I thought you might be interested in a few of the messages that emerged from this and past LTMYS Seminars events:
About business conflicts: "It's better to be smart than to be right," said Sophie Kornowski-Bonnet, General Manager of Roche France. "If you insist on being right, the one who loses will bite you back later on. But if you try to get everyone to where they all want to go, you will be on your way to becoming an effective leader."
On the Superwoman conceit, Ann Lee-Karlon of Genentech said: "Just because deep inside you know you can achieve what people say isn't achievable, doesn't mean that you have to do it-or do it at all costs."
About how to give constructive criticism, Linda Kaplan Thaler, founder of Kaplan Thaler Group, suggests a "Yes Sandwich." Recipe: Administer a dose of (true) praise or appreciation. Follow with a layer of critique. Finish with a statement of confidence and insight about the person you're addressing.
For women everywhere who put bosses, children, husbands and colleagues first, Mary Lou Quinlan, CEO of Just Ask a Woman, said: "You are not in charge of everyone else's happiness."
Deborah Dunsire, CEO of Millenium Pharmaceuticals, now part of Takeda Pharmaceutical, addressed her younger self trying to decide which opportunities to pursue in her career. Imagine friends from every part of your life coming to your 80th birthday party. What would each of them say about the role you played in their experience? This technique will help you decide what kind of contribution you want to make in each realm of your life, says Deborah.
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What happens at a Letters To My Younger Self� Seminar?
I've noticed a surge of interest in LTMYS Seminars on the part of financial institutions, pharmaceutical companies and organizations in other industries.
So, what exactly is it?
The agenda is simple: In preparation for a leadership development
event, I work with three women from your company--ideally highly regarded stars--on a letter to their younger selves. The special guest letter-writers choose a time in their lives, whether 20 years ago or 2 years ago, that was difficult for them. Together we create a letter with an insight that would have helped them navigate the daunting path they faced.
Then, at an interactive, marquee event attended by women from your company, I introduce the concept and some key learning from my experiences working with well-known, accomplished women. Next, I bring the guest letter-writers on stage to read their letters aloud.
We conclude by having an on-stage conversation and a Q and A session with the audience. (Here's a short video explanation.)
"The subject matter goes to the absolute heart of who we are as humans, as women, as professionals," said Maria Ungaro, Executive Director of New York Women in Communications, describing why she thought the seminar was powerful. " What a wonderful program--practical and inspirational. What you have created is truly unique and empowering." (More about that evening here.)
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I'm on an optimism reading kick. After finishing The Rational Optimist, by Matt Ridley, I'm partway through An Optimist's Tour of the Future by Mark Stevenson. Ridley's book is an exhaustive tour of the past, documenting how trade and the exchange of ideas fosters ever-increasing prosperity. Stevenson takes us into the world of near-term probable wonders that may allow us to live hundreds of years, grow new body parts and more. Highly readable and entertaining.
Next up: Getting Better by Charles Kenny, Physics of the Future by Michio Kaku and The Social Animal by David Brooks. I expect to feel sunnier and sunnier this spring.
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