Announcements and Opportunities

NAFE Atlanta Launch a Huge Success! NAFE President Dr. Betty Spence helped kick off the inaugural dinner of the new NAFE Atlanta affiliate on September 21. In the photo with Betty are the NAFE Atlanta board of directors: Patricia Wilson-Smith, technology; Lisa Douglas, PR; Nancy Lewis, membership; Barbra Curtiss, director; and Judy Rowe, secretary/treasurer. Reports Betty, "A dedicated and talented team worked for months for this launch, and the high-powered entrepreneurial and corporate attendees who attended showed how impressed they were by signing up." Betty adds, "I love this inspiring group of women!" To learn about the event and the new affiliate, click here.

Taming the Performance Chain: FREE for NAFE Members. On October 20th in New York City, participants can conduct a real-time diagnostic on the fitness of a Performance Chain — i.e. all the things, people and ideas that have to move from the split second you trigger demand to the time you have cash in the bank. Regular price: $50. Aveus, the host organization, will waive the fee for NAFE members. Register here or contact Katie Morrow: kmorrow@aveus.com, 651-379-3884.

Community Development Competition. The Community Tool Box will award $5,000 (Grand Prize) and $2,500 (Second Prize) plus other goodies to winning projects that “improve community health, education, urban or rural development, poverty, the environment, social justice, or other related issues of importance to communities.” Submission deadline: October 31, 2010. Full details here.

Returning From a Career Break? Register now for the October 8th Return to Work Conference, hosted by New York University’s Stern School of Business. This exciting event is produced by the career reentry company iRelaunch, whose founders are Carol Fishman Cohen and Vivian Steir Rabin, authors of the reentry strategy book Back on the Career Track. Special rate for NAFE members is $95. Type NAFE in the "How did you find out about us?" box on the online registration form, and you will receive a $30 credit within 48 hours. Click here for more information and to register.

Want to advertise your business? A square display ad (120x120 pixels) in one issue of NAFE News & Notes is just $75.00. Larger skyscraper ads (600x120 pix) are also a bargain at $175. Contact newsletter editor Paula Damiano at pauladamiano@hotmail.com to place your ad.

5 Tips…

5 Tips for More Resilient Leadership

by Rebecca Shambaugh

Given the current economic climate, today’s leaders must have the ability to weather any kind of storm. This calls for our leaders and organizations to be resilient! So says Becky Shambuagh, President and CEO of SHAMBAUGH, and author of Leadership Secrets of Hillary Clinton and It’s Not a Glass Ceiling, It’s a Sticky Floor. Here are her five tips:

1: Understand Your Authentic Self
What gets you successfully through misfortune or change is knowing your true self. Identify your leadership values and principles and share them in a meaningful way with others in your organization. Align your words and actions so they demonstrate and support what is most important to you, and before you know it, you'll have created your leadership "brand."

2: Embrace Change
What differentiates good leaders from ineffective leaders is their ability to accept and adapt to change. Embrace change rather than relying on old behaviors and assumptions. Pay attention to how change can bring new opportunities – for you and your team. Get curious. What’s the new vision? Who are the key stakeholders? How can I help implement the change and ensure it is sustained?

3. Make Your Words Count
Leaders need to connect to people’s hearts and heads and inspire them to feel engaged around a powerful and shared vision or key goals. When a difficult conversation needs to happen – have it! When you have these conversations and they are done skillfully with good intentions, you will gain greater respect from others.

4: Build Bridges for Results
Today’s great leaders understand the importance of connectedness as an opportunity for dynamic and productive partnerships. They are able to create a broad and diverse sphere of relationships around them that represent six degrees of separation. Be willing to get out of your comfort zones. Reach outside your usual circles and expand your lens. The stronger the relationship, the greater cooperation you will have – which increases your ability to mobilize others.

5: Gain Smart Power
Smart Power means the ability to continuously learn new things and adapt to new situations while capitalizing on the knowledge and intelligence of others around you. Decide how you define “success.” Then step outside your vacuum and take prudent risks to embrace new challenges, learn new things and increase the breadth of your current skill sets!

Network News

Doo-wop, doo-wop! The unstoppable Robbie Motter, NAFE Regional Coordinator, reports that Virgil Gibson of the Original Platters will perform at the NAFE Western Regional Conference (May 20-21, 2011). Contact Robbie for more information (RMotter@aol.com) or click here: http://www.wrnafe.com/.

Learn all about your fellow business women on nafe.com under Member Profiles. The Flood Sisters are currently featured, as well as Janice Gallick of CareCircle, Robbie Motter and Terilee Harrison. Click here.

Know another outstanding NAFE member you’d like to see profiled on nafe.com? Send details to NAFE News & Notes editor Paula Damiano at pauladamiano@hotmail.com.

Upcoming Events

For a complete list of events, see our online Calendar!

Wellesley, MA
October 22, 2010
The Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the empowerment of women through business and entrepreneurship, invites your to the Center for Women & Enterprise’s Destination Success, the premiere trade show for women-owned businesses in New England: “Whether you are interested in learning from our panelists, networking with certified WBEs or Fortune 500 corporations, or exhibiting at our trade show, Destination Success is an ideal forum for you.” Location: Babson College. For more information, contact Debra B. Thomas (dthomas@cweonline.org, 617-532-0229) or click here.

New York, NY
December 2, 2010
Save the date! Join us for a celebration of NAFE's Women of Excellence winners at a breakfast event at The Times Center, 242 W. 41 St. in New York City. More information here.

• Go to nafe.com to view our ever-expanding Calendar of Events for opportunities around the country. The new Search function makes the Calendar even more useful and accessible.
• Use the Event Submission Form online to let us know about events in your area. Events submitted for the website will also be considered for the NAFE News & Notes– twice the exposure for one listing!

Check the NAFE Calendar of Events for network meetings, workshops and other happenings around the country.