Are you tapping the talent of mid-level women managers?

I have been working closely with mid-level women managers for over two years now, and I’m convinced that many (maybe most) organizations are not tapping the power of the amazing talent that is leading from the middle.

These managers have limited position power and must rely heavily on influence to communicate up and get important things done with their teams.

The women who participate in the Women Managers Cohort programs often express a desire to contribute at a higher level so they can have a bigger impact.

As I’ve checked out my observations with executives in my network, I often hear things like:

“We know we have talented women managers, but we haven’t focused on developing our mid-level talent.”

As you know, these mid-level leaders are vital to the success of change initiatives and the implementation of key strategies.

They have critical information about what is happening and what needs to happen to move change forward. 

They are eager to learn and grow.

Due to their positions in the middle of their organizations, they often struggle with feelings of overwhelm and challenges with work-life balance. Many of them stepped into their mid-level manager roles with little or no leadership training. 

If you are a manager of mid-level managers ask yourself:

• Am I creating opportunities for my direct reports to develop and grow?
• Do I know what their career aspirations are?
• Are we talking about next-level skills they will need?
• Am I making it clear I am supportive of training programs by both encouraging my direct reports to enroll in programming and having budgets available?
• Am I talking to my direct reports regularly and creating options for a career path at my organization?

New opportunities outside your organization abound. 

Having regular career/development conversations can help you keep key talent engaged with your organization, help them contribute in a bigger way and be less likely to say yes when a recruiter reaches out.

If you’d like to chat more about this topic or how I can help you with developing your mid-level managers, I’d love to hear from you!  Email me,  text me at 612-598-6614, or schedule directly here. ​

NEW Announcement! 
There are 2 open spots in the current Executive Women’s Roundtable for Director and VP women leading change. If you're interested, schedule a time on my calendar ASAP to learn more. These spots fill up quickly! 

Reminder: The next round of Women Manager Leadership Cohorts start in early August. Registration is now open! 

• Mid-Level Managers Cohort focused on Taking Charge of Your Career
• Advanced Leadership Cohort focused on Implementing Strategy as a Mid-Level Manager.

Not sure what option is right for you? Let's connect and I'd love to talk about your goals. 

​I'd love to hear from you! Send me a quick note here. 

Rita Webster, Ph.D.
The Executive Coach for Women Leaders
612-598-6614
http://www.wiseleader.net/

For many people, especially women, negotiating is something they don’t feel comfortable doing.
 
When I talk about negotiating either in a training session or a coaching session I often hear:

• I don’t like negotiating. It makes me uncomfortable.
• I don’t want to be seen as aggressive.
• I want people to notice that I’m doing good work and reward me for it.
• I don’t want to be labeled a b - - - -.

Women often have the idea that if they negotiate, it will somehow have a negative impact.
 
The exact opposite is true! When you negotiate, your level of respect actually goes up and you are held in higher regard.
 
I was talking with a woman who recently took on a new role and she was lamenting the fact that she didn’t negotiate for a higher salary and a better job title.
 
We talked about the fact that yes, the best time to negotiate salary and job title is when you get the offer, but she can still find a way to negotiate now that she is in the role. It may take a bit longer and she’ll need to use a different approach, but it’s still possible to get what she wants. As I shared with her, the first step in negotiating is getting clear on what it is you want.

The Negotiation Process - 5 Steps To Prepare

1. Be Clear On What You Want

• How much money do you want to be making?
• What job title do you want to have?
• Do you need more flexibility, PTO, etc.? 

2. Do Your Homework! You can’t be confident unless you are informed.

• Look on Glassdoor and other websites to find out what the salary ranges are for the job you are applying for or negotiating.
• A simple good search goes a long way when looking up information about your industry and position.  

3. Build The Business Case - Get your ducks in a row. 

• What are the facts that support your position?
• How do those facts impact the success of the business?
• How do those facts support what it is that you want?

4. Decide On Your Communication Approach—Then practice.

• How will you communicate your business case?
• Be direct and clear. 
• Make it easy for the decision-maker to understand your position and say yes.
• Don’t worry about being pushy or aggressive. You are simply communicating the facts in a firm and confident way.

5. Be Prepared - In case you get a ‘no’ and plan your next steps. 

• If you get ‘no’ for an answer always follow up with “what would it take to get to yes?”
• And remember, don't give up! 

 
The Process In Action: I got a call from a client who received a job offer. She wanted to negotiate for a higher salary and a signing bonus but wasn’t sure how much to ask for. We walked through her reasons and the facts. Then she got clear on the numbers and how she wanted to communicate what she wanted to the hiring manager. This morning I received an email saying she got everything she asked for.
 
When you are negotiating, it helps to have a couple of people familiar with your situation that you can reach out to. They are one step removed from the negotiations and can offer objective perspectives as well as help refine how you communicate your ask. They can do a lot to boost your confidence!
 
Bottom line, when you don’t negotiate you leave valuable resources on the table. 
 
As women, we are more likely to live longer, take time off to care for a family member, and often start from a lower salary offer than men do. So, it is absolutely important that we negotiate!
 
For more ideas and to build your confidence in negotiating take a look at the resources under "Get Inspired" below! 

If you want help negotiating a job offer, a raise, or a promotion, reach out. I’m here to help.

Help us congratulate these individuals on making moves and taking on new roles - Click their names to connect on LinkedIn!

• Tiffany Veerkamp, Director, Care Management Portfolio, Prime Therapeutics

Best Practices in DEI Series -The Performance Excellence Network - July 19th- Register Here
Team Women: Understanding Money "Own Your Worth" 
- June 23rd - Register Here
WLiT: Retraining Our Networking Muscle- June 21st - Register Here
TRUST: IDEA Storytelling Series with Anton Vincent - June 14th
- Register Here

Session Enrollment Now Open - NEW DATESMid-Level Women Managers Our Mid-Level Women Managers Cohort will now start on August 4th!
If you are a mid-level woman manager eager to learn and grow or you have women leaders on your team who have untapped potential - this is for YOU! Women who participate increase their confidence, realize they are not alone, and gain clarity around the next level of contribution they’d like to make.

Don't wait, save your spot for the Mid-Level Women Managers Cohort Series today! 

Have someone you'd like to highlight, an upcoming event, or a great resource? I'd love to hear from you! Send me a quick note here. 

Warm regards,