Helene Lerner's Blog, page 182

Dare to Do: Feast on Homemade Burgers

The best meals are the ones that take the least amount of time for the most amount of flavor, and lamb burgers win both categories. This recipe includes a lot of ingredients—most you may already have on hand—but is easy to follow and creates a delicious final product. Below are the recipe and instructions for the burger, and feel free to add a small salad on the side. Enjoy!

Lamb Burger: Recipe yields 4 servings

1 pound ground lamb
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon dried oregano 
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped (feel free to add more, we always do!)
1 teaspoon sherry/brandy
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar (red works fine too)
1 teaspoon molasses
1 teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon allspice (or a dash of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

All you have to do to prepare is mix all of the above ingredients in a large bowl, and once combined shape the lamb meat into four equal sized patties. Set the grill or stove top to medium heat and cook on both sides until the burger is cooked through. I recommend serving on a thick roll topped with tzatziki sauce, lettuce, tomato and onion. 

–Lindsay Putnam

Career Coach: Jump Start Your Return to Work

One of the toughest challenges women face when returning to the workplace after taking time off to raise a family is a lack of confidence. They may have a résumé chock full of accomplishments and skills, but because they have been out of the workplace for a while, they often feel that these may not be as valuable as those that are more current.

These women aren’t wrong for feeling this way. Some employers may be hesitant to consider a potential employee with a gap in her work history for fear that her skills are not up to date. On the other hand, savvy employers realize that there is a wealth of talent who, with a bit of retraining, would be an asset to their companies.

Enter the “returnship”. Companies such as Goldman Sachs and Sara Lee have been offering returnships to women–and, less commonly, men–who have taken time off to raise their families. These multi-week programs (some paid, some unpaid) offer women the retraining that allows them to learn new technologies, polish their skills and gain confidence before on-ramping. As of 2010, 50 percent of women who participated in the 10-week Goldman Sachs program have successfully joined the company.

If you are interested in returning to work in a field that doesn’t offer an official “returnship” program, then propose one to the human resources office. It is a winning proposition for both sides.

–Pamela Weinberg

Sherri Winston Knows About Girl Power

Brianna Justice is a determined girl. Her dream? To one day own a cupcake business. But now she has a more immediate goal: to become president of her fifth grade class. 

President of the Whole Fifth Grade, the latest book by Sherri Winston, traces Brianna’s journey as she faces the ups and downs that come with pursuing a young girl’s dreams. 

“My daughters were a huge inspiration,” Sherri says of shaping her female protagonist. “At the time, my oldest daughter, Lauren, was heavily into cooking—she loved the cooking channel and thought Rachael Ray was a goddess. I took all of that a step further, adding the sass and fearlessness of my youngest daughter and came up with my main character.” 

But Brianna’s persona was not crafted solely from Sherri’s family; there are some traces of her own experiences mixed in. “Writing for children allows me to exorcise the demons of self-doubt, while recognizing the excitement of self-discovery that comes with growing up.”

While Sherri’s book may be directed at a young audience, the lessons learned are applicable to women of all ages:

Listen to Yourself. Knowing what you want to do is less important than knowing who you are. “My advice is to listen to what that little voice inside is saying, no matter how crazy it sounds. Trust what you feel and have faith in yourself.”

Create Your Net. Sherri previously worked as a sports journalist in a predominantly male environment and found herself lacking the support of female colleagues. Find a way to rally women around you and provide guidance for one another. 

You Have Control. “Young women, even at the ripe-old-age of 10, can control their destinies,” Sherri insists. But this applies to anyone who has used the “I’m too young/ I’m too inexperienced” excuse–fight for what you want at any age. 

–Lindsay Putnam

Note: November 12-16 is National Young Readers Week. Share a book with your favorite little one!

Dare to Know: Michelle Cove Loves Mondays

[image error]Mondays are known for being stressful, but for working moms, they can offer relief from a different kind of stress, that of running a household. Michelle Cove’s latest book, I Love Mondays, and Other Confessions from Devoted Working Moms, explores the guilt mothers experience when they declare a passion for their lives outside the home. “It’s not about ditching your kids,” says Michelle. “It’s about saying, ‘I love my kids, and I also love having something that’s mine.’”

The daughter of a working mother herself, Michelle has been on both sides of the equation. “My mom went back to school when I was 12 years old. I loved having my space, but at times, I resented the fact that she was absent,” she recalls. As an adult, Michelle recognizes the benefits of mother’s interests outside the home—in addition to modeling drive and achievement, working moms can ease the crushing pressure today’s youth feel to perform. “It’s a blessing to know that your mom’s happiness doesn’t ride 100% on you,” Michelle explains.

While Mondays have a special place in Michelle’s heart, Saturdays still own the #1 spot. “I love their sense of possibility,” she says. “My daughter is an early riser, but on Saturdays, she isn’t allowed to wake us before 8am. The rest of the day can be anything—after coffee, that is!” Each day begins the same way for Michelle: “I take a few deep breaths. As I exhale, I say the word ‘calm’,” she shares. “When you start your morning from a centered place, it stays with you all day long.”

A powerful morning ritual isn’t the only trick Michelle has up her sleeve. She suggests the following to working moms seeking peace and perspective:

Be where you are. After you make a decision, be done with it—no “what if’s” or second-guessing. We’re programmed to always be thinking of the future, but staying in the moment is a much richer way to live.

Be where you can’t be. Attending events doesn’t have to be black and white. If you have to miss a play or a performance, have someone videotape it. The two of you can watch it together two days later with popcorn.

Be there in spirit. If you’re traveling for business, in addition to leaving notes for your kids, ask them to pack a little surprise for you as well. They’ll know that you’re thinking of them and carrying them with you while you’re away.

Just don’t ask Michelle whether or not women can have it all. “What does that even mean?” she fires back. “Can you have both a job and a family? Of course. Is it always going to happen smoothly and easily? Of course not. You can have it all on Thursday, but Friday’s gonna be a bust.” As for Saturday, however…anything is possible.

—Emma Aubry Roberts

Career Coach: What Motivates You to Succeed?

If you are working for a large or (even a small) corporation, you have probably seen a “Company Mission Statement.” Typically mission statements encompass the values of a company—their goals and their future plans.

Not many of us have seen or created a “Personal Mission Statement,” but we all should. How wonderful and helpful to have a short paragraph to guide us in our careers; to keep us moving forward and on track.

A personal mission statement should be brief. Three to five sentences are sufficient. Tack it up on your computer, save it on your iPhone, stick on your refrigerator. Your mission statement is meant to guide you in your day-to-day activities and help you meet your goals. A mission statement is just as useful for job seekers as it is for those who are happily employed. Some tips to keep in mind when creating one:

•    Include skills, character traits and knowledge that you consider important and want to develop further.
•    Describe what you want to focus on and who/what you want to become in this stage of your career.
•    Make sure your mission statement is positive.

Sample Mission Statement. “My goal is to have a successful career at a software engineering company that will utilize my technology skills and provide a platform for my continued career growth. I will do this by continuing my education in technology; attending conferences in my field to network; and by obtaining a research position at my university within the next year.”

To see some additional samples and templates for personal mission statements, check out www.quintcareers.com or www.timethoughts.com.

—Pamela Weinberg, Career Coach

Do People Trust You?

 

I have been on diverse teams and have had many bosses in my career--some leaders inspired me, while others didn't. Those that did had one thing in common, they trusted the people who worked for them. Here's a story to illustrate what I mean.

We had a launch of a new product around Christmas one year, and the time that was picked for the media blast was the date I was flying to Dubai to be with my family.

I called my boss and asked him to cover for me while I was in transit. He agreed.  After I landed in Dubai early evening, I logged in to my computer and saw that he had responded to every email relating to the launch. I worked through the night and our efforts made the project successful.

When I returned to the office, I asked him why he didn't check on me more to see if I completed the work. He replied, "I didn't need to, I trusted that you would do what you said."

What a great boss! He saw the best in me and inspired me to think the best about myself. He set the example for me to trust others at their word.

Here are some questions to reflect on about leadership and trust.

Who are the leaders that have caused you to think more expansively about your capabilities? What did they do to make you feel that way?

Do you believe in others who are deserving of your trust, or do you second-guess them?

Do you trust yourself for taking the actions that can make a difference in your work environment?

I would love to hear your comments. Feel free to comment here.

Deepika Bajaj

 

Do You Rally Around Kindness?

Yesterday, I was still out of my apartment in NYC because of power outages caused by Hurricane Sandy.  I had to fly to Florida early in the am for a 7:30 flight. The taxi could not take the normal route because the tunnel was closed due to repairs from the hurricane and we arrived at the airport very close to boarding time.

I was struck by the kindness of a Jet Blue attendant.  I frantically told her my story and she said she would help me. She asked that I follow her and took me to the the front of a long line for security check-in, then smiled and left. She went beyond the call of duty and as a result, I was kinder to the people around me (not caught up with a fear thought about missing the plane).

I noticed that as I smiled to people who were helping us board the plane--they gave warm smiles back.

I was attending a Public Television conference of my distributor, American Public Television. My television show In Her Power is being released to stations in March for Women's History Month, and I am very excited. One of the program managers who has been a supporter of our work was so generous. I shared a lot of good conversation with people I hadn't seen in a few years. It was a great day.

And it started with a random act of kindness!

 

Career Coach: Conquer Your Big Move

We recently received this question on our website: “I am a mid-career professional currently going through long-term unemployment. Do you have any suggestions on how I could transition into a human resources career?”

First, we are sympathetic to your being out of work for a long time—it is certainly challenging and a hardship. We applaud your decision to make lemons out of lemonade and take this opportunity to change careers. Here are some steps that you and women in similar circumstances can take to successfully switch:

Research the Field. This can be done in many ways. Websites such as www.glassdoor.com, and www.vault.com provide information about each field and will offer a good overview of most industries and will suggest companies with strong HR departments. Another site, www.onetonline.org, features detailed descriptions of the skills, education and knowledge required for various careers. This can help to determine whether additional skills or education need to be acquired to transition into that field.

Network. The best way to learn about a new career or industry is to speak directly with people in the field. Ask friends, family, neighbors if they have contacts in your desired profession. Go onto your LinkedIn profile and search for connections you may have. Join relevant groups on LinkedIn to help you get up to speed on the industry. Set up informational interviews with established members of the field to learn about what they do and to get advice on breaking into the industry.

Rebrand Yourself. Creating a new personal brand is an important component of a career change. Crafting a “personal mission statement” will help with goal setting and will serve as a tool to guide your job search. Go to www.quintcareers.com to learn how to craft a mission statement. Join professional associations and attend meetings and seminars to network and to gain knowledge about the industry. Take classes to advance your knowledge and to meet other professionals. Volunteer to gain valuable experience in the industry and to build your resume.

Good luck with your transition!

—Pamela Weinberg, Career Coach

 

Female Soldiers Break Down Barriers

Tonight, the Bob Woodruff Foundation will once again bring together veterans, their families and others who support their efforts at their annual Stand Up For Heroes event in New York City.

Since September 11, 2001, more than 2.5 million service members have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. A growing number of these soldiers are women.

Amber Fifer, 21, is an example. Following her high school graduation, she opted not to go to college and chose to serve in the Marine Corps, the branch of the military with the lowest percentage of female members at just 6.8 percent. Women in the military have grown from 8.9 percent of all active duty service members in 1980 to 14.6 percent in 2011.

Unfortunately, Amber was injured in the line of duty earlier this year while serving in Musa Oalah, Afghanistan, and is currently receiving therapy in California. She plans to become a drill instructor, training future soldiers.

Fifer and other women soldiers come up against gender inequities and it will take time to level the playing field. But their commitment to serving our country is strong, causing them not to back down.

—Lindsay Putnam

2012: The Women's Election

Last night, women across the country made their voices heard. As many predicted, their votes were the deciding factor in last night’s election, proving that discounting women can be a fatal flaw in political strategy. But what’s really driving headlines this morning is not the re-election of President Barack Obama, but the record number of women elected to the United States Senate. 

The 113th Congress will have 20 female senators, the most in the history of the United States. 

The women are Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kristen Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Kay Baily Hutchison (R-Texas) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.). 

Warren, who ousted incumbent Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.), made a promise to women in her victory speech: “To all of the women across Massachusetts working your tails off, you better believe we’re going to fight for equal pay for equal work!"

We wish the best to all of these women, regardless of their political party. Let’s take this momentum and move forward.  

—Lindsay Putnam