Honorees Dr. Michele Y. Halyard, Sharon Lechter, Pamela Lam, Pastor Sheriolyn Curry Lasley, Jane Spicer and Bettie Spruill CMEC

“We all have the capacity to be positively powerful. The magnitude of the contributions of this year’s award recipients is truly amazing. They, along with each of our previous 16 Award Recipients, prove that everyone has the opportunity to make dreams a reality.” Author and renowned international trainer, speaker and coach Dr. Joel Martin, creator of the Annual Positively Powerful Woman Awards program.

This year’s Fifth Annual Positively Powerful Woman Awards will be presented to the honorees at the Phoenix Ritz-Carlton on June 22, 2012. Gala luncheon from 11:30AM to 2PM to continue with the Conversation On Leadership Summit (COL) from 2:30PM to 6PM. The program will include an intimate panel with the Award Recipients, speakers and transformational action learning focused on enhancing personal, professional and business development. The public is invited to attend. Additional information about the fifth annual celebration follows.

Dr. Michele Y. Halyard, The 2012 Positively Powerful Woman Award For Global Leadership.  Dr Michele Halyard is a consultant in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Mayo Clinic in Arizona and an Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology. Her clinical areas of interest include the treatment of breast cancer and head and neck cancer patients. Her research interests involve the treatment of breast cancer with radiation therapy including interactions with systemic therapies, quality of life of in oncology patients and cancer symptom control. Administratively, Dr Halyard has played a variety of administrative roles within Mayo Clinic. She is a past Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology in Arizona. She served 8 years on the Board of Governors of Mayo Clinic in Arizona, including serving as Vice Chair. She also served 8 years as a member of the Mayo Clinic Executive Committee and Board of Trustees. She serves as the Links, Incorporated Health and Human Services Facet Chair, Western Area. She is a co-founder of the Coalition of Blacks Against Breast Cancer.

Sharon Lechter, The 2012 Positively Powerful Woman Award For Philanthropic Leadership. Sharon Lechter gives back to world communities as both a volunteer and benefactor. She is the founder of Pay Your Family First, a financial education organization and YOUTHpreneur, which sparks the entrepreneurial spirit in children.  Dedicating her life’s work to financial literacy, Ms. Lechter has authored Think and Grow Rich – Three Feet From Gold in cooperation with the Napoleon Hill Foundation, updated Outwitting the Devil by Napoleon Hill-a manuscript hidden for over 70 years and is known world-wide as the co-author of the international best-selling book Rich Dad, Poor Dad and the Rich Dad series of books. Sharon has served on the Dean’s Council 100 of the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University and as a member of the advisory Board of the Spirit of Enterprise at the W.P. Carey School of Business. She serves on the national board of the Women Presidents’ Organization and on the national board of Childhelp, a national organization founded to prevent and treat child abuse. Sharon helps shape the state of financial literacy in our nation through her appointment to the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy.

Pamela Lam, The 2012 Positively Powerful Woman Award For Corporate Leadership.

Pamela Lam is the vice president of Research and Development for Henkel Laundry and Home Care in North American, reporting directly to the president of Henkel. Ms. Lam has numerous patents and a track record in delivering innovations. Her experience crosses all disciplines within R&D including an overseas assignment in China. She is a founding advisory member of the Asian American Professional Association at Henkel, an active member serving on the Scottsdale Workforce Development and an advocate for young talent development. She has personally, formally and informally, mentored dozens of young professionals. Ms. Lam holds an MS degree in Chemistry from Steven Institute of Technology. She received her Supply Chain Professional Certification at ASU in 2010. Pam was born in Vietnam and has had the pleasure of living in five cities and four countries so far. She is also a Corporate Advisory Council member of the Phoenix Chapter of the National Association of Asian America Professionals (NAAAP).

Jane Spicer, The 2012 Positively Powerful Woman Award For Entrepreneurial Leadership. Jane is the Owner and President of Daphne’s Head Covers, a family-owned, labor of love that manufactures just about every sort of animal head cover that can be imagined for golf clubs. Jane has offices located in Phoenix and internationally. In growing her business to the global status it has become, she had two goals: One was to remain solvent. The other one was, as her mother always said, “We must do good while we’re doing well.” That was hugely important to her. In that regard, Jane has created a fund raising head cover for Gabriel’s Angels an organization that delivers healing pet therapy to at-risk children. Jane’s entrepreneurial ambitions were awakened when she was a pre-teen and wanted a sailboat. Her mother said if she wanted one, she had to think of a business and make her own money. So she started making and selling toys and those morphed into puppets and ultimately to Daphne’s Head Covers, the firm named for her mother. Today approximately 200 PGA men and women have Daphne’s Head Covers. And, yes, Jane got the sailboat.

Pastor Sheriolyn Curry Lasley, The 2012 Positively Powerful Woman Award For Spiritual Leadership. Reverend Curry Lasley is the founding pastor of Mt. Moriah A.M.E. Church in Maricopa, AZ. Mt. Moriah was voted into the Desert Mountain Annual Conference in August 2007 and will celebrate 5 years of serving the community on October, 14, 2012. Reverend Curry Lasley is an Itinerant Elder and has earned a Masters of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary. She is also the founder of several businesses, which spiritually align with her ministry. They include Comfort Keepers, which for the last ten years has provided home care services for the elderly and Covenant Family Services, a behavioral health agency that hires and trains caregivers who provide services to seniors so that they may safely stay in their homes. Previously Reverend Currey Lasley was Senior Adult Minister for Tanner Chapel A.M.E. Church and fulfilled many leadership roles at this historical church including Director of Young People and Children’s Division (YPD) and Youth Minister.

Bettie Spruill, CMEC, The 2012 Positively Powerful Woman Award For Educational Leadership. Bettie Spruill, CMEC. is an international coach, management consultant, entrepreneur, public speaker and writer with 30 years’ experience in the field of transformational technology, and sacred commerce. She is also a certified Master NLP practitioner and member of the Transformational Leadership Council. Her retreat, The Feminine Face of Leadership, Power and Sex is an innovative approach to dynamic living. Her company, Ideal Coaching certifies coaches both here in the USA and Mexico. Bettie has led experiential effectiveness seminars and workshops in leadership, purpose and vision, and high performance for more than 20,000 people in Russia, Malaysia, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Chili, Mexico, England, Hong Kong, Canada, Ghana and the U.S. as well as multi-national and American companies and educational institutions. In 2000, Bettie adopted the village of Begora, Ghana. Since then, she has raised thousands of dollars to bring the people of Begoro coaching and training and helped develop vision, leadership, strategies and practices of sustainability. Her mentoring and coaching work with women in prison is having a positive impact on the lives of families and communities. Previously Bettie was Senior Vice President for Lifespring, Inc., one of the largest training and seminar companies in the world. Bettie is a student of the practices of Buddhism, deep ecology and global harmony, Universal Law, Egyptian and Christian mysticism.

2012 Positively Powerful Nonprofit Organization: Diana Gregory Outreach Services.  

This year, donations gathered at the 2012 Awards will be earmarked for Diana Gregory Outreach Services, a non-profit organization that provides programs in health, nutrition, education and housing. Every donation will go towards providing senior citizens with bags filled with free fresh produce (fruits and vegetables). These bags will be hand delivered to their facility/home by Gregory’s Fresh Market Place (GFMP) after the Awards.

Event Information: The public is invited to attend this year’s Fifth Annual Positively Powerful Woman Awards at the Phoenix Ritz-Carlton on June 22, 2012. Gala luncheon from 11:30AM to 2PM. It will continue with the Conversation On Leadership Summit (COL) from 2:30PM to 6PM. The all-inclusive Awards Presentation, Luncheon and COL Summit registration is $75. Register online or by mail.

Thank you Sponsors!

When the spotlight shines on the Positively Powerful Woman, we get to shine a light on her and the causes that matter to her to empower all others to follow her lead. Dr. Joel P. Martin

Corporate Sponsors include Southwest Gas Corporation Community & Consumer Affairs, Arizona State University Diversity and Small Business Program, the National Bank of Arizona founders of the Women’s Financial Group and Henkel where excellence is their passion.  If you are not able to attend, consider sponsoring a seat for a relative or community member.

Dr. Joel P. Martin, Awards Creator and Producer, Positively Powerful Woman Awards. Dr. Joel P. Martin is considered “a genuine genius in her approach to personal transformation.” She is a training designer, facilitator and executive coach, speaker and author. She has worked with hundreds of individuals in Fortune 500 companies, nonprofit and entrepreneurial organizations across many industries in the U.S, South Africa, France, the U.K., Latvia, Finland, Malaysia, Russia and China. Through her company, Triad West Inc., she provides corporate services specializing in diversity and inclusion, leadership development, organizational alignment and executive coaching in breakthrough performance. Dr. Martin serves as a Commissioner on the Human Relations Commission, City of Scottsdale, a board member of ABHOW - a pioneer in senior living,  and she is the Director of Education and Training for the annual FraserNet PowerNetworking Conference, where urban professionals grow and prosper.

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“She 
tirelessly offers her time and expertise to nonprofits. Deborah has a huge heart!”

The 2011 Positively Powerful Woman Award for Philanthropic Leadership will be given to Deborah Bateman Executive Vice President of Specialty Banking, member Executive Committee and Board of Directors National Bank of Arizona for her establishment of the Women’s Financial Group (WFG) dedicated to providing networking and resources to female business owners; for giving over 500 hours each year to community organizations including the Arizona 
Foundation for Women, American Heart Association’s Heart Ball, Juvenile 
Diabetes Research Foundation, The Phoenix Zoo, and Arizona State University’s 
Women; for serving as an Arizona Skills Standard Commissioner for the Arizona State Department of Education; for being a board member of Homeward Bound, FreshStart and ChildHelp; for increasing awareness to women’s causes; and for charitable efforts in the last three years that have resulted in raising almost $5 million for the benefit of organizations in Arizona.

In her role, Deborah develops, implements and monitors NB|AZ sales, service, and marketing strategies. She is also responsible for several of the bank’s key departments, including Private Banking, Executive Banking, Internet Banking, Nonprofit Banking and WFG. She has more than 35 years of banking experience as Senior Vice President with JP Morgan Chase in New York, Chicago and Phoenix including assistance in the institution’s merger with Bank One.

An active member of the community, Deborah finds substantive ways to make her difference. She brings boundless joy, passion and heart to every commitment. She’s served as Chair/Co-Chair of the 2011 Arizona Foundation for Women’s Sandra Day O’Connor Luncheon, the 2011 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Promise Ball, as well as the 2009 and 2010 Arthritis Foundation’s Oscar Night America.

It’s no surprise that she has received numerous honors. In addition to being one of this year’s Positively Powerful Women she has earned the national 2010 Stevie Award for Best Executive in the Financial Services Industry, Arizona Foothills, 2011 Women Who Move the Valley Phoenix Business Journal, 2011 Women in Business Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 2011 Bronze Sierra Award YWCA, 2010 Tribute to Women, Corporate Business Leader Award National Association of Women Business Owners, 2010 Visionary Award SCORE, 2010 Phoenix Small Business Award and Trends Charitable Foundation, 2010 Trendsetters and many more.

Join us by clicking here as Deborah receives the first Positively Powerful Women Award for Philanthropic Leadership. She is a spiritual and loving woman with commitment to her family. She is the embodiment of servant leadership – and that you can bank on. She is a role model for what it takes to be a successful woman in a vital company and important industry.

About the Awards Program. The Positively Powerful Woman Award is given to servant leaders who have founded or lead legacy organizations that have stood the test of time. On May 20th, 11:30am to 2pm, at the Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix we will honor women as royalty for their hard work, resourcefulness and diligence. Following the Luncheon will be networking and “Conversations On Leadership” for professional & business development. Positively Powerful Guest Speakers include Diana Gregory, Susan Ratliff and Dr. Kay Lovelace-Taylor. You will leave inspired to go for your vision with new friends and information that will assist you in getting where you want to be…faster. The public is invited to attend. Triad West, Inc. Dr. Joel P. Martin president is the producer.

About the National Bank Of Arizona: Founded in Tucson in 1984, National Bank of Arizona is a full-service community bank offering personal and business financial solutions for every aspect of your life. As Arizona’s fourth-largest bank with over $4.5 billion in assets, NB|AZ has the resources people need, delivered with the local responsiveness and personalized service people want. With branches in more than 50 communities, they are committed to growing Arizona – to being the only bank anyone could ever need. For more information, please visit www.nbarizona.com.

“My desired focus is to connect individuals with resources that drive success and assist them with meeting their greatest potential.“

The 2011 Positively Powerful Corporate Woman Award will be given to Vivian Squire for her many contributions as a skilled organizational leader and corporate contributor focused on rapid executive, individual, team and operations improvement; for her commitment to leadership development, diversity and managing change; for her representation of the third-largest public power utility in the nation; for her management of the company’s Corporate Mentoring Program; for being the former Chair of one of the company’s affinity groups, The African American Cultural Committee; and for her commitment to entrepreneurs as company representative to The Greater Phoenix Black Chamber of Commerce. Vivian Squire, a 27-year veteran, is the Supervisor, Human Resources Learning & Development Services: Employee & Management Development of Phoenix-based Salt River Project (SRP) Agricultural Improvement and Power District, a political subdivision of the state of Arizona.

SRP is the largest provider of electricity to the greater Phoenix metropolitan area providing electricity to nearly 934,000 retail customers, operating or participating in 11 major power plants and numerous other generating stations, including thermal, nuclear, natural gas and hydroelectric sources and importantly and as it concerns this year’s award recipient, employing more than 4,400 people. Vivian Squire’s human resources policies and management impact the professional wellbeing and development of each employee.

With a smile, Vivian manages a team of human resource professionals who plan, organize, develop and coordinate corporate learning and the development of human performance improvement solutions needed to achieve corporate goals effectively and efficiently. With a commitment to excellence, she oversees the development of program content, training delivery methods with staff and executives to identify and maximize opportunities that increase organizational learning and employee performance. With success, she has advised on and guided several business units’ on their business development and growth strategies through the process of defining the value they bring to the organization.

Like the first winner of Positively Powerful Corporate Woman Award Angela Curley of Henkel North America, this visionary woman does the work that she does not for glory but for the development of others. Join us by clicking here as she receives the 2^nd annual corporate woman award. We know that her energy will continue to make a difference for her company and humanity. Vivian Squire is a role model for what it takes to be a successful woman in a vital company and important industry.

I’ve heard some wonderful stories about the November 4th “mock elections” and this one is a spectacular display of transformational leadership in action by 5th graders.

“Our school is going to be the first in America to be named Barack Obama Elementary school!” fifth-grader Teonte Jackson said. “I feel proud.”

Jackson is flying high. In Ludlum Elementary‘s “mock-election,” Jackson was named: President Barack Obama. His classmate, Jalani Johnson, was his running mate.

“My name is Jalani Johnson and I am also Joe Biden,” Johnson said.

Students here said the mock elections were so invigorating, they begged for something more permanent. Led by 10-year-old lobbyist Samantha Alburez, this trio surprised the Hempstead School Board on Thursday night with unexpected and overwhelming written requests, delivered as stirring oratory.

“Ludlum is a diverse school, so naming our school Barack Obama would honor the diversity of the staff and students,” Alburez said.

You must see the video. The printed word cannot express the strength, vision, passion, and pride of these young people. Kudos to those who created their context of greatness, Principal Mrs. Jean Bligen (left) especially.

I met Lorrinda when she held a similar position with Austin Industries and since those early days, I have seen the consistency with which she has exceeded the $$ diversity commitments of these firms.  She’s been pivotal in the awarding of millions of dollars to minority companies. She’s received millions of accolades and awards most recently the Champion of Diversity Award from Diversity Plus. She has assisted significant numbers if not millions of business owners in growing their businesses through mentoring, championing, educational forums, etc. because as she says, “If our subcontractors fail, we fail.” She is also supportive of community events serving as the Chairperson of the Grand Canyon Minority Supplier Development Council, Ron Williams President and sponsor of The Positively Powerful Women Celebrate! events among others.

Perini serves as a benchmark for other prime  contractors. however, the firm’s diversity success did not come overnight– nor has it been coincidental. It actually started growing roots in 2005 when the firm hired its Director of Diversity Development Lorrinda Gray-Davis. when Gray-Davis took on the challenge, she was charged with establishing a full-time diversity department, policies and procedures. Fortunately, Gray-Davis and Perini alike have seen substantial results. (MBNUSA September 15 – October 15, 2008)

Transformational leaders enroll in their vision: She’s done this at Perini, for entrepreneurs, and in the community. They are vulnerable and she is in her “upfront” style of communication and commitment to get things done. They cause a possibility to occur that would not have happened otherwise as she does being a minority business advocate who is not only a gate keeper for millions but creating gates where there were none before.

There’s a great book recommended by Dr. Adrienne Anderson, CEO of Global Consortium called “Boomers, Xers, and Other Strangers.” She a maven of the link between social policy, economics, and diversity. (Not the flavor of the month kind of diversity but the diversity that is global and drives business strategies.)

Then click on Marcia Petrie Sue’s website where she offers “makes good sense and dollars” tips. For the rest of her strategies, click here:

Tear Up historical job descriptions. I mean really people aren’t doing what’s written on them, so there is a gap between reality and the written word. Gen Y wants the reality of the job, not some over stated litany of words that is outdated. (Who doesn’t?)
Become a facilitator or mentor. Dump your roles as an authority. It does not work with Gen Y. (Aren’t you glad there’s a benefit in dropping the all-knowing, all-seeing mantle?)

One more quick tip, check out your use of technology. Some of the best advertising is now on YouTube and that’s where you’ll find Gen X and Y. Get your viral marketing going if you haven’t already. Join and contribute to The Positively Powerful Learning Network where the focus is on learning that makes a difference. There are brilliant people everywhere like you. Share your tips about creating organizational wins with and through the diversity of generations. Last for today, visit TED and see, hear, and feel what other people committed to sharing brilliance are up to. Baby Boomers, this YouTube gift is like the old school cartoons that were played in the theaters with the main features, it’s running with “Wall-E”. Enjoy.

Dr. Joel Martin says, “There are many groups dedicated to entrepreneurial success, I say not only is this one of premiere in the Valley but anywhere. I’ll be speaking at the Boot Camp about personal and organizational branding. This is also the event I’ve selected to launch my new book: GET THE “ME” BRAND AWARENESS (MBA) THE POSITIVELY POWERFUL WAY.”

This is one of the events that I, like hundreds of others, look forward to. Each year, Susan brings together a stellar group of women speakers, business experts, exhibitors (corporate products and services for professional and personal development shopping), fun activities, meet and greet networking opportunities for use in accelerating ones business plus each year her event raises funds for a worthy local nonprofit organization. Here is information on this year’s:

The 2011 Women Entrepreneurs Small Business Boot Camp is proud to support Wings to Fly, a national, non-profit organization that promotes life long self-esteem in young women. Beginning with a fun, educational and inspirational one week educational camp, Wings to Fly focuses on the 4 building blocks of life: emotional, physical, spiritual and financial. By integrating inspiration, knowledge, research based resources and coaching into her daily life, a young woman can aspire with confidence and self respect to design the life she dreams and become a leader of tomorrow.

Susan Ratliff is President of an award-winning display company that helps thousands of businesses stand out from the competition. She is an author and authority on trade and consumer show marketing that gives relevant tools and practical strategies to maximize return on investment. Susan learned the exhibit business from the trenches, discovered the shortcuts and made the mistakes so her audiences don’t have to. She knows what attendees want, how exhibitors think and what they both need to be successful. As the producer of the Bootcamp, Susan insures that the event is unforgettable.

Susan Ratliff is also a POSITIVELY POWERFUL WOMEN AWARD recipient. This award is given to women in business, corporate America, non-profit organizations and the arts who have led or founded legacy organizations. As with the other years’ awardees, Susan received this recognition because she empowers her organization to breakthrough performance, makes a significant contribution to communities and is a positive role model.

Before you jump on the Internet and start Facebooking, Tweeting and doing other activities not yet inducted into Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, there are a few things that you must understand first.

1) Know your brand.  Success on social networks depends heavily on branding.  Having a professional logo and professional headshot can mean the difference between becoming a social media icon or dud.  Remember, new contacts will not have the benefit of speaking or chatting with you first.  The first thing they will see is your profile photo.  When creating group, pages or mini-networks on social media sites, ensure that your brand looks polished.  Also, maintain the same image across your social media platforms.

2)Know your target market. Who are you trying to reach via social networks?  Your target market is going to help you determine which social networks are right for you.  If you happen to be marketing clothing to teens, MySpace would be a viable option.  However, if your target market is industrial engineers, LinkedIn would be your primary social network.  Identifying and understanding your target market will also dictate what groups you join within social networks.  For instance, if you are trying to reach stay-at-home moms, you may want to join a group in LinkedIn or Facebook for mothers of home-schooled children.  It stands to reason that this group will likely be composed primarily of stay-at-home moms.

3) Understand the purpose of each social network before joining. Most professionals should join no more than three social networks.  Joining as many social networks as possible is poor strategy.  There are thousands of social networks, so it is important to know the purpose of a social network before joining.  For instance, LinkedIn is basically a directory of professionals.  MySpace is a pop culture network aimed at tweens.  Twitter is a micro blog platform created to promote real-time information exchange.  Understanding your target market paired with knowing the purpose of a social network will help you determine which networks are better suited for promoting your products or services.

4) Create measurable goals. This is what separates true business marketing from a simply spray and pray method of marketing.  Set measurable goals before signing up.  Creating goodwill and awareness is not enough.  How much additional website traffic would you like to see as a result of social media marketing?  How many additional attendees would you like to see at your events?  How much additional sales revenue are you projecting each month?  Once you have your numbers in place, MEASURE!  Use website analytics to determine how much traffic is coming from your social networks.  Google Analytics is a great free resource that can help you track your visitors.  If your products can be purchased online, be sure to create a question asking how they heard about your products/ services.  Include your social networks in the answer choices.  If you have physical events, use surveys via the registration process or at the event to ask attendees how they heard about your event.

5) Keep it social. Imagine yourself at a networking event.  You’re on fire!  You’re making great contacts and harnessing the power of synergy to create genuine win-win relationships.  Now, imagine someone in a ski mask, wearing a sandwich board comes up to you to shake your hand.  How would you feel? Don’t be that person on social networks.  Yes, you are leveraging social media for business but you have to inject a little personality as well.  Social networks are social!  The quickest way to see absolutely no results is to become a billboard for your business.  Create interesting posts, share funny stories, post pictures.  However, know the difference between business-social and social-social.  Similar to a professional environment, there are limits to what a person should share.  Also remember that you should always be social without conflicting with your established brand.  Encourage two-way communication and build relationships that will lead to future purchases as well as your contacts becoming brand ambassadors.

Crystal Washington is a dynamic entrepreneur and highly sought international business speaker. As the Principal of a Houston based marketing firm, she develops marketing strategies and implements practical tactics which yield measurable results for her clients.  For more information, please visit http://www.crystalwashington.com.

The mission of LPI includes building a new generation of women of color who are aware of their cultural treasures and divine birthrights; who are acutely in tune with the precious worth of their bodies and who recognize and move progressively toward their responsibilities to themselves, their families and their communities.

Those of you who are in the metro-Phoenix area have a gift in store: The Rites of Passage Culture and Leadership Development Program for Girls begins Saturday, January 22, with the Parent-Teacher Orientation. The program targets African American Girls ages 13-17.  If you are interested or know someone who may be please visit www.blueprintforwomanhood.com or contact fatimah@blueprintforwomanhood.com.

The Rites of Passage Culture and Leadership Development Program begins January 22 and continues through May 7, 2011. Register your daughter now – ages 13-17 years old. Let your friends who have daughters know about this as well. This is a highly successful 10-year old program. It’s founder Fatimah Halim is a joyful and visionary professional and community leader who cares deeply about our youth. Ms. Halim was also selected as one of the 2009Positively Powerful Award Recipients for her contributions in leadership. You may also “spend time” with this extraordinary woman on her television programs and at the upcoming African American Symposium for Personal and Professional development Feb. 25th.

These professionals are experts in developing the best ways to make diversity work for the good of their corporations and internal and external customers. They are successful in creating inclusive environments in which every individual’s contributions are valued. Their contributions are competitive business advantages stimulating success for their companies.  They have made it to the upper echelons of corporate America, what do they know that you need to know? In addition, what might be possible if they collectively decided on strategies that begin to create salary equity for women? There are other challenges in the leadership gap – enough for these two days of critical communication and beyond. Attend, contribute and learn.

Women, do you have a fear of negotiation? You could lose $1,000,000 over your career.The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School publishes a monthly journal, Negotiation.  The June issue had a disturbing article about new research on women and negotiation.  According to a new book by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever, Ask for It:  How Women Can Use the Power of Negotiation to Get What They Really Want. The article goes on to say “that men initiate negotiations to advance their interests about four times more often than women do; that (women) students who did not negotiate their starting salaries would forfeit at least $1 million in income over their lifetimes (wow!); that men are more likely than women to negotiate for resources, training, and other factors that boost job satisfaction and success. As a result, research says, “men who seek out career opportunities will advance more quickly in their organizations than equally qualified women who do not.” Women faced with this are likely to quit and when they do ask for more money to be disliked and penalized. Obviously knowing how to negotiate is key to your success.

Here are some other facts about women. Click the links to drill down...

1. Women comprise 46% of the total U.S. labor force.
2. Women make only 77.5 cents for every dollar that men earn. (2003 Census.)
3. The more education a woman has, the greater the disparity in her wages. (This was a stopper for me. The source said, women should be aware that they may have to battle harder for equal pay. Women in professional specialty occupations were found to earn just 72.7% of what men in the same position earned, and women in upper level executive, administrative and managerial occupations earned even less at 72.3%. If you compare this against the average of 77.5%, the numbers speak for themselves.” This does not imply that women should not go for the high level positions!
4. Women may work longer to receive the promotions that provide access to higher pay.
5. Women business owners employ 35% more people than all the Fortune 500 companies combined. There are about 9.1 million women-owned businesses in the U.S., a number that comprises nearly 40% of all businesses.
6. Savvy organizations and institutions realize that women are a growing and savvy group of customers. Women impact 89% of savings accounts. American women spend about $5 trillion annually…over half of the U.S. GDP. 85% of all purchases are influenced by women.
7. Women account for 46% of the labor force, but 59% of workers making less than $8 an hour.
8. Only 53% of employers provide at least some replacement pay during periods of maternity leave.
9. Four in ten businesses worldwide have no women in senior management.
10. Women earned less than men in 99% of all occupations.
11. Minority women fare the worst when it comes to equal pay.

There is work to be done. “I want to empower women to go back to their homes to influence others and their communities. This conference (#DWBiz10) is designed to support the leadership and executive development of women of all races, cultures and backgrounds; it will spark your imagination and energize your career.” Sheila Robinson.

This is an annual event so the pressing question is whom will Sheila bring together when the 2011 conference convenes in Chicago, IL? For now, be prepared to be in the Era of the Woman by attending this one. Register today for this important national personal and profession development event. Oh, you might also want to be there when Dr. Maya Angelou receives the Mosaic Woman Award and Donna Brazile speaks.  I could go on …but this just could be a once in a lifetime event. I’m looking forward to it.