Many people have heard of the concept of six degrees of separation. Where your connections likely know people, who can help you connect with pretty much anyone in the world, in 6 connections or less. Social media actually speeds up this process, helping people connect with those they are looking for with fewer steps.

Networking is useful for career development, growing your business and for connecting to like minded people who care about the same issues you care about.

Everyone knows people. People you meet through your family, neighbours, schooling, jobs and volunteer work. We all have networks of people we are connected to. Social media has made it much easier to connect to people we admire and/or want to learn from.

LinkedIn is a prime example. You can literally search LinkedIn for the person you’d like to connect with. If they are within 2 degrees of separation (you’re connected to at least one person in common) then even with the free version of LinkedIn you can send them a direct message asking to join their network.

Twitter has been studied by social scientists, to determine how effective it is at helping people make the connections they want. Most people on Twitter can connect with who they want to meet in 4 steps or less. Social media can make networking easier.

Whether you network online or in person there are a few things to remember.

1. Anyone you meet, no matter where you meet them, can become part of your network
2. Get to know the person and what they’re interested in
3. Tell them a little about you
   
4. Offer to help them achieve their goals
5. Do NOT lead with a specific request for help  
6. Do feel free to share a preview of what you’re looking for

Even during a pandemic, there are opportunities to meet and connect with people. I joined Instagram two weeks ago and just by following and liking the posts of some people I already know; Instagram keeps suggesting other people with similar profiles for me to follow. There are many online groups in Facebook where like minded people connect and share ideas. You can connect to these groups by asking your Facebook friends what groups they belong to.

If you already know who you’re trying to connect to, then all you have to do is ask.  Let’s use an example, say you’re interested in a career in banking. And you’d like to do an informational interview, but you’re uncomfortable cold calling people at banks to ask them for 15-20 minutes of their time. You can ask the people you know, for example your teachers, mentors and even classmates, if they know anyone in banking that they can introduce you to. Chances are someone in your network knows someone in banking. The more people you ask, the more likely you’ll find someone with the right connections.

Whether you meet someone in person, or online, take some time to get to know the person. You can search their online profiles and posts to see what they’re interested in and if they show signs of having the information or connections you’re looking for.

Part of networking is getting to know each other. It’s OK to share a little bit about yourself. It’s recommended that you keep some things private, especially in online networking. While most people are nice, there are still some creeps and predators online and in real life. It’s OK to go slow in networking!

One of the fastest ways to build trust in any networking relationship is to help your connections reach their goals. This could be as simple as suggesting a connection or resource.

While one of the major benefits of networking is getting to connect with people who can help you, if you’re like me you find it off-putting when people lead with a sales pitch. I recommend investing some time in getting to know your new connections before hitting them up with a specific request for help.

It’s a good idea to give your connections a preview of what you’re looking for with statements such as “I’m getting ready to transition to a new career. I’m starting to explore my options. Do you know anyone who works in banking?” If your connection doesn’t know anyone in banking, they may know someone who does, and be willing to connect you to that person, getting you one step closer.

All you have to do is ask!  Note: you may have to ask several people!

PS: If you want to learn more about the 6 degrees of separation and the Twitter study, you can read the Wikipedia article by clicking here.
 

Lately I’ve been spending time thinking about my “Why?”

The importance of “Why?” we do things keeps popping up in online training sessions, in conversations, in books I read. “Why?” is everywhere.

A big part of my difficulty in explaining my “Why?” is that I’ve been living my truth for so long, I had to dig deep to figure out why I act and live the way I do.

I’ve known “What?” I do for some time. When I did a fairly extensive overhaul of my website earlier this year, I added that the common theme in what I do “is to help you learn how to help yourself, your organization and community thrive.” Lots of people say they want to help others thrive. What differentiates me from others?  Why do I choose to do this?

This weekend, while out on my longest walk this year, so far, I had an “Aha!” moment. I realized that I want to help people like me, people who have a good idea of what they want to accomplish, and who are willing to do the hard work of pursuing their goals and dreams.

I know that there are many people like me around the world. We come in all genders and from all socio-economic backgrounds. We speak many languages and look different from one another.

What we have in common is that we have the courage to imagine different ways to do things. We’re willing to influence others and make changes in how we live and work, to help create a better future.

We care about people and the planet more than we care about profit. Although we aren’t opposed to earning a moderate or even ample living!

We know that if we harness our collective energies, we can make the world a more equitable place, where future generations will have the opportunity to thrive.

My “What?” is to help you learn how you can lead yourself and others to help create the future you dream of for you, your community and your organization.

I acknowledge that I am writing these words from a place of privilege. I grew up in a two-parent middle class household, with family that loved and supported me, even when they didn’t understand what I was up to. My family continues to support me by acting as Thought Partners when I come up with new ideas. I am an able bodied, heterosexual, cis-gender, white coded Canadian woman. I served for 28 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, which gives me the additional privilege of receiving a defined benefit pension plan.

All that being said, in 2020, I’ve met people from around the planet, from dozens of countries, who live very different lives from me, who think like I do; who dream of a different way to do things. Our dream of a better world, where people of all abilities, backgrounds, cultures and genders can thrive, unites us.

My “Why?” is to help people learn how to share their gifts with the world, because I believe in paying it forward. I’ve benefited and continue to benefit from Thought Partners, in ways both large and small. My gifts include leadership and making connections. Connections between people, ideas, and ways of accomplishing goals.  I am living my truth, and I want others to live their truth, and share their gifts with the world, so that we can all thrive.
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I’m going to sign off this blog with the words I’ve been writing online and saying in person for most of this year.  I wish you and all of your loved ones: health, joy and abundance.

First a confession. For 8 years people have been trying to get me to join Instagram. I’ve resisted, because I think in words, and not in pictures. Everyone from consultants teaching social media sessions to business coaches, mentors and friends, have urged me to “try it.” I kept thinking that Instagram was all about images, and, it is largely comprised of photos and videos.

This weekend I participated in a series of four networking events and workshops with the NWAC #BeTheDrum Entrepreneur Outreach Navigation Program. One of the sessions was called “Social Media Co-Promoting.” Krysta Furioso, the Founder of Only Child Handicrafts led us through how entrepreneurs can co-promote their businesses using platforms like Instagram. I learned that most of the others participating in the session were on Instagram and just like that my resistance melted away.

I joined Instagram yesterday, in large part to support the wonderful entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs that I met over the weekend. After the sessions were done for the day, while my spouse was putting the finishing touches on his homemade chili recipe, I browsed Instagram, recognized a few familiar faces and clicked “follow.”

One of my BPW Sisters, Tomi Odunsi Fadina from Nigeria, saw me poking around and immediately welcomed me to Instagram. Tomi also coached me through creating my Instagram bio.

It occurred to me that many people may not know what I mean by “Thought Partner” in my Instagram and Twitter bios. A Thought Partner is someone who helps you learn the practical strategies, tactics and skills you need to achieve your goals and thrive.

I’ve been helping people figure out how to achieve their career goals for more than 20 years. When I launched my own business in 2012, I started sharing my experiences with other aspiring entrepreneurs.

If you’re someone who:
- has a good idea of what you want out of your career, or
- you have a business idea you want to explore; and
 - you’re looking for a Thought Partner, I might be the coach for you!

If you (or your organization):
-  want to know more about Leadership, Career Development and/or Inclusion; and
-  are willing to do the hard work of figuring out why things aren’t going the way you expected, to face things you might rather ignore, and to communicate with radical candour;
-  then I may be the Thought Partner (speaker, trainer, consultant) you’re looking for!

Still not sure what a Thought Partner is? Tomi generously shared her Instagram knowledge with me, to help me write a crisp professional Instagram bio.  We were Thought Partners!

As many of you who’ve been following me on social media know, I ran to become the President of the Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW Canada) this year.

BPW Canada held our convention this weekend. The elections for the new Board were held Saturday afternoon. I didn’t win!!! And that’s OK. Seriously, I’m OK with failing to win. We had a fantastic line up of qualified women running for the Presidency. The voting members put their trust in Karin Gorgerat to become our new BPW Canada President in the first ballot. Congratulations Karin!

This isn’t my first time failing in an election. In 2014, I ran to become one of the Municipal Councilors for the City of Quinte West. I didn’t win then either. And that was OK too!

Both times I quite naturally felt a few moments of disappointment. I wouldn’t have run either time if I didn’t want the jobs! Then in the words of that famous singer whose name I never seem to remember (because I’m bad at remembering names) I “shook it off.” When things don’t turn out as I expected, or hoped, I rarely get frustrated. That’s because I know that I can’t change the past. I can control how I react to the event or circumstances. I choose to learn from failure.

I campaigned vigorously both times. I connected with as many voters as possible. I spent a lot of time listening to and learning from: the constituents in my ward, and more recently the members of BPW Canada.

Once I decided to run in this latest election, I attended as many BPW club online meetings as I could fit into my schedule. I met amazing and dedicated women from across Canada. The BPW Greater Moncton club introduced me to the International Collect, which was used to open and close our Convention.

I learned that there are many different ways to hold a meeting, and that most of our clubs have pivoted to offering online meetings, some as often as once a week, to help support each other through the pandemic.

I’ve learned that BPW Montreal, BPW Calgary, and BPW Edmonton, have formal mentoring programs. I also heard the pleas of members outside of those clubs, who wish that there was a BPW Canada Mentoring program. I have ideas about how we could do that!

Over and over again, I heard people say that BPW is the best kept secret in Canada. I’ve learned that there are people actively working on a way to capture the value proposition that BPW Canada offers, so that we can share our story with the rest of the women in Canada.

What else have I learned from these two elections? The next time I run for any office I’m going to ask people to commit to supporting me during my campaign. It’s all well and good for people to wish you luck and encourage you to run. However, it’s extremely difficult to win an election without help. I should have learned this the first time I ran for office and failed!

I believe in BPW. I believe we are a talented group of women who can accomplish anything we set our minds to. I hope to serve on a BPW Canada Committee or two, as a way of contributing to our bright future.

I was happy to hear our new President, Karin Gorgerat mention several key ideas that resonate with me in her acceptance speech, including mentoring, and building on the past successes, like a tree that has strong roots growing branches for future successes. My favourite line from Karin’s speech was her theme “Inspiring each other to new possibilities.”

Congratulations to all the members of the 2020-2022 BPW Canada Board!

I love learning!  Every week, sometimes every day, I have the opportunity to learn something new. I’m grateful for every new thing I learn, whether it’s something as simple as how to create polls in my offspring’s high school online communication platform (it’s ridiculously easy) or as complex as learning how to write a relatable, meaningful and marketable book.

In 2007, I joined my two primary professional associations, the Human Resources Professional Association (HRPA) and the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW International). When I became a veteran in 2012, and started my own business, the local groups for these professional associations, HRPA Quinte & District Chapter and the BPW Trenton & District Club helped me transition to life as a civilian. The members of these two groups shared advice, cheered me on, and were happy to point me in the direction of learning opportunities. They even occasionally referred clients to me! I felt a sense of community. With more time on my hands, I volunteered for leadership roles at the local level and beyond.

One of the benefits of living through a pandemic is that I now feel more connected to BPW members in Canada and around the world. Since one of the reasons I chose to become a veteran when I did was to be more present in my offspring’s lives as they navigated the complexities of growing up. I concentrated most of my energy on local and online projects. In 2018, I attended the BPW Ontario Conference and the BPW Canada Convention and AGM. It was interesting to meet new people and to learn how things worked at the higher levels of BPW in Canada. I even had the honour of meeting some international BPW sisters, including Neelima Basnet from Nepal, the Young BPW International Vice President. Neelima and many others honoured me by accepting LinkedIn and Facebook friend invitations.  Then I went home and focused on local issues again.

Earlier this year, I saw a post Neelima shared about Intergenerational Dialogue. I learned that on the first Wednesday of every month, Neelima and Dr. Anne Hilty co-hosted an International webinar for BPW members to encourage conversations about BPW across the generations. I soon learned that there was also a Leadership in BPW International webinar held the second Wednesday of each month. I started attending both, as often as I could. I was honoured to be invited to participate in a panel on Mentorship with two members of BPW Hong Kong this spring.

As the year progressed Anne, with assistance from many other BPW sisters around the world, organized two more series, the Leadership and the Future of BPW International working group, and the #BPWGoesDigital series that features Young BPW members from around the world sharing their knowledge of online platforms and how we, as BPW members could choose to use these platforms to create a greater sense of community online.

In an interesting juxtaposition of generations, in the Mentoring panel webinar, two young BPW members talked about face to face mentoring programs, while I presented the MentorCity platform.  I’ve been using MentorCity with HRPA for several years. I’m such a “vocal” fan, that this year I was hired to deliver training to MentorCity clients (in large part because I’m fluently bilingual and can present materials in French).

I'm loving the opportunity to network online, virtually with people from around the world. In the case of BPW, I feel more connected now, than I did pre-pandemic. I know that many other people from all generations are also enjoying the opportunity to connect virtually.

There are so many free online platforms that can be leveraged to build community. For example, LinkedIn (recommended during the September 2020 BPW Intergenerational Dialogue session as the platform of choice for professional networking) has the capability to form groups. BPW International, BPW Canada, and other levels of BPW could choose to form groups, where their members can share opportunities, challenges and engage in asynchronous dialogue about things that matter to them. Group permissions can be set, so that the Manager and Administrators must approve all requests to join, or it can be open, there are many options!

If enough BPW clubs were interested, the provincial, country, regional or international level could invest in an online platform like MentorCity (Canadian!) to get a turn key online platform that allows our members to connect with mentors/mentees from anywhere in the world. (There are non-profit pricing models, and at least one other women’s group has done this.)

If there was sufficient appetite BPW could invest in a platform like Mighty Networks, an incredibly flexible platform that includes a variety of useful community building services. Building a sense of community through an online platform is their business model! It works!!!

To create a sense of community online, as in real life, people must choose to invest their time and effort by sharing their thoughts, encouraging others, and participating in some form of dialogue. We all have so much to learn from each other. We can support each other, with a few words of encouragement, or even with something as simple as a “like” or “share.”

If you’ve enjoyed this post, please let me and others know!  Like, share, comment etc.

If you didn’t like it, or don’t agree, please tell me why. I can learn from you!

On Thursday morning, while waiting for a school bus, I noticed that my Twitter follower count had reached an all time high – 2,500 people honour me by following me on that platform. I shared this with my youngest offspring, who looked at me and said “Why would that many people follow YOU?”  Nothing like a teen to ground you! Later, as I waited with another teen for their school bus, I shared their younger sibling’s comment. We had a great discussion about the power of social media and other online platforms. I said even though I’m a digital immigrant I feel like the tools work for me. That teen turned to me and said “That’s because you take the time to learn.”

About 30 minutes later, I sat down to invest time in my social media platforms. I saw a notification from my colleague Elizabeth Nicholas, asking me for my opinion about online networking. When I realized that my response was almost 1000 characters long, I chuckled to myself, and created the draft for this post.

I know that a lot of people in my generation, consider social media and online platforms as questionable sources of information. I’ve read and heard comments from people who believe that social media is a horrible thing. A note to all of those who feel that way, social media algorithms push content onto your feeds based on what you’ve liked, shared or otherwise interacted with. If you regularly comment on and/or share posts with positive messages, then that’s what the majority of your feed will contain.

Marketing maven Steph Jouppien asked on the following on LinkedIn:
“TRUE or FALSE?
Online networking is more effective than in-person networking.”

Elizabeth commented that “… it can actually be true for some people. Especially those who may consider themselves introverted.” and asked me what I thought.

I’d like to expand on what my reply of “it depends."

As an extrovert, with a special interest in leading people, I love face to face meetings and getting to hyper focus my entire attention on people, as I learn who they are and what is important to them. I genuinely enjoy meeting new people. My close friends, colleagues and family know that when we attend an event together, I’m going to wander around and meet new people. When I attend an event solo, I look for the table with the least familiar faces, and ask to join them.

When I attend a large conference, I do the same, looking for tables full of people I don’t know, and don’t generally get a chance to network with. One year at the HRPA Annual Conference, I made a point of finding tables with younger people, because I kept hearing things about “Millennials this, and Millennials that” and I figured the best way to learn more about them would be to seek out tables of Millennials and get to know what they cared about.

I love the flexibility of social media platforms! I’m active on three:
LinkedIn for professional networking and learning;

Facebook for friends, for the occasional post about my business, networking with like minded entrepreneurs in a more informal way than on LinkedIn, and starting this year consciously seeking out and connecting with members of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW International); and

Twitter, predominantly as a learning platform.  One of my other special interests is Diversity and Inclusion. On Twitter I can follow and learn from people whose lived experiences are vastly different than mine.

Just like sitting at a table full of Millennials at a face to face conference, I can interact with others who have much to teach me on Twitter.  The difference being, that on Twitter, we can hold asynchronous conversations that span the globe and all the diversity that is humanity.

I’ve come to feel like several of the people I interact with on Twitter are friends and/or colleagues. I’ve had people reach out and offer advice on projects I’m working on, and others who’ve answered my questions about their lived experiences.

I also use several other learning tools, such as reading books by authors whose experiences are very different from mine, and participating in webinars with like minded people. I learn something new every time I participate in a webinar. I consume content hosted on YouTube and other platforms shared through my professional associations and network. There are so many generous, intelligent people who share their knowledge and advice for FREE online.

This year I’ve had the opportunity to dabble in many other “apps” that are out there!

To the people who feel disconnected during the pandemic, primarily because you can’t safely interact with people the way your used to, I encourage you to dive in an learn from online content and social media platforms. If you’re concerned about online safety, follow Matt Richardson on his social media platforms. Matt regularly shares tips about how you and your family can stay safe online. It’s his business!

For the first time, I’m going to share what next week’s post will be about.  There are two reasons for this. First this weekend my webpage is going to get an overhaul to render it more accessible and I’m not sure how easy it will be for me to access while this is happening. The second reason is I have more to say on creating community using online platforms.  The blog would be too long to post all in one week!

It’s 6:30 pm Sunday and I’m sitting down to write this week’s blog. I was working on other projects and almost missed keeping my promise to myself to write and publish a blog each week.

For today’s topic I’m going to cover something that’s been on my mind lately. Who is easier to work with? Someone who has lots of initiative, occasionally oversteps their job description and makes mistakes or someone who is more cautious, reluctant to take risks, leading to less mistakes.

I’ve had the privilege of working with many different types of people, with varying skills sets and strengths. If you considered Initiative and Caution to be the two end points of a spectrum, then I’d feel safe to say I’ve worked with people at all points along the spectrum. Depending on which jobs I’ve held, what was expected of me, and who my bosses were, I’ve been on different points of this spectrum myself.

When I worked for bosses who tended to micro-manage their direct reports, I found myself being more cautious, and checking in with them frequently, to make sure I didn’t show “too much” initiative.  I would seek approval before pursuing new ideas and ways of doing things.

Luckily most of the bosses I’ve worked for have granted me a great deal of autonomy, and empowered me to charge off wherever my initiative led me. At times this led to them having to chastise me when I overstepped my authority.

As I ponder what sort of person, I’d prefer to work with, someone near the Initiative or Caution end of the spectrum, my answer keeps coming up “it depends.”

If I’m going for X-rays, I want the person taking the X-rays to be cautious, methodical and precise in their work. I want them to follow all the health and safety rules to help keep me and them safe, with the least exposure to the X-rays possible.

If I’m looking for someone to lead a team through what appears to be an impossible tangle of problems, I want someone who falls half way between the middle of the spectrum and the Initiative end. I want them to take background information and feedback from others into consideration before jumping to conclusions. However, I also want them to have enough initiative to see new solutions, that others hadn’t thought of before.

If I’m looking for someone to create a start-up with, then I’d like them to be closer to the Initiative end of the spectrum, with just a splash of caution (not all the way over to the initiative end). Creativity and initiative seem to work hand in hand. A splash of caution helps keep people from diving off a cliff without looking to see if there is water for them to dive in to.

Where are you on this spectrum? Are you cautious with a dash of initiative, do you dive off cliffs without looking at what you’ll land in. or are you somewhere in between?
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Do you act differently depending on the circumstances?  I know I do!

Western society expects leaders to be in charge, to give tasks, and make sure that these tasks are completed. My style of leadership follows a different path. I genuinely believe that every person has something to offer their team. I make a point of learning what each individual on my team likes to do, is good at doing, and would prefer to do. I also find out where they need help. Once I know my teams, then we can figure out who is going to do what tasks. In my experience, people perform much better if most of the tasks they’re given are things they enjoy and are good at doing.

A team can be many different things: a company, a group of work colleagues, a group of volunteers, a professional organization, a chamber of commerce, a group of City Councillors and their Mayor, you get the idea.

Everyone is part of at least one team. No one makes it completely on their own. I acknowledge you, introverted loner, who works remotely, and rarely interacts with other people face to face. Even you have a loosely defined team. A team of people who grow, produce, cook and deliver food to you, a team of others who support the remote work that you do, by paying you for your work, which allows you to pay for the food, shelter and other basic necessities of life. A team that keeps electricity flowing to your home, if you’re off grid, then a team who manufactured the equipment you use to generate your own electricity, and the electric devices that you use.

Most of us can identify the teams we belong to more easily. If you work for an employer, then your work colleagues, supervisor and others at the same organization are part of your work team. If you’re in University or College, then the people you take classes with and study with are part of your team. As are your professors, the library and support staff, and everyone else you come in contact with while learning. If you’re a solo-entrepreneur like me, then your team includes all those who you form strategic alliances with, those you outsource tasks to, and your clients.

This weekend, I had the honour of being asked to do more for one of my professional associations’ teams. A wonderful group of women planned and held our first ever virtual Business and Professional Women (BPW) Ontario Conference. About 50 women from across the province participated in a seven and half hour conference. I had the honor of doing the land acknowledgement.

One of the things BPW is known for is advocating for better futures for women and girls. Part of how we do that is to create a set of resolutions that are refined until the majority of our members agree with the wording, before they are formalized and sent to the Government as part of an annual brief. One of my BPW Club’s members was the Resolutions Chair this year, she was responsible for coordinating the process. She asked me to be the “recorder” to capture any changes made to the resolutions live while we held the conference. It was a fabulous experience!
 
I’m not an expert on writing resolutions, all I had to do was capture the changes as they were presented, and save the approved version for my colleague. Others with much more experience with resolutions, and the topics covered, did the detail work. At least a dozen women were involved in keeping things on track, from ensuring all voting members were present and able to vote, to time keeping, presenting our financials and more. It was a great case study in people playing to their strengths as part of a team, united by a common goal.

Last week, during a virtual meeting hosted by BPW Edmonton, I learned of another team, where the City Council, in partnership with a number of agencies, companies and different levels of government, planned, and is building one of the first (if not the first) sustainable urban communities in Canada – Blatchford. I’ve quoted the top two paragraphs of their vision page:

“Building one of the world’s largest sustainable communities doesn’t happen without strong leadership and a strong vision.

Blatchford will be home to up to 30,000 Edmontonians living, working and learning in a sustainable community that uses 100% renewable energy, is carbon neutral, significantly reduces its ecological footprint, and empowers residents to pursue a range of sustainable lifestyle choices.”

This is what a team can accomplish, when people with different skills, knowledge, strengths and abilities work together towards a common goal.

I’m working in partnership with local organizations and other small Canadian companies on a few different and exciting projects. I expect to share news of some of these projects as they get nearer to completion.

In the mean time, I hope that you are open to finding and working with teams to achieve your vision for the future. Have a fabulous week!

 I like to learn new things and I believe in paying it forward by volunteering. I belong to two professional associations and a number of groups of people who share common interests. More than once this had led to stepping up to take a leadership role.
 
This year, I’ve participated in a number of global webinars hosted by members of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW International): Intergenerational Dialogue, Leadership in BPW, #BPWGoesDigital and The Future of BPW series.  Its been a fascinating and rewarding experience. I was honoured to share some of my knowledge about mentoring in the video “Mentoring Models and Programmes” and to be invited to record a short video for “Leadership and the Future of BPW: Cameos” (my video starts at 33 minutes and 19 seconds).

This summer, I learned that the President for BPW Canada position would be filled by an election during our National Convention and AGM in October. I was approached and asked if I’d be interested in running. I spoke with a couple of people on the BPW Canada Executive, to learn what the volunteer role involves.

I also reached out to some people I know, from a few different political parties, who understand how to run a campaign. They all shared the same advice. Find out where the people who’d be voting for you are and what they want. Since I like meeting new people and learning about them, this seemed like a great idea. Turns out that living in a pandemic actually makes it easier to get to know the members of the BPW clubs across Canada. Many are holding virtual meetings, and have let me join their events as a participant.

I’ve signed up for as many virtual BPW Canada clubs’ meetings as I can fit in my schedule, so I can learn more about our clubs and members. So far, I’ve attended two other clubs’ meetings. From BPW Greater Moncton, I learned about the International Collect, and several strategies that I’ve started using to organize my home office. During the BPW Canada Online club meeting, I got to meet and learn from Senator Marilou McPhedran, C.M., B.A., LL.B., LL.M., and LL.D. who has been at the forefront of improving women’s rights since she was a university student and her mother asked her “what are you going to do about this?”

I’m looking forward to learning from other clubs through the Fall, regardless of the election results!

During the September global Intergenerational Dialogue session LinkedIn was suggested as the social media platform to connect with and get to know BPW members. I started searching LinkedIn for BPW Canada members. I’m honoured to say that over 30 BPW Canada members have accepted an invitation to connect, so far. We have so many fascinating members! With accomplishments in a wide variety of career fields. As I read LinkedIn profiles, I keep finding things in common with the members of this fabulous professional association.

Nominations for the BPW Canada President election close on September 15. I’m looking forward to an amazing line up of potential leaders for BPW Canada. To help spread the word of why I’m running, and what I believe in, I’m co-opting my weekly company blog post.

For those who are interested, the rest of this post includes my Nomination Information.

Lieutenant-Colonel (retired) Chantal Fraser, MBA: BPW Canada Vision for the Next Biennium
Between the election and the end of January 2021, I would contact all members of the BPW Canada Board, the Provincial Presidents/Liaisons, and Club Presidents for one to one phone/video discussions.  During these discussions I would learn their aptitudes, interests and areas where each of these leaders needs help.  I would also ask what themes they would prefer to work towards to help create the future of BPW that they want.

By the end of March 2021, I’d set up the first working group(s) to tackle some of the aspirational goals for BPW Canada identified during these conversations and in this vision. 

This team and BPW members from across Canada, would develop plans, and put them in action to do the following sorts of projects:

Leverage the value of BPW Canada as a community of women who advocate for a better world for women and girls, at the global, regional, country and local community level.  Determine ways to highlight that BPW is relevant to women from all generations across Canada.  With a goal of attracting and recruiting new members, persuading those who left BPW in the last 10 years to return, and increasing the retention of younger members.  Any community without young members risks extinction.

Lead BPW Canada to become a more interconnected inclusive community of women of all abilities, ages, backgrounds, cultures and languages.

Welcome ideas from all generations, and encourage women of all ages to take on leadership roles.
Set the conditions for our members to learn from each other, to celebrate each other’s successes, and to encourage our sisters from coast to coast to coast to thrive.

Reach out to those who are currently underserved by BPW Canada, to help show them that BPW welcomes members from all abilities, ages, communities, languages and socio-economic levels.

Leverage both our rich history and new ways of doing things and explore investing in online resources such as LinkedIn and Mighty Networks, to connect our members to each other, both virtually and in real life.

Encourage collaboration with people from all genders as we advocate for a world where future generations can thrive.

It would be my honour for you to join me in making this vision for the future of BPW Canada a reality.
 
Why would someone vote for me?  Here’s the bio I shared with the nomination committee:

Chantal Fraser started leading people as an Air Cadet in her teens, she then served in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) for 28 years. During her military career she served in a variety of leadership roles including being the Commanding Officer of the Joint Support Group Headquarters for four years. In her last military posting, as the Canadian Defence Academy Senior Staff Officer Plans, Chantal and her team determined the training needs for all support occupations and for common leadership courses; 974 qualifications to 49,000 students per year across Canada and managed the CAF Aboriginal programs. In addition, she chaired the Basic Training List Management Working Group, improving the management of 10,000 personnel awaiting initial training due to increased recruiting and limited CAF training capacity.  She was also a member of the Personnel Generation Committee chaired by Director General Military Personnel (DGMP), and drafted new human resources policies related to selection/staffing. The DGMP recruited Chantal to participate in a CAF Working Group to suggest ways to attract, recruit and retain more women in the Canadian military.

When Chantal became a veteran in 2012, she founded Empowered Path Inc. to help people learn how to help themselves, their communities and organizations thrive.  She offers a variety of services including: Professional Speaking, Coaching, and Mentoring. She offers tangible and practical solutions that can be applied immediately, using a conversational approach and Canadian examples. Chantal covers a number of topics, including: Leadership, Storytelling, Career Development and Inclusion. For example, Chantal delivers Indigenous Inclusion Recruiting and Retention sessions, for Indigenous Link clients and Mentoring sessions for MentorCity clients, in both official languages.

Chantal has close to 40 years of leadership experience, 27 years of experience in leadership roles as a community volunteer, and more than 20 years mentoring experience. Chantal first led virtual teams in 2009. In 2018, Chantal volunteered to be the Chair of the Human Resources Professional Association (HRPA) Eastern Ontario Conference. As Chair, she leads a team of 30, most of whom are volunteers. The 2018 inaugural conference drew 150 people. In 2019, 250 people participated.
 
Chantal first became a community volunteer in 1993. She is currently a Mentor and the Eastern Ontario Conference Committee Chair with HRPA. Chantal is also the Business and Professional Women’s (BPW) Trenton & District Club Past-President, the Gleaners Foodbank (Quinte) Inc. Treasurer, and is an editor for Aboriginal Veterans Autochtones. In addition, Chantal has served on not for profit boards with the Girl Guides of Canada, Kingston Daycare Inc., and the Trenton Military Family Resource Centre.

Chantal joined BPW in 2007. She held the roles of Club President and Past President, and spoke about the Women’s Empowerment Principles to local audiences and to MP Kirsty Duncan, when she was the Opposition Critic on Women’s issues. Since 2014, when Chantal became President, she forged partnerships on BPW’s behalf with the Quinte West Chamber of Commerce, the Centre for Workforce Development and the Women’s Small Business Network. In October 2015 the first annual Celebrating Women in Business Event was held during Quinte Business Week. Planning for the 6th annual event to be held on October 20, 2020 is underway.

Chantal Fraser holds an MBA from the Royal Military College of Canada and is a recipient of the HRPA Honourary Life Award.

For more information visit Empowered Path and/or Chantal Fraser's LinkedIn. 

If you’re a BPW Canada member, and you’d like to pick my brain to find out if I’m the right person for the job, I encourage you to contact me, through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or an email through my webpage, so we can set up a one on one phone call, video or WhatsApp chat.

Did you know that people can’t read your mind? That your boss can’t reliably guess that you want a lateral transfer? That your clients won’t guess you’d like more money? That your dream career might be a question away?

One of the lessons I learned early as a child, was to ask for what you want, because you might just get it. Best case scenario you get what you asked for. Worst case scenario, whoever you ask says “no.”
I’ve come to realize that this applies to many different facets of life. I’ve shared this teaching during a few different talks, where I also share the family legend that taught us this lesson. I’ve also shared the concept of asking for what you want with anyone who I come in contact with long enough to get mentored and/or coached.

Most recently, while volunteering at a local food bank, I participated in a send off for one of the summer employees, a university student who was going back to Ottawa to finish their final year at Carleton University.

One of the other people there asked what career the departing employee wanted to pursue after graduation. This resulted in a round robin of those of us with more experience sharing our thoughts to the young adults also present. My contribution was the advice to ask for what you wanted, because you just might get it.

This can apply to jobs, funding for a business or not for profit, the hourly rate you charge as a consultant, and pretty much anything else up to and including relationships.

Let’s focus on two examples.

I’m a member of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW International). This year I’ve attended many virtual events hosted in Zoom. During a recent session I met an American woman veteran. We set up a follow-up Zoom meeting to chat about services that BPW could provide Military Affiliated Women (women who are serving military, veterans, or the spouse of someone in these categories). I have to admit Military Affiliated Women is the best name for this group of women that I’ve ever heard. My new friend Barbara Bozeman told me it wasn’t trademarked and we should use it widely, within BPW and beyond.

Barbara also shared a story about asking for what she wanted. A couple of years ago, she was organizing a working lunch with speakers to help raise funds for the Military Affiliated Women’s grant that her BPW group offers. While organizing the event she explored a number of catering websites, looking for an affordable option. The catering site that most appealed to her didn’t list any prices, it suggested that potential clients complete an online form explaining what their event was, including the purpose, and what sort of meals were being sought. The website stated that a quote would be sent to the client after the company reviewed their request. Barbara was looking for affordable, high quality food and catering. After the company read her submission, they came back with an offer to do the catering for free! You can’t get more affordable than that!

One of the most challenging things about running my own business is figuring out what to charge for my services. Over time, I’ve learned that it’s OK to ask for the fees you want from clients. Sometimes they say yes, which means if I’d asked for less, I would have left money on the table. Sometimes they negotiate for a fee that is more in line with their budget, and that’s OK! When both sides ask for what they want, and are willing to discuss the terms of the contract, both can walk away feeling like they’ve won. Because they asked for what they wanted.

I encourage you to ask for what you want, for your education, your work and your personal life. You might just get what you ask for! If you don’t, you can ask someone else, revise what you’re willing to accept, or stay with the status quo.  We all have so many opportunities!
 
​Post script
Sometimes people even offer to help without the ask. I'm grateful to Shawn Adams, Human Resources Management, Leadership & Management, Training & Development, Facilitation/Instruction, Guidance & Service Delivery Specialist, for pointing out a couple of typos which have been corrected!