sphinxx news alert  
12 May 2010 | www.sphinxx.com.au   

This week we talk about choices, the sphinxx survey revealing gender bias, your company’s top talent, the AICD new diversity program, super-working, knowing what you’re famous for, emotional intelligence, communicating with men, property investment plus we have a Pamperbox to giveaway!

Also I will be in Brisbane around May 18th and Melbourne around May 28th, so if anyone would like to meet up to discuss how you can best support women in leadership, contact me now so I can fit you in!

1. YOUR CAREER: We all have choices
2. NEW SPHINXX SURVEY REVEALS DANGEROUS LEVELS OF UNCONCIOUS GENDER BIAS IN THE WORKPLACE
3. Becoming your company's top talent
4. Big step forwards, brand new program
5. Simply super-working
6. Do other people see what I'm worth?
7. People skills and emotional intelligence
8. Communicating with men: thoughts from an expert
9. OFFERS: Brisbane seminar in May: Safe as Houses: is it a good move to buy or invest in property?
10. OFFERS: Second chances, good ideas and giveaways!

If you have an idea for a topic we should include in a future news alert, please let us know - we’d love to hear from you!

All the best,

Jen Dalitz
Founder & The SheEO, sphinxx.com.au

sphinxx is the network for women leaders and provides support and services to working women to assist in managing their work and life priorities, and leadership advice to help them scale the heights in their careers.

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YOUR CAREER: We all have choices

The Pill turns 50 today, did you know? Yes, the news on my radio alarm told me this morning that it’s been half a century since the contraceptive pill went on sale in the United States. With my toddler migrating back to our bed mid-evening there’s little room for romance but The Pill has been a revolution for generations of women and where would we be without it? I dread to think!

Its worth remembering though that the introduction of family planning, like many good ideas, wasn’t all smooth sailing. I learned this morning that though The Pill hit Australian shores shortly after the USA, it was for a long time inaccessible to the masses due to its high price - of course it was a luxury cosmetic, right? Well that’s how it was initially priced and taxed, putting it outside of affordability for many of the women who needed it most. And then there were the social norms that meant initially doctors prescribed it mostly to married women - who I agree need family planning too, but I wonder how many shotgun-marriages-come-divorces might have been avoided had it been accepted more readily across society in those early years. Still we got there in the end and for Australian women it’s truly a true gift to be able to choose whether and when to begin a family.

For working women there are many other choices we are also able to make - what sort of organisations to work for, buy from, and recommend to others. Its easy to forget just how powerful these choices can be; and I think some organisations have yet to fully understand the collective force of women determined to make a change. Women control more than 80% of household expenditure, they are an informed and attractive market segment, and globally control about $20-trillion in annual consumer spending. Women can choose to not do business with organisations that don’t understand, support and promote the advancement of women.

We all have choices, in our work and in our life. How will you channel your choice?

sphinxx (www.sphinxx.com.au), the network for senior women in business recently polled 264 women in mid to senior positions who attended the sphinxx Ascend events for women in leadership in order to determine the development needs and experiences of women in senior positions. 68 per cent of those women said they had observed or experienced unconscious gender bias in their workplace, though 33 per cent would have reservations about raising this with their employers.

Of the attendees/respondents 63 per cent were in middle to top management, and 12 per cent were CEO/MD level… click here to read on.

Becoming your company's top talent

The Harvard Business Review has published an article this month on “How to Keep Your Top Talent”, and has some great insights on how to ensure that the investment your company is making in your rising stars gives you a satisfactory return on investment and effort.

…. Click here to read on.

Big step forwards, brand new program

In November the Australian Institute of Company Directors announced that board diversity was an issue, so what are they doing about the fixing this issue?

The Institute has launched is new initiative designed to achieve greater representation of women on boards.

…. Click here to read more about the program.

Simply super-working

She built a multi-million dollar business within 3 years. She’s a hands-on business woman. She’s speaking at all four Ascend Development days.

Her name is Denni Francisco, and she is the mastermind behind Superworking – the program that is heralded as a proven way of delivering improved resilience and increased capacity to manage time pressures, complex decisions and critical deadlines… read more about Denni here.

Do other people see what I'm worth?

Everyone wants to know what others are saying about them. And I’m sure most of us have had moments where we know we’re perfect for a role, project, promotion or job but just haven’t had the opportunity spell out why to the people making the decisions. Or maybe you’d just like more offers that enable you to keep developing your strengths.

Penny Burke is speaking at the Ascend May days, with a topic designed to answer this need. Speaking on “Know What You’re Famous For”, Penny will bring her 20 years of experience in marketing and branding to focus on how to promote the elements that make you, your product or service different… read more about Penny here.

People skills and emotional intelligence

Have you ever met someone who is the personification of a skill you hear talked about a lot? Kirsty Spraggon is a phenomenon, her people skills made her a natural saleswoman and she’s experienced 15 years of success in every facet of the sales industry. She is ranked in the top 1% of individuals in RE/MAXs global network of 121,000 sales agents worldwide… She is just one of our stellar speaker line up at Ascend in May, and will be presenting on an area close to her heart and well up her alley “Relationship Building”… read more about Kirsty here.

Communicating with men: thoughts from an expert

Connie Glaser is one of the leading American inter-gender communication professionals. Her website is full of helpful tips and a refreshingly realistic approach to communicating with men. She argues the men and women operate in very different cultures for example she states “…including is just not part of the male culture. They don’t ask to be invited. If they want in, they’ll jump in”.

….. Click here to read on.

Brisbane seminar in May: Safe as Houses: is it a good move to buy or invest in property?

At a time when property is as hot a topic as ever, this is a must-attend briefing – whether you’re interested in buying a home or investing in residential property. Do you know if you’re buying for love or money? What are the potential tax benefits? What is likely to happen in the next 10 years to property prices? … click here for more details including how to register.

Second chances, good ideas and giveaways!

In life, things often don’t go according to plan. And terrible events can occur and demand complete rewrites of your previous life plans.

Michelle had worked as an ambulance officer for over twenty years, before a back injury and post traumatic shock disorder upended her life as she knew it. After hitting rock bottom in acute pain and with limited movement, Michelle rethought her approach to her life, and reassessed her options.

She has recently launched her own “Pamperbox” company, drawing directly on her own struggles to consider what would make an ideal gift to help women relax and re-energise…We are giving away a “pamperbox” for an inspiring story valued at $95. Share your story here, or with the whole sphinxx readership by posting on the blog. You might have overcome a health or spirit challenge, a surprise pregnancy in the middle of launching your grand plan, a painful or messy divorce, significant family concerns, anything you’re proud you’ve overcome.

Winner will be announced by 21st of May.