Leadership lessons from Serena Williams and Michelle Obama

Leadership lessons from Serena Williams and Michelle ObamaLeadership lessons from Serena Williams and Michelle ObamaWhen it comes to female role models in business, many of us turn to CEOs of Fortune 500 companies (of which tzu siche are very few), the women leaders in our network, or our mentors if were lucky enough to have them. Where we dont often look, however, is on the tennis court or in the White House.As the MeToo movement and push for equal rights continues, both Serena Williams and Michelle Obama have come to the forefront as role models for women, especially mothers, in leadership.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraRead on for the three key lessons Serena and Michelle are exemplifying.Self-doubt is realOne of the most vulnerable things a leader can do is share when they are feeling self-doubt. When that leader is either the former First Lady of the United States (and a H arvard-educated lawyer, I might add) or the most winningest female tennis player in history, it can make the rest of us feel normal. Michelle Obama shared her experience of self-doubt while visiting a girls school in North London, admitting, I still have a little bit of Impostor Syndrome. It never goes away, that question of youre actually listening to me?Serena Williams agrees, stating in her Fortune essay, Im honest about my struggles as a working mom because I want other women out there to know they are not alone. We have to show ourselves and our female counterparts compassion and reality.If women as successful as these two have doubts, then were not alone. In fact, studies show that over 80% of people battle Imposter Syndrome, and this feeling increases with success. Opening up to other women in your network is crucial youll realize you arent alone in your feelings as well as have others validate your success.Serena sums it best, saying, While I think all women are superheroes, we are not superhuman and we need each others support. Trust me when I say weve all been there before.You cant have it allMichelle caused headlines when she took a stand against Sheryl Sandbergs popular Lean In mantra. During a stop on her book tour, the former First Lady stated, That whole so you can have it all thing, thats a lie. And its not always enough to lean in, because that shit doesnt work all the time.While some took offense to her cursing, many women were thrilled to have the truth of their experience spoken out loud. In our overly-connected world, we are bombarded day after day with images and messages of what having it all looks like. The house, the big job, the family, the PTA volunteering, the perfect home-cooked dinner its not possible to have all at the same time.Thats where the key distinction is these things happen in different phases of life, not all at once.Michelle shares this in her memoir Becoming, and also shares her frustration with this antiquated idea I am always irritated by the you can have it all votum because its a ridiculous aspiration. You can have it all, but oftentimes its hard to get it all at the same time. Additionally, were often trying to achieve this without help.In her same Fortune essay Serena writes, forget the clich of having it all, the reality is, women are trying to do it all. I could not agree more with this statement and find that many female leaders struggle to ask for and accept help. Finding ways to delegate (both at work and home) is key to having more time for what you want.Balance is B.S.Most of us have agreed by now that balance is B.S., but its still comforting to hear it affirmed by women we admire. The reality for women in leadership is that our lives will never be an even 50-50 split. Sometimes well spend more time and energy at work, and sometimes well spend more at home.All sorts of circumstances tip the scale and striving for work-life integration is a better pursuit. One of Michelles practices for prioritizing is to schedule all family events and activities first. This allows her to integrate her life into her schedule and make compromises where she needs to.Even when you schedule around your family, theres still plenty of time for work, but we dont plan like that, she says. We let work inundate everything. We have to start setting the priority of allowing people to put their lives before their work.Handling a career and motherhood is especially difficult as we are pulled in opposite directions.Serena shares this sentiment, saying, my daughter is my absolute priority ? spending as much time as possible with her every day is so important to me. But Im still training to win Grand Slams and sometimes I have to make hard choices about how I spend my time.Making those hard choices is part of being a woman in leadership. Finding ways to compromise, trade time where you can and integrate work and life, however, can help make those decisions easier.As we work to become our best having authentic role models can help immensely. Seeing the women we admire most be open about their struggles and doubts allows us to feel normal and take the pressure off, knowing that they dont fully have it figured out either. By acknowledging their self-bout, renouncing the ideal of having it all, and calling B.S. on work-life balance, Serena Williams and Michelle Obama are my truth-telling leaders of 2019.More than just a bestselling author, Sue Hawkes is a keynote speaker, Certified EOS Implementer, Certified Business Coach, WPO Chapter Chair, award-winning and globally recognized seminar leader, and an entrepreneur. She is CEO and Founder ofYESS Your Extraordinary Success Strategies, and brings over 25 years of experience to her clients. Hawkes is also a wife, mom of three, and a bulldog owner. She likes to stay active in her free time and get out of her comfort zone through adventure travel. Connect with her onTwitter,LinkedIn,Instagram,YouTube, andFacebook.You might also e njoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from kleinstes Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Tips on Becoming a Wedding Singer and Finding Gigs

Tips on Becoming a Wedding Singer and Finding GigsTips on Becoming a Wedding Singer and Finding GigsWedding singers perform during marriage ceremonies or during receptions, depending on their clients wishes. A wedding singer may also act as the master of ceremonies, guiding guests through the wedding festivities. Successful wedding singers can fulfill all the roles their clients request. Wedding Singer Training You dont need any specific training to be a wedding singer. A lack of vocal training wont necessarily prevent you from working as a wedding singer, but taking voice lessons is a definite plus. Competition for wedding singing gigs is fierce, and unlike an artist recording music in a studio with software to clean up any mistakes, your clients expect you to nail every note, every time. Vocal training teaches you techniques to best harness your talents, which in turn will earn you mora business. How to Find Gigs Finding work as a wedding singer requires a lot of groundwork , but once you establish yourself, your client base will grow by word of mouth. The trick is to always be prepared with music and references to sell yourself to potential clients. With persistence and enough bookings under your belt, youll find that new clients begin searching for you. Selecting Music The music in which you specialize will vary based on the type of bookings you seek. If you want to sing during wedding ceremonies, learn commonly used religious songs. If you want to sing during receptions, learn popular hits and wedding classic, including toplove songs. Ideally, you should familiarize yourself with as much popular music as possible and be ready to perform a variety of songs from different genres. Keep in mind that you are likely to get requests, so you want to be as prepared as possible to limit the number of times you have to say, Sorry, I dont know that one. Preparing Demos To sell yourself as a wedding singer, you need audio or video demos to share with pot ential clients. Your demo should include songs that show your range. Love songs, hymns, and popular dance songs make good choices to include in demos. Prepare your demo in a variety of formats downloadable file, CD, and online streaming. You should also set up a basic website that includes streaming audio or video demos, as well as your photo and contact information. Advertising in Local Publications After performing your first gigs, you may wish to distributionspolitik ads in the wedding section of your local newspaper or local bridal magazines. Even if you dont yet have the money to place such ads, browse local wedding publications to learn about your competition. Make a note of the way established wedding singers market themselves and incorporate the things that seem to be working into your website and social media profiles. Collaborating With Wedding Planners Wedding planners always refer wedding singers to their clients. Sometimes they collaborate exclusively with a few select singers and other times they keep a list of singer contacts on hand. To work continuously, you want as many wedding planner allies as you can get. Contact local wedding planners, ask for an appointment, deliver your demo and be prepared to audition, if necessary. Wedding Singer Marketing Tips Have Business Cards Ready Be ready for when you see a bulletin board or other deutsche post aging area in your community. Being a wedding singer is a local beast, so always be ready to take every opportunity to get your name out in your area. Coffee shops, cafes, churches, bridal boutiques, tuxedo rental businesses, limo rental companies, halls- all of these places are great locations to post your business information. Ask Satisfied Clients for References Make it easy by providing a short comment card or form they can fill out, and get their permission to use their names. Continually update your website with this information as you perform more and more weddings so new clients alway s have an up to date resume to view. Also be prepared to present these references directly to new clients.

Researching a Prospective Employer

Researching a Prospective EmployerResearching a Prospective EmployerWould you go on a date without knowing the name, likes, interests and basic confirmation of non-serial-killer-status of your prospective match? Absent your mother, grandmother or aunt pleading or cajoling, the answer is, of course, you wouldnt. It just makes good relationship sense that youd know at least the basics about a person before agreeing to meet, much less share a drink or a meal.The same can more than be said for your prospective employer. Before candidates get into a relationship with a new job or office, a little bit of research will go a long way to ensuring corporate marital bliss. What if one of you likes long walks at lunchtime while the other one is a super early, 5am start kind of morning person? In addition, researching the company youre looking to join will score you big bonus points towards landing the job offer in the first place. Now that weve led you to the watering hole that is researching yo ur prospective employer, weve got a few tips that will help you quickly and efficiently find the most relevant info to scope out your bewerbungsinterview date. The Company WebsiteWhat better way to get the lowdown on likes, dislikes, and ideal date than in a persons own words? This goes double for any potential employer. Prior to the interview, scope out the company website. Pay attention to facts and figures such as office location, company history and any mission statement that might clue you in on what the employer thinks is important in geschftlicher umgang and business partners. Sure, you can consider this the companys best foot forward and public face to be taken with a grain of salt, but hey, we all need something to aspire to, right?Social Media SitesMuch like perusing the FB page of a new or soon to be social acquaintance, the companys own, personally maintained social media information channels are a valuable source of background info with which to arm yourself prior to th e interview. Previously relegated to moms and grandmas wanting to show off adorable pictures of their kids, social media sites such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and more are increasingly home to some of corporate Americas primary public presence. How a company interacts with its clients, fans and followers can tell you a lot about expectations when you get in the office. A quick perusal of professional networking sites such as LinkedIn, or public job boards, can also provide valuable info on your potential co-workers or even your individual interviewer.Other Online ResourcesNever underestimate the value of a good, old-fashioned Google search when it comes to doing reconnaissance on your potential employer. Looking at recent news stories can garner a wealth of information, both good and bad. If the company is under investigation or had a recent PR dustup, this can provide valuable insight into what you should, and should not, be focusing on during your interview. Websites for gove rnment or regulatory information, such as the SECs various databases, IRS or AML sanctions list, can also help with those red flags that may suggest you should skip the interview altogether, or at least have a friend on standby for that emergency call.Ask AroundNetworking isnt just for research on job opportunities or open positions. Asking around with other professionals in your field regarding a companys reputation can provide valuable insight at all stages of the job hiring game. Perhaps one of your colleagues previously worked for or with a certain hiring manager. Meet up for coffee to get a scoop on their leadership style, candidate preferences and more. These prior associations are likely to provide much more candid advice than anything available on a corporate website so be sure to use the resource to your advantage.The Early Bird Catches the WormOur last tip on the list of how tos when it comes to researching a potential employer plays double duty. Arriving early for your in terview is always a positiv in the eyes of recruiters and hiring managers. In addition, while waiting for your interviewer to finish up their last appointment or make their way over for your meeting, take the chance to surreptitiously scope out the other employees in the office. Is the receptionist tense or friendly with their officemates? Is there laughing and low murmurs of conversation or dead silence in the office? These small details can go a long way towards letting you know if your interview will lead to a match made in heaven or will be added to the list of awkward conversations youll laugh over one day once youve found the one.