win q4 2011 newsletter

I want to thank Catherine Cole for being such a suppor-tive Co-Lead and Executive Sponsor the past couple of years and for guiding me to become a better leader.

I also want to thank Gyldra Collante and Yadira Garcia for being great partners on the WIN Leadership team.

Lastly, I would like to thank the Core team members who put countless hours into the network to help drive not only WIN’s goals but the com-pany’s goals and the general members who support our activities and events.

I look forward to continuing to be part of this family as an active CORE team member and wish everyone a restful and happy holiday season!

As we are nearing the end of 2011, I reflect back on the year and am so proud of our WIN family!

We have accomplished so much and have made such a profound impact on not only our members but on our American Express Employee base and our external com-munity.

In addition to 2011 coming to an end, my reign as Co-Lead of WIN is also coming to an end as I have served in this capacity for my two year term and it is now time to pass on the torch to my amazing suc-cessors.

I have gained so much from my role in this network and

have learned a lot from so many of you. The experi-ences I have had has truly shaped my life and given me a sense of pride from what our network has been able to accomplish.

It is truly inspirational to see a group of strong women (and men) who all share common interests, come together to transform an organization.

In the past two years, we’ve been able to expand out foundational pillars to drive business results, develop our employees, and support the company’s philanthropic val-ues by giving back to our communities.

It’s been a privilege to get to lead this network and it has really been fulfilling.

Letter From The Editor...

Quarter 4, 2011 Volume 1, Issue 3

Inside this issue:

Spotlight On.. Abiodun Browne

2

Spotlight On.. Danielle Smith

3

Events in Review 4—5

WIN Supports Small Business Saturday!

6

Upcoming Events 6-7

Development Corner

8—9

Pictured above: (L to R: WIN Executive Sponsor Catherine Cole and WIN Co-Leads Vi-An Le, Yadira Garcia, and Gyldra Collante

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Spotlight On...Abi Browne

“I have gained a new

found passion for

helping others and

raising awareness for

various causes because

of WIN. I never imaged

that WIN would equip

me with leadership skills

that continue to add

value to my career as

well as motivate me to

give back to my

community”

- Abi Browne on WIN

Page 2

Current Role: Quality Analyst- Executive Customer Care

How long you’ve been with the company? I have been with American Express for 11 great years.

How long you’ve been with WIN? I have been a member of WIN for about a year and a half.

What does WIN mean to you and why did you join? I decided to join WIN after attending the Relay for Life event, I was so impressed that I wanted to be a part of

the network. After joining, I realized that WIN is like our own little sorority. It allows you to have access to a network of successful women who inspire, support, en-courage and recognize each others success. WIN has had a significant impact on my life both personally and professionally. Professionally WIN has afforded me the opportunity to sharpen and develop leadership skills such as organization and

planning, as well as effective networking. On a personal note, events such as the Women In Distress mentoring sessions, Relay for Life, and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, have been some of the most fulfilling experi-ences in terms of community service. I have gained a new found passion for helping oth-ers and raising awareness for various causes because of WIN. I never imaged that WIN would equip me with leadership skills that continue to add value to my career as well as motivate me to give back to the com-

munity.

How has WIN impacted your career path? I became a member of WIN shortly before I accepted an acting band 30 position. It could not have come at a better time because after being with the company for 10 years I was eager to chart a new career path. As a result of my WIN membership I was able to participate in the 2011 Employee Development program (EDP), having access to mentors and attending various workshops and leadership speaker series during the EDP prompted me to begin to think about what I wanted my personal brand to represent and what steps I needed to take to grow professionally. In Au-gust I was promoted to Quality Analyst for Executive Customer Care. It is evident to me that having the opportunity to lead and participate in WIN sponsored initia-tives gave me the confidence, strategic thinking and experience necessary to suc-cessfully transition to the next phase of my career.

Describe an interesting fact about yourself? The most interesting thing in my life right now is my five year old son Jabez. He is a prime example of a ―kid that says the darndest things‖. I would like to think that he has my sense of humor. I'm sure that my peers would agree that he provides plenty of material for coffee break laughs.


words.







reports.





readers.







product.





articles short.










and import into your newslet-

ter. There are also several

tools you can use to draw

shapes and symbols.

Once you have chosen an im-

age, place it close to the article.

Be sure to place the caption of

the image near the image.


words.

Selecting pictures or graphics is

an important part of adding

content to your newsletter.

Think about your article and

ask yourself if the picture sup-

ports or enhances the message

you’re trying to convey. Avoid

selecting images that appear to

be out of context.

Microsoft Publisher includes

thousands of clip art images

from which you can choose








growing.







or vendors.


words.






field.








the story here.”

Volume 1, Issue 3



“Being a art of WIN

means being a part of a

group that is working

hard to support the

strength of American

Express by enriching the

development of one of

the company’s most

importat assets—our

employees”

- Danielle Smith on WIN

Page 3 Volume 1, Issue 3

Current Role: Industrial Engineer - GCA Service Engineering and Trans-formation

How long you’ve been with the company? I have been with American Express for over a year.

How long you’ve been with WIN? I have been a core member of WIN since joining American Express over a year ago.

What does WIN mean to you and why did you join? I initially joined WIN when I started working at American

Express as a way to meet individuals outside of my business unit and to become in-volved in activities at the Fort Lauderdale Service Center. Since joining, my involve-ment with WIN has grown to mean so much more to me than an opportunity to network. WIN is comprised of individuals who are willing to go above and beyond their regular business responsibilities to bring added value to our employees and our community. WIN contributes to employee development by supporting such initiatives as Business Awareness Month and the Employee Development program. Being a part of WIN means being a part of a group that is working hard to support the strength of American Express by enriching the development of one of the company’s most important as-sets—our employees. From a philanthropic perspective, WIN is extremely dedicated to positively impacting the community.

How has WIN impacted your career path Being a part of WIN has certainly made me a stronger employee. I joined American Express shortly after college and at the time, my work experience was limited. Being a part of the WIN Core team has given me the opportunity to plan and lead various events across our south Florida sites. I’ve been able to focus on developing my leadership capabilities and transfer the skills that I’ve developed through my involvement with WIN to my current role. WIN has also impacted my career in a unique way. It has taught me that my success is a product of not only my effort, but also the knowledge and leadership skill-set I’ve picked up from the strong individuals that are involved in WIN. With that spirit, I’ve learned being in the position to teach those skills to those who need it is an opportunity for growth. For one of our events this year, we partnered with Women In Distress during their ―You’re Hired‖ developmental series. As a volunteer, I had the opportunity to help women in our community develop their resume writing and interviewing skills. That experience taught me that no matter where I am in my career, there is always an opportunity to learn from, and help others.

Describe an interesting fact about yourself Giving back to community has always been important to me. Before joining American Express, I was heavily involved in a not-for-profit organization called House of Hope of South Florida. The goal of this organization is to be a resource to troubled teens and their families and help guide them on a path towards success.

Spotlight On...Danielle Smith

http://www.yummyinmytummy.com/_img/wid.png



the story here.”



Page 4

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, WIN kicked off a series of events in October to raise awareness about the disease and educate employees on the importance of early detection.

WIN members joined in with other American Express em-ployees to participate in the 16th Annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at Bayfront Park in Miami. As the larg-est series of 5K runs/fitness walks in the world, this event has had over 100,000 participants in the walk and run events since the first race was held in 1995. As part of the fundraising efforts leading up to the event, the American Express WIN team was able to raise more than $880 towards the fight against breast cancer!

Pink Teas were held at the Center and BPS and included medical staff from Memorial Healthcare to provide educa-tional information on the prevention and early detection of breast cancer. Special guests Taissa Arevalo and Aron Gladney were also in attendance to share their testimo-nies about their respective journeys.

Event in Review: Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Pictured above: WIN Members and AMEX travel site employees participate in the 16th Annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

Pictured above: Taissa Arevalo (L) and Aron Gladney (R) were special guests at the AESC-F Pink Tea

Pictured above: WIN Members attend the Pink Tea held at AESC-F

Pictured left: Miramar Tech employees wear pink to show their support in the fight against breast cancer Pictured right: AESC-F employees prove that “Real Men Wear Pink” and support the fight against breast cancer


words.







reports.





readers.







product.





articles short.

















growing.







or vendors.


words.






field.








the story here.”

Volume 1, Issue 3


Page 5 Volume 1, Issue 3

As our customers begin to rely more and more on technology, it is important that we continue to develop outlets that allow our customers to leverage digital channels and decrease the use of paper wherever possible. In November, WIN spon-sored a Digital Webinar Series. The event featured three webinars—Mobile, MYCA, and Social Media—that informed attendees on the latest initiatives that American Express is championing for its customers through different digital channels.

In keeping with the Digital theme, partici-pants were able to attend the webinars via LiveMeeting. Participants from different sites were able to experience the interactive learning session—there was even participa-tion from employees in the UK!

In conjunction with the Digital Webinar Series, WIN set up a booth in the Atrium to encourage employees to sign up for paperless statements. Are ready to go digital? Here’s what you can do:

Enroll in MYCA

Visit www.americanexpress.com

Click ―Create a New Account‖

Follow the instructions to register your card and enroll in

MYCA

Switch to Paperless Statements

Visit www.americanexpress.com/paperlessstatement and

log into your account

Modify your paperless Statements by selecting ―Edit‖ and

selecting option for ―Paper off‖

Event in Review: Digital Webinar Series

Did You Know….

At this year’s second Global Employee Townhall, CEO Ken Chenault focused on the company’s digital transformation. During the townhall, Ken Chenault said:

―All our teams—both our tra-ditional businesses and our newer ones—are now work-ing to deliver products and services that go wherever our customers go...and offer them more value in any channel they choose.‖

Pictured above: An AMEX em-ployee checks into Ken’s Townhall

on foursquare

Pictured above: Shawn Potter and Dena Ginocchio at the Paper-Off Booth

Pictured above: Courtney Richards discusses Social Media during the Digital Webinar Series

http://www.americanexpress.com

http://www.americanexpress.com/paperlessstatement

Small Business Saturday is a day to support small business owners, help fuel the economy, and invigorate communities across the country. American Express created this event last year in an effort to help local independently owned-businesses attract more customers. With the increased sales that local independent merchants have ex-perienced and the ever increasing customer fan-base, Small Business Saturday is well on its way to establishing itself as a holiday shopping tradition! 2011 Small Business Saturday Results:

An estimated 103 million Americans shopped at local, independent mer-

chants on the day.

A remarkable 65 percent of Americans surveyed said they were aware of

Small Business Saturday compared to 37 percent last year.

Cardmembers made 23 percent more transactions at small business

merchants than they did a year ago.

At 2.7 million "likes," Small Business Saturday's official Facebook page

more than doubled its following from a year ago. WIN Members joined in on the event by visiting local small businesses!

WIN Supports Small Business Saturday!

“I’m not sure what tops

amazing, but the second

annual Small Business

Saturday deserves a new

superlative. Last year we

brought this great idea

to life; this year it

became a national

movement/”

-Ken Chenault on the

results of this year’s

Small Business Saturday

Event

Upcoming Event: Dec. 2011—Holiday Gift Drive

We are currently gearing up for our annual center wide Holiday Gift Drive which will take place on December 16. During this event we partner with Family Central to host a holiday party as well as a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus for approximately 90

underprivileged children. The celebration will consist of 2 sessions (AM and PM) during which the children will have an opportunity to open their gifts and spend time with the almost 100 chaperones that support this event. Every year this event spreads an over-whelming amount of holiday cheer throughout the building and is an employee favorite. Employees from all departments as well as our WIN sister sites have been strong sup-porters of this event over the years. WIN is responsible for recruiting chaperones for the Holiday Gift Drive, please visit the Holiday Gift Drive booth in the Atrium if you are inter-esting in chaperoning during this event.

Pictured above: WIN Member Samantha O’Neill and colleague Chintan Patel visited Books & Books in

Coral Gables on Small Business Saturday. Pictured right: WIN Members Yadira Garcia and Shawn Potter

support Laspadas Hoagies on SBS

Volume 1, Issue 3

Upcoming Event: Dec. 2011 through 2012—Employee Development Program

The WIN, HOLA, PRIDE, GENERATIONS, BEN, and DAN Networks have partnered to sponsor the 3rd Annual 2011-2012 Employee Development Program (EDP). This program is offered to those individuals involved in one of the participating Diversity Networks. It is one of the many benefits for those who choose to go the extra mile by participating and supporting initiatives that educate, motivate, and promote a better work environment. The goal of the EDP is to help employees develop business skills that will do the following:

Promote formal mentor/mentee relationship

Enhance the participant's ability to carry out current responsibilities

Help participants master additional tools needed to reach greater poten-

tial

Enhance analytical, interviewing, leadership, and presentation skills

―There is a real sense of accomplishment, respect, and pride one feels when they have taken time to invest in themselves. Their able to look back not with regret but with the sensibility of the reality of it all, they know that they made conscious decisions and were an active participant in shaping their future. Where they arrived wasn’t just by happen-stance…it’s because they’ve earned the opportunities that have been presented to them. The Employee Development Program can help to make one’s future a reality with purpose‖ says Taronnia Lee, one of the continuous core members involved with planning and organizing of the Employee Development Program. In 2010 the program included approximately 25 mentee participants (including B30s for the first time), and 21 of those successfully graduated from the EDP. The program is known to generate advancements/promotions and temporary assignments across various Departments. This years participants will include seven B30 Mentees and eighteen B25 Mentees representing a variety of Departments/Business Units across the organiza-tion. The Kick-Off will be on Monday, Dec. 12th, 2011—and the program will begin full force in Jan 2012 with participants following a set of curriculum requirements.

“There is a real sense of

accomplishment,

respect, and pride one

feels when they have

taken time to invest in

themselves … The

Employee Development

Program can help to

make one’s future a

reality with purpose.”

- Taronnia Lee

Did You Know….

Are you connecting with mentors? Are you being a mentor? Take a look at the statistics above and determine if you are tak-ing advantage of everything that is at your fingertips. LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network with more than 120 million members worldwide, recently released the find-ings of a study it conducted to learn more about women and their attitudes towards mentoring. LinkedIn surveyed nearly 1,000 female professionals in the U.S.for the statistics above.—http://blog.linkedin.com/2011/10/25/mentoring-women/

http://blog.linkedin.com/2011/10/25/mentoring-women/

How to identify a suitable

mentor;

Look for someone that has done

what you want to accomplish,

someone who has consistently

succeeded with innumerable

challenges.

Be willing and open to meet new people.

Buy books. Attend seminars. Get around the kind of successful people you want to be like.

Consider your short & long term goals –decide the kind of mentor-ing arrangement you want,




the story here.”

Page 8


Page 8

Reinventing Your Personal Brand People reinvent themselves all the time—to take on a new challenge, shift into more-meaningful work, or rebut perceptions that have hindered their career progress. Taking control of your personal brand may mean the difference between an un-fulfilling job and a rewarding career. As Longfellow noted, ―We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done.‖ Your path may make perfect sense to you, but how can you persuade others to embrace your new brand—and take you seriously? 1. Define Your Destination Rebranding isn’t easy, and if your plan is poorly thought out, you’ll end up confusing yourself and others. Start by determining where you really want to invest your energy. Check out relevant industry trade journals, do informational interviews, even try some internships. If you’re looking to advance or shift laterally within your company, see if a shadow program or a sabbatical is available—and seek out a mentor who can guide you. Next you need to build the skills necessary for your new path. If you’ve been a game developer for the past decade, you may understand the technology better than anyone else in the company. But if you want to move into video game marketing, technical savvy isn’t enough; ask yourself what else you need to know—and how to learn it. Learning the skills you need will give you the confidence to start publicizing your new identity—and the credibility required to assume it.

2. Leverage Your Points of Difference What’s your unique selling proposition? That’s what people will remember, and you can use it to your advantage. After losing popularity to newer, even more right-wing talking heads, the conservative pundit Ann Coulter had to reinvent herself. She did-n’t entirely abandon her old brand; she reconfigured it to compete in a new market-place. Additionally, use distinguishing characteristics to your advantage, even if they’re not strictly relevant to your work. Robert Reich, the former U.S. secretary of labor and my previous employer is less than five feet tall. He knew that people seeing him for the first time would be surprised—and he didn’t want his height to be a distraction. So he’d loosen up crowds with a joke or two about his stature and, in the same vein,

titled his campaign book I’ll Be Short. Like it or not, ―short‖ was part of his brand—and he shrewdly leveraged it.

Development Corner

Development Corner (continued)

Volume 1, Issue 3

3. Develop a Narrative You used to write award-winning business columns…and now you want to review restaurants? It’s human nature to have many interests, to seek new experiences, and to want to develop new skills. Unfortunately, however, people often view that as the sign of a dilettante. It’s unfair, but to protect your personal brand, you need to develop a coherent narrative that explains exactly how your past fits into your present. It’s like a job interview: You’re turning what could be perceived as a weakness into a compelling strength that people will remember. The key is not to explain your transition in terms of your own interests but to focus on the value your prior experience brings. One caveat is that your narrative must be consistent with your past. You, too, will be called out fast if you’re seen as abandoning your roots, shading the truth, or not acknowledging your history. Successful rebranding doesn’t involve in-venting a new persona. 4. Reintroduce Yourself Once you’ve embraced your rebrand, making new contacts is the easy part—they’ll take the new you at face value. The harder slog is reintroducing yourself to your exist-ing network. First make sure that all your contact points (Facebook, LinkedIn, personal website, and so forth) are consistent and up-to-date. Don’t forget to reach out by phone or e-mail to all the people on your list—individually—to let them know about your new direction and, where appropriate, to ask for help, advice, or business. (Blast e-mails are a start, but they too often go unread.) In some cases your reintroduction may also involve address-ing negative perceptions—and being disciplined about sticking to new behavior that better reflects your aspirations. Also think strategically about your ―unveiling.‖ Are there projects you can get involved with that will showcase your new interests and abilities (or help you develop them)? Leveraging opportunities within your company is another. If a major new initiative is launching, try to jump on board. If competition is too fierce, you can take on jobs that others don’t want but that will help you meet people and build crucial connections. 5. Prove Your Worth Every art student has a portfolio ready to be shown at a moment’s notice. It’s no different in the business world. There’s a wide gulf between my knowing that you’ve launched a new business and trusting that you’ll do a good job for clients. I may like you a lot, but unless I see proof of your skills, I’ll hesitate to put my own reputation on the line by sending you referrals. That’s where blogs, podcasts, videocasts, and other forms of social media come in. The first step is securing your own internet domain name and starting to produce unique intellectual property. The second, even more critical, is ensuring that your material offers real value. You can quickly establish your expertise if you help people solve a problem or do something better. Sharing the content you’ve created allows potential customers or employers to test-drive your approach before making a large commitment. After you’ve demonstrated your ability, solidify your rebrand by associating with the leading organiza-tions in your field. Make a focused effort to publish in respected journals, speak at industry conferences, or take on a leadership role in your trade association. The resulting visibility, connections, and credibility can pay major dividends. Finally, you have to be consistent and committed as you move forward. A desire to expand into international work won’t go far if you don’t make the effort to learn new languages or the nuances of other cultures. Especially in the internet era, traces of your old brand will never completely disappear—and as long as you’re thoughtful about what you’ve learned along the way, that’s OK. The challenge is to be strategic about identifying how you wish to be perceived, developing a compelling story that explains your evolution, and then spreading that message. Consider it ―search engine optimization‖ for your life: The more connections you make, and the more value and content you regularly add to the stream, the more likely it is that your new brand will be known, recognized, and sought out.

Primary Business Address Your Address Line 2

Your Address Line 3 Your Address Line 4

Phone: 555-555-5555 Fax: 555-555-5555

E-mail: [email protected]

AMERICAN EXPRESS INC. Your business tag line here.

We’re on the Web!

example.com

Executive Sponsor Catherine Cole [email protected]

Please contact the WIN leadership team for membership inquiries, questions, comments,

and/or feedback! Thanks and we look for-ward to hearing from you!

Co-Lead Vi-An Le [email protected]

Co-Lead Gyldra Collante [email protected]

Transitional Co-Lead Yadira C. Garcia [email protected]

Miami Lakes Site Liaison Rosy Parra [email protected]

Miami Lakes Site Liaison Mariana Denis-Lay [email protected]

Weston Tech Site Liaison Robbie Alexander [email protected]

Weston Tech Site Liaison Susan Arboleda [email protected]

Miramar Travel Site Liaison Lorna Williams [email protected]

*BPS Site Lead position is open

win q4 2011 newsletter

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win family

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