Back in 2005, just a couple of years after completing my MBA, my classmate Bianca sent a copy of Off-Ramps and On-Ramps (a Harvard Business Review article by Sylvia Ann Hewlett and Carolyn Buck Luce) to all the women in our cohort.  The article which highlights the large numbers of highly qualified women dropping out of mainstream careers was one of the catalysts for me starting sphinxx... or at least shocked me into some form of acknowledgement that the lack of women in senior ranks was a global and profound issue for business. Read More

Don't forget that we're giving away a registration to the forthcoming Executing Women’s Initiatives Within Firms event.  Valued at $995, this registration will give you access to this important one-day connected forum, the following critical issues and more will be explored: Read More

In a past life I worked in a global consulting firm and I think that if you’ve never worked in professional services it can be hard to visualise some of the obstacles women face in forging professional careers.  At the time there were no female partners I could turn to for advice. The firm was run by men who shortlisted team members for new projects at Friday drinks at the local pub, with the night often ending with partners snogging their PAs (not everyone was invited but the brave and the stupid regularly turned up up for the drinking competitions in the hope of winning a spot on the big accounts).  Their past times included racing Porsches on the weekends and entertaining clients at sporting fixtures.  Team building endeavors included canyoning, skirmish, go carting... get the picture?   Read More

I was delighted to learn that Paul Hitchcock, CEO of Corporate Express Australia Ltd was announced the 2010 winner of the EOWA Award for Leading CEO for the Advancement of Women.  I have watched Paul elevate the status of women at Corporate Express ever since I was invited to present to an internal gathering for International Women’s Day at their head office last year.  This is truly a best practice example of how quickly change can be accomplished, when it is driven from the top. Read More

In the business world, there is nothing wrong with a healthy level of competitiveness, to ensure you’re getting the best out of your employees. Especially when you’ve got your eye on another business competitor, nothing is more motivating then a definite target to beat. But this article argues that ranking your employees, and deliberately encouraging Read More

“In a recent McKinsey Quarterly survey of 2,207 executives, only 28 percent said that the quality of strategic decisions in their companies was generally good, 60 percent thought that bad decisions were about as frequent as good ones, and the remaining 12 percent thought good decisions were altogether infrequent.” Read More

I’ve spoken before about the importance of Good Guys in advancing women as leaders.  Daniel Barber certainly fits this bill - and comes with rave reviews from the employers he has recruited for as well as the talent he has sourced.  Whether you’re an employer looking to secure more female talent on your team, or you’re a woman looking for a new role in banking and finance, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t put Barber Consulting at the top of your list. Read More

“Establishing the motivations behind the resignation is not only a crucial part of the process; it can help to prevent similar instances occurring in the future… From our experience, opportunities for self development and progression, rather than money, are often the key factor behind a senior executive’s decision to move on. Inevitably, successful individuals get to a point where they feel ready to embrace a bigger role with a larger remit and greater accountability.” – Retaining Your Senior Executives Report Read More

Balancing Australia is an online directory that offers comprehensive information on the work life balance initiatives offered by companies. It’s packed full of useful information for women who are looking for a more supportive employer, or considering a position at another company. Read More

If you think you’re not getting appropriate recognition for your work, you’re not alone. New research by Hattonneale finds that senior executive talent shortages are looming, and that executives are looking to move to roles where they are best supported and valued, after two years of cutbacks, reduced remuneration, slashed bonuses and a general neglect of retention incentives. Read More