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From a very young age, I was taught that we each have an incredible opportunity to create positive change. And this belief in my own inherent power to put my best skills and talents to work in the service of creating a better tomorrow - let’s just say it’s addictive! There are so many ways you can create change. Volunteering, fundraising, or serving on a community board. Since my early twenties, I’ve served on a number of boards. Boards of organisations I’ve helped establish, my industry association board, as well as a national women’s association board. These board roles have been AMAZING. They’ve taught me about the world, about leadership, boards, and positive social change. I’ve met the best (worldchanging) people - broadening and diversifying my networks across Australia and the world. And most importantly, it gives me a voice. It's allowed me to advocate for those less fortunate, and helped me make a real difference in my community. Are you keen to create meaningful change in the world, learn new skills, and broaden your network? If so, then serving on a community board might be for you! What it means to be a board director - and why diversity matters Board directors are voluntary positions appointed to support a community organisation to achieve its mission. The Not-For-Profit sector is going through huge changes! And boards are on the hunt for a diverse range of directors to seek and prepare for new futures. You might think a board position would be just another item on a never-ending to-do list. But it can also be an energising personal and professional development experience. In fact, we NEED you! We need diverse thinkers and leaders on boards! FREE 3-Day Board Confidence Challenge Waitlist Build the confidence to step into your first NFP Board Position and become the leader (and advocate for change!) you want to be in your community & the world. The next round of the challenge is coming up soon! Join the waitlist to be the first to know when the challenge is running again! First NameEmail* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms. It’s fair to say we are living in highly uncertain times, whether it’s politics, the economy, or our environment. Now more than ever, we need thoughtful, creative, values-led leaders to step up and contribute to creating a better world for all. How I give back on a board I currently chair the 100 Women Board. 100 Women is a giving circle igniting everyday people as philanthropists. The board also raises funds to empower disadvantaged women and girls locally and globally. Aside from the incredible impact we make through our grants, I have gained so much by giving back. I get to meet the most amazing people. I'm learning about the issues facing women and girls. And I get to put my skills to work for a cause that I’m passionate about. But aside from all this, at a foundational level, giving is important in my life. I want to live a well-rounded life. I want to enjoy work that makes a difference, be involved in my family’s life, eat well and exercise, and contribute to society. Why get involved on a community board? 1. Be inspired and energised by a cause larger than yourself Involvment can be hugely energising. It can be a humbling experience to know that your volunteering is making a difference to others, whether it be the homeless, elderly, disadvantaged children, animals, or the environment. In today’s society, it can be all too easy to fall into the narcissistic trap of selfies and social media pages dedicated to showing our most glorified moments in life. We can feel entitled to live a life of hedonistic pleasure without a care in the world for anyone else. Reality check! If you’re reading this post, you and I are one of the luckiest people in the world. With a roof over your head, food in the fridge, and money in the bank, we have the opportunity to do work that is meaningful. Not everyone has this opportunity. Not everyone is so lucky. We can turn a blind eye to the challenges of the disadvantaged. Or we can do our part to lead a fair and equitable life. The beauty is that it will inspire and energise you in return. 2. Broaden your skills and knowledge You can contribute your skills and knowledge and expand on them by using them in a different context. Boards oversee a range of issues such as strategy, governance, marketing, fundraising, performance, and finances. This can give you exposure to new strategies, tools, and resources. In fact, sitting on a board can be one of the BEST leadership development experiences you can have! It’s definitely no simulation. It’s real and practical. And most of the time, it’s challenging to achieve results within the constraints that exist. There is no better opportunity to improve your skills and expertise. 3. Watch your networks expand Any professional is looking for opportunities to build their networks. And sitting on a board is a great way of doing this. You’ll develop deep relationships with your fellow board directors who will come from different industries, backgrounds, and experiences. You have the opportunity to connect regularly at board meetings, events, and one-on-one to get to know them better. You will also expand your networks through the various functions of a board. This includes fundraising, events, dealing with the media, and stakeholder engagement. 4. Enhance your reputation Appointment to a board is a real privilege. It’s a privilege to serve the community and contribute to making it better in some way. Through this journey, you will become passionate about an issue such as improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged young people. Or providing housing for the homeless. Or saving precious natural environments for the community. Often, these issues are multi-faceted. And you will learn more about the real underlying causes and ways to solve the issue. You will become an advocate for the cause. This gives you a wonderful opportunity to share your experiences with your business networks. Share with your suppliers, clients, and networks about the cause and deepen your relationships. By being an advocate, you are inadvertently improving your own reputation too - win, win! Hold up – before you join a board! Board positions are not to be taken on lightly. You must be willing to make a commitment of usually between 5 – 15 hours per month. You must also choose carefully which board to join and perform your due diligence before accepting any position. Due diligence aside, volunteering as a board director can be hugely fulfilling. Whether it be on a local community organisation, your industry association board, a government board or an advocacy organisation, the benefits can be rich and wide-ranging. As board directors, you are shaping a positive future for all. Now over to you: How will you contribute your time, networks, expertise, and donations to create a better world for all in the coming year? Join the conversation here. -
It’s so easy to get caught up in the consumerism of Christmas but I have a challenge for you! Instead of December passing you by in a blur, let’s make it a time of review and reflection, meaning-making and connection! Isn’t that what the festive season is really supposed to be about? Connection and Reflection Rather than making December a month of overindulgence of food and drink, gather an intimate group of your friends and colleagues together to make time for personal reflection and then share your reflections with each other. You could couple this with an early morning walk along the beach, an evening yoga session or a fun game of tennis! I’ve made it simple for you and created a list of questions you can send to your friends below. Or better yet, make up your own list of questions to explore! A Magic Carpet Ride Think of it as a magic carpet ride through the events, activities and experiences that occurred in 2018. Fly through your year from January to now, think about the moments of pure joy as well as the challenges. Step back and reflect. What did these moments mean for you? What have you learnt? By standing back and looking at it from a distance, you can elicit the learning and the meaning. There has been multiple research studies that have shown the benefits of regular reflection. It helps our performance and also makes us happier. Think of it as the debrief after the game, consider each move made, think about how strategies panned out, reflect on winning moves and ones to improve on next time. As Peter Drucker said: “Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection, will come even more effective action.” Top 10 Reflection Questions 1. What has made you proud this year? Tap into the experiences and achievements that made you feel happy, satisfied and alive. What activities can you credit to your hard work, initiative or creativity? Sink into these feelings – perhaps it was something you achieved or something someone close to you achieved. Perhaps it was something you overcome this year or a lesson you learned. It could be anything – relationships, goals, hard work or your attitude. Is it time to cue the M People classic, Proud? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEoxGJ79PMs 2. What inspired you this year? inspiration: the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative. What were your sources of inspiration this year? People, environments, conferences or videos (like TED videos), movies, events, books – anything! See if you can pin point it – what or who inspired you to be your best? What were the catalysts to enhance your knowledge, confidence, skills or work? Was it a new podcast, a key event or an important mentor? You could collate a list with your friend of their top 3 inspirations. 3. What are your 3 key learnings from this year? What’s been your major learning curves this year? This is an important question. Instead of sailing into the new year without fully gaining the benefit of all your experiences this year, consider the three main things that you’ve learnt. Where have you grown the most as a person, leader, family member or friend? Were these intended learning curves or not? What did you set out to learn and improve on and what were some of the learning that popped up along the way? 4. What habits have served you well? Aristotle said we are what we repeatedly do. It’s quite enlightening to realise that what you do day in, day out makes you the person you are! Maybe it’s a little scary too! So simple, but it can also mean the discipline of constructing your day to be the person you want to be. What habits did you intentionally practice this year and which ones have slipped in – good or bad? Which habits have you added this year? Which ones did you drop? How did it make a difference to your year? 5. What were your key relationships this year and how have they affected you? Family and friends, business colleagues and community – relationships can play a key part of your happiness and also your success. Which relationships made you feel strong and empowered? How did you intentionally foster the relationships in your life? Are you hanging around the right people? Are they lifting you up to be your best? How has your presence positively impacted on the people around you too? FREE 3-Day Board Confidence Challenge Waitlist Build the confidence to step into your first NFP Board Position and become the leader (and advocate for change!) you want to be in your community & the world. The next round of the challenge is coming up soon! Join the waitlist to be the first to know when the challenge is running again! First NameEmail* NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms. 6. How did you utilise your strengths this year? Do you know what your key strengths are? If not, perhaps it’s time to get clear about the strengths that you are or can contribute to the world. How did you put them to work this year? Are you using your strengths on a daily, weekly and monthly basis? How does it make you feel when you can work in your zone of genius, as Gay Hendricks would call it. 7. How did you focus on what’s fundamentally important to you this year? It is so easy to get caught up in what everyone else wants you to do. Your family, friends, work or even society in general can dictate what gets done. Think about when you get into work everyday, do you reflect on your key priorities and set in for some deep, deliberative work or do you check your email and focus on what others want of you? Did you get to focus on what was important to you this year or did you get pulled in different directions? 8. What are you grateful for this year? Time to evoke a little gratitude. Yes it’s a great habit to cultivate to consider and reflect on everything you are grateful for. From the huge big things to the tiniest little things. What are you grateful for? If it involved people around you, this might be a nice way to reconnect with people during December and tell them! 9. What have been the obstacles, hard times or challenges you've experienced and how have you grown from the experiences? Yes there are going to be ups and downs in the year. Times where it didn’t always go to plan. What were your biggest challenges this year? Revisit these tough times and bring some reframing to it – how has it made you a better person, how did you grow and what did you learn? 10. How would I summarise the year that I’ve had? Have some fun with this last one. Use your creative juices to summarise the year in a creative way. What would be it’s theme, mantra or symbol? How would you draw a picture to reflect on the past year? Time to get out of your head and instead into your heart and body. What colours would you use? What shapes or images represent this year? Take some time this December... Why not grab your favourite drink, put on some encouraging music and sit in your favourite chair or go outside into nature and answer these questions for yourself!? Then come together with friends and share your reflections from the year. Look out the blog in the coming weeks for 10 questions to plan for the new year. Now over to you: Will you be spending some time on reflecting this season? What other questions did you come up with? -
Have you ever wanted to pursue or achieve something important, but your lack of confidence held you back? It’s not a nice feeling, is it? It might have been a job opportunity, a board position, or perhaps simply reaching out to someone. When we talk about confidence, what do we mean? The latin meaning is “having deep trust in yourself.” In modernity, it’s the degree to which you think and feel your actions will achieve positive results. Do you trust yourself? Do you believe your actions will lead to the results you want? We all go through periods of lack of confidence. Self doubt, fear, the knockers will continue throughout your life. Nobody escapes it and it’s an going practice for leaders. The more important question is this: how can you further develop your confidence right now? Psychologist Albert Bandura developed a theory that highlighted four sources of confidence. The four sources of confidence Mastery Experiences What are mastery experiences? It’s learning first hand, setting realistic but challenging goals, and giving it a go. Start Small These experiences build your confidence to keep striving and trying something new. The big thing here is that it doesn’t have to be huge. You can start with really small actions and build up! What is the smallest step that will move you closer to where you want to be? How can you show up consistently with small actions? You’ll be amazed at the confidence this brings. Even Mistakes Count Get out there, give it a go. You will either achieve something or you’ll learn something! Every mistake or failure is a great learning opportunity. So start failing and learning! What to do? Start consciously building up your mastery experiences. 2. Vicarious Experiences Ok, so you haven’t done something yourself (mastery experience)? You can also build your confidence through observing others such as mentors, role models, or leaders. Role Modelling Seeing others achieve what we want can show us that it is possible. Observing how others achieve goals similar to what you want helps you build your own confidence in your ability to achieve it too. Don’t Get Jealous, Get Motivated Don’t sink in to the comparison game. If you start to show envy or jealousy, this is you doubting that you can achieve it too. Shift your mood to one of wonder, curiosity and celebration. Get inspired and understand that if they can do it, you can too. What to do? Read those autobiographies. Go listen to inspiring role models (live or on the internet). Surround yourself with examples of who you want to be. Celebrate others and regularly expose yourself the unlimited potential of humans! 3. Social Persuasion Social Persuasion is having an influential mentor directly ‘persuading’ you to achieve what you want. The Power of Belief As a leadership facilitator, I am constantly in awe of the power of someone believing in you. I’ve seen first hand what can happen when I believe in a participant in one of my programs. What they can achieve is incredible! Your confidence can be developed by having a coach, mentor, teachers or leader in your life that demonstrates their belief in you. What to do? Gather together your supporter network. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and encourage you to reach higher. FREE 3-Day Board Confidence Challenge Waitlist Build the confidence to step into your first NFP Board Position and become the leader (and advocate for change!) you want to be in your community & the world. The next round of the challenge is coming up soon! Join the waitlist to be the first to know when the challenge is running again! First NameEmail* EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms. 4. Physiology Our physiology matters and it influences our confidence. So are you putting aside time for self care, healthy eating, exercise, meditation and good sleep? These inputs can influence your emotions, moods, and your physical state. If you feel tired, anxious, or tense, it’s going to affect your confidence. On the flipside, if you put healthy foods into your body, move regularly, commit to getting a good night’s sleep, and take time for regular self care, this will also affect your confidence - in a positive way. What to do? Look after your wellbeing to give yourself the best chance of self confidence. 8 leaders share their confidence secrets So, how do those four sources of confidence look in everyday life? 8 incredible leaders share their tips for building confidence below: “I take a deep breath and think about some of the things I really wasn't confident to do but did anyway (and they came out good, often far beyond my expectations!)” Lyn Beazley AO FTSE FACE CIE (Aust) WA Australian of the Year 2015 “Lifelong learning and stretching myself to do new and interesting things not only builds my confidence but also means I get to meet and experience interesting people and continue to grow and develop as a person.” Angie Paskevicius, CEO Holyoake WA Telstra Businesswoman of the Year 2016 “I build confidence in a few ways. I stay on top of what is happening in the industry and particularly in industry journals. In short I make sure I am well read. I also make sure I am actively seeking feedback from the people I work with (both Board and staff). And finally, having a person as a coach or mentor who is honest with you helps." Russell Bricknell, CEO, Baptistcare “Confidence for me is about recognising that, as CEO, most people think you are fully in control and don’t need support or pep talks. So I make sure I seek it out from people inside and outside my organisation who are supportive and on my side and confident enough to give me feedback on things I need to improve on.” Justine Colyer, CEO RISE “I keep trying to stretch myself by learning new things and doing things that make me uncomfortable.” Dr Nicky Howe, CEO, Southcare + Surround myself with a ‘cheer squad’, family and friends who will support me and provide advice (even the hard stuff) grounded in unconditional love for me. + Reducing the influence of ‘toxic’ people in my life by disengaging from them. + Positive self-talk – every day! + Reflect and learn from my mistakes and my successes. + Enhance my resilience every day through keeping fit and healthy. Dr Sue van Leeuwen, Non Executive Director “I meditate regularly. I find this not only provides a sense of calm - but it also helps me to keep things in perspective.” Graeme Cowan, Leadership Resilience Speaker and Author, Non Executive Director R U OK? “I focus on my values, and have a clear vision of the goals I want to achieve. I make sure my decisions and actions are always 100% aligned with what I want to achieve and my values. Then I have the courage to not care if others mock me. Self loathing is always just at an arm’s length ... so it’s important to remember that second guessing yourself is normal and healthy in leadership. And it’s best to just accept not everyone will always agree with you. But if your values are in the right place, keep on track." Sue Pember, Director, Mi Casa Property Boutique, Aussie Orientation Services and Rare Birds Ambassador Now over to you: what are you strategies for overcoming the knockers in your pursuit of a goal? I’d love to hear! -
Most change-makers I know are keen to have a positive impact on the world in some way. Traditionally you may have had to be a Prime Minister or wealthy CEO to influence and impact the world. But the world has changed! You don’t need to be in a position of authority to have the power to positively influence those around you. Tools such as the internet have levelled the playing field and allowed everyday-people to have a voice, gather people together for a cause and create momentum. Think about Malala Yousafzai or the #Metoo movement. What types of power increase your influence? Social psychologists John French and Bertram Raven discovered that there are six types of influential power and, of those, there are two that everyone has the ability to harness regardless of their standing. 1. Expert Power - Having advanced levels of knowledge about a subject gives you power because people trust you as an expert in your subject area and look to you for guidance. Develop this power by taking courses, reading, attending conferences, finding mentors who challenge your assumptions and constantly stretch your knowledge and understanding. 2. Referent Power - This is the type of power that people wield when they are well-liked and respected. You have this power if you are well-known in your community. Earn this power by always leading with integrity, doing good work, building strong relationships and take bold actions. As change-makers, we can work on developing these powers to influence our workplaces or communities. Challenge yourself to lead not through position, fear or demands but through something which is far stronger than these - shared values! Shared values are guiding beliefs that groups and organisations rally around to inspire change and keep people committed to their causes. These are beliefs that excite, guide people’s actions and help define identities. Most importantly, they’re the emotionally-charged fuel that enables leaders to influence their followers. Tap into Emotions and Get Personal According to Harvard Business researcher Dr. John P. Kotter, most people fail to be influential because they try to influence others using logic, convinced that facts will make others listen to them. However, research shows emotional appeals can be more persuasive. This is because the same part of your brain that you use to make decisions also controls emotions, causing the two to be intertwined. If you want to influence people to take action or adopt new ideas, you can’t just tell them why they should do it; you have to make them feel it so they will take action. So basically how you make people feel will impact your ability to influence and make change. How do you make people feel? What's your value proposition for a board? POSITION YOURSELF AS AN ASSET THE ALYCEUM BOARD RESUME TEMPLATE Full NameEmail* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms. Consider these avenues of power you can exert everyday 1. Speak up - consider how you communicate with those who you know - family, friends and colleagues. Can you raise awareness about an issue? Can you support an event through sharing it? Consider the ways you can share more - perhaps on social media, in your workplace or just with your friends. 2. Share your expertise - can you use your knowledge, networks and expertise to support a cause by sitting on a community organisation board? 3. Consumer power - every time you purchase something, you are supporting it. Choose carefully and support business and brands that contribute something to the world. 4. Philanthropy - philanthropy is just a fancy word for carefully considering how to give funds (or time) to have a positive impact in the world. You don’t have to be rich and famous to make a donation. Just start with a small goal of thoughtfully giving 1% of your earnings this year. 5. Resources - what resources do you have at your disposal? Can you influence your workplace to support a charity, offer a space to an event or meeting or use your profile to help build momentum for a cause? I really do believe that people just don’t know how influential they can be. We have everything at our fingertips - access to knowledge, access to platforms to have a say, access to resources. The real question is: Are you ready to step up? -
I’m always curious - what makes someone a really exceptional board director? In today’s environment, board knowledge and understanding is a given. Knowing governance, strategy, the financials? Yes, you should. This is a given. So what makes someone exceptional? I think it’s mostly about the boardroom behaviours that you display Here are the simplest boardroom behaviours that boards are looking for from a board director. Board Attendance Matters Can you make EVERY board meeting? Can you commit to this? An exceptional board director is in the room. They have done their due diligence and they are in the room to contribute to the decision making. They are not late or leaving early. It is made a priority by them to be in the room with perfect or near perfect attendance. Board attendance really matters. If you are bringing a unique perspective into the boardroom and you’re not there to help with the decision making, the board is weaker for it. Serve your term. Be there and make your attendance count. A highly engaged and involved board director An exceptional board director needs little management. They are leaders. They take responsibility for their responsibilities and they get the role done. Moreover, they are involved in board meeting conversations and decision making. And they serve on at least one sub committee. They are engaged in between board meetings too. If you’re going to be involved - be involved! Don’t just turn up and keep the seat warm. Be a supporter of the organisation, show you care, and step up. Show humility I’ve been fortunate to come across so many exceptional board directors in my life. And the one common thread amongst them all? They show a great deal of humility. They are intensely respectful of others, and they listen more than they talk. Furthermore, they believe in the power of the collective over any one individual. They are lifelong learners. And they are focused on adding value. These people are an absolute pleasure to work with in the boardroom. This humility breeds trust, respect, and candor in the boardroom which is a sign of a high performing board. Humility also brings about the need and want for regular and rigorous board director evaluation processes. Curiosity reigns The Stanford Social Innovation Review article “How to Succeed on a Nonprofit Board” shares five ways a board director can be curious: • Curious about impact - Is our nonprofit making a difference to solve a problem in the community? How can the nonprofit increase its social impact? • Curious about context - How does our nonprofit compare to competing nonprofits? What is our nonprofit’s unique value proposition that would make our beneficiaries choose us instead? • Curious about money - Where does our nonprofit funding come from and where does it go each year? Why do donors and grantors give money to our nonprofit? • Curious about people - Who are our nonprofit’s stakeholders? How can we best address their needs, hopes, and aspirations? • Curious about the board - What diverse perspectives are present in the board? Does our board have all the perspectives of the beneficiaries we serve? There is an openness to challenge the traditional wisdom and explore the options. Good board directors understand they are there to challenge each other’s assumptions and beliefs as well as those of the executive. Create value & impact An exceptional board director uses their skills, knowledge, networks, and strengths to create value and impact. They make things happen. They are strategic in the value they offer (they know the board/management line of separation). Whether it’s using their technical knowledge for the use of the organisation, creating opportunities for partnerships or funding, supporting the executive through tough times, or sharing their wisdom at the perfect time - they make their contribution count. And because of it, the board is successful. They are value focused. And they are constantly asking themselves, “How are my contributions, questions, and connections adding value to the board?” Now over to you: Do you have any other important board director values you can share? Head to the Alyceum Leaders group to share your thoughts! Ready to step into your full leadership potential? GET THE FREE GUIDE: 15 WAYS TO FIND AN NFP BOARD POSITION Full NameEmail* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms. -
We all love an inspiring vision board - but is it really going to help you achieve your goals? We sit there daydreaming of what we would love to have happen in our life. But is it time well spent or just a waste of time? I’m all for getting clear about the vision you have for your life, work project, or business. But some people get so wrapped up in the visualisation of their goal - they forget about how to get there. Do you focus on the process or the end outcome of your goals? Gabriele Oettingen, a professor at New York University, developed a practical activity to help people achieve their goals. And visualising is only one part of the story! She breaks goal setting into four main parts and calls it WOOP. The WOOP Method Get your pen ready! Wish - What is something you want to achieve? Make it specific and challenging - but also achievable. Outcome - What will be the result or outcome of you achieving this wish? Imagine, visualise and feel what it will be like to achieve your wish. Obstacle - Time to get realistic here! What could be the main barrier to you achieving your wish? It’s time to think about how it’s not going to work, and what obstacles or barriers may spring up. Plan - You’ve brainstormed the challenges. Now it’s time to get that positive hat back on and make a plan to overcome the challenges! When these challenges pop up, this is the plan you turn to. Now that I’ve outlined Gabriele’s model, I would like to add one more element. Let’s change WOOP into WOOPA! Action - What is a small action you can take every single day to move toward reaching your wish? Why I love this model I love this model because it busts some serious goal setting myths. 1. Vision boards are really popular. But I think they can sometimes have the opposite effect. When you only imagine your goals and aspirations, it can soon turn destructive if you can’t achieve it. The more time we spend thinking about our goals, as if we’ve achieved them, it can downplay our sense of motivation to actually achieve them! 2. Another popular saying in goal setting is to “always think positive.” The trouble with this is that any goal worth achieving is going to encounter challenges. We need to dive into the obstacles that we might face to consider innovative ways around it. 3. Focus on the process - not the overall goal. Once you have a clear sense of your vision, then focus your attention on the daily actions required to achieve it. Make this your focal point and get good at smashing the everyday activities needed for your success. Yes, it’s not as alluring as focusing on your big goal - but it will make all the difference in actually achieving it! Same Goal, Different Approach Even the biggest goals can be broken down into small actionable tasks. Take the NaMoWriMo Challenge for example. Every November, thousands of writers globally challenge themselves to write a book in a month. 50,000 words is the target. Now you may be thinking, “50,000 words - that’s huge!” But if you break it down, it’s just 1,667 words each day for 30 days. Small but consistent action can be really powerful. When you focus on the daily action, the results will take care of themselves. Dare to try? Now over to you: What do you think about adding action to the WOOP method? I'd love to hear your thoughts! What's your value proposition for a board? POSITION YOURSELF AS AN ASSET THE ALYCEUM BOARD RESUME TEMPLATE Full NameEmail* EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms. -
I'm very excited to share my recent TEDxPerth talk with you here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKwLByC-LiU&feature=youtu.be As many of you know, I'm a huge believer in community involvement. Currently I'm the chair of 100 Women. 100 Women is a giving circle focused on empowering women, both as philanthropists and through the receipt of our grants. It’s a powerfully practical way that women (and men) can involve themselves by positively contributing to their community. 2018 is our fifth year of giving. In those five years, we granted nearly $400,000 to over a dozen causes supporting women and children. In turn, we have supported whole communities across Australia and in three other countries around the world. And if you're asking... Yes, yes, yes... Your donation is tax deductible for Australians! You do have the option to donate monthly or annually 100% of your donation goes towards the grants Anyone, both men and women are welcome to join You can live anywhere around the world and donate to 100 Women We are not limited to only 100 members – the more, the merrier! You can join 100 Women and become a member here. This is our latest grants: Earbus Foundation of WA receives $30,000 towards a pilot to provide 30 female Aboriginal Health Workers with training. This training will develop their theoretical experience with ear health treatment and management. It also includes more practical, clinical training. These workers are now empowered to diagnose and manage ear health disease in the Aboriginal communities in which they live. And it also gives them the resources to reduce the problems associated with ear disease for Aboriginal children. Youth Futures WA receives $27,500 for its program, The NEST. This program has been designed to help teenage mothers who are homeless or living in unsuitable conditions. Due to these circumstances, they are consequently at risk of losing custody of their child. The funds aim to support the expansion of the Outreach Service. This is a preventative strategy against homelessness that aims to stabilize the lives of the teenage mothers. In tandem, it supports them to develop their parenting, financial, and independent living skills. An Outreach Support Worker assists clients to seek appropriate accommodation. The support worker also advocates on their behalf with the Department of Child Protection. All the while, the young mum is counseled on their baby’s development and personal issues. Bower Reuse and Repair Centre Cooperative receives $30,000 for the ‘From House to Home’ program. This program provides around 100 women and their children with free access to quality household goods. Many of these women were victims of domestic violence. Once the women are ready to move on from temporary accommodation to new homes, they are in desperate need of household goods. The Bower will work with service organisations to allow them to visit a Bower retail outlet and shop against an agreed line of credit. World Relief Australia in partnership with Human and Hope receives $9,300 towards a sewing program. This program aims to break the cycle of poverty for Cambodian women. Each woman will learn how to sew and advanced students can access microfinance loans to start their own sewing business. In addition to sewing skills, students receive education in small business, life skills, health, sustainable farming and domestic violence training, focusing on their rights in marriage. The Process - These projects were very carefully chosen from over 60 applications through a grants assessment and member voting process. It was a dynamic, inspiring and insightful process for all. If you aren't involved in 100 Women yet, here are 15 reasons to get involved in our fifth year. Why join 100 Women? Joining together 1. Meet, gather and network with like-minded people. Now more than ever, we need connections with people who energise our spirit and remind us of the good in the world. 100 Women does this! We are building a diverse community that’s doing their part to change the world for the better. 2. Choose projects to fund collaboratively using the 100 Women grants process. Learn skills to assess grant projects. Come together as a team to share your insights. Or if you don’t have time for that, just vote for your favourite project at the end of the process! Impacting women 3. Are women’s issues important? One of our Ambassadors, Rabia Siddique, poses three important questions at the Grants Ceremony, two of which she borrows from Emma Watson’s #heforshe launch speech: Do women’s issues matter? If not you, than who? And if not now, than when? 4. Learn about women’s issues and why gender based giving makes sense. When you invest in women, the whole community wins. Through our members and grantees, we can learn what the issues are and what projects make the most impact. 5. 100 Women gives to local, national and international projects and organisations. Your donation will benefit both women in your local community and women around the world! Power of Philanthropy 6. Amplify your donation by joining together with others. This is an exciting part of joining a giving circle. Your individual donation can only go so far, but your donation coupled with everyone else’s becomes a grant that funds a women’s project! 7. Learn about philanthropy and how to make your giving count. Our purpose is to ignite women philanthropists into the world! Learn how to increase the impact of your personal giving and giving through 100 Women. 8. Change the perception that philanthropy is just for the rich and famous! Everyone can be a philanthropist and contribute to the greater good. 9. Involve yourself in one of the fast trends in philanthropy - Giving Circles! Giving circles are an exciting new, collaborative form of philanthropy. Get Involved! 10. Join us in 100 Women. There are many ways to be involved in 100 Women as currently we are completely run by volunteers. Join as a full member, join as a mini circle or join our email database. Contribute your skills and expertise to one of our four sub-committees - Membership and Events, Operations and Finance, Marketing and Communications, and Grants. 11. Learn skills to involve yourself in the community more broadly. Our members say they learn skills and gain confidence to involve themselves in other community organisations such as becoming a Board member, mentor or volunteer. Be inspired and be inspiring 12. Become a role model in your family and community by being part of the 100 Women movement. This is bigger than just you and me, it’s about a community of women coming together and helping other women who don’t have the same advantages that we do. 13. Feel proud to involve yourself. Members tell me all the time how proud they feel to involve themselves in such a wonderful, inspiring cause. When was the last time you felt proud? 14. Step up! For the majority of our members, $1200 is a step up in their philanthropy. Now we also have options of $300 and $600 if you are just starting out. 100 Women aims to provide large, high-impact grants to projects and organisations. Our intention is to build a strong, sustainable source of funding for women’s projects. Remember it’s a tax deduction and 100% of your donation goes to the grants too! 15. We created this! Together we’ve started our own funding source. The grants I mention above are funded by people power. This is incredibly inspiring and exciting. Feeling inspired? Come join the fun and spread the word! You can join 100 Women and become a member here. -
Are you willing to challenge yourself to develop as a leader? Most people are committed to developing their technical expertise to maximise potential (think about the years spent at university!) But do you put the same level of commitment into developing your skills to connect, communicate and empower other people as well? Emotional intelligence is critical to exceptional leadership. It leads to better work performance, better leadership and more happiness in life. Who doesn’t want that? What is emotional intelligence? Emotional intelligence has become a buzzword ever since Daniel Goleman wrote the book called Emotional Intelligence! But many people can have trouble actually describing what it is. At its core, emotional intelligence is about monitoring and understanding your own and other’s feelings and emotions and using this knowledge to guide your thinking and actions. A recent Australian report on leadership found that current leaders rated themselves as performing highest on their work ethic and track record of success. Only trouble is - what people really wanted from their leaders was team building and outstanding interpersonal and communication skills. And these were some of the skills that they performed most poorly at. Eek! Emotional intelligence is key to building strong teams and communicating with others. Here are five practical behaviours that emotionally intelligent leaders practice. Ready to step into your full leadership potential? GET THE FREE GUIDE: 15 WAYS TO FIND AN NFP BOARD POSITION Full NameEmail* NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms. 5 EQ Behaviours 1. Building Self Awareness I find leaders either really overrate their abilities or really underrate them. I know, that’s quite a spectrum. On one side, people often don’t see the immense value they can offer. Yet on the other hand, others can self assess themselves as highly competent without any basis. One strategy to overcoming this phenomenon is seeking high quality feedback from others on your behaviour and performance. Blind spots are hard to overcome without the help of others. 2. Compassion and Respect How you treat others is important. Do you listen to others? Or encourage equal participation rather than dominate discussions? Do you treat people as legitimate human beings with feelings? Do you care about your team? Dehumanising others in the workplace is an increasingly challenging issue. The more we move into positions of power and feel experienced at what we do, the more we can become more concerned about our own needs and less concerned about the needs of others. Everyone deserves to be treated with compassion and respect. This is the essence of a good human being. Don’t underestimate it! 3. Motivation and Self Management Do you notice the feelings you are feeling? Awareness is the first step to managing them appropriately. But it’s amazing how many people can go from meeting to meeting in a bad mood without being aware of it or acknowledging it. Get good at identifying your feelings, honestly connecting the underlying cause of your feeling and taking action to correct it, if need be. 4. Vulnerability Exceptional leaders acknowledge that they don’t know it all. This vulnerability allows them to connect at a deeper level with their team. Displaying an attitude of curiosity about team members’ points of view shows that everyone has something to contribute and everyone has something to learn from others. 5. Maintaining Equanimity Life is not going to go right 100% of the time. Failures happen, people get sick, projects go askew and as leaders - we need to keep our composure. A mindfulness meditation practice can support us to lead with equanimity. It helps us practice lengthening the time between what happens to us and how we react to it. What’s important? All in all, our emotional intelligence makes us better human beings. If you want to be the best leader you can be, let's start with who you are and how you treat others. Now over to you: how do you practice emotional intelligence as a leader? Do you have any experiences with leaders that particularly impressed you with their emotional intelligence? I’d love to hear! -
Did you know that one of the most accurate ways to predict your success is how extensive your network is? Several peer-reviewed studies have found that who you know plays a more significant role in your career than how skilled you are, the strength of your resume, and other characteristics that we commonly think are responsible for our success. Why does having a broad network matter more than job skills and knowledge? People who are outside of your core circle of close friends can expose you to knowledge, people, and resources that you would not be able to access on your own. Often, it is the unexpected ideas and resources that people introduce you to that enable you to stand out. Your network can inspire greater creativity and motivation. When you interact with people who are striving to reach big goals and approaching their work differently than you do, it will often inspire you to improve your own goals and routines. It ensures improved emotional intelligence. The more you interact with people, the better you become at reading them and using that skill to best present yourself in critical social situations. I have broken down the six building blocks for developing a strong network into three key areas to help you navigate different relationship phases. 1) Connect - Learn how to make initial connections with new contacts. 2) Create - Turn your connections into lasting relationships. 3) Credit - Add value to your network by showing people that you appreciate them. Let’s get started! CONNECT Who you spend time with dramatically influences your behaviour and personal success. Research shows that we subconsciously mimic the people we know and consciously adopt some of their actions to better connect with them. Therefore, it is essential that you surround yourself with people who will bring out your best traits and enable you to be successful. Additionally, your connections can play near as big of a role in your success as the work you are capable of doing. Human resources data from the last several years shows that employers are increasingly relying on referrals to make hiring decisions. Making new connections is critical so let’s explore what types of people you should connect with and how. Who - Mentors, Masterminds, and Mates There are three types of relationships to consider and develop in your career: 1) Mentors. These are one-on-one relationships with people whom you admire and who have traveled a similar path to the one you want. 2) Masterminds. These are intense groups of people who are at the same level as you, have similar characteristics, and support you as you pursue your goals. 3) Mates. These are friends and colleagues you hang out with regularly. Having a group of mates in and out of work helps you relax, connect with people on a personal level, and ensure you have a balanced life outside of work. Understanding these types of connections is important. Because how you approach people for each of those contexts is different. With mentors, you have to be somewhat formal and very mindful not to demand much of their time. Masterminds are typically like a club with set meeting times. So while timing is not an issue, finding the right people to support you in this way is crucial. Perhaps start with an accountability partner and work up from there. With mates, informality and positivity are essential because most people do not want to spend their free time with someone who cannot relax. Action step: Identify at least one person in each of those categories which you can make an initial connection with this week. How - Networking Opportunities Networking is time-consuming and, if you are an introvert, exhausting. To avoid burning out, you need to be strategic about choosing events with the highest potential for you to make quality connections. There may be a range of factors you consider to choose the right networking events for you. Do you want to develop strong relationships within your industry association? Want to meet new people who are outside your comfort zone, different industry perhaps? Do you want to gain knowledge and skills while networking with others? Ready to step into your full leadership potential? GET THE FREE GUIDE: 15 WAYS TO FIND AN NFP BOARD POSITION Full NameEmail* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms. For example, if you are a project manager, attending events for project managers is a fantastic way to keep up-to-date on the latest changes in your field. However, people who are in your same position are unlikely to know or be willing to share information about exciting new opportunities. On the contrary, you are likely to make significant connections at events that target a variety of professionals in your industry. It doesn’t always have to be the same old networking events. You are likely to meet meaningful connections if you step outside of professional groups. Look for ways to get involved with causes and activities related to your passions. Though you may not meet people who can immediately help your career, developing relationships based on shared passions can open up doors later on. They may be able to refer you to people who have relevant opportunities for you. If not, you will still benefit from forming new friendships. Action Step: What event could help stretch your networks with people you would not normally meet? CREATE Meeting new people is the easy part of creating a secure network. People are extremely busy, so you need to prove to them that it is worth investing time to keep in touch with you. There are two primary ways to do this: 1) Be a great conversationalist, so people want to keep talking to you. 2) Focus on building strong relationships rather than increasing your professional opportunities. Here’s how: Conversational Intelligence According to ontological coaching expert, Alan Sieler, there are different types of conversations that foster productive work and networking relationships. Some of them include: 1) Stories and Assessments: To share views and form stronger bonds by sharing personal experiences. 2) Clarity: To gain a mutual understanding to move forward together. 3) Common Commitment: To ensure shared commitment to goals. 4) Possibility: To generate ideas & explore different possible futures. 5) Opportunity: To identify specific opportunities from possibilities. 6) Coordination of Action: To get things done. 7) Progress: To pause and monitor progress towards goals. 8) Accomplishment: To acknowledge achievements & successes. 9) Appreciation: To publicly share recognition, value, appreciation, and gratitude of others. 10) Accountability: To deal with a broken promise/commitment or, in a working relationship, improve communication to prevent lapses in accountability from occurring. You likely already have these conversations on a regular basis. However, being aware of the types of discussions can help you reach out to people with the intent to focus on one or more of those areas. This will allow you utilize your time with people more efficiently. Action Step: Before starting conversations with professional connections, identify what type of communication you need to have. Work on your conversation skills to engage others. Relationship Building According to Charles Green, leading leadership expert and author of the Trusted Advisor, trustworthiness can be broken down into an equation that you can improve upon to develop stronger connections: Trustworthiness = Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy / Self Orientation. Let’s break that down. 1) Credibility: What’s your area of competence? Being informed in the areas people expect you to makes your voice credible. 2) Reliability: Do your actions match your words? If you want people to trust you, you have to prove that you will follow through on your commitments. 3) Intimacy: Show that you genuinely care about people, so they feel comfortable sharing personal details with you. Self-orientation is the extent to which you care about yourself more than others. It is the denominator because the more self-oriented you are perceived as, the fewer people trust you. This is because your actions and/or attitude show that you prioritize your own needs above all else. A way to build all three of those elements of trust and reduce your perceived self-orientation is to create shared experiences with people. Here are a couple of ideas: + Bring people together for an intimate lunch + Involve/share your networks in a charity event + Host your own mini networking events. By being the person to plan events, you can focus them on situations that make you shine socially. This can make you appear more reliable, since you invested the effort to connect with people. Action Step: Think about how you might be perceived at networking events and post-events. How can you improve your trustworthiness? CREDIT So far, we have focused on how developing a healthy network benefits you. Don’t forget that the people you develop professional relationships with expect you to offer them just as much value as you are receiving. The easiest way to show your connections that you value them is to help them and express your appreciation. Good Work/Giving Leadership expert, Brian Tracy, believes that “successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others.” Focusing on what you can give in relationships rather than what you receive makes people feel grateful for their relationship with you (so they are unlikely to do anything to jeopardize it). It also shows that you are a valuable connection and proves that you care about their wellbeing. Continually ask yourself: “How can I be of value to others? The help that you offer does not have to be huge. Introduce people who would benefit from knowing one another. Pass on valuable information and offer resources to people struggling with stressful situations. It only takes a few minutes of your time and can dramatically improve your relationships. Action Step: Offer to help at least one person in your network per week. Appreciation and Recognition Research shows that telling people that you appreciate them strengthens your relationships. The power of appreciation should come as no surprise. Everyone has an innate need to know that they are valued. And busy people, in particular, want to know that the effort they invest in helping other people is worthwhile. Among professional relationships, one of the most influential ways to show appreciation is by writing thank you notes. Most people express their gratitude immediately after someone does something for them, but few people take the time to follow-up. Here is how to write a meaningful thank you note: 1) After addressing their name, write what you feel. For example, “I wanted to let you know that I appreciate...” “ grateful...” “Thank you for...” 2) State what specifically you are thankful for. For example, “introducing me to [valuable person],” taking the time give feedback on [important project], “recommending [useful tool],” etc. 3) Explain the positive impact that it had on you. For example, “[Valuable person and I will be meeting up again soon to...” “I incorporated your advice into my project, and my boss loved it, or “I started using [the tool] and...” 4) Offer to help them whenever they need it. Letting people know that you are willing to reciprocate favors shows them that you are interested in having a mutually beneficial relationship. The power of appreciation If you have an individual’s address or can slip a note into their office, using a physical notecard will make your token of appreciation stand out even more than it already does. Few people these days get handwritten cards. However, if giving a physical card is not possible, sending an email or text is still a great way to show your gratitude. You should also develop a habit of recognizing people not for who they are but what they do for you. Positive psychologists have a theory called appreciative inquiry which explains that, particularly in professional relationships, focusing on what people do well and identifying ways to capitalize on their strengths enables people to form closer bonds and increase performance. Regardless of whether you are celebrating a success with someone or working with them to overcome a challenge, acknowledging their positive attributes in dealing with the situation is likely to improve its outcome. It will also strengthen your relationship so that you continue to be someone that they want to share experiences with. Action Step: Within the next twenty-four hours, send notes of gratitude and/or appreciation to at least three people. Moving forward, take a moment to recognize the contributions and/ or character of at least one person every week. NEXT STEPS Relationships are both integral to your career success and what makes life worth living. Remember, our professional relationships are not the only relationships worth cultivating in life. Our personal relationships need time and attention too. I remember a comment from Professor Fiona Wood, a burns surgeon and researcher, saying in an interview that we must strive to save the best of ourselves for those we love the most. This has stuck with me when I’m tired at the end of the day to treat my loved ones with respect and compassion. Cultivating strong personal and professional relationships make life worth living, spend the time to cultivate yours! Now over to you: I'd love to hear how following these action steps is expanding your network in real time! Share you successes with me below in the comments! -
Have you ever done something that has surprised you? Perhaps you met with a mentor that you’d been hoping to talk to. Or presented a speech for the first time. Maybe you took on a project that’s a bit out of your job description? And you realized that you pushed the boundaries and moved out of your comfort zone? Ahh comfort zones - they are warm and cushy. And as creatures of comfort, we love sitting in these pockets. But does it challenge us, help us grow, and improve our confidence? Short answer, no. One of the most effective ways to improve your self-confidence is to regularly push yourself out of your comfort zone. In the book, The Tools, psychotherapists Phil Stutz and Barry Michels share research-backed strategies for people to overcome the internal barriers holding them back from success. These practical steps allow anyone to reach their full potential. Tool #1 - Reversal of desire The first tool in the book is the Reversal of Desire. It explains that your areas of growth lie just outside of your comfort zone. Yes that’s right, just outside of your comfort zone! Your comfort zone feels great because it’s a state where your brain perceives very little risk. You’re in a familiar, safe situation. Changing habits, learning new skills, trying new things, and other self-improvement activities are all unfamiliar. You have to get out of your comfort zone to do them. Stepping outside your comfort zone is stressful, but research shows that our brains need to feel slight to moderate anxiety to improve. Psychologists refer to this as “optimal anxiety” — the level of stress that compels you to take action. Deadlines are helpful for understanding this. If you’re like most people and you’re given six weeks to do a project, initially you’re not worried at all. You feel like you have a ton of time and don’t push yourself to be optimally productive for the first couple of weeks. However, once you’re a week or two away, the stress of potentially not meeting the deadline becomes a weight on your shoulders that pushes you to excel despite tiredness and any other barriers you face. Be strategic about your comfort zone! The key is to be strategic about how and when you step outside your comfort zone, ensuring that your anxiety does not overwhelm you. For example, if you’re terrified of public speaking, don’t start by volunteering to speak at a big community event. Instead, start with small groups to build your confidence and work your way up. It’s like a muscle. The more you push your boundaries, the easier the optimal anxiety will feel to you. It’s like you will broaden the boundaries of your own comfort zone. This feeling of nervousness brings on our sense of flow. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is a psychologist who wrote the book, Flow. He describes ‘flow’ as a mental state of complete absorption in the current experience. When we are fully engaged and challenged by a task. “The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times… The best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.” – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Ready to step into your full leadership potential? GET THE FREE GUIDE: 15 WAYS TO FIND AN NFP BOARD POSITION Full NameEmail* EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms. Here’s a challenge (or two) for you Write down 10 things that challenge you or make you feel fearful. Public speaking? Getting feedback? Introducing yourself to new people? Choose one of these areas to focus on. Brainstorm a range of activities to step out of your comfort zone and practice them in small but consistent ways. Remember your areas of growth lie just outside of your comfort zone! Try ten ways to practice this challenge - yes, not just once, but ten! Repetition is the only way you're going to move outside your comfort zone to take on these challenging activities, Moving out of your comfort zone doesn’t always have to be work related either - you could listen to unfamiliar music, read a magazine that you would never normally pick up, try a different hobby with a friend, go to a different restaurant. Get into the habit of pushing your areas of comfort. Reflect on what you learn about yourself in the process. Final words Don’t let your the fears in your head stop you from trying new things and stepping up in your growth. Take the smallest steps forward and you might just surprise yourself! Now over to you: What was the last thing you did to get out of your comfort zone? -
Living according to your purpose, strengths, and values will dramatically improve your life for the better. But it will not be easy. A study from the University of Pennsylvania found that pursuing one’s purpose can trigger anxiety. I know this in my own life to be true - and of many change-makers too. It can be exhausting to follow a greater purpose. You wonder whether you’re making a difference, whether it’s worth it, and whether there is an easier way. Following your purpose is a process, not a destination Following one’s purpose makes many people feel like they are not good enough. That where they are in life isn’t good enough. And they feel they may never be good enough to live their purpose. If that is you, you need to understand that following your purpose is a process, not a goal. It is the sense of direction that guides what types of activities and accomplishments you pursue. And your success at those things does not define it! Purpose requires sacrifice Another big reason why people do not pursue their purpose, strengths, and values is that it requires sacrifices. In some ways, society makes it easier to just eat junk food, lie on the couch after work, and binge watch the latest tv show. Or to think that the latest gadget or expensive bag will bring you happiness. Purpose takes sacrifice. To live the life of a revolutionary, you have to make decisions outside the norm. You have to take actions outside the norm and surround yourself with those moving on a similar path. How to hang in there when following a purpose-driven life gets tough 1. Know the stress coping mechanisms that work best for you. Change is stressful! And stress on top of additional responsibilities can make transitioning to living a purpose-driven lifestyle difficult. What are the activities that get you in flow? Running, dancing, painting, playing with your kids or going for a walk in nature? Get in the flow. 2. Stick to a sleep schedule to prevent exhaustion but also be prepared for some sleep-deprived days. If you are working full-time while acquiring the knowledge and experiences that you need to transition into a position that more closely aligns with your purpose, strengths, and values, some tired days are inevitable. However, you are unlikely to achieve your goals if you are continuously exhausted. Arrange your schedule to ensure you have at least six to eight hours of sleep. Sleep is integral - don’t skip it! 3. Celebrate the small milestones. This is so important! We forget to celebrate along the way. When you make progress by finding your purpose, consistently do something that enhances your strengths, step out of your comfort zone to make a decision that aligns with your values, or achieve any other milestone, acknowledge it. Research shows that celebrating small wins makes you more motivated and happy. It’s the small things - don’t forget it! Find a Partner A powerful way to ensure that you stay on track is to find an accountability partner. Think of it as peer coaching. The American Society of Training and Development found that people who have an accountability partner are 95% more likely to complete goals on time than individuals who try to achieve their goals on their own. 95%! That’s huge! Your peer coaching partner could be a work colleague, supportive friend, or family member who will not let you make excuses. Or if you want to grow alongside other people who are pursuing big goals, join a mastermind. Masterminds are groups of people who support one another in their goals. The benefit of being in one is that not only does the group hold you accountable for what you tell them you want to accomplish, seeing the other members of your group do great things can increase your motivation to do the same. Final Words Stick with it. As Ryan Holiday would say, the obstacles are the way! Take every challenge and reframe it as a way of learning, a way of improving, and a stepping stone to living the life you want. And remember, a little stress helps us challenge ourselves as we rise to the occasion! Now over to you: What is holding you back from pursuing your purpose? I'd love to know! Ready to step into your full leadership potential? GET THE FREE GUIDE: 15 WAYS TO FIND AN NFP BOARD POSITION Full NameEmail* EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms. -
After years of working with people who are keen to step onto a community board… Do you know what I’ve found is the key reason holding them back from a board role? The answer is..... CONFIDENCE. I get it. The boardroom can be a really daunting place, especially if you haven’t been a board director before. That’s why a few times a year, I run a 3-day Board Confidence Challenge! This challenge is designed to help you build an unstoppable confidence so you’re ready to accept your first board appointment! During the 3-Day Challenge, you will: + Explore the BIGGEST fears that hold you back from the boardroom and how to overcome them -alongside an intimate group of your driven, change-making peers. + Discover the framework I've used with hundreds of young professionals to identify your core strengths and achievements and how to position them for the boardroom. + Work through my unique board value proposition canvas to understand the unique value you can bring to the boardroom - and how to position these values in your hunt for the perfect board position. + Mindset is everything - explore the key mindsets required for the boardroom, and banish the self-talk that's holding you back - for good! And so much more! Now more than ever, we need confident, creative leaders with the passion, talent and insight to create the massive change needed in our community and the world. So... + If you’re ready to step up and fulfil your dream of being a board director. + If you’re keen to leave your fears aside and start taking action on the goals you want. + If you’re keen to explore if you have what it takes to become a board director of a Not-For-Profit organisation. + If you’re ready to contribute your time, skills and experience to a worthy cause and make real change in your community. We need YOU! Sign up - this challenge is for you! FREE 3-Day Board Confidence Challenge Waitlist Build the confidence to step into your first NFP Board Position and become the leader (and advocate for change!) you want to be in your community & the world. The next round of the challenge is coming up soon! Join the waitlist to be the first to know when the challenge is running again! First NameEmail* PhoneThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms. Is it your time to step up and lead? Yes! Join me, and I’ll get you there! I hope you will join me! To your success, Alicia xx
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ABOUT ALYCEUM
Alyceum provides educational experiences to ignite people to lead and transform the world for the better.
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