Kenny Research Institute
This is Kenzo (but his friends called him Kenny) our faithful, humorous and highly intelligent Akita. He came to us as an 8 week old pup and settled in as though he was always meant to be part of the family.
Last month and with heavy hearts we had to let him go after spending 10 years and 8 months with us. It was devastating to say the least.
My previous career path required long hours, dedication and focus that meant spending less time with Kenny than I liked. It was not possible to have him at work with me as doggie crèches are not known to exist within my employer’s workplace.
It pretty well sucked as this was not an ideal arrangement if an organization wants the best out of their people.
I then thought about so many of my female colleagues, married with young children who are also pursuing a career in science. So many women in the workforce especially in science are faced with the stark choices of having to return to work soon after having their children in order to salvage their careers in what is a highly competitive industry.
Not withstanding the fact that in science the term “job security” is an oxymoron, there are still many women who are passionate about what they do and are willing to stick their necks out.
The predicament I faced has led me to my vision of building the Kenny Research Institute aimed specifically at supporting women in science. In doing so, Australia will not lose a highly educated and talented workforce that is vital to staying prosperous and relevant as a nation. (Take that onboard, politicians of ALL persuasions when you are considering cutting the budget to science and education).
In any endeavor there are good reasons and then there are the real (“selfish”) reasons. Do not for a moment think I am driven only by lofty, altruistic and philanthropic ambitions; in part I am also doing for my personal satisfaction.
The 7 foundation pillars of the Kenny Research Institute
- Bright and talented postdoctoral fellows will have a guaranteed 5 year salary (virtually unheard of) and a research assistant to pursue their particular specialized research niche. It allows them time to develop their area of expertise instead of chasing short term grants. That is counter productive as it takes their time and energy away from the main game
- Each postdoc will be matched with a mentor. The mentor is there to help them navigate through the politics that exist within any industry and temper any naivety about how the real world works
- Participation in personal development courses is compulsory; this includes being taught emotional intelligence enhancement skills. Gee, I wish I was taught that at school, how about you?
- Attendance in financial literacy courses is mandatory. Financial literacy equals financial freedom
- The Kenny Research Institute will be equipped with a human crèche, infirmary and a pet crèche. Happy mothers who can have regular contact with their human or fur kids are more likely to be focused and productive
- A 24 hour gym on site to cater to the irregular hours worked Notice the emphasis on health and wellness?
- A 24 hour cafeteria onsite that serves healthy meals. Junk food and soft drinks will not be available from the vending machines. If they want to eat crap they have to go elsewhere to forage for it. Good luck!
This is my promise to you Kenzo; RIP 25 June 2003- 24 February 2014
Career Breaks For Women Have Benefits Despite The Challenges-Smart Company
As women juggling careers and family, there is always the nagging feeling that taking extended time out to raise children is seen as a clunker of a road block to any meaningful advancement.
Well it appears that this is not as detrimental as we all have been lead to believe. The Smart Company article below reports that there are upsides; however be realistic and philosophical enough to know that it requires time to get back into the groove.
“Australian business women have revealed that an extended break from work does not always have a negative impact on their future career.
A survey of 115 state and territory finalists of the 2013 Telstra Business Women’s Awards found that over half, 55%, said that taking time out could be positive. They reported that it enables time to reassess life goals and career goals, while 87% agreed that taking parental leave could be a catalyst for launching their own business.
The survey found that 36% said a career break lead them to try something different to their usual profession. These career breaks may be taken for maternity leave, study leave, extended travel or other personal reasons. However, despite some of the positive potential of career breaks, the survey found that old issues remain prevalent.
It found 89% of respondents say women face challenges when returning to work after a career break. Forty per cent of women find it difficult to return to the workforce at the same level as they were at before the break, while 33% believed career break impacts negatively on wealth creation.
Manager of marine environment salvage and intervention at the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, and the 2012 ACT Telstra Young Business Women’s Award winner Jocelyn Parsons once took a career break after eight years in the Navy.
She told SmartCompany this morning it was the first time she’d had the chance to step outside of the Navy environment and explore new things. She spent two years in the UK with her spouse.
“It was a positive for me, I had joined the Navy at 17 years old, and wanted to look for experience elsewhere,” she says.
While it proved a positive opportunity for Parsons, she is aware that many businesses still view letting someone take leave for personal growth, whether it be male or female, as a risk.
“Most employers will see it as a loss… they’ve got to make a business decision to take the hit,” she says.
However, Parsons says if employers and employees can work collaboratively, it can be a huge benefit to the company when the employee returns, armed with new skills and life experience.
She says both females and males find it challenging returning to work after a break, as the company may have progressed and it takes effort to get up to date.
“It requires support and respect… but businesses should recognise the positives,” she says.
For business owners, the challenge of taking a career break of their own can be more about how to keep operations running smoothly when they are not there.
The managing director of Carman’s Fine Foods, Carolyn Creswell, who won the 2012 Telstra Australian Business Woman of the Year award, doesn’t think women should avoid a necessary career break if well planned. She said if female business owners leave behind a good team, a break can happen smoothly.
“It’s amazing how dispensable you are,” she said. “When you have great people at work, the business just keeps going.”
The survey was undertaken in the lead-up to the national finals of the Telstra Business Women’s Awards in Melbourne on November 14.
The findings come as a group of executive search firms have announced their commitment to a voluntary code of practice to improve women’s participation in business.
The voluntary code has seven key principals of best practice to assist in improving gender balance in senior teams. It covers the lifecycle of an executive search campaign, including assisting clients with diversity protocols, to identifying female candidates, and induction.
The businesses committed to the code include Egon Zehnder, Heidrick & Struggles, Korn/Ferry, Russell Reynolds and Spencer Stuart.
The code falls in line with Business Council of Australia’s push to improve the recruitment and promotional opportunities for women in senior roles.
Lisa Page Interview:Women their relationship with themselves, partners and money
Women now more than ever are in the workforce building a career but still playing the traditional roles of wives/girlfriends/mothers. This can be a big responsibility that can leave them exhausted and spent.
If you want more money, work on having happy personal relationships and most importantly be comfortable in your own skin. Believe me, they are interrelated.
Lisa Page founder of Soul Satisfaction for Women states that consciously practicing correct breathing techniques are key to what you yearn for in life.
Lisa Page 14 Aug2012 Interview Part1
LIsa Page 14Aug2012 Interview Part2
In this interview she elaborates on her powerful technique called Breathe Baby Breathe that is pivotal to helping her clients regain that sense of being centered and less stressed. Follow this link to get more information www.breathebabybreathe.com.au
It is from this basis that her clients build better relationships, have more money in the bank and become happier humans.
Lisa has generously made available a BIG and USEFUL freebie eBook that you can get by following the link below:
http://www.soulsatisfactionforwomen.com/ebook-7-feminine-gifts
Find Lisa Page at:
http://www.soulsatisfactionforwomen.com/
Shivani Gupta Interview: Passion and Profits
As an executive, do you entertain the idea that you can run a profitable organization founded on your passion and principles?
I am sure the thought has crossed the minds of countless CEOs who intrinsically recognize and acknowledge their inner higher calling.
My guest Shivani Gupta is the CEO of “Passionate People Institute”, executive coach, mentor to small business owners, and highly sought after corporate speaker. This corporate warrior turned business butterfly is also a wife and mother of 4.
Her company tagline says it all, “Inspire, Challenge, Transform”.
Qualifying as an electronic and electrical engineer with an MBA, she moved into senior management with BHP Billiton.
But it was not enough as Shivani discovered that starting her own business was where her heart and passion lay.
It paid off as her business expertise was recognized when she won the ‘Telstra Young Business Woman of the Year’.
This 60 min interview has some gems of advice and insight for anyone who has been ignoring their inner yearning for creating a meaningful and lucrative business.
My advice: Don’t let the dream die
Find Shivani at
Preparing for a Brilliant Career in 2012
Even if you are hanging out for your Christmas holiday break and a chance to relax, as your coach I urge you to continue forward planning your career and future NOW.
I use the analogy of a tomato seed that is not much to look at but when is in fertile soil and with the requisite water, warmth, right amounts of sun and shade will emerge from the soil firstly as a tiny seedling but eventually bear lots of summer fruit. Pay day!
Consider yourself the tomato seed and the coming holidays the equivalent of the fertile soil, water, sun and shade where you plan and sketch your career path for 2012.
If you have been toying with the idea of changing careers or becoming an entrepreneur and have procrastinated, NOW is the time gather intelligence about your new venture and also do the inner work (on yourself) to prepare for the big leap.
Firstly the inner work
Below are a number of ways to get clear on the whys and then why not and how to’s; the list is by no means exhaustive but it will give you a starting point.
Top 5 Reasons for Changing Careers:
- Job dissatisfaction- Is this all there is?
- Burn out- Tired all the time
- Mind your head on the Glass Ceiling- You want a promotion?
- Not challenging anymore- It’s the same old song
- Better pay- Is the grass greener yonder?
Top 3 Tips for a Smooth Career Change
- Know why you want a change-See above
- Know where you want to go-Stock take your current skills
- Plan how to get there- You have the keys to unlocking the golden handcuffs
Top 5 Reasons for Not Changing Jobs:
- Fear of the unknown-I’m crap at managing my money
- Fear of the unknown- Do I know enough?
- Fear of the unknown- Can I make it on my own?
- Fear of the unknown- What if I fail?
- Fear of the unknown- I don’t have a Plan B
I suggest journaling what comes to mind based on the follow on phrases I have included after each point.
You will be very surprised at what pops out of your head. You will have before you the internal dialogue that has kept you from moving towards your goals. If you feel stuck and afraid, there is only one remedy-TAKE ACTION
As a gentle reminder, I’d like to leave you with the Law of Action summed up in one sentence;
The only time you have the chance to show courage is when you are afraid–Dan Millman Way of the Peaceful Warrior
Expert Advice From Female Entrepreneurs Part 2
Following on from Part 1 where I posted excerpts from a webinar hosted by Amanda Gome, founder and publisher of the business E-newsletter Smart Company (www.smartcompany.com.au) called “Women on Top-How to Get There”.
In this installment, we examine how your skills can make or break the deal
Here are the 3 tips on the subject of Skills:
TIP 4:
USE YOUR SKILLS TO CLOSE THE DEAL
I think you have to have that bit of ruthless streak in you. You have to train yourself to do that ‘take someone by the throat’ kind of move in a nice way. But I think women are quite good at it. I think women are often seen as having these great powers of empathy and introspection and I think that they can use those in dealing with people.
If you’re in a meeting where you want someone to do something or you want to close the deal, you use those tools to close the deal, to read body language and understand where that person is coming from and use it. Diana Gribble
TIP 5:
DEVELOP YOUR OWN SKILLS
Treat yourself as if you’re a product of a business. If you are responsible for a brand in a business, you would sit down and say what’s my business plan for the brand?
So it’s doing the same thing with yourself. I want to achieve this position, so I need to have financial skills, I need line management, I need strategic thinking. Then you ask how am I going to collect those along the way? What are the different types of roles?
And actually talking about it and planning it with your respective family and with your respective employees.
If you want to be promoted and want to have a long-term view, really think about yourself and how you’re going to develop yourself and then go out and negotiate and get people to share that vision with you and agree to take you on that journey. Gillian Franklin
TIP 6:
IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE SKILLS, DON’T PRETEND
People shouldn’t try and pretend that they have skills that they haven’t because you will be caught out. I think what you should do is say this is what I love doing, this is what I think I’m good at. If I’m not good at it, I would like to be. I’ll go out and figure out how to get those skills.
This brings in the whole role of mentors that I think women do particularly badly. So you need to go and talk to people who have been there, done that and say give me advice. Ask them how they did it. Gillian Franklin
My 2 cents worth:
Regarding Tip 5 where Gillian Franklin poses the question of branding with respect to you the person, I am with her 100% of the way.
As a female executive, do you actively and consciously project your brand.
So my question to you is, What do you stand for?
Do you make yourself known as the person who wants the job every other person is vying for, and what have you done to distinguish yourself from the rest of the herd?
The reality is that even if you have done a terrific job to date, you still need some shameless self promotion to get your message heard and your brand noticed by the powers that be.
Ask yourself if you are up for it.
If not, email me and I can suggest some techniques that will get you over your self -consciousness.
Until next time, keep your eye on the prize.
Expert Advice From Female Entrepreneurs Part 1
Expert Advice From Female Entrepreneurs Part 1 “Women on Top-How to Get There”
Today I’d like to share with you excerpts from a webinar hosted by Amanda Gome, founder and publisher of the business E-newsletter Smart Company (www.smartcompany.com.au) 
Yes, I know the title it is a bit risqué and a tad misleading (sorry guys), but bear with me.
The content is vital even if you are a woman executive with no intention of starting your own company and becoming an entrepreneur.
Amanda invited 3 highly successful women entrepreneurs Diana Gribble, Gillian Franklin and Kristina Karlsson who also hold board positions to speak frankly about their experiences climbing the corporate ladder, give their views on the obstacles that stand in the way of women in their careers and how successful men do it right to get to the top.
Here are the first 3 tips on the subject of Vision:
TIP 1:
FOCUS ON THE END GAME
When I talk to women in their 20s and 30s and say to them how do you visualize what you want to be doing as a person when you’re 45 or 50, a lot of them say, oh I haven’t considered that. But to me, that’s imperative and then you work back and say: in order to be running this division in a big company, or having my own business or being a
CEO in a company, these are the skills I need to pick up along the way. So I think for women to be promoted, they need to be much more focused on the end game and then work back and say I need to do this along the way in order for me to get there. Diana Gribble
TIP 2:
DEVELOP YOUR VISION
Successful males in businesses spend very little time on reflection. They are always thinking forward and over the hill whereas women will be more inclined to reflect on what’s happening at the moment. I think developing the vision means clearing a space in your head to fill it with that vision. The vision is how you and your business can be completely different in three, or four or five or even just one year’s time. You have to think about what are the extra things, what are the opportunities.
You have to be looking towards and over the horizon all the time and have fantastic peripheral vision as well. Diana Gribble
TIP 3:
LEARN TO SELL THE VISION
Harvard Business Review research recently found that while women outshone men on most leadership dimensions, women fell short in one key area: developing strategy, a vision and selling that vision to stakeholders. Interestingly, that was the most prized skill that men value when assessing aspiring leaders. Women focus too much at just being great at their job. But they must look upwards at not just being good at their job but on developing strategy, vision and selling that upwards, to their board, or their bosses. Amanda Gome
My 2 cents worth: I think women are very detailed focused and terrific at multi tasking and managing the day to day running of a project/team/organization.
The big picture vista can be so blue sky that it doesn’t even enter her sphere of consciousness.
How does a woman counter this aspect that can blindside her career and ambitions.
I suggest taking time out during the work day, as busy and hectic as it may be and MEDITATE. I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again.
Meditation and quiet time to reflect and getting centered is the best thing a woman can do to get her focus back on track and be a timely reminder of why she is in the corporate world.
Women who are interested in advancing their career in business might consider looking into the St. Mary online MBA program.
More on this topic in the coming weeks.
Three tips for maintaining your equanimity at work
Maintaining your equanimity, composure and internal sense of balance is a skill than anyone can develop.
I call it a secret weapon of the successful who seem to be able to navigate their way through an office environment that is studded with booby traps and minefields cunningly disguised as work colleagues; from the hypochondriac who painstakingly documents and broadcasts their every ache and pain (and bodily functions) to the angst ridden determined to share their life story and every other possible combination in between.
Our external world mirrors what goes on for us at the subconscious level. We attract into our immediate environment people and situations that remind us of what we focus on most within ourselves.
Ask yourself as you are reading this, what has been ticking over in your mind today. Was it a pleasant and happy conversation or encounter with another person, or was it you wishing you had the last word in an argument. Our best comeback lines are usually after the fact, sad but true.
Do you also notice that the same incident plays on high rotation in a loop fashion in your head, much like background muzak in a restaurant? It is just barely noticeable but it is there, insidious isn’t it.
So, the three circuit breaker tips I suggest are:
1) Check in on yourself
By that I mean, pause regularly during your work day and breathe; yes literally notice yourself breathing in and then gently exhaling. This is designed to slow down brain activity for 20 seconds, long enough for you to pay attention to your body instead of rushing headlong to meeting external deadlines.
This 20 seconds can be the difference between having a productive day or having a tense exchange with a co worker.
2) Eat your lunch away from your desk or work station
Being the office burning martyr will not get you a medal; removing yourself physically from your desk even if lunch is 20 minutes allows your brain to recalibrate.
Great for problem solving because it gives you time to mull over the facts (as you chew your food) without consciously thinking about coming up with a solution.
3) Remind yourself of what is important in your life
Keep a motivational quote on a 3 x 5 card by your computer as a reminder that you have a choice about how you are going to feel today; you choose how you wish to respond to your present circumstances.
Just reminding all you good people that I have a website devoted to mindset and financial freedom if you are wondering where some of the interviews have gone. Please head over to
How To Ask For and Get A Payrise Using The Kiri Waiata Green Method: Kiri Waiata Green Interview
Kiri Waiata Green is not your conventional business and life coach. Professional qualifications aside this remarkable lady has a God given and unique gift to help her clients find their voice (literally). 
If you are one of the silent majority who struggles to ask for a payrise or promotion and feel you have hit a glass ceiling (I’m talking to you ladies), perhaps it is time to consider alternative methods of approaching your boss for that pay increase and promotion.
So, in corporate speak you are requesting a review of your remuneration package such that it is commensurate with your current roles and responsibilities.
In reality you don’t feel you have the right to ask.
This problem of massive self doubt is one that Kiri regularly helps her clients banish and shatter using her novel and incredible program called “Breaking the Sound Barrier”.
Kiri Waiata Green Interview (unlinked)
Listen to my interview with Kiri as she explains the physics of using sound and vibrations generated at the molecular level to remove limiting self beliefs and emotional blockages to wealth creation.
Kiri is a Beyond Success Qualified Coach, a NLP Certified Practitioner (Success Dynamics Institute), holds a Diploma in Counselling (Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors), and a Certificate IV in Small Business Management.
Find her at
Do You Have The Brains, Brawn and Mindset To Be An Entrepreneur: Carol Roth Interview
In these challenging financial times, President Obama is encouraging Americans to lift the economy and restore the stocks of this proud nation by reinventing themselves as the new wave of can do entrepreneurs.
Great if you are cut out for it and have the appetite for calculated risks, a bright idea and the stamina of a marathon runner, but what if you are not and don’t know that.
I suggest you listen to Carol Roth who has sage advice for would be tycoons too in lust with their million dollar idea but have not enough business sense to execute their plans.
Click here to listen Carol Roth Interview (unlinked)
She is an investment banker who used her business strategies to secure more than $1 billion for her clients and complete hundreds of millions of dollars in mergers and acquisitions.
Carol knows a thing or two about this subject and recently authored “The Entrepreneur Equation-Evaluating the Realities, Risks and Rewards of Having Your Own Business” a must read for anyone who is tempted to tell their boss to do the anatomically impossible, quit and assume they can create a fortune from their first business venture.
Carol uses her “Spinach In Your Teeth” method of communication that is both truthful and compassionate to let you know if you have the brains, brawn and mindset for the brief. As painful as it is, the uncomfortable fact for some is that being employed may be the best option for all concerned.
With refreshing candour, Carol encourages women entrepreneurs to acknowledge but not buy into the real or perceived gender divide in the world of big business. She tells with grace and good humour her own experience in this regard when she inadvertently found herself the recipient of the “Best Legs in the Business” award.
Get more information and no nonsense advice on www.CarolRoth.com