WNORTH

March 7, 2022

How To Support Your Team During Difficult World Events

By Iva Kubickova | Blog, WNORTH News

– Article inspired by a Community Letter shared by Manpreet Dhillon, CEO & Founder of Veza Global

As the whole world watches the conflict in Ukraine unfold, it’s impossible to ignore the effect it has had on people across the globe. Understandably, the Russia-Ukraine war is causing concerns about the impact of this attack for many of us. We also know that these events can trigger hopelessness and PTSD for some members of our community.

During these difficult and uncertain times, employers should be aware of the toll the war and their actions may have on their employees.

In the times of war, combined with the ongoing Great Resignation, this is your time to show that your workplace works for your staff, too – not just the other way round. This article focuses on what you can do as an individual to lead through complex world events.

What can you do to support your organization and team members?

Recognize signs of distress in your team members

In the wake of the attack, people experience different reactions, and there should be no shame in finding it difficult to return to a regular routine.

It is important to remember that those experiencing the shock of an attack may not function normally until the attack passes. Some people experience heightened emotions, irritability, exhaustion, or physical symptoms, while others may navigate through the experience a little easier. There’s no right or wrong in how we respond.

Check in with the individuals who may have family members in the regions of the world that are impacted. They may be worried about the safety of their family members. They also may be reminded of past wars that may bring up old memories, so it is important to show them support through these times.

Create a psychologically safe environment to share experiences and feelings

Be aware that team members may have opposing political views towards the mainstream view in the office. Please give them a safe space to express their views and opinions, too. Work with managers and their teams to not exclude them for differing viewpoints.

This is an opportunity to foster an inclusive culture to help your employees feel supported, including stressing out your anti-discrimination policies.

When a disagreement occurs, show compassion and support. This can be done through virtual team meetings, followed by one-on-one discussions with individual employees who are directly involved and other employees in the organization to keep them informed about your efforts to resolve the conflict.

Lead the conversation to show your support

Understand the productivity of individuals may be a little lower as the situation unfolds. They may need to discuss and acknowledge what is happening in team meetings. Lead the discussion. Bring up the topic by asking people how they feel about what is happening. Give them an outlet to express their fears and concerns.

You can decide to establish a temporary support group for your workers to dedicate time to connect regularly and address the situation as it unfolds.

Alternatively, you can decide where it’s possible to allow flexibility and an altered approach to deliverables or deadlines to avoid burnout or work-related stress.

WNORTH's Response

Like the rest of the world, WNORTH is appalled by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Our hearts go out to all victims of the attack.

“Every day, I feel the impact of the horror that Ukrainians are going through right now. As I navigate my day, I can’t help but worry about what happens next. I don’t have relatives in Ukraine, but most of my family resides only one, some two borders away from Ukraine, and are doing what they can to support – either through donations, or directly those who seek refuge around them. Some of my friends invited Ukrainian women and children to their homes. If each of us can do even one small thing, I hope it will make a difference for those who suffer,” shared Iva, our MarComms Manager.

We invite you to support one of the verified fundraising campaign for Ukraine, as shared below.

Canadian Red Cross: the local wing of an international emergency-relief organization. The federal government says it will match individual donations by Canadians.
Doctors Without Borders: a humanitarian group that’s been supporting Ukraine’s response.
Canada-Ukraine Foundation: a Toronto-based group that co-ordinates Canadian charitable aid to Ukraine.
Save the Children: an international NGO delivering emergency aid to Ukrainian families.
Voices of Children: offers psychological support to children affected by the conflict in Eastern Ukraine.
Come Back Alive Foundation: a Ukrainian NGO that supports veterans and co-organizes the Invictus Games in Ukraine.
Phoenix Wings: a charitable foundation that supplies the Ukrainian army with medical treatment and defensive equipment such as vests and helmets.
Revived Soldiers Ukraine: a non-profit that funds medical rehabilitation for Ukrainian soldiers.
Razom for Ukraine: a pro-democracy group that’s fundraising for medical supplies in Ukraine.
Kyiv Independent: a Ukraine-based, English-language independent news media outlet.

Susan Steffens: After Losing My Job, WNORTH Was a Game Changer

By Iva Kubickova | Blog, Member Stories

Susan Steffens loved her job in the events industry. As she watched the pandemic unfolding and events canceling at a rapid rate, one thing was clear to her – the entire industry was going to take a harsh hit.

Early in spring of 2020 Susan unexpectedly lost her job that she was deeply devoted to. Losing your job is emotionally draining and devastating, but to go through it in the pandemic environment of heightened uncertainty adds additional stressors to the mix.

Susan’s story has a happy ending. Not only did she bounce back, but she also elevated her career, her leadership skills – all while finding a community of women that supported her through the difficult transition.

Susan is our inspiration – and so, we’ve decided to sit down with her to find out how she managed to make the shift over the past fifteen months.

Hi Susan! Tell us a bit more about who you are and what you do.

I am a Mom to two boys, I am a wife and I have a deep love for family, friends, music, and wine! I work in the live events industry as a Sales Director. I have worked in this industry for about 25 years – I can’t believe it, wow! My past position involved booking concerts, family shows, film, and trade shows into arenas, amphitheaters, and buildings. I worked in the non-profit world for a few years as well, organizing fundraising events.

By far, the biggest professional challenge was being unexpectedly let go from a job that I loved and poured my heart and soul into.

I am now working back in the live events industry as it slowly ramps back up.

What is your take on networking and building relationships through community memberships?

I have always loved networking in the business world. Connection means everything to me on so many levels.

This is actually only the second time I have been involved with a community membership.

I have found being a member in WNORTH has been so rewarding and inspiring to connect with like-minded people and generate ideas and have meaningful or poignant conversations.

What is your experience with The Members’ Club at WNORTH?

An industry colleague told me about WNORTH a few years ago and she raved about the annual Whistler Conference.

During the pandemic, I was looking for connection and inspiration and it was important to me to connect with women specifically, so I decided to check out the first online conference (called Pivot). I found it inspiring, the speakers were so engaging and the range of topics was relatable and timely. I was hooked! I promptly signed up for an annual membership.

The advantages of the membership, especially during the pandemic and without a job, really helped me mentally by connecting with like-minded women. I felt like it was a safety net that provided me with inspiration and new ways to look at where I am on my path and how I want to define it going forward.

Tell us a bit about the connections you’ve made inside of the membership - do any of them stand out?

The connections inside the membership have been fantastic. Last winter, I was involved in the Leadership Mastermind Program with Deborah Stellingwerff as a facilitator.

We had such a wonderful group of talented, fun, honest, and supportive women, I was so excited for the weekly Zoom sessions and to explore where we were at individually and collectively.

Through these sessions, I decided I wanted to dig deeper and hired Deborah as a business and life coach and that has been a game-changer for me on both a personal and professional level over the last 6 months – I am truly grateful for the opportunity and connection!

What are some of the features of the membership that you enjoy the most?

Definitely, the Mastermind group is a wonderful and inspiring feature that I want to participate in again.

Also, having the ability to go back into the WNORTH online library and experience some of the sessions that I am not able to attend in real-time is beneficial.

I really appreciate the range of topics offered in the live sessions, I always leave them inspired.

Plus, Heather, the CEO, is a gem; I love her energy, insights, perspectives, and her commitment to providing consistently timely and relevant topics, as well as incredibly talented and inspiring presenters.

If you could give advice to yourself 5 years ago, what would it be?

Be gentle on yourself, trust your instincts and get yourself out of the weeds so you can lift up the women coming up behind you.

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September 28, 2021

Amy Robichaud: Dressing Women for Success – And More

By Iva Kubickova | Blog, Member Stories

During this year’s Gender Equality Week, we took an opportunity to speak to women who have contributed to the growth, development, and identity of Canada & beyond; and to celebrate the significant achievements and accomplishments made in advancing gender equality.

The first powerhouse of gender equality we introduce to you is Amy Robichaud, the Executive Director of Dress for Success Vancouver & our valued Member of The Members’ Club at WNORTH.

Hi Amy, tell us about the work you do to help achieve greater gender equality in the world. What area of assistance are you most passionate about?

As the Executive Director of Dress for Success Vancouver, I lead a community of economic first responders helping women in need with gender intelligent pre-employment and job retention programs. This means that I spend my days (and sometimes evenings and weekends) working with others to empower women into the workforce – we lift as we rise.

We empower women into good jobs, financial independence, and personal success. This is critical work since a resilient and recovering economy must be inclusive of everyone.

This work is always ongoing and starts with trust. Our clients may come through our doors looking for a job or an interview outfit. However, they find that and so much more: a community and network of support and care that grows with them and because of them.

What do you wish more people knew about the fight for gender equality?

I wish more people understood the economic impact of gender equality.

In 2020 alone – in the midst of the pandemic – the collective economic value of the wages earned by Dress for Success Vancouver clients who found employment was $2.7 million.

"Our clients may come through our doors looking for a job or an interview outfit. However, they find that and so much more: a community and network of support and care that grows with them and because of them."

Amy Robichaud, Dress for Success Tweet

What, in your opinion, should all employers do to positively impact gender equality within their organizations?

Run a gender analysis of your corporate benefits packages. Do your benefits cover all forms of contraception? Do they include flexible care options for families and leave options for caregivers? Is parental leave applicable to both parents? Do you have a loss of pregnancy leave for both parents? Do you have systems and care support for gender transition? Are your care days flexible for use and provided adequately? Have you asked your employees what benefits are most valuable to them?

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that there isn’t any singular action to impact gender equality that is enough. We need systems and cultural change within our corporate and business communities and organizations. This will take time. This IS THE WORK. And it is worth it for us all.

"None of us can do the work of achieving gender equality alone. My superpower is my community - all of you - my family - and the women and champions who keep going each day."

Amy Robichaud, Dress For Success Tweet

What do you enjoy the most about your mission and your work?

Working towards gender equality is a daily practice. I’m honored to do this work with Dress for Success Vancouver – we have an amazing and diverse staff, volunteer, and supporter family. A group of gender equality champions who lift as they rise.

What I love most about this generous and ambitious community is that when you walk into a room with them, you simply cannot tell who a client, volunteer, or donor is – they are merely women surrounding each other with support and powerful opportunity.

None of us can do the work of achieving gender equality alone. My superpower is my community – all of you – my family – and the women and champions who keep going each day.

Connect with Amy & Explore Dress for Success

Personal
Instagram | LinkedIn

Dress for Success Vancouver
Twitter | Instagram

Dress for Success Canada
Twitter | Instagram

About Dress for Success

Founded in 1997 in New York, Dress for Success is an organization dedicated to assisting the women in our community who need help to make ends meet. Its mission is to empower women into the workforce by providing professional attire, career services, and skills development programs. And they do just that – since the start of their organization, Dress for Success has helped more than a million women worldwide.

Their work entails so much more than just a brand new outfit. What starts with appearance goes on to building womens’ confidence, defining what success means to them, and helping them tap into the knowledge that they have the full power to rebuild their life.

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September 20, 2021

Just Published: Carrie Gallant & Conversation Secrets for Tomorrow’s Leaders

By Iva Kubickova | Blog, Member Stories

"If everything happens through conversations, then why not master it?"

Carrie Gallant is an executive leadership coach, a negotiation strategist, and our very own Mastermind Member at WNORTH. On top of leading The Gallant Leader™ Institute, she is also one of our Leadership Mastermind Facilitators, where she helps women leaders find more significant influence through impactful conversations.

We sat down with Carrie to learn more about her newly published book “Conversation Secrets for Tomorrow’s Leaders: 21 Obvious Secrets That Leaders Don’t Use Enough“.

Together with Dr. Mindy L. Gewirtz and Steve Hamilton Clark, Carrie shares 21 “not so obvious” secrets to help tomorrow’s leaders embark on a journey of leading effective conversations – at work and at home.

Hi Carrie, congratulations on publishing your book! What made you choose the theme of conversations?

My co-authors and I have worked with numerous leaders throughout our careers – from emerging leaders to established CEOs. And, regardless of the client’s problem, it always comes down to how they’re managing their conversations.

In fact, research shows that more than 75% of work gets done through conversations. And yet, we find ourselves blocked in our conversations or afraid of having them. Because of that, we aren’t achieving the results we want. And so, we decided to bring awareness about conversational intelligence out in the world.

This book was written to empower leaders to build trust, spark innovation and bring people together. We wrote it for leaders who want to leverage the power of conversations into their leadership.

What can we expect to learn from the advice shared in the book?

All of the 21 secrets illuminate the journey that a leader can go on as they develop throughout their career. The book is broken into three chapters – trust, connection, and collaboration. We see those as the fundamental parts of conversations. They leverage off of one another – we don’t get to collaborate effectively if we don’t build trust. And, there’s no trust if we’re not making connections with others.

To come up with genuinely innovative ideas, we need to feel safe to do so. Often, people have an addiction to “being right.” With that, we shut down others, and more so – we shut down ourselves. Trust in communication creates a safe environment to share yourself – to be innovative.

The 21 Conversation Secrets we share in our book aren’t rocket science – they’ve been around. That’s why we call them “Obvious Secrets’ – because people might know of them, but they aren’t using them enough. Their true secret is how powerful they are.

"The 21 Conversation Secrets we share in our book aren't rocket science - they've been around. That's why we call them "Obvious Secrets' - because people might know of them, but they aren't using them enough. Their true secret is how powerful they are."

Carrie Gallant Tweet

Tell us more about your journey to becoming the communicator that you are today.

I have a strong history in conflict resolution. I spent many years as a lawyer and mediator, bringing parties in conflict together. As a Leadership Coach, I’m certified in conversational intelligence and authentic leadership. I coach leaders to level up their careers by navigating their conversations, managing conflicts, and having effective conversations.

All three of us brought our unique points of view and experience into the book. All of our levels of expertise are layered on each other. I based my parts on what I have learned as a mediator and my conversational intelligence practice.

My co-authors and I saw conversational secrets as a way to lead productive conversations – because if everything happens through conversation, then why not master it?

"If everything happens through conversation, then why not master it?"

Carrie Gallant Tweet

What's your advice on building powerful yet authentic conversational skills?

We learn how to communicate as children. Looking back, did I learn productive things while growing up? Absolutely. Did I learn unproductive things? Absolutely!

The key is to unlearn those unproductive things and replace them with effective ones. Personally, I learned a new way of communicating in law school – specifically an advisory communication style. Mediation exposed me to another form of communicating because all of a sudden, I was in the middle, trying to bring people together.

I always say to my clients that if you’re learning to be a better communicator in the work context, then use it in your personal life, too. The more you use it, the more natural it becomes. I am a big believer in bringing authentic leadership to the table. And the only way we can be authentic leaders is if we are the same person in all of our interactions.

Knowing your own system of values is a crucial factor of authenticity. If something bothers you, it’s likely because your values are being challenged. I encourage everyone to identify their top five values – and repeat this practice throughout their life. Authentic leadership starts by knowing yourself – and your values – well enough.

Which one of the 21 secrets is the closest to you and why?

The one that is particularly close to me is called “Yes, and..”, which is shared in the Collaboration Chapter.

“Yes, and…” comes from the improvisational theatre. It’s a powerful trust-building exercise where we accept the truth of the person we’re talking to and build upon that.

Think about what happens when you say, “Yes, but..” – what does the other person think? Human beings are wired to notice the negative. So, when we change the “but” to “and,” we look at ways to build something – and that’s when we get to start being creative.

When we bring this technique into the business world, we allow ourselves to show up as our best selves and cooperate with others.

"The only way we can be authentic leaders is if we are the same person in all of our interactions."

Carrie Gallant Tweet

Share with us more information about your Virtual Book Launch Party. Where, how, and what's to be expected?

I’ve just received the copy of the book, and it’s so exciting – it exists! Writing this book has been on my bucket list, and it’s a significant milestone for me.

I posted an unboxing video on our YouTube Channel, 21 Conversation Secrets – and it was a really fun way to share my excitement. In this YouTube Channel, we will be releasing insights into all Secrets over time, so keep it on your radar!

I would love to invite everyone to our Book Launch Party: “Conversation Secrets for Tomorrow’s Leaders.” It’s a free event happening on Thursday, September 23, 2021, at 9 am PST and 12 pm EST. You can register on Eventbrite.

Along with celebrating the book, we’ll also share people’s adaptations of these secrets – so that you can see how they’re used in practice.

Those who join us at our Virtual Launch Party will get exclusive access to super-valuable bonuses that go together with the copy of the book – as well as a chance to win a signed copy!

Where can we buy the book?

I’m pleased to say that all major publishers in the US, Canada, and beyond have picked up the book. The best way to get hold of the book, our Masterclass, and some freebies, is to visit our website 21conversationsecrets.com for more information.

If you’d like to leave a review in the future, visit our Amazon page and let us know how these secrets are showing up for you and how you’re working with them!

The last thing I’d love to share is that our book is not a long read – but it’s certainly a valuable one. One of the significant perks of the book is that you don’t have to read it all at once – you can always go back to the one secret you want to apply to your current situation. I’m confident to say that the book will be an invaluable ally to you as you’re managing conversations throughout your entire life.