Archive for the ‘Leadership’ Category

Sometimes I find myself stunned by the thought that less than 100 years ago, women in the United States did not have the right to vote. This fundamental and precious right of citizenship, which so many people take for granted and fail to exercise, was one for which scores of women fought-and some nearly died-during seven decades of oppositional grandstanding, ferocious browbeating, passionate arguing, and tireless advocacy.

The story of the battle for women’s suffrage (91 years old this year) is one of high intrigue and suspense even though we know the outcome – and is certainly worthy of examination as Women’s History Month is now upon us. Women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Paul, Lucretia Mott, Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Welles, and so many others, have left a legacy for us. But Women’s History Month in general and the fight for women’s suffrage in particular, cause me, as a YWCA member, to reflect not on the victories and heroines of the past, but on the challenges in the future.

How does the legacy of these women help us now?

I will confess that Elizabeth Cady Stanton is my personal heroine, so I’ll share a little of her history and how it impacts and, in some ways, drives me. Elizabeth was the primary architect of the early women’s rights movement. In the mid 19th century, she was the first person to argue that women should have the right to vote – and was harshly criticized for taking that extreme position. Some of her bold and imaginative pleas for women’s rights were radical even by today’s standards.

So, it is her voice I hear in my head as I contemplate today’s political realities (or should I say circuses?), and it is through the prism of her philosophies that I view the spectrum of my views on the issues of the day. Of course, it’s hard to measure up. What can I – a 21st century, generation-X, working mother – do to honor the legacy of women like Elizabeth, who understood the profound importance of participation and representation in the political process?

I think Elizabeth would tell me – and all of us – that we honor the legacy of women’s history by doing three simple things:

1. Vote. Own your place in government and in politics. Exercise the right to have your voice heard in the political forum. Failure to do so is fundamentally disrespectful to the women who fought to make sure we had that right. Elizabeth would scold you if she knew you were shirking your responsibility to participate in the elective franchise! This is the easy one.
2. Inform yourself. Decide on what is important to you. Read the newspaper. Attend a community forum. Find out what your elected representatives think (they will tell you!) and how they are voting on issues that matter to you. Investigate YWCA’s own advocacy agenda and support our efforts to raise awareness of and obtain legislative support for issues affecting women and children in our community: access to quality education, workforce development and job training, prevention of sex trafficking of minors and reproductive choice and access to services.
3. Take a stand. Participate in government. Contact your elected officials. Write a letter to the editor. Be an active participant in your world. Especially in a presidential election year, when rhetoric abounds about governmental priorities and responsibilities, take the opportunity to make your voice heard.

As a YWCA Hartford Region board member, I evaluate, analyze and help create policy around the work of YWCA Hartford Region and its programs: its advocacy agenda, its early childhood curriculum, its programming for young women and its fight against racism and social injustice. I am proud to be part of an organization that in words and deeds is honoring the legacy of the pioneers of women’s history, advocating on behalf of women, insisting on equality.

Elizabeth would be proud of us – but she would push us to do more, to look towards the future, and to remember the hard-won victories in the past that brought us where we are today.

About the writer: Stacy Smith Walsh is the firm wide Director of Human Resources at Day Pitney LLP, a full-service law firm with more than 300 attorneys in offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Boston and Washington, DC.  Stacy is a “recovering lawyer” – prior to working in human resources, she was a labor and employment litigator.

Stacy has been on the Board of Directors of the YWCA Hartford Region since 2008, and has served in various leadership roles on the Board over the years.  Stacy was honored by the Connecticut Bar Association in 2009 with an Outstanding Leadership Award for her contributions and service to women in the legal profession.  Stacy received her B.A., magna cum laude, in Speech Communication from the University of Alabama, her M.A. in Rhetoric from the University of Maryland, and received her J.D., cum laude, from Cornell Law School.

Last week I had the privilege of delivery the keynote address at the Leadership Summit of ALPFA Hartford club. ALPFA is the largest Latino association for business professionals and students and has over 16,000 members across the USA. Their mission is to expand Latino leadership in the global workforce by creating opportunities, adding value, building relationships for its members, the community and its business partners. Learn more about ALPFA by watching this short video.

The theme of the ALPFA Leadership Summit was an intriguing one to me – Everyday Leadership: Finding the Leader in You. To prepare this new keynote, I interviewed five leaders in my network that I respect and admire.  I asked them two simple questions:

1. What does Everyday Leadership mean to you?
2. When did you first know that you were a leader?

Before I share their insights with you in this article, I want to encourage you to have this same conversation with people in your network, particularly with leaders you admire. It is as simple as asking these two questions. The conversation will flow from there. The result of having this discussion, you will not only garner important wisdom and insights, but you will deepen your relationship with this leader. Please action this suggestion. You will be pleasantly surprised and rewarded by doing so.

• Want to read what AlPFA members had to say about Everyday Leadership? As part of an ice-breaking exercise in my keynote talk, I asked the ALPFA members to write down words and ideas about what everyday leadership meant to them. They then shared this with their neighbor and we got the conversation going. Click here to read what these Latino leaders had to say about everyday leadership….

Here’s what my clients and friends had to say about Everyday Leadership:

“Everyday leadership is a way of life. Everyday we are faced with situations and opportunities to demonstrate a leadership role, be a role model, pass on wisdom…. it’s not a conscious action but rather a natural reaction.” – Aleida Herzog – financial services professional and board member of the YWCA Hartford.

“Everyday leadership is the moment-by-moment, day-by-day activity of providing purpose and direction for a team. It’s the multitude of small acts and decisions that accumulate into a leadership position, persona, perspective or whatever you want to call it. I like the term “subtle”…not big, brash, take-the-hill stuff (although there is a time and place for that as well). Most leadership happens in small doses, daily interactions that have consistency and integrity to them.” – John Madigan- President and CEO of Executive Talent Services

“It’s all about everyday leadership. Everything you do as a leader is being WATCHED by the people you are leader, including your language, your timeliness, your attention to detail. You must Lead by Example and excel at the ‘little things’ as well as the ‘big things’.”- Christine Harvey – retired Lt. Cornel in the US Army after 25 years of service; now working as a program manager with Sikorsky Aircraft

“We are all LEADING our lives, and some of us are doing it unconsciously. We all have an opportunity to come into conscious awareness of that leadership. Take more responsibility for your leadership. See the possibilities you have with your personal power and influence. Just because you have a title of authority doesn’t make you a leader. You must gain follow ship!”- Princess Bola Adelani – the Total Success Coach, entrepreneur, television host and motivational speaker

“To become a leader you must put yourself in challenging situations. You must TRY and do even when you are not comfortable. It starts with the kid in the classroom who raises his/her hand even when they are just a little bit uncomfortable doing so. That’s a leader.” – Jim Marlor, Jr. managing partner, New England Financial Group, and formerly military officer with the US Army

Here’s what I’ve decided about leadership….

After reflecting deeply on the topic of everyday leadership, factoring in the ideas above and my own experience and career lessons, here’s what I’ve decided about leadership:

“There is no set mold for leadership. Leaders come in all different sizes and shapes, colors and ages, sexes and races. They have for centuries…

People are NOT born leaders; people BECOME leaders. Everyone has leadership potential – you just need to invest in it, groom it, polish it, improve on it, showcase it, AND above all, practice it everyday!

It’s not about finding the leader in you, it’s about MOTIVATING the leader in you to come out and lead! ” – Kathy McAfee, America’s Marketing Motivator

Twelve tips to help you practice leadership everyday

The core of my keynote address “Everyday Leadership” to the AlPFA Hartford group consisted of twelve practice tips to help them hone their leadership skills over time. I grouped the tips into three buckets:

1. Lead Yourself
2. Lead the Business
3. Lead Others

Lead Yourself

This is perhaps the most important area of leadership of all. If you can’t lead yourself effectively, you have no business attempting to lead others.

• Self-Awareness
• Well-Being
• Attitude
• Product Improvement

Lead the Business

You don’t have to the CEO of a company to exercise leadership on the job. High potential leaders strive to practice and perfect the following:

• Know Your Stuff
• Learn the Business Fundamentals
• Ask Tough Questions and Make Difficult Decisions
• Communicate Effectively

Lead Others

Having authority over others is not true and lasting leadership. They might comply with your demands, but that doesn’t mean you have their allegiance. True leadership captures not only their cooperation, bu their hearts and their minds. As as leader, you might want to practice the following leadership tips:

• Leaders Eat Last
• Make it Right
• Listen, don’t just talk
• Let Others Lead

Hear the entire program on audio

Now available for purchase as an audio program in digital download format – “Everyday Leadership with Kathy McAfee” – a 34-minute keynote presentation that will motivate and inspire you to continue to develop your own leadership skills and those of others.

To book Kathy McAfee as your keynote speaker for your next meeting or conference, please call her (860) 408-0033 or visit her official speaker web site - MotivatedSpeaker.com

Today, April 29, 2011, more than a quarter of a million people in America will take a stand against racism.

Founded in 2007 by two YWCA organizations in New Jersey,  this year’s Stand Against Racism will be a nationwide event, celebrated at more than 2,043 participating locations across 32 U.S. states. People from all backgrounds will be stepping up and speaking out against racism…today. You can too!

• click here to view Highlights from the 2011 Stand Against Racism events across the USA.

The Stand Against Racism is a movement of the YWCA with the goal of bringing people together from all walks of life – across the country – to raise awareness that racism still exists. This initiative is a manifestation of the YWCA mission which is:

YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

If you are one of the 250,000 people participating in a Stand Against Racism event – good for you! For the remaining 217,550,001 people in the USA who haven’t yet made plans to participate in a Stand Against Racism event, I invite you to take a virtual stand. How can you do this?

1. By watching the video below;
2. Reading the inspiring quotes on racial justice that are listed in this blog article and adding your comments;
3. Join the cause on Facebook and add your comments and/or donate money to support the movement;
4. Sharing this blog article with people in your personal and professional network;
5. Committing yourself to taking taking action and speaking up in positive ways to help eliminate racism once and for all!

Watch this video from the very first Stand Against Racism event - born from leadership and inspiration from the YWCA in New Jersey. This video was filmed in 2008, yet the message is still relevant and powerful!

Quotes on Racial Justice

Please enjoy these selected quotes related to racism and racial justice. Thank you Susan Bullock for sharing this list of inspiring quotes with me!

“A rattlesnake, if cornered, will become so angry it will bite itself. That is exactly what the harboring of hate and resentment against others is — a biting of oneself. We think we are harming others in holding these spites and hates, but the deeper harm is to ourselves.”-  E. Stanley Jones

“It is from numerous diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and  crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” - Robert F. Kennedy (1925-1968)

“For it isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“Be the change that ou wish to see in the world.” - Mahatma Gandhi

“We must learn to live together as brothers and sisters or perish together as fools.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Where there is no hope, there can be no endeavor.” – Samuel Johnson

“Where there is no forgiveness, there is no future.” - Author Unknown

“You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.” – Indira Gandhi

“Accomplishment has no color.” – Leontyne Price

“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“It is never too late to give up your prejudices.” – Henry David Thoreau

“At the hart of racism is the religious assertion that God made a creative mistake when He brought some people into being.” - Friedrich Otto Hertz

“Laundry is the only thing that should be separated by color.” – Author Unknown

“I destroy my enemies when I makes them my friends.” - Abraham Lincoln

“I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.” - Anne Frank

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Meed

“Racism is man’s gravest threat to man – the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason.” – Abraham Heschel

“Racism isn’t born, folks, it’s taught. I have a two-year son. You know what he hates Naps! End of list.” - Dennis Leary

“I plan to stand by nonviolence, because I have found it to be a philosophy of life that regulates not only my dealings in the struggle for racial justice, but also my dealings with people, and with my own self.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I wish they would only take me as I am.” – Vincent Van Gogh

“Justice is truth in action.” – Benjamin Disraeli

“Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

“People only see what they are prepared to see.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Racial superiority is a mere pigment of the imagination.” – Author Unknown

“I would like to believe that the discovery of even a single fossil bacteria on Mars would teach us what we ought to know all along, and that is what binds us here on earth – all the diverse peoples here- is really much more profound than what seems to separate us.” - Richard Berendzen, American University Professor

“If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room.” – Anita Koddick

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

“The very ink with which all history is written is merely fluid prejudice.” - Mark Twain

“We all live with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different, yet all the same.” - Anne Frank

“The time is always right to do what is right.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

This week I was the luncheon keynote at Mohegan Sun at an event to celebrate and honor Administrative Professionals Day and to provide additional training to these women who are now being asked to take on the  duties of professional meeting planners.

I was debuting a new program called: Power Up Your Communication: Vocal Power and Body Language Intelligence for Professionals. It was a great deal of fun and the audience took away great pointers on how they could bolster their communication mastery in order to increase their competence, confidence and credibility on the job.

Click on this video to view a  television interview with TV host Steve Adubato and Kathy McAfee discussing the importance of verbal and non-verbal communication.

Steve asked me to explain the dangers of Up Speak, the bad habit where a person makes a question out of a sentence that isn’t a question. This is a common affliction for teenagers, some women and younger professionals. Up Speak puts doubt in the listener’s mind and causes them to think that you don’t know what you are talking about. Up Speak is a credibility killer.

If you would like to learn more about this topic, you can download a special 23-page  workbook for free on me:  FREE WORKBOOK: Vocal Power and Body Language Intelligence for Professionals.  This information will help you better leverage your voice and body language. Check it out. Pass it on.

I am also available to come and speak to your company, group or team about this topic. My “Vocal Power and Body Language Intelligence for Professionals” program is available as a 45 minute keynote talk, a 2-hour seminar or a half-day hands-on workshop for professional development.

• To book Kathy McAfee as a keynote speaker for your your next conference or meeting, please call Kathy at (860) 408-0033 or email her at Kathy@MarketingMotivator.net

WOW! venues for meetings and conferences

This blog post wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t share my impression and opinion of Mohegan Sun and its amazing staff. As I walked through the Mohegan Sun casino facility (located in Uncasville, Connecticut) I was reminded of what a fantastic venue it is. It is so much more than just a casino. The artwork, design, sculpture, waterfalls will blow you away. It hosts more top restaurants than many cities can maintain.

If service is important to you (and when is it not?), you cannot find better people – true service professionals – than at Mohegan Sun. Working with the Mohegan Sun staff including Mary, Nancy, Jim, Jessica and Gina, who specialize in banqueting, meeting planning, convention services and sales support left me with a very positive impression in my mind. It made me wonder why so many people book their meetings at regular conventions centers (where parking alone can break the bank for attending guests $19/day). Why would you send you people to an uninspired conference facility that YOU have to transform, when you could engage your guests with more fun on earth at Mohegan Sun.  By the way, parking is free and plentiful. Even valet parking is free!

If motivating our people is important and you want to make a lasting impression, book your next meeting at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut.