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Monday, September 26, 2005

Get it Write!

One of the most annoying spelling errors I see (far too often) is using "loose" for "lose."
"Lose" is a verb and "loose" is an adjective. So you cannot "loose" weight, your keys or anything else.
Proper use: When you lose weight (especially after age 40), you often have loose skin to contend with.

Friday, September 23, 2005

Women to Blame for Lack of Female Executives, Expert Says

Yes. That was the subject line of the unsolicited email I received yesterday from Merilee Kern of Kern Communications. An excerpt from the message, which was promoting a seminar, read:

Mr. McKee [the expert] notes, “It’s shocking and frankly unacceptable that less than 4 percent of America’s largest companies have women in the most senior management roles. This is clearly not representative of a woman’s ability or desire to lead, but rather is reflective of the cold hard fact that gender bias does still exist in the 21st century workplace. This statistic also reveals that too many talented, intelligent and deserving women simply do not strategize, or execute, effective ways they can be seen, heard, respected and, in turn, promoted in the workplace.”

This was my reply.

Dear Merilee,

So, women are to blame for lack of female executives, according to Mr. McKee. I suppose he also feels it's our fault that we're offered less wages, denied access and are subjected to discriminatory language and behavior.

It's not likely that I would turn to a man to learn how to be more successful as a woman. If he really wants to help women, he should speak to men about changing their attitudes and stereotypical prejudices. Women don't need to learn how to be more like men; they need to realize that they are fine just the way they are and work toward creating an environment where our accomplishments are not remarkable by gender, but by the simple act of doing what we're doing well.

If the current system is so skewed in recognizing talent and deservedness, why would anyone want to be part of it? Women need to create a better system, not mold themselves into an archaic, repressive (albeit traditional) system.

I don't want to receive any more information about Mr. McKee. When you are planning or promoting events or seminars that truly empower women, send me an email.

Sincerely

Shelley Lieber

Monday, September 12, 2005

Wordy Woman Excerpt 2

I'm in the middle of a very time-consuming editorial project. For this week, I'll be posting excerpts from my newsletter, The Wordy Woman, also available on my website.

From the "Womanly Wisdom" column:

"Action is the antidote to despair." —Joan Baez

These words have carried me through some personal dark moments. I thought this quote was particularly appropriate in the wake of Katrina.

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Wordy Woman Excerpt 1

I'm in the middle of a very time-consuming editorial project. For this week, I'll be posting excerpts from my newsletter, The Wordy Woman, also available on my website.

Wordy Woman- Issue 1 -September 2005

Do you have a personal statement of purpose? Some people call it a mission statement. My mother had a more succinct, albeit less eloquent, way of putting it. "You have to stand for something," she said.

Ten years ago I was at a seminar and the speaker asked us to write down our statements of purpose. I panicked. I sat immobile as I watched everyone around me writing furiously. Not wanting to appear shallow or unmotivated, I wrote "My Purpose" on the top of a page. Then I drew flowers and hearts with my gel pen until the speaker mercifully continued with his presentation. But the exercise was not lost on me. I thought about it often.

It took me two years to write a statement that I didn't cross out, delete or crumple up. Then another three years to perfect it to the point that I felt truly expressed my raison d'ĂȘtre. Here is my statement of purpose.

To inspire, motivate and educate women, giving them the information and resources they need to accomplish their own personal goals, so that we can work together to make this world a better place.

I began on the pages of my journal, writing plans, lists and essays. It's one thing to write or speak your intentions. It's entirely something else to act on them. I found the courage to move forward in the words of other women, some well known, some known only to their friends and family. I began my "coming out" just about two years ago. Topping my action list of things to do in order to reach my goals were these three items: start a creative women's group, put up a website, publish a newsletter or ezine.

Do not underestimate the power of your pen, nor the power of what we can accomplish individually and together as women. If you have not yet begun, then start today. Write now.