ONE HANDSHAKE OR ONE HUG?
 Is one of your goals for 2011 to become more engaged or more connected? I have always been a believer in being engaged in the community. It really is a great way to develop skills and build a diverse network. The Vancouver Board of Trade and the Women’s Leadership Circle provide the perfect opportunities to develop a multi-faceted network. Whether you sit on a Board of Trade committee or attend events, you always meet a variety of people. And, those relationships often open doors to new opportunities that you may never have known about if you have only stayed within your close circle of business colleagues and friends.
There is a great story in the Kellogg (Northwestern University) Business Digest that illustrates my point. When Bill Gates landed his first contract with IBM, it was largely thanks to his amazing mother Mary. She sat on a volunteer board with John Akers, when he was an IBM executive manager in charge of operating system development. The result: Bill’s mom talked to Akers about a new emerging business in the computer software industry and she was the connector. Bill wasn’t one handshake away from the best connection he would make to start his business; he was one hug!
This year, why not make a commitment to expand your network? We make it easy for you because you can often join a WLC Table, hosted by a member of our WLC Advisory Council. It’s a great way to meet other WLC members. You can arrive early knowing you have a seat and use the reception time to make new acquaintances. There are plenty of interesting speaker events scheduled in the next few months so why not set some time aside to attend. I look forward to seeing you there.
Happy New Year!
Janet Austin
CEO, YWCA of Vancouver
Chair, WLC Advisory Council
SMART DUDE
 Peter Bregman, author of Point B: A Short Guide To Leading a Big Change, is one of our favorite reads on Harvard Business Review blogs. His January 2011 post is such good advice that we had to share it with our WLC readers:
“Every day, before leaving the office, save a few minutes to think about what just happened. Look at your calendar and compare what actually happened — the meetings you attended, the work you got done, the conversations you had, the people with whom you interacted, even the breaks you took — with your plan for what you wanted to have happen. Then ask yourself three sets of questions:
- How did the day go? What success did I experience? What challenges did I endure?
- What did I learn today? About myself? About others? What do I plan to do – differently or the same – tomorrow?”
- Who did I interact with? Anyone I need to update? Thank? Ask a question? Share feedback?”
It’s worth a Post-It Note reminder beside your computer! To read the whole blog go to: The Best Way to Use the Last Five Minutes of Your Day.
ARIANNA’S BIG IDEA
 We love Arianna Huffington and in a short TED presentation, she shares her big idea–well, one of her big ideas. We are not going to say any more, because when you look at her short speech you’ll identify totally! All we can say is it’s the best resolution you can make for 2011. Check it out at TED.com
LAST POST, TWEET, UPDATE?
 Are you feeling a little guilty because you are falling behind in your tweeting, blogging or updates? You are not alone. Many of us struggle to keep up with social media, even keeping our LinkedIn page updated is a challenge. If you want to go to a very funny and interesting session on social media, sign up for Tod Maffin’s January 26 Board of Trade talk on Getting the most out of your social media tools. He’ll give you the straight goods. Other panellists for the TOUGH TALK FOR TENDER CAUSES event include Nancy Richardson, Director, Digital Strategy, lululemon athletica.
THREE WORDS
 If you are not into making resolutions (and don’t worry because almost 90% of all resolutions fail) you might want to take a different approach. Every year, Chris Brogan, social media expert and New York Times bestselling co-author of Trust Agents, comes up with three words. As he says, these words “will be my guiding pillars for what I will focus on in the coming year. Instead of resolutions, which don’t usually help me very much, I work hard on using these words as a lighthouse for my actions and efforts.” These words are not “goals” but are instead guidelines for which your goals should fit into. If this is something you are interested in doing and need some “three words” inspiration, take a look at the list his readers submitted.
WHAT ARE YOUR THREE WORDS? PLEASE SHARE THEM WITH US! TELL US IF YOU WANT YOURS ANONYMOUS OR NOT. Send to: judy@workthepond.com Next month we will share ours.
FORCES OF CHANGE IN 2011
There is an interesting article in Entrepreneur.com about what will be the top ten driving forces in 2011. It covers everything from an expected rise in the travel and tourism industries, to more social shopping (think Groupon and Living Social) to the fitness sector (people are looking for easy and inexpensive ways to work out). Check it out at: The Disrupters: Forces Driving Change in 2011
HOW DO YOU SEE CHANGE?
Please help us understand what changes are affecting you and your business by taking a few minutes to complete our WLC Survey.
And, we hope you will join us at the All Access event on January 27 where we will be discussing our findings. If you would like to sit at the WLC table hosted by WLC Advisory Council member, Yvonne De Valone, indicate under General Question number three that you wish to sit at the WLC table. We will accommodate everyone we can on a first-come, first-served basis.
Take Survey
REPLACING THE ROOF
By Shelley Neil, Construction Manager, PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc.
I have worked in construction for over 25 years and still get asked regularly what it’s like being a woman in construction. I joined PCL in 1999 as a project manager and moved up to become the first woman to achieve a senior operational role in management.
My current job as construction manager finds me at BC Place Stadium working on my most memorable project to date. Replacing the roof is a unique and fascinating engineering feat and I feel very fortunate to be involved. The roof skyline is taking shape as the last of the 36 massive steel structures was hoisted into place in January. The risks are big and the action constant, with over 400 workers on site. Every day calls for critical thinking to resolve building problems, and strategic planning to fit pieces together in this huge jigsaw puzzle. When the roof is finished it will be the largest cable-supported retractable roof in the world!
I play a significant role in managing and supervising our on-site team at BC Place which is currently around 40 people. My style is all about participative leadership, team building and staying calm in adversity. I take my "open door" policy seriously, welcoming conversation while making sure I listen, teach and mentor others.
When asked what it’s like being a woman in construction, my response is that being confident in my abilities has earned me respect from my peers. The workers no longer seem to notice me as there are more and more women on construction projects and in the trades. It is a positive change to old attitudes.
My personal goal is to see more women working in construction as there is a great new dynamic created when we bring our communication styles to the mostly male industry. There are huge opportunities not just for great paying jobs but for exciting career growth and development.
For an up close view of the roof construction, check out these webcams.
NOTE: Photo by Janis Brass
TOP 40 UNDER 40 WOMEN!
 Congratulations to these WLC members for being named to Business In Vancouver’s top Forty Under 40 for the year 2010.
- Jill Earthy, Executive Director, Forum for Women Entrepreneurs BC
- Nicole Garton-Jones, Owner, Heritage Law
- Melissa Coughlan, TransCold Distribution Ltd.
To see the complete list of winners or find out more about the celebration dinner being held on Tuesday, February 1, 2011 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, 900 West Georgia Street go to BIV.
ERASE YOUR DUES
 Did you know that if you refer someone who joins The Vancouver Board of Trade to become a WLC member, you will receive a credit towards your membership dues. For example, if you refer a one-cardholder company who joins, you receive a $175 credit. Learn more.
YOUR FEEDBACK
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments, ideas for this newsletter, for speakers, for content to: info@wlcircle.com
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