woc 2016: unleash your professional savvy – secrets to power, style, and grace savvy

1 www.womenofcolor.netwww.womenofcolor.net

Unleash Your Professional

SavvySecrets to Power, Style and Grace

Saturday, October 1511:30am-12:45pmRoom 140-B, COBO

http://www.womenofcolor.net


2 www.womenofcolor.net

Unleash Your Professional SavvySecrets to Power, Style and Grace

Objective: Access your competitive edge by designing a winning image, building self confidence and communicating value with style and grace.

At the end of this seminar, participants will be able to:

a. Explore ways to build and express self-confidence

b. Create a winning image and leverage your circles of influence

c. Examine professional savvy and politics

d. Design a plan to increase recognition and value in the workplace

e. Explore critical style tips for today’s professional woman



ModeratorDenise EvansVice President, Diversity MarketingIBM Corporation

Donna BellGlobal Product Development

Quality ManagerFord Motor Company

Presenting Panelist

Vannia WillisElectrical Engineer

Newport News Shipbuilding,Huntington Ingalls Industries

Panelist

Sheree JohnsonCivil Rights Director, Office of Civil Rights

United States Forest Service

Panelist



“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to”, said the cat.

“I don’t much care where”, said Alice.

“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go”, said the cat.

“So long as I get somewhere”, Alice added as an explanation.

“Oh, you’re sure to do that”, said the cat, “If you only walk long enough.”

Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Where is your career headed?

Bottom line: You need a Plan!



Increase Recognition And Value In The Workplace

Create your plan

REFLECT – What do you want to achieve?

EFFORT – What actions do I need to take?

ASSISTANCE – Who might help me?

CHANGE – What is the expected outcome?

TIMELINE – When have I reached my goal?

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” Thomas Alva Edison



Establish and Build Your Brand

Identify Your Personal Strengths

Establish Short And Long Term Goals

Identify And Develop Your Brand

Become Knowledgeable In Your Field

Ask For Challenging Assignments; And Deliver Beyond Expectation

EVERY TIME!



Strategies To Express And Build Self-Confidence

Establish your career plan; review with a trusted mentor

Take on a tough assignment

Organize a mentor program

Develop your presentation skills

Dress for the role you want



Create A Winning Image

Deliver, Deliver, Deliver!

Pat Yourself On The Back When Needed

Know An Open Door When You See One

Be Prepared When Opportunity Presents Itself



Leverage Your Circles Of Influence

Create And Practice Your Elevator Speech

Know The Players And How They Influence Others

Figure Out How To Interface Without Being A Nuisance

Tell Key Influencers Specifically What You Want



Professional and Political Savvy

“No leadership education is complete

until it is grounded in the political realities of organizational life.

Otherwise, leadership risks becoming hollow rhetoric.”

PETER DRUCKER

Unless People Have An Understanding Of How To Integrate Leadership And Politics, They Cannot Function As True Leaders



Professional and Political Savvy

When You Think Of

‘ORGANIZATION POLITICS’What Words Or Phrases

Come To Mind?

Backstabbing

Brown nosing

Bootlicking

Style over substance

Manipulative

Hidden agendas

Old boy networks

Deals under the table

Turf struggles

Testosterone overload



What Is Political Savvy?

1) ETHICALLY BUILDING A CRITICAL MASS OF

SUPPORT FOR AN IDEA YOU CARE ABOUT

2) UNDERSTAND AND UTILIZE THE DYNAMICS OF

POWER, ORGANIZATION, AND DECISION MAKING

TO ACHIEVE OBJECTIVES

HOW IS THIS DONE EFFECTIVELY?



Professional and Political Savvy Strategies for Success

Strategic planning

• Plan to discuss your strategies with these individuals to help build their confidence in your idea

• Brainstorm the win-win linkages of those that have the most influence

Implement

• Work to identify credibility paths among relevant people and employ these paths where possible in an influence approach

• Implement your plan; adjust as needed

Awareness• Understand the organization’s interests and your

self-interests• Know and build a relationship with those that

have the greatest influence (Influence Map)



Professional and Political Savvy Strategies for Success

Choose to become an active, positive player

Put the organization first

Believe/care in the process

Keep career as an outcome versus goal

Play above board

Legitimize the task



Critical Style Tips for Todays’ Professional Woman

POWERFUL FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Starting off on the right foot

INGREDIENTS FOR GOOD CONVERSATION

Listening

Your role: When to speak, What to say

Knowledge is Power

PROFESSIONAL PRESENCE

Appearance counts: It pays to pay attention

What message does your appearance send?

Body language that speaks well of you

PROFESSIONAL PRESENCE, continued

Clothing that adds to your clout

COURTESY CHALLENGE - THE TRUE TEST OF DIPLOMACY

Keys to managing conflict

Strategies for politely coping with

prickly personalities

Finesse with feedback: Providing

tactful criticism

Grace under pressure

Crucial conversations



Sheree JohnsonUnited States Forest Service

Donna BellFord Motor Company

Vannia WillisHuntington Ingalls Industries

Denise EvansIBM Corporation


woc 2016: unleash your professional savvy – secrets to power, style, and grace savvy

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