Babson Women's Business Blog
Babson Women's Business Blog

• Social Networking 101
  

  Untangling Social Webs

  I just sat through a session with Amber Scott, managing editor of Capessa.com, a Proctor & Gamble's online women's community.  She did a fabulous job demystifying social networking buzz words and explaining the opportunities for individuals and companies.

  A quick overview of some of the sites she referenced:

  Professional Networking

  • LinkedIn
  • Ziggs
  • Xing
  • Plaxo
  • Ryze

   

  Niche Networks

  • Sermo.com
  • Adgather.com

   

  Social Networking Tools

  • CrowdVine
  • Kickapps
  • Crowdfactory
  • Ning
• I Didn't See it Coming...But Now I Will
  

  I just left a really informative and actionable session featuring three authors of the best-selling book I Didn't See It Coming.

  Amy Kopelan, President, Bedlam Entertainment Inc. and former Programming Manager, Good Morning America, Nancy Widmann, Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductee; first woman president at CBS and Babson's own Elaine Eisenman, Dean, Babson Executive Education walked us through the steps to create our own personal exit strategy and how to deal with career situations that can take you by surprise.

  A few key takeaways:

  1. What is your value proposition?  You are your own brand!

  2.Develop an "Exit Strategy Skill Bank"

  • Talents I possess
  • Targets to best apply my skills
  • Skills wish list
  • Action steps

  3.And my favorite...develop a personal board of advisors. 

  For more great tips, pick up the book and also visit http://www.ididntseeitcomingthebook.com/

• Reach for the Stars
  

   

  Gender is a good predictor of height - but not a good predictor of leadership capability.
  

  Ilene Lang, President of Catalyst Inc., opened the 10th Annual Women's Leadership Conference with a riveting session discussing what we all should watch for, moving into the next decade.

  Two studies she referenced sound particularly interesting -- both indicate that men AND women stereotype women.  Women and men think that women are good at "taking care" behaviors and men are good at "taking charge" behaviors.  So no matter how much women achieve, men are still considered better leaders.  She called this "think leader, think man".  The research also suggests that women put in the same efforts as men to rise to the top - taking risks, putting in the time, making personal sacrifices. Yet, the barriers they face are different - lack of networks and lack of role models...and this gender-based stereotyping.

  By 2014, over 65% of new entrants to the workforce will be women or people of color.  And women will be just under 35% of the workforce.  These new entrants have grown up in a very different world - comfortable with technology, globalization and expect a different kind of workforce. 

   

  Let's not disappoint them with the status quo.  Let's "take care" of them by "taking charge" and eliminating this gender-based mindset!

   

   

• Allison J. Lawlor - Blogging live from Babson's Center for Women's Leadership Conference
  

  I am Allison Lawlor the manager of our online entrepreneurship community here at Babson and also an MBA alumna.   For the second year in a row I will be live blogging from Babson's Center for Women's Leadership Conference. 

  The theme for this year's conference is A Decade of Women in the Lead.  I will forward to sharing insights from the day.

• Friday November 9th - Annual Women's Leadership Conference - Register Now!
  

  Celebrating a Decade of Women in the Lead
  
  Featuring
   
  Dr. Sally Ride
  First American Woman in Space, Entrepreneur, Educator
  
  &
  
  Ilene Lang
  President of Catalyst, Inc.

  The Center for Women’s Leadership at Babson College in collaboration with the Babson Association for Women MBAs invites you to the tenth annual Women’s Leadership Conference at Babson College. Participate to be inspired by women experts representing a wide-array of industries, expand your leadership tool kit, and enlarge your professional network.

  Register today

• Babson Provost Greene Keynotes at Women of Influence 2007
  

  Babson College Provost Patricia G. Greene will present the keynote address at  the Women of Influence 2007 event to be held September 20 in Jacksonville, Florida.

   

  Greene will speak about the resources and opportunities available to women business owners trying to grow their businesses.

  
  Business Education for Women Entrepreneurs - What Next?
  

  What should be different about education to encourage women to start their own businesses?  There are at least two separate questions embedded in the overall concern.  First, we need young women to be interested in business and second we need them to be interested in starting businesses of their own.  The question of why young women aren't interested in business careers is a recurring theme.  One of the reasons we've suggested before is that they don't see business as interesting, attractive or inviting.  There is no TV business version of an Allie McBeal as in a law career or any one of a number of shows featuring women in a medical career (my current favorite is definitely House).  Whenever there is a mention of a wom