6 Reasons to Use a Blog to Build Readership Before You Publish and Attract Agents and Publishers
Free Audio: 1 hour and 20 minutes of real examples and useful resources which will help you understand how to use a blog to market and improve your writing.
I am really excited to share my ideas on how to use a blog and Web 2.0 to launch or build your writing career and how to attract readers, agents, and publishers to your writing.
I've given this talk several times but never took the time to record it.
This free talk is an hour and twenty minutes long.
This talk is perfect for women writers who are hesitant to write online or who haven't started a blog yet and wonder how to make a blog effectively market them online. It is an intro to blogging filled with suggestions that will also help you market the blog.
To making your invisible, faMiss...
Allison Frederick
http://www.famisswomen.com/ - online marketing for Creative Women in Business & the Arts
Click here to access free audio download on blogging for writers.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Fun Way to Create a Free Jingle for Your Business
Jingle Generator - Spread Your Company Info in a Fun Way
This is a fun, free tool presented by Quickbooks. Pick from a variety of pre-formulated jingles, add your company information and see what the wacky musician, Tommy Silk creates for you.
Even if you don't want a jingle for your company, visit this site because it is a great example of how to use your artistic talents to meet current needs in a unique way.
The Jingle Generator
Listen to the faMissWomen.com jingle. It is to the 1980's song "I Don't Want to Lose Your Love Tonight" by The Outfield (a song I used to love). It is a bit cheesy, and may not reinforce your brand, but still fun.
This is a fun, free tool presented by Quickbooks. Pick from a variety of pre-formulated jingles, add your company information and see what the wacky musician, Tommy Silk creates for you.
Even if you don't want a jingle for your company, visit this site because it is a great example of how to use your artistic talents to meet current needs in a unique way.
The Jingle Generator
Listen to the faMissWomen.com jingle. It is to the 1980's song "I Don't Want to Lose Your Love Tonight" by The Outfield (a song I used to love). It is a bit cheesy, and may not reinforce your brand, but still fun.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Marketing Yourself Online with Integrity: Lessons from Madame Helena Rubinstein, a Cosmetic Industry Giant
The beauty about online businesses is that you can work in your bedroom slippers, on a Tahiti beach, or at the local coffee shop and your customers will never know.
The anonymity of the internet is very attractive to those who operate a business or product but are a bit shy. We let the internet do the talking for us. There is; however, a danger in taking full advantage of the anonymity of the internet and that is losing your integrity.
When I write an article and post it online, does that substantiate a claim that I am an international author? Many people would say yes but I disagree. Let's say I am enjoying a party at my best friend's house. She introduces me to a book agent as an international best selling author because my best friend has seen my email signature that says "Allison Frederick, International Author" (this a self-proclaimed title I included in my email based on the fact that I write online).
The book agent is intrigued, wondering why she hasn't heard of me before. She asks me about my writing. I fumble with words to try and back track from the impression my best friend gave her. I tell her I write online but then I stop. How do I compensate for the false impression she has? Do you think she would trust anything I say afterwards? I doubt it. I expect my credibility with her is ruined, all because of my own false advertising. (This is a fictitious example as I am not yet a best selling international author but I would love to be.)
Another approach people use on the internet is to make their company look significantly bigger than it is. They’ll use words like, "We here at X International, Ltd." If your online business is comprised of you and your cat, does that warrant the use of "we" in your advertising? "We here at the Rockford Corporation meet our clients' needs before they even know they have them."
Such advertising language may be impressive to a potential customer at first and many online consumers do feel better about working with a larger organization than thinking they are doing business with someone in their pajamas, but it can lead to awkward conversations like the one listed above and can lead to mistrust which will ultimate destroy your reputation and your brand. How will a potential customer feel when they phone the customer service department and you are the one who answers, then they ask to speak with a supervisor, who consequently also happens to be you? Will they feel misled if they discover you are also the product fulfillment manager, bookkeeper, and chairman? People do understand that some companies have a single employee but they want to understand that upfront, not lied to through web site marketing.
Helena Rubinstein – a marketing genius who misled the public
I am reminded of the phrase "truth in adverting" as I study the business acumen of one of the first cosmetic industry giants, Helena Rubinstein (1870-1965).
Helena Rubinstein's company, eventually bought out by L'Oreal, was a pioneer in the beauty industry in the early 19th century. She was a direct and fierce competitor of Elizabeth Arden. In my opinion, Helena took the liberty of advertising embellishment beyond a place of integrity.
Born in Poland in the 1870's, Helena immigrated to Australia in her twenties. Eventually she established a beauty shop and sold cosmetic creams. Her own translucent skin proved to her customers that she was a product of her product (being a product of your product is another way to sell with integrity and build trust and loyalty to your brand). After looking at pictures of her, I can see why customers were attracted to her. Her skin looks gorgeous and definitely something to emulate.
Helena it seems loved a good story. She made her product in her own shop in Melbourne using ingredients native to Australia but she claimed she was an importer and the cream was from Europe. Her original recipes may have originated in Europe but it wasn’t manufactured there as she advertised to the public.
Naturally her products were protected by trade secrets but she misled the consumer by stating the ingredients came from the Carpathian Mountains outside of Krakow, Poland. (This claim reminds me of the currently faddish health drinks made from ingredients from the Amazon rain forest.) She correctly assumed that the public would be more impressed with a cream from Europe than from Australia.
I believe Madame's (as she was called) customers were attracted to the "European" element because they lived in Australia, and we humans seem to find a "foreign" idea or product alluring. Products from elsewhere may contain "magic" and probably work better than the domestic products we've already tried and found to be wanting. Most of us are skeptical about advertising claims but we must still believe some of them because they still motivate us to buy.
It is so easy to make grand advertising claims and distribute them with a click of our mouse, but it is also much easier for others to investigate and to discover the truth behind these claims. Even more dangerous to the advertiser is the fact that consumers now feel empowered to spread their findings or beliefs about the falseness of a marketing message or an empty promise to other savy consusmers online. They will not hesitate to share their findings with others on a blog, chat room, in a discussion group, and even some highly motivated people may run a pay-per-click ad campaign saying "The truth about Guru X."
Can your business afford such negative campaigning? If the public discovered the truth behind your claims, would it ruin your brand? Operating your business from a place of integrity may mean you use fewer "sensational ads" making exaggerated claims but it may mean you develop more profitable relationships with customers who become loyal to your brand.
Madame Helena Rubinstein was an incredibly intelligent, successful, and wealthy entrepreneur – despite her marketing exaggerations. She had the ability to anticipate and capitalize on many trends as the cosmetic industry grew. She was a master of publicity. She befriended journalists and editors and she hounded her public relations department to make sure they kept her company in the headlines. She also implemented many marketing devices still used today, including the concept of "dry, normal, and oily skin." Designating skin into three different categories originated as a marketing ploy to open up markets for three separate lines of skin products.
As I read about Helena Rubinstein in the interesting book entitle "War Paint: Madame Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden, Their Lives, Their Times, Their Rivalry" (2003) by Lindy Woodhead, I am fascinated not only by Helena's business ventures, but also the story of her successful rival, self-made business woman, Elizabeth Arden. The author, Woodhead, highlights business decisions each woman made and the impact it had on their empires. She also provides an interesting backdrop of what society was like at the time.
There are many grey areas in advertising. Whenever I have doubt about what I should say, I just image how I would feel and what I would say to a customer if they "called me out" on my claims. If I am confident that I am accurately representing something, then I feel free to use colorful, exciting language. What barometer will you use for your marketing? How will you chose to promote your brand and still maintain integrity?
The Helena Rubinstein Foundation:
"The Helena Rubinstein Foundation supports programs in education, community services, arts/arts in education, and health, with a special interest in programs that benefit women and children and assist disadvantaged communities."*
*http://www.helenarubinsteinfdn.org/guide.html
The anonymity of the internet is very attractive to those who operate a business or product but are a bit shy. We let the internet do the talking for us. There is; however, a danger in taking full advantage of the anonymity of the internet and that is losing your integrity.
When I write an article and post it online, does that substantiate a claim that I am an international author? Many people would say yes but I disagree. Let's say I am enjoying a party at my best friend's house. She introduces me to a book agent as an international best selling author because my best friend has seen my email signature that says "Allison Frederick, International Author" (this a self-proclaimed title I included in my email based on the fact that I write online).
The book agent is intrigued, wondering why she hasn't heard of me before. She asks me about my writing. I fumble with words to try and back track from the impression my best friend gave her. I tell her I write online but then I stop. How do I compensate for the false impression she has? Do you think she would trust anything I say afterwards? I doubt it. I expect my credibility with her is ruined, all because of my own false advertising. (This is a fictitious example as I am not yet a best selling international author but I would love to be.)
Another approach people use on the internet is to make their company look significantly bigger than it is. They’ll use words like, "We here at X International, Ltd." If your online business is comprised of you and your cat, does that warrant the use of "we" in your advertising? "We here at the Rockford Corporation meet our clients' needs before they even know they have them."
Such advertising language may be impressive to a potential customer at first and many online consumers do feel better about working with a larger organization than thinking they are doing business with someone in their pajamas, but it can lead to awkward conversations like the one listed above and can lead to mistrust which will ultimate destroy your reputation and your brand. How will a potential customer feel when they phone the customer service department and you are the one who answers, then they ask to speak with a supervisor, who consequently also happens to be you? Will they feel misled if they discover you are also the product fulfillment manager, bookkeeper, and chairman? People do understand that some companies have a single employee but they want to understand that upfront, not lied to through web site marketing.
Helena Rubinstein – a marketing genius who misled the public
I am reminded of the phrase "truth in adverting" as I study the business acumen of one of the first cosmetic industry giants, Helena Rubinstein (1870-1965).
Helena Rubinstein's company, eventually bought out by L'Oreal, was a pioneer in the beauty industry in the early 19th century. She was a direct and fierce competitor of Elizabeth Arden. In my opinion, Helena took the liberty of advertising embellishment beyond a place of integrity.
Born in Poland in the 1870's, Helena immigrated to Australia in her twenties. Eventually she established a beauty shop and sold cosmetic creams. Her own translucent skin proved to her customers that she was a product of her product (being a product of your product is another way to sell with integrity and build trust and loyalty to your brand). After looking at pictures of her, I can see why customers were attracted to her. Her skin looks gorgeous and definitely something to emulate.
Helena it seems loved a good story. She made her product in her own shop in Melbourne using ingredients native to Australia but she claimed she was an importer and the cream was from Europe. Her original recipes may have originated in Europe but it wasn’t manufactured there as she advertised to the public.
Naturally her products were protected by trade secrets but she misled the consumer by stating the ingredients came from the Carpathian Mountains outside of Krakow, Poland. (This claim reminds me of the currently faddish health drinks made from ingredients from the Amazon rain forest.) She correctly assumed that the public would be more impressed with a cream from Europe than from Australia.
I believe Madame's (as she was called) customers were attracted to the "European" element because they lived in Australia, and we humans seem to find a "foreign" idea or product alluring. Products from elsewhere may contain "magic" and probably work better than the domestic products we've already tried and found to be wanting. Most of us are skeptical about advertising claims but we must still believe some of them because they still motivate us to buy.
It is so easy to make grand advertising claims and distribute them with a click of our mouse, but it is also much easier for others to investigate and to discover the truth behind these claims. Even more dangerous to the advertiser is the fact that consumers now feel empowered to spread their findings or beliefs about the falseness of a marketing message or an empty promise to other savy consusmers online. They will not hesitate to share their findings with others on a blog, chat room, in a discussion group, and even some highly motivated people may run a pay-per-click ad campaign saying "The truth about Guru X."
Can your business afford such negative campaigning? If the public discovered the truth behind your claims, would it ruin your brand? Operating your business from a place of integrity may mean you use fewer "sensational ads" making exaggerated claims but it may mean you develop more profitable relationships with customers who become loyal to your brand.
Madame Helena Rubinstein was an incredibly intelligent, successful, and wealthy entrepreneur – despite her marketing exaggerations. She had the ability to anticipate and capitalize on many trends as the cosmetic industry grew. She was a master of publicity. She befriended journalists and editors and she hounded her public relations department to make sure they kept her company in the headlines. She also implemented many marketing devices still used today, including the concept of "dry, normal, and oily skin." Designating skin into three different categories originated as a marketing ploy to open up markets for three separate lines of skin products.
As I read about Helena Rubinstein in the interesting book entitle "War Paint: Madame Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden, Their Lives, Their Times, Their Rivalry" (2003) by Lindy Woodhead, I am fascinated not only by Helena's business ventures, but also the story of her successful rival, self-made business woman, Elizabeth Arden. The author, Woodhead, highlights business decisions each woman made and the impact it had on their empires. She also provides an interesting backdrop of what society was like at the time.
There are many grey areas in advertising. Whenever I have doubt about what I should say, I just image how I would feel and what I would say to a customer if they "called me out" on my claims. If I am confident that I am accurately representing something, then I feel free to use colorful, exciting language. What barometer will you use for your marketing? How will you chose to promote your brand and still maintain integrity?
The Helena Rubinstein Foundation:
"The Helena Rubinstein Foundation supports programs in education, community services, arts/arts in education, and health, with a special interest in programs that benefit women and children and assist disadvantaged communities."*
Allison Frederick believes that Role Modeling is one of
the most effective ways to launch a program, improve a product, and personally
achieve a higher level of success and goals. www.AllisonFrederick.com
*http://www.helenarubinsteinfdn.org/guide.html
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Can You Immobilize Yourself with Too Many Questions? - Documentary Review: Searching for Debra Winger
Documentary Review: Searching for Debra Winger (2002) by Rosanna Arquette
Rating: B+
This documentary is referenced in several books on women and career. I finally requested a copy from my library. When people talk about this documentary, they often sum it up as a film about how aging female actors survive in Hollywood. I think this grossly underestimates the applicability for those of us outside of Hollywood. This film is sensitive, personal, and brave. I am delighted that Arquette took the time to interview a few dozen successful women who demonstrate that there are still struggles in managing their career even if they are super-stars.
Arquette interviews many successful actors including: Meg Ryan, Vanessa Redgrave, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jane Fonda, Sharon Stone and finally Debra Winger. Her interviews focus on what matters most for many women "How can you achieve balance in your life?" "Can we have it all?" She nearly asks. "How do we balance career and family?" "How can you live with the sacrifices you’ve made?" "How can you find quality, fulfilling work when people only objectify you as a sex symbol?" These are essence of her questions.
Arquette's premise is why did Debra Winger leave the movie business when her career was so hot? Was this a decision she regretted? Did Debra Winger know something Arquette didn't?
A Hollywood career is very demanding, so everyone in the business will tell us but for the other women in the world, I believe that they find themselves in equally demanding positions. They have their own questions like "Why am I getting passed up for promotions?" "How can I justify networking with co-workers outside of work hours while my six year old is at home waiting for me to help her with a school project?" "Should I accept a job that requires travel? If I do, what will my kids think?" "Can I return to the workforce at the same pay-grade after I took time off to raise my kids?"
Questions swirl in women's minds in endless turbulence. We often second guess ourselves and wonder if there is a better way to do things. After listening to Arquette ask the actors question after question, I realized something critical. Many people use questions as a way to delay action. If you have so many questions about something then it stands to reason that you should wait to act until you can investigate further. So we wait. We get answers. These answers prompt more questions. We wait some more. The next thing you know, either the opportunity has passed or we find time flying by.
Debra Winger decided that for herself, it was best to leave the industry. She looked happy, healthy, and gorgeous. It seemed that her choice agreed well with her. Some women fair well to take their ball and go home. They can leave the usual career rat race and make their way through non-traditional means. I don't know what projects, if any Debra Winger is working on but she seems satisfied. For Arquette, however, it seems like she still wants to stay in the movie/tv business even though it requires sacrifice and hard work.
I can relate well and appreciate all of Arquette's questions. I have been doing the same thing for several years and yet I am no closer to a truth that satisfies me. Motivational speaker Tony Robbins warns about using "Endless Loop" questions. These are questions that you ask yourself that keep your head spinning. They are not questions like a journalist would use to ferret out tangible answers such as "Who, What, Why, Where, and When." Endless loop questions, while important, don’t encourage ourselves to move forward.
I was amazed that so many very successful women like Vanessa Redgrave, Jane Fonda, and Sharon Stone asked themselves similar questions like Arquette asked or I even ask myself but there was a difference between them and myself.
They asked the questions but that didn’t prevent them from acting (pun intended).
They had questions about how to balance career and family but they kept on moving forward towards their career goals and raising their families. They were the first to admit that they didn’t do everything perfectly. Meg Ryan said "as a mom and as an artist, you compartmentalize…"
Whoopi Goldberg and Jane Fonda both spoke about the sacrifices their children faced because of their choices to pursue Hollywood careers. But as Goldberg said, if she decided to forgo her Hollywood career and stayed home to be with her kid, she would’ve been around more but she wouldn't have been as good a mother.
Questions are a powerful tool. They can help us avoid disasters and engage with the world with more depth but they can also immobilize ourselves. Keep questioning, but like the actors featured in this interesting documentary, don’t let the questions keep you for pursuing your dreams.
Allison Frederick believes that Role Modeling is one of the most effective ways to launch a program, improve a product, and personally achieve a higher level of success and goals. www.AllisonFrederick.com.
Rating: B+
This documentary is referenced in several books on women and career. I finally requested a copy from my library. When people talk about this documentary, they often sum it up as a film about how aging female actors survive in Hollywood. I think this grossly underestimates the applicability for those of us outside of Hollywood. This film is sensitive, personal, and brave. I am delighted that Arquette took the time to interview a few dozen successful women who demonstrate that there are still struggles in managing their career even if they are super-stars.
Arquette interviews many successful actors including: Meg Ryan, Vanessa Redgrave, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jane Fonda, Sharon Stone and finally Debra Winger. Her interviews focus on what matters most for many women "How can you achieve balance in your life?" "Can we have it all?" She nearly asks. "How do we balance career and family?" "How can you live with the sacrifices you’ve made?" "How can you find quality, fulfilling work when people only objectify you as a sex symbol?" These are essence of her questions.
Arquette's premise is why did Debra Winger leave the movie business when her career was so hot? Was this a decision she regretted? Did Debra Winger know something Arquette didn't?
A Hollywood career is very demanding, so everyone in the business will tell us but for the other women in the world, I believe that they find themselves in equally demanding positions. They have their own questions like "Why am I getting passed up for promotions?" "How can I justify networking with co-workers outside of work hours while my six year old is at home waiting for me to help her with a school project?" "Should I accept a job that requires travel? If I do, what will my kids think?" "Can I return to the workforce at the same pay-grade after I took time off to raise my kids?"
Questions swirl in women's minds in endless turbulence. We often second guess ourselves and wonder if there is a better way to do things. After listening to Arquette ask the actors question after question, I realized something critical. Many people use questions as a way to delay action. If you have so many questions about something then it stands to reason that you should wait to act until you can investigate further. So we wait. We get answers. These answers prompt more questions. We wait some more. The next thing you know, either the opportunity has passed or we find time flying by.
Debra Winger decided that for herself, it was best to leave the industry. She looked happy, healthy, and gorgeous. It seemed that her choice agreed well with her. Some women fair well to take their ball and go home. They can leave the usual career rat race and make their way through non-traditional means. I don't know what projects, if any Debra Winger is working on but she seems satisfied. For Arquette, however, it seems like she still wants to stay in the movie/tv business even though it requires sacrifice and hard work.
I can relate well and appreciate all of Arquette's questions. I have been doing the same thing for several years and yet I am no closer to a truth that satisfies me. Motivational speaker Tony Robbins warns about using "Endless Loop" questions. These are questions that you ask yourself that keep your head spinning. They are not questions like a journalist would use to ferret out tangible answers such as "Who, What, Why, Where, and When." Endless loop questions, while important, don’t encourage ourselves to move forward.
I was amazed that so many very successful women like Vanessa Redgrave, Jane Fonda, and Sharon Stone asked themselves similar questions like Arquette asked or I even ask myself but there was a difference between them and myself.
They asked the questions but that didn’t prevent them from acting (pun intended).
They had questions about how to balance career and family but they kept on moving forward towards their career goals and raising their families. They were the first to admit that they didn’t do everything perfectly. Meg Ryan said "as a mom and as an artist, you compartmentalize…"
Whoopi Goldberg and Jane Fonda both spoke about the sacrifices their children faced because of their choices to pursue Hollywood careers. But as Goldberg said, if she decided to forgo her Hollywood career and stayed home to be with her kid, she would’ve been around more but she wouldn't have been as good a mother.
Questions are a powerful tool. They can help us avoid disasters and engage with the world with more depth but they can also immobilize ourselves. Keep questioning, but like the actors featured in this interesting documentary, don’t let the questions keep you for pursuing your dreams.
Allison Frederick believes that Role Modeling is one of the most effective ways to launch a program, improve a product, and personally achieve a higher level of success and goals. www.AllisonFrederick.com.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Quantum of Solace:Women in Leadership - a Woman’s Review
On principle against the overt sexism, machismo, and "escapism" relationships with women, I avoided historical James Bond movies entirely, until in a moment of kindness, I agreed to see Daniel Craig's first Bond movie with my husband. Casino Royale was better than I expected and the women didn't seem to be such classic "play things" I thought I briefly witnessed in the earlier Bond films.
On opening day, I once again found myself in front of Bond on screen in Quantum of Solace and found that I loved the movie. I enjoyed the complicated storyline and while the action scenes were abundant, they didn't last so long that I found my mind wandering too far from the story.
I like Daniel Craig's portrayal of James Bond best in Quantum of Solace because he seemed powerful, intelligent, in control, and sophisticated without appearing smug and conceited. His performance is so convincing because he didn't even seem to be trying to be Bond – he just is Bond.
But the actor that arrested me most in Quantum of Solace was Judi Dench. Dench plays "M," Bond's boss and director of a Secret Intelligence Service branch (MI6). If I understand her role correctly, she answers directly to the Prime Minister, although in this movie, she received orders indirectly from other officials.
Judi Dench's portrayal was cool, quick thinking, and exuded power. Even though her power and orders were usurped at times by a "reengage" Bond, she still managed to keep close reign on an escalating situation where there was little reliable intel.
I want to contrast her role in Quantum of Solace with another film. I recently watched "Ladies in Lavender" (2004) a very "English" film that was charming but not earth-shattering. Dench co-starred with Maggie Smith who was recently in the Harry Potter films and Becoming Jane.
The Ladies in Lavender roles were what one would expect for two older women, delegated to play two aging sisters who were kind-hearted but troubled by the past and the lack of opportunities in their lives. Dench played an adorable character but it was in line with the kinds of roles society expects older women to play - she was weak and childlike.
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum is M, who I decidedly like. Her commanding strength solicited respect from Bond even when he disagreed with her.
The ability to lead highly talented individuals and to maintain control is a leadership skill many women are still learning to yield. We saw poor executive leadership skills in the movie "The Devil Wears Prada" (2006)where the overbearing female boss alienated her work staff in a comedic way.
The level of support and control Dench exhibited goes beyond the level of supervisory skills that come naturally to most women. Author Dr. Lois P. Frankel writes wonderful books about women and leadership. Her titles include: See Jane Lead and Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office 101: Unconscious Mistakes Women Make that Sabotage Their Careers.
I highly recommend these books. I took copies out from the library but am finding that I must buy them so I can highlight the text and read over and over again. Women have often struggled with the balance of maintaining power without being labeled a power-hungry b-----. I think M's performance is a perfect example of how to succeed as a leader.
On a couple occasions in the film, Dench reveals her feminine side, while getting ready for a hot bath, and putting on face cream, all the while leading business phone calls. This imagery reminds us that Dench has a feminine side as well. What I loved about the women in leadership books by Frankel is that she teaches women how to use their feminine stregths to become great leaders rather than deny or suppress them. In effect, instead of "See Jane Lead," her book title could be "See Judi Lead."
Those who watch Quantum of Solace may point out that Bond ignores her orders repeatedly and that his actions led to the truth. Well, just because you are a leader doesn't mean you are always right. The key to great leadership as Henry Ford told us is to have people who are more intelligent than you are working for you. Successful leadership is not dependent on having all the right answers, it is dependent upon knowing how to utilize your resources, analyzing your options, balancing the demands of those in higher or more influential positions than you, and still get the job done. In this regard, M was an impeccable leader.
While acting as M, Dench was confronted with several red herrings. Misdirection led her to temporarily loose her trust in Bond but she quickly rectified that decision and like a good leader, she was quick to recognize her own misjudgments and correct them.
Dench's portrayal is a wonderful example of leadership and it is refreshing and exciting to see a woman play such a clear thinking, powerful role. In See Jane Lead, Dr. Frankel reminds us that assertiveness is a function of leadership and when thinking of assertiveness to "[K]eep in mind that assertiveness means you combine direct and clear communication with unfailing, unconditional positive regard and concern for others." P 108, See Jane Lead.
Quantum of Solace is not only entertaining, it is also a fun, exciting example of female leadership. Thank you Judi Dench for creating a role model.
On opening day, I once again found myself in front of Bond on screen in Quantum of Solace and found that I loved the movie. I enjoyed the complicated storyline and while the action scenes were abundant, they didn't last so long that I found my mind wandering too far from the story.
I like Daniel Craig's portrayal of James Bond best in Quantum of Solace because he seemed powerful, intelligent, in control, and sophisticated without appearing smug and conceited. His performance is so convincing because he didn't even seem to be trying to be Bond – he just is Bond.
But the actor that arrested me most in Quantum of Solace was Judi Dench. Dench plays "M," Bond's boss and director of a Secret Intelligence Service branch (MI6). If I understand her role correctly, she answers directly to the Prime Minister, although in this movie, she received orders indirectly from other officials.
Judi Dench's portrayal was cool, quick thinking, and exuded power. Even though her power and orders were usurped at times by a "reengage" Bond, she still managed to keep close reign on an escalating situation where there was little reliable intel.
I want to contrast her role in Quantum of Solace with another film. I recently watched "Ladies in Lavender" (2004) a very "English" film that was charming but not earth-shattering. Dench co-starred with Maggie Smith who was recently in the Harry Potter films and Becoming Jane.
The Ladies in Lavender roles were what one would expect for two older women, delegated to play two aging sisters who were kind-hearted but troubled by the past and the lack of opportunities in their lives. Dench played an adorable character but it was in line with the kinds of roles society expects older women to play - she was weak and childlike.
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum is M, who I decidedly like. Her commanding strength solicited respect from Bond even when he disagreed with her.
The ability to lead highly talented individuals and to maintain control is a leadership skill many women are still learning to yield. We saw poor executive leadership skills in the movie "The Devil Wears Prada" (2006)where the overbearing female boss alienated her work staff in a comedic way.
The level of support and control Dench exhibited goes beyond the level of supervisory skills that come naturally to most women. Author Dr. Lois P. Frankel writes wonderful books about women and leadership. Her titles include: See Jane Lead and Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office 101: Unconscious Mistakes Women Make that Sabotage Their Careers.
I highly recommend these books. I took copies out from the library but am finding that I must buy them so I can highlight the text and read over and over again. Women have often struggled with the balance of maintaining power without being labeled a power-hungry b-----. I think M's performance is a perfect example of how to succeed as a leader.
On a couple occasions in the film, Dench reveals her feminine side, while getting ready for a hot bath, and putting on face cream, all the while leading business phone calls. This imagery reminds us that Dench has a feminine side as well. What I loved about the women in leadership books by Frankel is that she teaches women how to use their feminine stregths to become great leaders rather than deny or suppress them. In effect, instead of "See Jane Lead," her book title could be "See Judi Lead."
Those who watch Quantum of Solace may point out that Bond ignores her orders repeatedly and that his actions led to the truth. Well, just because you are a leader doesn't mean you are always right. The key to great leadership as Henry Ford told us is to have people who are more intelligent than you are working for you. Successful leadership is not dependent on having all the right answers, it is dependent upon knowing how to utilize your resources, analyzing your options, balancing the demands of those in higher or more influential positions than you, and still get the job done. In this regard, M was an impeccable leader.
While acting as M, Dench was confronted with several red herrings. Misdirection led her to temporarily loose her trust in Bond but she quickly rectified that decision and like a good leader, she was quick to recognize her own misjudgments and correct them.
Dench's portrayal is a wonderful example of leadership and it is refreshing and exciting to see a woman play such a clear thinking, powerful role. In See Jane Lead, Dr. Frankel reminds us that assertiveness is a function of leadership and when thinking of assertiveness to "[K]eep in mind that assertiveness means you combine direct and clear communication with unfailing, unconditional positive regard and concern for others." P 108, See Jane Lead.
Quantum of Solace is not only entertaining, it is also a fun, exciting example of female leadership. Thank you Judi Dench for creating a role model.
Allison Frederick believes that Role Modeling is one of
the most effective ways to launch a program, improve a product, and personally
achieve a higher level of success and goals. www.AllisonFrederick.com
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Women's History Inclusion Still Has a Long Way to Go
I write about women in history because I learned little of women's accomplishments as I was growing up. Their history was so absent from my history lessons and books that it never occured to me that there were many women in history who made contributions. Minorities also feel this way. There is a void of historical experience education for women and minorities. I write these articles to try and combat this lack of education and to introduce women to themselves and their past.
I erroneously assumed that girls growing up now didn't grow up with this void. In an era where women executives ran massive companies like eBay and hold positions like Secretary of State, I expected that newly written historical accounts would integrate women rather than rely on sharing their history in their own separate sphere. It seems we still have a ways to go.
Recently I enjoyed a wonderful mini-series developed by the BBC entitled The Impressionists (2006). The year of production is the key, it was released just two years ago. The rendition of the Impressionistic Movement of the late 1800's and the artists who paved the way, include artists Monet, Renoir, Manet, Degas, Cezanne, and Bazille.
The storyline is rich, the characters funny, and the settings interesting but now I feel there is a void. While the movie focused on a fraternal atmosphere between the artists, no mention (that I recall) was made of Mary Cassat, an American born but French Impressionist who was very close to Degas and was invited to participate in their rebellious Salon of the Refused (Salon de Refuses). This public art exhibit was a pivotal break from the tightly held annual exhibit known as the Salon de Paris hosted each year by The Academie, because it allowed young artists with a new vision for art to exhibit their work outside of the traditionally defined Salon de Paris.
Some biographers think there was a very close relationship between Cassat and Degas* and I think this information merits at least a mention of Cassat in the film The Impressionists. I was even more surprised to learn the film was produced by a woman. Naturally the editing process requires that only essential material be included in a story to maintain the pace but Mary Cassat was a key figure in the French Impressionist movement and I would have liked to see her acknowledged in this film. In the interest of including women as contributors rather than simply subjects of history, I wish Cassat's relationship with Degas was included in this film.
Watch a trailer ad for The Impressionists on YouTube.
*Mary Cassat Biography
I erroneously assumed that girls growing up now didn't grow up with this void. In an era where women executives ran massive companies like eBay and hold positions like Secretary of State, I expected that newly written historical accounts would integrate women rather than rely on sharing their history in their own separate sphere. It seems we still have a ways to go.
Recently I enjoyed a wonderful mini-series developed by the BBC entitled The Impressionists (2006). The year of production is the key, it was released just two years ago. The rendition of the Impressionistic Movement of the late 1800's and the artists who paved the way, include artists Monet, Renoir, Manet, Degas, Cezanne, and Bazille.
The storyline is rich, the characters funny, and the settings interesting but now I feel there is a void. While the movie focused on a fraternal atmosphere between the artists, no mention (that I recall) was made of Mary Cassat, an American born but French Impressionist who was very close to Degas and was invited to participate in their rebellious Salon of the Refused (Salon de Refuses). This public art exhibit was a pivotal break from the tightly held annual exhibit known as the Salon de Paris hosted each year by The Academie, because it allowed young artists with a new vision for art to exhibit their work outside of the traditionally defined Salon de Paris.
Some biographers think there was a very close relationship between Cassat and Degas* and I think this information merits at least a mention of Cassat in the film The Impressionists. I was even more surprised to learn the film was produced by a woman. Naturally the editing process requires that only essential material be included in a story to maintain the pace but Mary Cassat was a key figure in the French Impressionist movement and I would have liked to see her acknowledged in this film. In the interest of including women as contributors rather than simply subjects of history, I wish Cassat's relationship with Degas was included in this film.
Watch a trailer ad for The Impressionists on YouTube.
*Mary Cassat Biography
Allison Frederick believes that Role Modeling is one of
the most effective ways to launch a program, improve a product, and personally
achieve a higher level of success and goals. www.AllisonFrederick.com
Friday, October 17, 2008
My Health Care Plan
This subject is aberrant for this blog; however, this blog is about women's issues and health care in America is certainly a woman's (and man's) issue.
Universal health care would bankrupt the American economy and lead to poorer health. Few people value free things. I believe that Americans would take even less responsibility for their health choices if they had unlimited access to free health care.
My health plan is as follows:
Free Health Clinics
All hospitals should have an adjunct free clinic open to anyone and everyone. This facility should share administrative facilities with emergency rooms but otherwise be independent.
To attract talented practitioners to the free clinics, doctors and employees should have their education costs written off over the course of time they work in the clinic, say 20% per year. Additionally the clinics should have ideal work conditions including access to current technologies, sufficient staff to avoid overtime and work sharing schedules to attract and retain top talent.
Any funds the government would spend to create universal health coverage would be spent on these clinics. As a result, emergency room hospitals can go back to what they are good at, dealing in urgent care and they can make a profit doing so. Additionally hundreds of thousands of people without health insurance would have easy, immediate access to quality health care.
Health & Life Insurance
Insurance companies should implement prohibitive premiums for smokers and people diagnosed as obese. These two lifestyle conditions are preventable and can only be governed on an individual level. Each person must take responsibility for their own heath choices and how this influences their health and therefore the amount of health care they need.
Life insurance policy holders should pay lower premiums if they document that they utilize preventative medicine such as nutritional supplements, chiropractic and acupuncture for overall health, psychotherapy management for stress relief, etc.
There should be more financial incentives in the form of tax breaks for Health Savings Accounts (HSA's). Many members in government have been trying to encourage Americans to take advantage of this great program but it still is relatively unknown.
Affordable Access to Nutritional Food
Organic food and small local farms should receive subsidies that directly translate into lower food costs at the grocery store so that more Americans can afford nutritionally dense food. Highly processed food companies and companies that genetically modify food (and in my opinion, undermine the integrity of our food source) should be more regulated by the government and the chemicals used in foods should undergo more rigorous evaluation through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Additionally, organic labeling and food labeling standards should become stronger not weaker. Americans have a right to trust food labeling and not be subject to word-play and food size proportion manipulation. Otherwise, why bother having food labeling.
Affordable high quality food is the key to the health of America. The sooner we recognize and value affordable high quality food, the sooner we will avert our health crisis.
In Conclusion
Implementing these ideas would cost money but I believe it would cost considerably less money than universal health care and less than ignoring our situation. Additionally, this program encourages each individual to take an interest in their own health and the costs associated with maintaining health. It gives Americans the opportunity to have access to quality care and quality food at an affordable price. It also gives hospitals and insurance companies the freedom to act in a way that leads to more profits which means more jobs and safer investment opportunities for those who want to invest in these companies. It also refocuses the government on regulating in areas they are good at such as consumer safety (strict, reliable food labeling governance) and funding public works projects (the free clinics) and keeps them out of industries they do not know about – administering health care.
Any person in a position of power to implement these ideas is more than welcome to take them as their own.
This health plan may seem radical and it may not be enough but I think it is an excellent start. I also feel that it is far less radical than what I hear the presidential candidates alluding to and it is more in line with American values. This plan encourages protection for those less fortunate; it encourages personal responsibility and opportunity, integrity, and honesty. These are the American values that have carried us through for all these years. I would hate to see them set aside.
I am now stepping off my soap box.
About the author: Allison Frederick is a writer and online marketing educator for other creative women. www.FaMissWomen.com offers free Web 2.0 resources. She is also the author of an upcoming novel, A Portrait of Josephine, an academic-lite thriller. Find out how to receive a free copy of the novel by visiting www.portraitofjosephine.com
Universal health care would bankrupt the American economy and lead to poorer health. Few people value free things. I believe that Americans would take even less responsibility for their health choices if they had unlimited access to free health care.
My health plan is as follows:
Free Health Clinics
All hospitals should have an adjunct free clinic open to anyone and everyone. This facility should share administrative facilities with emergency rooms but otherwise be independent.
To attract talented practitioners to the free clinics, doctors and employees should have their education costs written off over the course of time they work in the clinic, say 20% per year. Additionally the clinics should have ideal work conditions including access to current technologies, sufficient staff to avoid overtime and work sharing schedules to attract and retain top talent.
Any funds the government would spend to create universal health coverage would be spent on these clinics. As a result, emergency room hospitals can go back to what they are good at, dealing in urgent care and they can make a profit doing so. Additionally hundreds of thousands of people without health insurance would have easy, immediate access to quality health care.
Health & Life Insurance
Insurance companies should implement prohibitive premiums for smokers and people diagnosed as obese. These two lifestyle conditions are preventable and can only be governed on an individual level. Each person must take responsibility for their own heath choices and how this influences their health and therefore the amount of health care they need.
Life insurance policy holders should pay lower premiums if they document that they utilize preventative medicine such as nutritional supplements, chiropractic and acupuncture for overall health, psychotherapy management for stress relief, etc.
There should be more financial incentives in the form of tax breaks for Health Savings Accounts (HSA's). Many members in government have been trying to encourage Americans to take advantage of this great program but it still is relatively unknown.
Affordable Access to Nutritional Food
Organic food and small local farms should receive subsidies that directly translate into lower food costs at the grocery store so that more Americans can afford nutritionally dense food. Highly processed food companies and companies that genetically modify food (and in my opinion, undermine the integrity of our food source) should be more regulated by the government and the chemicals used in foods should undergo more rigorous evaluation through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Additionally, organic labeling and food labeling standards should become stronger not weaker. Americans have a right to trust food labeling and not be subject to word-play and food size proportion manipulation. Otherwise, why bother having food labeling.
Affordable high quality food is the key to the health of America. The sooner we recognize and value affordable high quality food, the sooner we will avert our health crisis.
In Conclusion
Implementing these ideas would cost money but I believe it would cost considerably less money than universal health care and less than ignoring our situation. Additionally, this program encourages each individual to take an interest in their own health and the costs associated with maintaining health. It gives Americans the opportunity to have access to quality care and quality food at an affordable price. It also gives hospitals and insurance companies the freedom to act in a way that leads to more profits which means more jobs and safer investment opportunities for those who want to invest in these companies. It also refocuses the government on regulating in areas they are good at such as consumer safety (strict, reliable food labeling governance) and funding public works projects (the free clinics) and keeps them out of industries they do not know about – administering health care.
Any person in a position of power to implement these ideas is more than welcome to take them as their own.
This health plan may seem radical and it may not be enough but I think it is an excellent start. I also feel that it is far less radical than what I hear the presidential candidates alluding to and it is more in line with American values. This plan encourages protection for those less fortunate; it encourages personal responsibility and opportunity, integrity, and honesty. These are the American values that have carried us through for all these years. I would hate to see them set aside.
I am now stepping off my soap box.
About the author: Allison Frederick is a writer and online marketing educator for other creative women. www.FaMissWomen.com offers free Web 2.0 resources. She is also the author of an upcoming novel, A Portrait of Josephine, an academic-lite thriller. Find out how to receive a free copy of the novel by visiting www.portraitofjosephine.com
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