Leading Ladies or The Men in Charge: Who Has The Best Leadership Qualities?

What sets women apart in the way they lead? Compassion? Their ability to build a team? Or could it be their willingness to take risks?

When you think about key leaders in your organization, community, or even around the world...who do you consider to be the best leaders? What qualities make that person a leader you admire & respect? And are those qualities associated with gender or are they qualities that good leaders have regardless of whether they wear neck ties or pumps to the office?

In this article from About.com, Linda Lowen explores that question and shares insight from some recent studies on the topic. Take a look. See what you think. Are the traits women have used to run their families and build relationships coming to be more valued in the business world? Do women make the best leaders?

ARTICLE--Qualities of Women Leaders: http://bit.ly/rldNa

Being Single Is Sounding Better & Better...

When a guy has to advertise the fact he's a good guy...is he really?!

Sometimes it gets to you...being a single girl. You wonder what it would be like to come home to someone every night. You miss the opportunity to snuggle up on the couch with your man and watch an episode of "Lost" or maybe your favorite reality TV guilty pleasure. And wouldn't it be nice to have someone listen to the reasons you're insecure about your position at work...maybe offer a little advice on how to deal with your crazy boss?

Of course being single has its upsides too. You can go the entire weeks during the winter without ever shaving your legs and no one complains. You can have an avocado & a pint of ice cream for dinner because you just don't feel like cooking...and no one complains. You can spend hours on the phone or in person with your girlfriends gabbing about the latest trends and why Jennifer Aniston is still single herself. It can be nice.

And occasionally, you'll run across something like this, which makes you actually appreciate your single-dom! Or...if you are in a relationship and perhaps wondering if you chose well...listening to this will confirm, "Hey...at least I'm not with THAT guy!"

So have a good Friday. Laugh. And revel in the fact that even though your life may not be perfect...at least you're not dating a guy who leaves voice mails that land him on local radio stations for being a tool!

"I'm a good guy..." http://bit.ly/4lwZCe

Do You Limit Your Own Success?

Is your fear holding you back?

What does your inner dialogue telling you about how far you can go in the work place?

Do you greet every day thinking, "I can DO IT!!" Or is there an inner voice (probably peppered w/ things you've heard in your past) saying, "Do you REALLY think you can do this? You better slow down and aim for something you can actually achieve."

Whatever you're experiencing, chances are you're not alone. Check out this article, which include 10 questions you can ask yourself to see if YOU might be the limiting factor in your career success. And if you're really brave, take the author's suggestion that you sit down with a group of friends & share your answers to see if you all can't climb the ladder a little faster together!

How Women Can Overcome Professional Fears: http://bit.ly/PaxtQ

When It Comes to Adversity, Are you A Carrot, An Egg, or A Cup Of Coffee?

A few weeks ago, my friend Cindi forwarded me the following story. Not typically one to read forwards, I’m not sure what compelled me to read this one. Maybe it’s because Cindi doesn’t forward stuff often and I thought it must be good if she took the time to forward it. Or maybe I just really wanted some coffee (even if only to read about it!).

After I read it I just knew it was perfect for a discussion question on the Lead Like a Girl page! So take a little me-time to read this and then ask yourself: Am I a carrot, an egg, or a cup of coffee? We’d love to hear your thoughts…so share your answer & maybe the story that tested you like the items in this story are tested.

A Carrot, An Egg, And A Cup Of Coffee
(You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again!)

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first pot she placed carrots. In the second pot she placed eggs. In the last pot she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in another bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a mug.

Turning to her daughter, she said, “Tell me what you see.” ”Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” the daughter replied. Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, “What does it mean, mother?” Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water. ”Which are you?” she asked her daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door,how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?”Ask yourself this question: Which am I?

Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity?

Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Inmates warning others about domestic violence

Inmates at the Women's Community Correctional Center will put on a play about domestic violence titled "Love is Blind." In this scene, Frank, played by Karen Kaahu, screams at his wife Maile, played by Lisa Antonio.

Another amazing example of leadership! Check out this article about how women inmates in Hawaii are turning their bad experiences into a play to teach young women how to avoid domestic violence. It's like the old saying goes, "It's n...ever too late to be what you might have been." Remember that and know that no matter where you are in your life, you can be a leader, an inspiration, or a friend to someone RIGHT NOW!

Full Article: http://bit.ly/Hawaii_Prison