In Pink Magazine (published by DWC) there is a featured article by Donald Trump (page 98), titled mars2venus; Donald Trump on Abrasive Women. It’s an article that I think every working woman should read. Although the title of the article might be better named – Donald Trump on Ambitious Women – he still makes some very poignant remarks. Such as, “Women know the scene isn’t going to be easier for them because they’re women, and they’re prepared to go the extra mile.” (Thank you, Donald!) And “…if a woman can be shrewd enough not to alienate people with her demands, she can be an ace negotiator. Women have the skills; what they sometimes need is a new mind-set.”

It‘s true, women do have a tougher row to hoe, hill to climb, ceiling to break, we’ve heard so many of these clichés over time it’s starting to sound like bad rap. As Trump implies one of our jobs is to develop a new mind-set in order to deliver our strength from a position of managed power with an added dash of grace. It’s a bit like a double edge sword, we have a tougher row to hoe, but they want us to do it with our garden trowel. It’s easy to say we need a new mind-set, but don’t leave us hanging there – send in the team!

In my opinion one of the best places to start the new mind-set search is to really define who you are, how you impact others, what you want and where you’re going. Beginning with the ‘who you are’ part can start you down the right path. One of the tools I found extremely helpful for me in learning more about who I am and how I perform as an individual, and in a team environment, was via a test I took called DISC (see DISC Classic 2.0). The one I found most fascinating was the Team Dimensions Profile 2.0. The tests are not expensive and can really help you hone in on who you are in the work environment, as well as providing you with helpful information around your interaction with others and how others view you. It is a very detailed report.

My opinion is that giving yourself the gift of taking a clear look at who you are at your best and worst can prevent you from just spinning through life taking lots of shots in the dark and hoping they hit. Unable to see your blind spots and smooth out rough edges you may get tagged ‘abrasive’ instead of ‘ambitious’ and the rest is history – right Donald?

Posted by Robin Ogden – FiredUP Careers

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Staying on top in today’s fast paced corporate environments can be overwhelming, to say the least. Not only does one have to stay on top of the latest technology, the who’s who in networking and whether a paycheck will appear next month – we also must create an image that sets the tone for what we represent and speaks clearly of who we are in our profession.

Why… you may ask? The answer is very simple. You’ve heard the saying “A picture is worth a thousand words”. That in a nutshell is the answer. As soon as you walk through the door the person you are standing in front of has made some very important decisions about you that will influence your future. Perhaps you’re vying for a promotion, or competing for that ‘big’ order, or want the CEO to take your ideas seriously…enough said. The image you project is incredibly important and completely within you control. This is an area you have the power to direct in your life – take it!

Now I’ve got you jazzed up, but where do you go with it? How do you get that Corporate Chic look? I’ll tackle that question in a series of ongoing blogs – so be sure to check back here often, or bookmark me.

Today I want to talk about – the 40 plus and moving forward crowd. The reason I want to start here is because often this is the time when many people let their image go to pot…or seed…you get the idea. Life gets busy. Perhaps you’ve been in the same company for a number of years and everyone already knows you, or you think your closet is stuffed full of clothes from years of purchasing and you just don’t need anything else. You’ll make do. Let’s go back to the old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words”. If you’re showing up out of date – then you’ll be thought of in that way and pretty soon you’ll be complaining about the younger generation getting all the good positions. Step it UP! It’s not hard.

This weekend I was perusing through February’s MORE Magazine, where they’ve got some great new fresh looks. Grab a copy or borrow a friends and take a look at page 118 “The New Classics”. Ok – don’t pop your eyes out by the prices, I know we can’t all afford a $2500 Channel bag, but what you can look for here is what you’ve already got that can match up. Page 118 shows a classic, yet more casual style that can be worn in a less conservative corporate environment. But, it is sassy and youthful, the look has energy to it and is not hard to duplicate. Pull the picture out and head over to your favorite discount stores – this look is easy to recreate and as the story reads “it will take 10 years off your look” and who doesn’t need that!

Posted by Robin Ogden - FiredUP Careers

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