Women
As I write my articles I find myself correcting my writing based upon the counseling session I had with a manager many years ago. He did not like it when I referred to my direct reports as “My Team.” He wanted me to say “The Team”. I didn’t like saying that. Even as I write today, I find myself changing “my” to “the” and back again.
So the question I’ve struggled with is – which is correct to say – “My Team” OR “The Team?”
