Transition, Failure and the Beauty of Communication

Good evening Gorgeous People

I'm often told I shouldn't share my failures, that as a leader of an organisation my job is to set an example of success and strength but I think a sign of strength is to be able to discuss ones failures, so here I am again, talking about the insights I've had stemming from my failures.

Thankfully I have tremendously intelligent, inspiring & loyal businesswomen around me, most of them are members of SHE Business Australia and they're all prepared to share their collective knowledge and experience.

Business start up is challenging enough but transitioning a business from one character to another is, in my experience even more challenging. Keeping current clients content and on the program whilst preparing the look and feel of the new entity is a juggling act, keeping current clients happy whilst other clients choose a different path is a struggle. The struggle is as much for my ego as it is for my business prowess.

I found myself desperately trying to race through the transition period rather than languishing in it. It seemed the sooner I got this process over the better, but that was a mistake.

I missed an opportunity to celebrate my failures and take the necessary steps to transition gracefully.

But those intelligent, inspiring & loyal businesswomen kept me on track.

One sent a facebook link to The Worst Failure of All is Wasting Failure a terrific article that challenged me to enhance my success by embracing my failures. My personal favourite of these tips is to conduct a Celebrating Failure Day, a reminder that we shouldn't put our failures behind us permanently because then there's nothing to learn from.

The other piece of advice came from a discussion at SHE Business regarding a book on transitioning by William Bridges and helped me stay present and feel okay, with the current situation, hence taking the weight of the world off my shoulders.

People often ask what makes SHE Business different and I offer the above as an example. There are plenty of places for people to network, there are far fewer where you can share, build rapport, debate & discuss knowing that each person believes that together we can achieve more than we can alone.

Networking Snogging - does it deserve an apology?

Did you know that women apologise more often than men? Do you know why?

According to Scientific America it’s because we have a lower threshold for what we believe is a transgression & therefore apologise at times when men wouldn’t even register a transgression has occurred.

Speaking of transgressions …

I often wonder why so much need be written about network etiquette, surely the basic guidelines are those of normal human interactions, but perhaps not!

I was out networking the other night, nothing extraordinary, just the usual gathering of people and at the end of the evening came the standard round of goodbyes including protracted conversation at the doorway; last minute introductions to a few guests with promises to ‘catch up soon’. 

I was tired and just wanted to leave quickly but there was one last introduction to a man I just ‘had’ to meet.  The introduction was made and I perhaps a little wearily stuck my hand out for the appropriate handshake only to find myself being yanked towards him for a kiss.

‘I don’t believe in shaking hands with women, I believe in kissing them’ he proudly said and I shot him a quick “ a very convenient belief to have!” before exiting quickly.

It seemed a curious mismatch of expectation rather than a deliberate ploy to be slimy (on his part) but it’s a great example of why etiquette articles continue to be written. 

So here’s my network etiquette tip for the day –

PERSONAL SPACE IS SACROSANCT  - in the business sphere, male or female, it is not appropriate to pull someone in for a snog on the initial introduction.

Or is it?

Love to hear your thoughts.

Suzy Jacobs

Founder

SHE Business Australia

Take care of the small stuff

Good morning Wonderful People

I'm blessed to be surrounded by interested, outspoken & generous women all of whom keep me sane during the times when I want to give it all away.

A few conversations lately have resonated with me but one in particular gave me a timely reminder about business principles.

We know that without a vision for our business there's little hope of success but sometimes we can be so focused on the vision we can forget about the the basics.  I have a huge vision for SHE Business Australia - we want to be influencing the advancement & prosperity of professional working women, impacting both our culture & economy!  A HUGE, BIG TIME, MASSIVE GOAL.  So BIG it sometimes feels overwhelming and that's the sense I've had over the past week until I had one of those beautiful conversations that brought me back to basics.

A SHE Business member, Gaye Crispin reminded me of one of the tenets of business - take care of the small stuff & the big stuff will take care of itself.  In a world where we're constantly urged to have BHAG's, and everyone's sharing them "loud & proud" it might make the difference to your business to get back to the basics.

So the basics for me are: excellent customer service, nurture existing client base, attention to detail & dealing with the hard stuff.

In the moment that I chose to get back to basics was the moment I took back control of my sanity and started enjoying business & life again.

If you're looking for 'team' of women who are well connected, intelligent & informed maybe you want to check our next SHE Business Working lunch in Chatswood (Sydney) Thursday 21 April.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR SEAT

PS Thanks Gaye :)

Challenges of Start UP

Saturday was a right off.

Having worked with dogged determination and unwavering energy over the past 6 weeks I'd finally run down my energy resources so I hit the bottom and struggled getting up.

I own the belief that emanates from my core to start SHE Business, it's a belief that drives relentless energy, provides leadership for my team and has me step out of my comfort zone every single day but on Friday I tripped!

I had a meltdown over the SHE Business logo and website.  I found myself caught between striving for the truest representation of my vision for the brand and a tacit acceptance of mediocre. This dilemma, of course is not a problem in itself,  it is the scourge of other ugly ramifications that are so draining.  As a 'start up' I work to tight deadlines and on tight budgets so with 2 such visual business pillars looking 'weak' I just wanted to run away.

So on Saturday I took the day off (the first in a few months) and looked at my options; I was exhausted and ; wanted an easy life.  I played with the picture of me as a corporate maverick, a lady of leisure, a part-timer;  they all looked enticing compared to dealing with my business problems.  I read the newspapers, moved from sofa to bed, watched TV and generally moped around.  I let the belief go, the leadership fall away and provided space for my energy and enthusiasm to return.

On Sunday I woke with fresh eyes, what had looked like such a huge problem on Friday & Saturday suddenly looked like an uncomfortable glitch requiring my leadership, belief and energy to resolve.

So here I am on Monday itching for my team to make it to the office, for my suppliers to answer my calls and I'm reminded what a crazy, roller coaster ride, business is.  Most days I'm loving the ride of my life but there will always be the few when I want to jump off.

Exhaustion can do that to you.

SHE Business Australia
Driving advancement, influence and prosperity of professional, working women in Australia

May 24 Launch

For further information call:  02 91130777