Shirley Clark and Patricia Reed

July 20, 2006 10:00 am - 11:15 am

2006 BPW National ConferenceDallas, Texas

Embracing New Frontiers: Looking at the Future: Innovative Research, Strategies and Thinking

Learn to Lead Changes in Your Workplace to Advance

and Retain Women Leaders

Who is Choose 2 Lead? Non-profit that seeks to change 21st century lives The founding partners, Patricia Reed and Shirley

Clark, have over 45 combined years of experience in business, government, consulting and non-profit organizations and have relocated with their husbands and children 10 times.

C2L was founded on a vision that women, armed with information, can be strong catalysts for personal and professional changes

Recent research for the U.S. Department of Labor has focused on experienced women “opting out” of the workforce and win-win workplace solutions

Background We believe that the face of the

workforce has changed and the workplace hasn’t kept up:

Workers are more diverse than ever before One-size-fits-all jobs and old-school

management models are inadequate for today’s workers –dual-earner families a prime example

Technology has provided tools for change, yet is underutilized

Background Women are not reaching their career

potential and represent an underutilized asset:

Many women leave opportunities and income on the table in order to make their dual-earner family work

Some leave altogether, although they have a lot to offer

Once off the track, getting back on presents challenges

Some women leaders feel stymied by the old boys’ network

Background Need to reframe the issue: it is not just a

women’s issue or is it always about flexibility Workplace needs to meet the needs of

employers as well as of diverse employees Studies on women and the workplace show

progress yet generally don’t examine the underlying fundamental issue of workplace culture

Win-win workplace practices have been shown to lead to increased loyalty, productivity and retention

Beyond Quarterly Results How can leaders be best prepared to deal with

global competitiveness? Focus on human resources

Retention: Gen X&Y, retirement eligible, mid-career women

Future pipeline of workers High cost of benefits, hiring and training

Leverage technology to bring relief to supply and demand issues of human capital

Lead and embrace change – cultural and operational

Creative Programs and Approaches Exist! Innovative win-win programs include:

Targeted recruiting and innovative hiring strategies to gain competitive advantage through diversity in thought

Older workers as mentors Alumni staff to fill interim resource needs and keep

employees’ skills fresh Job banks and seminars to match non-traditional

workers with non-traditional positions Local client focus to minimize travel Team and product approaches to projects

“Best of” lists don’t necessarily provide an accurate picture of the degree of innovation out there.

Great Concepts, but what are the Roadblocks?

Not widely “spread” within company Marginalization by co-workers Career stopper Attempts to negotiate a personal deal

fail; don’t have tools to make the case Options don’t fit needs Marketability  

Barriers to Organizational Change Lack of compelling business case Old-school views on work and workers View that employees are commodities and not

assets Misunderstanding of the differences between

flexible and restructured Fear that everyone will want reduced hours or that

only some can benefit No plan or model to implement Limited resources to research or plan change

Lack of management experience in how to manage a non-traditional workforce

HR issues such as health insurance, accounting structures

Women Leaders can be Catalysts

Be realistic, bold and positive Manage with everyone’s interests in mind:

shareholders, managers and employees Arm employees and executive leadership

with compelling reasons for change Test out innovations: rotations, product-

driven team projects, mentoring, job redefinition, women’s forums, alumni and on-ramp programs

Cooperate with other women Spread the word at every opportunity LEAD by example

Questions for Discussion Who is being groomed to be the future

leaders? How can we ensure that women’s participation in senior roles and boards will increase?

How can we convince organizations that competitiveness starts with diversity of thought and leadership style?

What is the role of technology in organizational change and success?

Our Challenge to You Work with us to change 21st century

lives: www.choose2lead.org

Shirley M. Clark & Patricia S. Reed Founding Partners shirley@choose2lead.org patricia@choose2lead.org (703) 395-6337 (703) 319-4046