by Staff | Aug 29, 2019 | Leadership
As women of culturally diverse backgrounds, many of us aren’t taught the skills we need to move up. It’s not expected that we will move up, because there are a number of barriers facing us and we are not used to seeing women who look like us in positions of power. When we do have success and find ourselves rising to new levels, we often end up learning by trial and error, which leaves many of us feeling like we’ve been dropped right into the deep end.
The first time we negotiated salary was when we landed our first career jobs. (How many of us accepted the first offer we were given?) The first time we managed staff was the first time we became a manager – there’s no bootcamp. In most companies, there’s no additional training for new managers. So, we find new challenges at each new threshold we reach in our careers.
To have a competitive advantage, we cannot be passive. Personal advocacy is a skill set we all need to move up, to create better long-term results for ourselves, and to communicate our worth to the people we work with/for.
What underpins strong personal advocacy?
1. Build a foundation for your thought leadership
Get clear on your strengths and what areas you want to build thought leadership on. Speak and post about your interests. Demonstrate your expertise online and in-person. People in your network will begin to associate you with your area of expertise and your skill set. By building your thought leadership, you will have a foundation to stand on when seeking new opportunities. (If you aren’t clear on your value or where you want to go, download our complimentary worksheet to identify your interests, values and strengths.)
2. Prepare
Do your research and your prep work. If you’re negotiating salary or asking for a raise, know what industry standards are and build your case based on your experience. If you are putting yourself forward to lead on a project, be able to discuss how your skill set makes you the right fit for the opportunity and to break down how you would approach it. Anticipate questions or reservations your audience might have. When you come in prepared, not only will you feel more confident, but you will present as professional and knowledgeable.
3. Embody your worth
Embodying your worth can be a challenge – see last week’s blog on Imposter Syndrome for a case study. It is the most effective piece in creating results through personal advocacy. Not simply the belief in yourself, but the full presence you command when you own that worth is that secret sauce that makes others believe in your worth as well.
If you’d like to learn more about personal advocacy and deep dive into some of the key tools you need, Veza Community is hosting a morning talk on September 26th featuring 3 women leaders from different sectors. Get your tickets for Personal Advocacy: The tools you need on your leadership journey today.
Until September 6th at 11:59pm, use early bird discount for 20% off tickets: AdvocacyEarlyBird
*When we refer to “women,” we mean all people who identify as such.
by Manpreet Dhillon | Feb 27, 2018 | Business, Community, Culture, Diversity
This February, all month long, we’re honouring the work of 28 inspiring leaders. Women who are drawing upon and celebrating their culture while making a lasting difference in their community using their gifts. From authors and teachers, CEOs to entrepreneurs, not-for-profit directors, artists, and more, these women are changing the face of leadership.
These are truly women to watch and veza community is so pleased to share their brilliance.
May their stories inspire YOU to rise.
Meet Safia Abji.
Safia is currently the Start-Up Advisor for Aga Khan Development Network’s East Africa Civil Society Initiative. Previous to this role she worked with Aga Khan Foundation’s Yetu Initiative, building program strategies and tools to support the community fundraising efforts of Kenyan civil society organisations. Safia started her career in Canada, working for almost a decade in both relationship and program management for multiple multinational companies including KPMG, Deloitte and Rogers Communications, often in areas of organisational restructuring and redesign. She is also very active in the community, and was the recipient of KPMG’s National CEO Community Excellence Award, HSBC’s Financial Literacy Award and the All-Around Graduate academic award for her contributions. Safia holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia, and is a trained Coach through the Coaches Training Institute. Outside of work she mentors aspiring entrepreneurs, and provides personal and professional coaching to individuals and through community workshops and speaking engagements.
When asked to define herself, Safia said that she always finds this question tricky.
“How do I define myself, when I’m constantly changing? In this case, I’ll stick to what keeps me consistent. I’m a fearless woman, who still gets scared. I’m a loving nurturer, who is still learning how to love. I’m an inquisitive child, who will never grow up. And an authentic storyteller, who can’t always find the words.”
So tell us, Safia: What inspires you most? What motivates you to get up every morning?
The fact that there’s another morning. I think about all the things I have and haven’t done, and realize those are the only things that will define my time here. Not what I own. Not what I settle for. Not playing safe instead of playing Safia. But me, how I want and choose to do it. Remembering that I’m the author of my own story keeps me as grateful and grounded as possible, even on the days it seems impossible. The stories we want to write are also the ones we want to live. My advice to anyone looking for daily inspiration? Put down the pen, and keep writing.
How do you feel that your actions teach or inspire others?
I feel that I teach others to be authentic, and own it. I don’t often say or do what is typically acceptable, but I always know someone resonates with it. I notice that the more I show up as human first, the more I’m treated like one. When I learn about who you (actually) are, our connection goes deeper than you’re used to, and there’s something liberating and empowering about knowing you can simply be yourself.
What is one change you’d like to see in the world?
Less fear.
Fear of doing the wrong thing, saying the wrong words, making the wrong move. Fear of life, instead of the freedom to choose one. Everyone I speak to is problem solving around the ways of the world, but what if there were no more problems, and simply solutions? To anyone looking for freedom, my time in Kenya has taught me that true liberation doesn’t only come through meditation retreats in Bali, but through confronting and finding the calm in the chaos. Keep calm and carry on.
Which of your contributions to date have given you the greatest sense of pride?
Choosing my life instead of settling for one. In 2014, I gave up my fancy job and apartment for an uncertain life sabbatical in Nairobi, Kenya. I didn’t have a plan at the time, but followed my gut and trusted the journey. Today, my experiences, career, relationships and most importantly, my self are richer for taking the less certain and obvious path. You never know how big the ocean is until you start swimming in it.
We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Safia! Learn more about her work and stay connected via social media @misssafiaabji
Ready to RISE as a leader in your own right?
Get your copy of veza community’s NEW Feminine Leadership Guide. It’s our gift to YOU.
Inside the Feminine Leadership Guide you’ll receive a series of activating journal prompts and action exercises to inspire your next steps on the journey to greater impact.
by Manpreet Dhillon | Feb 26, 2018 | Business, Community, Culture, Diversity
This February, all month long, we’re honouring the work of 28 inspiring leaders. Women who are drawing upon and celebrating their culture while making a lasting difference in their community using their gifts. From authors and teachers, CEOs to entrepreneurs, not-for-profit directors, artists, and more, these women are changing the face of leadership.
These are truly women to watch and veza community is so pleased to share their brilliance.
May their stories inspire YOU to rise.
Meet Aliya Amershi.
Aliya is the Founder and CEO of the startup AskaTechie.com, where they are developing an AI-Based, On-Demand Knowledge Workforce Platform. They are solving the outsourcing challenges that Startups face by matching them with highly skilled technical talent best suited for their urgent project needs so that they can grow faster.
She is a true visionary and a fearless hustler with 20 years of technology experience. Aliya earned her degree in Computer Science from UBC and has been working with top players in tech and media, including Electronic Arts in Vancouver and Viacom Networks in New York. Her roles have included Software Engineer, Tech Lead, and IT Manager. One of her many notable accomplishments includes winning an Emmy for the Nick App at Viacom. She’s also currently involved with a number of global organizations, such as The Founder Institute, Women 2.0, and Youngry.com.
Aliya is a powerful force of nature, inspirational thought leader, and a creative innovator who is set to disrupt the tech startup world. She was just accepted into Canadian Technology Accelerator in Silicon Valley, and will be one to watch in the coming months!
So tell us, Aliya: What inspires you most? What motivates you to get up every morning?
My passion to disrupt the tech startups world with my ideas, empower business owners with their technology needs, and to break the stereotype of what a successful tech startup founder looks like.
How do you feel that your actions teach or inspire others?
Through persistence, passion, positivity, confidence, and fearlessness. I maintain this state of high vibration by practicing both morning and evening rituals every day without fail.
What is one change you’d like to see in the world?
Female Founders who are already doing it get REAL support—i.e. funding, connections, sales, etc.
Which of your contributions to date have given you the greatest sense of pride?
My time, advice, presentations, and support I have provided through various organizations to new startup founders and female entrepreneurs, to help them with their technology needs or build their business.
We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Aliya! Learn more about her work and stay connected through her various social media platforms:
Website: AskaTechie.com
LinkedIn: aliyaaamershi
Twitter: @aliyaaskatechie
Company Facebook: AskaTechieOnline
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/askatechie
Twitter: @AskaTechie_
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askatechie
Ready to RISE as a leader in your own right?
Get your copy of veza community’s NEW Feminine Leadership Guide. It’s our gift to YOU.
Inside the Feminine Leadership Guide you’ll receive a series of activating journal prompts and action exercises to inspire your next steps on the journey to greater impact.
by Manpreet Dhillon | Feb 6, 2018 | Community, Leadership
This February, all month long, we’re honouring the work of 28 inspiring leaders. Women who are drawing upon and celebrating their culture while making a lasting difference in their community using their gifts. From authors and teachers, CEOs to entrepreneurs, not-for-profit directors, artists, and more, these women are changing the face of leadership.
These are truly women to watch and veza community is so pleased to share their brilliance.
May their stories inspire YOU to rise.
Meet Ami Kambo.
Ami is a secondary school teacher, and has been an educator for 15 years. She is also a wife, and proud mom to boy/girl twins. Ami is passionate about social justice issues, and embraces teaching issues in social justice and multiculturalism. Ami feels that everyone has a special trait that they should recognize and be proud of, and she strives to make learning fun and meaningful for her students
She also feels that she learns something new every day.
So tell us, Ami…
What inspires you most? What motivates you to get up every morning?
My passion for discussing current issues in our community, and the guarantee that my day will include some laughs! My students are awesome.
How do you feel that your actions teach or inspire others?
Being honest and vulnerable. Showing others that it’s okay to be real, and also that it’s okay to be excited for school and learning. Not to worry what others think: own who you are.
What is one change you’d like to see in the world?
I’d like to see more empathy and compassion for each other. Less judgement, and more positive action.
Which of your contributions to date have given you the greatest sense of pride?
Finding love, and mommyhood. It’s a dream come true raising twins with the man I love.
We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Ami!
Learn more about her work and stay connected via her Facebook page.
Ready to RISE as a leader in your own right?
Get your copy of veza community’s NEW Feminine Leadership Guide. It’s our gift to YOU.
Inside the Feminine Leadership Guide you’ll receive a series of activating journal prompts and action exercises to inspire your next steps on the journey to greater impact.
by Manpreet Dhillon | Dec 12, 2017 | Business, Coaching
We’ve all dealt with indecision at some point in our lives, especially in a work environment.
The trouble is, indecision comes with a really high price.
Being in limbo, without a clear decision to move forward keeps you stuck, unable to move forward… and yet, it can be really easy to wallow in a pool of decisions left unmade.
So WHY is it so difficult to make decisions?
Because thinking for ourselves, and making decisions for ourselves is confronting.
It’s so much easier to allow others to make the rules and tell us what to do. Our cultural and family biases often program us to search for and cling to the approval we receive in following the rules. We’ get really used to following the “leader” and doing things correctly. Rarely are we rewarded for making independent decisions and paving our own path. Making independent decisions comes with the potential for embarrassment, failure or some form of punishment.
Religion is a perfect example of this: a lot of people look to other individuals (such as religious leaders) to make decisions for them, rather than making those decisions themselves. Being in a passive role like this may seem easier at first, but is actually quite detrimental to happiness and personal development if it keeps you from from moving forward with confidence.
How can you be happy and confident your actions if you’re never encouraged to choose what creates happiness for you?
That lack of self-assurance translates into your leadership. Specifically, it diminishes your ability to make confident decisions and of course, your colleagues or team members will feel it too.
When you’re unable to make confident decisions on your own, it undermines and manifests low confidence in every aspect of your life, and other people will pick up on it as well.
People need decisiveness in their managers and business partners.
An assertive, decisive attitude shows that you have confidence in your abilities as well as your choices. It instantly amps up your credibility and trustworthiness.
Indecisiveness, on the other hand, detracts from your credibility, and limits your ability to attract the leadership and partnership opportunities you want most.
So where does indecision stem from?
One of the main contributing factors is analysis paralysis. This happens when you overthink every aspect and consequence of every possible decision that can be made. It’s like a game of chess in which a player sees hundreds of moves ahead with any play they make, and as such, they have a very tough time making a move at all.
This kind of downward spiral won’t just affect you personally. It will also impact your business, your colleagues and your employees too.
When you spend so much time overthinking things, you waste a lot of time and often don’t come to any decision at all. Your paralysis keeps everyone else stuck and frustrated in turn, and opportunities pass you and your organization by.
Solid analysis is important before making a choice so your decision is a well-informed one; however, at some point you have to stop analyzing and commit to some direction so you can move forward. At some point you have to cut off all the other options, make a choice and understand that this decision will lead you in the right direction, trusting that this will open up doors for you.
It’s also possible that the direction you choose won’t be the ideal one. You may have to course correct.
What’s most important is that you take SOME action regardless of what it is.
At times you do have to just make a decision, put plans into action and allow momentum to inform you of what to do next.
So often we’re looking for clarity so that we can make a decision and yet it’s making the decision and that actually creates clarity.
In a situation like this, where you’ve made a decision but soon after it doesn’t feel like the “right” one for you, it’s really important to listen to those feelings and trust your gut instinct. If you can’t trust your own intuition you’ll want to turn to someone you do trust for guidance and reassurance, whether that’s your Guides, or an established Mentor or Life coach, or a your Mastermind partners.
This isn’t a time to ask colleagues or family members about their opinion. They’re likely to offer biased advice instead of the objective, impartial feedback you’re after. With colleagues, in particular, you also run the risk of undermining how they view and listen to you in future situations. Sometimes (with less supportive or understanding colleagues) asking for advice to course correct previous decision can be seen as abdicating personal responsibility or displaying lack of self confidence. These aren’t traits you want to cultivate when in a position of leadership so it’s best to play it safe by asking for advice in a very safe space.
Avoiding this predicament is one of the reasons it’s so crucial to have a coach or mentor to turn to. They can provide a great sounding board for you to work through your decisions while allowing you the space to justify your actions to yourself without judgment or potential backlash. They’re just there to listen.
More importantly, working through your decisions or the consequences that follow with a mentor or coach is like a practice run that makes it easier for you to justify decision to others when needed.
Finally, when it comes to indecision, the most important thing to keep in mind is that every single decisions is an opportunity to learn and grow. Decisions can always be reversed or course corrected along the way if needed: nothing is really set in stone.
Should you find that you’ve made the “wrong” decision in a given situation, be gentle and compassionate with yourself. Forgive yourself, and then move towards the direction that feels more aligned.
Remember that once you’re in motion, it’s easy to change direction: it’s taking the first step forward that’s the most difficult.
It’s the Veza 2018 Goal Setting Intention Guide.
This is a special workbook I’ve created for our community (for free) to help you review your year and set intentional goals for the year to come. The first section is all about capturing this year’s accomplishments so I highly recommend downloading it if you’re wanting to talk new salary (or new role) in 2018.
Download your copy of the Veza 2018 Goal Setting Intention Guide here
p.s. After you grab your copy be sure to join us over in our private Facebook Community where we’ll be completing the workbook together and masterminding to create a game plan to magnetize your dream career (with the salary to match) in 2018.
Ishu Kler is a photographer and Social Media Manager at Veza Global. She currently owns and operates a freelance photography company called Ishu Kler Creative where she specializes in branding, portrait and event photography. Born and raised in Vancouver, B.C., her love and passion for photography led Ishu to travel and live in New Delhi, India, where she obtained her Diploma in Photography. She also travelled to Costa Rica in 2015, where she obtained her Certificate in Documentary Photography from Photographers Without Borders.
Kelsey is a passionate Multimedia Designer & Communications Specialist with a diploma in Multimedia Production and over nine years of diverse design experience in different areas of the world including roles within multinational in-house marketing teams Microsoft and Technetix, marketing agencies and freelance. These experiences have led her to develop strong use of design principles, skills in Adobe Creative Cloud, knowledge in motion graphics and video editing, and knowledge in creating effective communication for a wide range of audiences and cultures.
