Saile Group, LLC
 
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We all have a hero - but we don’t always recognize them at the moment we meet. No, we often realize, sometimes years later, that a person who played a role in our life turned out to be our hero, our champion, and our inspiration. One of my heroes was my math teacher in high school. Not because I was good at math - but because she cared about the success of everyone in the class. She made each person feel like they could do anything. I didn’t recognize her as my hero until years later when I found myself trying to model the way she handled things in my work as a leader and as a parent. Her daughter happened to be my best friend, so I got to see Mrs. R in action on all fronts. I admired that woman - but I never said a word to her about it.

I have two tips about heroes:

1. Heroes aren’t always obvious

2. Pay attention to the people around you - they might just turn out to be your inspiration for something big in your life

Who is your hero?

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Where Are They? 04/19/2012
 
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Who do you think the female Mark  Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates are?

And why aren’t we hearing about them?

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Take a Risk 04/16/2012
 
“You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to invent a great new company.”

I heard this quote recently at the 15th Anniversary Celebration of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), a premiere gathering of  women entrepreneurs from across the country who have come together to share ideas and collaborate on business strategies. A common theme woven throughout the conference was the importance of risk taking – namely, that every woman entrepreneur must be willing to step into an area outside of her comfort zone.

As I’ve often said, great success rarely happens without taking some risk. Here are a few quick tips to navigating risk successfully. All of these factors are key ingredients to attracting the investors and financiers that will help build your business into the next great new company.

1) The level of risk can be mitigated when you look at business models and ideas that already work.

2) You must be fearless.

3) Once you’ve developed an idea and run it by your trusted confidants, stand confident in the knowledge that it is a good one. Never waver.

4) Develop a business plan and be willing to modify it when you see a change in the market – make sure that your plan is a road map and not just something kept in a shelf.

All of these factors are key ingredients to help her attract investors and financiers for a business.

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Have you ever been at a presentation where all you could think about was how much you wanted to have the PowerPoint over with?

Follow these tips to keep your audience engaged and interested:
1.Don’t use more than 20 slides.

2. Make your point simply on each slide – do your best to use just a few words and a picture.

3. Keep each slide up long enough so that it can be read at least three times.

4. Include a short movie clip in the PowerPoint to make it more interesting.

5. Keep the font large enough so that people in the back of the room can read it.

6. No matter how serious your topic, try to include at least one slide that will make people laugh. Studies show that if people laugh within the first few minutes of a presentation, they are much more likely to relax and enjoy the speaker.

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Negotiating in Comfort
_Do you want to get that raise or negotiate a promotion? Consider this: The next time you have to negotiate something try to have the meeting in your office if at all possible. Studies show that you are much more comfortable in your own space and that you are much more likely to get the result that you want if you are holding the meeting in your office.  We are more confident when we are in a location we feel comfortable in.
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Are Advisory Boards Paid?
_This is a question many of my clients ask. Not all advisory boards are paid, but most of them do receive some from of compensation. Donations to the members’ favorite charity, a discount on a service that the board members use and the company offers, or a gift certificate are common forms of compensation for more informal advisory boards. Boards that are helping make high stakes decisions are usually compensated with a stipend for each meeting attended.
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Gossip 01/13/2012
 
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_Gossiping is one of the most destructive actions that anyone can engage in. If you have a problem with someone - tell him or her directly if at all possible. Don’t complain about them behind their back. Always talk about someone as though they were in the room. To do otherwise is destructive to both the person who is not present to defend their action and to the person who is being critical.
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_When someone says or does something that is upsetting, do your best to step back and remember that although it might have felt like a personal attack, the things that happen at work aren't personal – they're business. Take a deep breath, go for a walk if possible and then consider how you might be able to look at the exchange and improve the way you do business.
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_ More companies than ever before are setting up advisory boards to help develop strategy to implement business goals. The key to using an advisory board is to make sure you have the questions and areas you need help with in mind and can clearly articulate the role you would like the members of the group to address. Have an agenda. If you are not experienced at running meetings, ask or hire someone who is an expert in meeting facilitation to chair the board.

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_Innovation is rarely a solo act. Most great ideas come from teamwork and collaboration. If this is so, why are most people so reluctant to ask for help when they are trying to solve a problem or work out a way to do their job differently? If you are struggling with how to make a change in your business and haven’t come up with the answer on your own, pick up the phone and call a trusted colleague or friend and ask them to brainstorm a solution with you.
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