by Lacy Schoen on July 1, 2016. This week I was privileged to interview Karen Roper, a recently retired and very successful executive at the County of Orange (in Southern California). In this video she discusses: 

by Lacy Schoen on June 24, 2016. Some of us have heard and even experienced gender bias. But is that really a substantial reason for the lack of female representation at the top? Recent research demonstrates that it may be more innocent than that. And if this research is true, then there really IS something we can do about improving our numbers at the top. In fact - we can MAKE gender bias an asset for our advancement, and all women's advancement. Grab a cold ice tea and a couple of cookies, and let's chat about it.

To see the report on the research on gender bias from University of Colorado, go to The Case For Women tab on this website. Then scroll down until you see the title, Harvard Business Review: If There's Only One Woman In Your Candidate Pool, There's Statistically No Chance She'll Be Hired

by Lacy Schoen on June 17, 2016. Last November I published my most watched video, Why Women Compete - What You Can Do About it. Since then, I've been published in the best selling book, Keys to Conscious Business Growth where I wrote about Activating Your 5 Innate Female Strengths. As I've talked with groups of women about activating their 5 strengths, I've continued to discover that destructive female competition is still strong in all sectors and among all age groups of women. But, there is one female strength you can utilize for mitigating the negative impacts of female competition. In this video I discuss that strength and give you more information to build your skills to deal with destructive competitive behaviors.

As companion videos on this topic, view the Leveraging and Giving videos (part of the 5 part series on Activating Your 5 Innate Female Strengths), and watch the 1st video on Why Women Compete (from November 2015) on this important topic.

With this video, I am announcing a new series that will feature interviews with successful women, their thoughts on women competing in the workplace, and what they've done to respond to competitive female behavior. I'm so excited for this new interview series and I hope to bring great benefit to you through these interviews.

by Lacy Schoen on June 9, 2016. Everyone needs support, but for women - especially those that have suffered from the unnecessary and destructive impacts of workplace competition, having a tribe you can call your own is not only healing, it's a matter of survival. If you don't have an amazing group of women to call your tribe of Professional Besties, it's time to find one. There are 3 things the group will do for you, and there are 4 things you should look for to make sure the group has solid character. There is nothing more powerful than a supportive circle of women, and it is the one thing that can marginalize the dysfunctional competition that many women experience in their jobs.

by Lacy Schoen on June 3, 2016. Do you work for or with a micromanager? If so, you've probably felt the disappointment of not feeling trusted to do your job. Or may you have experienced frustration when somebody continually watches over your shoulder, corrects or nit-picks your work, or gives you incessant feedback. There are different types of micromanagers, and there ARE some things you can do about it. In this video, I discuss the types of micromanagers, what motivates them and some proven strategies to help alleviate some of that "over your shoulder" pressure.

by Lacy Schoen on May 27, 2016. This week features the last video in a 5-part series on the 5 Strengths Innate Within Women That They Can Leverage For Success. This 5th video discusses women's innate ability to bounce back from adversity. You may not have ever thought of yourself as strong or resilient. That's just because you are unaware of how incredibly resilient you are...meaning, it's so natural, you don't realize you do it. It's an important point, because bouncing back quickly from adversity is one of the hallmarks of every highly successful person. Women have this strength built in - and you do too. In this video, I make the case that proves you are hard wired to bounce back, while at the same time acknowledging the life circumstances that sometimes delay or hold back our immediate success.

by Lacy Schoen on May 13, 2016. Close your eyes and think back to a time when you were juggling a lot of competing demands. You may have had family members tugging at you, children with needs, a job that required your attention, dinner that needed to be cooked, all at the same time! And, being the Super Woman that you are, you found a way to deliver. At work, some people call this situation impossible. But it's par for the course for the successful, professional woman. You were born with the ability to deliver. The only question is; do you really want to. In this video, I walk you through a thought process that can bring clarity to the question... Do I want to utilize my talent to deliver and create more success where I am? Or, do I want to move on, and create my success elsewhere? Either way - you can do it. It's a skill set you've owned for your entire life, as a woman. 

by Lacy Schoen on May 5, 2016. Today's coaching session is on leveraging to reach your goals. You may not have realized that you've likely been leveraging all your life. This is good news, because leveraging is a vital strategic skill. In this video, I share how to use this innate female skill to increase your success in reaching your goals.

by Lacy Schoen on April 26, 2016. Have you ever been told not to be so emotional? Have you ever tried to hold back or tamp down an emotional reaction? I've learned that there are not only ways that emotion can be expressed successfully, but there are ways to express emotion that actually elevate your leadership status and success. In this video, I share the one thing you can do to decide HOW to express your emotion successfully, and help advance your leadership status in the process.

by Lacy Schoen on April 21, 2016. You and I both know that women are known for giving - giving A LOT! In fact, some women (including me, at one point in my life) have a hard time not feeling guilty when they aren't giving, even to people who are not reciprocating. In the video, I discuss women's innate power and strength of giving, and how to strategically hardness this gift to make ourselves part of the equation - meaning, creating reciprocal relationships that add value to us as well.

by Lacy Schoen on April 15, 2016. This is a unique, 28-minute interview I did as part of the promotion for the Best-Selling book I co-authored, Keys To Conscious Business Growth. In this interview, I talk about why YOUR female strengths are needed in the world today. I share examples of the natural leadership talent that women employ on a daily basis that they often overlook. And I talk about the imbalance in executive leadership in our corporations, governments and communities, providing examples of some specific women who have solved problems that others have failed to solve. Listen to this interview and send me your thoughts to lacy@lacyschoen.com

by Lacy Schoen on April 8, 2016. Have you ever had a tough time saying no to a request for your time or talent? To be honest, most women have - including me. But there is honor is telling others "no" when it is merited. In this video, I share a couple of responses that "feel good" when saying "no." I also talk about setting the standard for ourselves in a way that teaches others how to treat us. 

by Lacy Schoen on April 1, 2016. This week I'm posting an audio recording of a radio show. I was blessed to be a guest on this show with the magnificent Rachel Michilen, CEO of California Women Lead. On the show we discuss the opportunities and barriers for women leaders and how to get past those barriers and get more women into leadership roles. Let me know what you think!

by Lacy Schoen on March 24, 2016. How many of you have a life that you are absolutely in love with? Sometimes we settle because we think that having all we want is too much to ask. But, as women, we are far better equipped to be great mothers, spouses and contributors to the world when we are incredibly happy and wake up every day looking forward to the day and doing something we love. The path to your dream life can seem elusive, but if I can do it, you can too. Yes, it's a process. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. In this video I share the "bites" I look to build my dream life, and convey some of the tips and strategies that helped me. In the end, it took a lot less time than you'd think. 

by Lacy Schoen on March 18, 2016. Sometimes we have big goals that others tell us are not "realistic." Buying into this can be a barrier to your greatness, and to the achievement of your dreams and goals. In this video I share the best way to approach your biggest dreams and goals, how to feel confident in the process and how to remove those barriers to your inherent greatness.

by Lacy Schoen on March 11, 2016. Have you ever let a good idea go because someone else didn't think it was a good idea? Did you really do your homework and all indicators pointed to your idea? Have you considered that maybe all you needed was your own validation? Listen - if you've done your homework, and your idea passes a common sense test - it's worth trying. In this video, I talk about how to know if your idea is worth pursuing, how to let go of needing validation, and creating a space of opportunity for yourself to test your talents and succeed.

by Lacy Schoen on March 4, 2016. Have you ever had a hard time talking about your accomplishments, or sluffed over a compliment and gave the credit to the team, when in fact you worked your butt off? Part of empowerment means taking the lead in letting others know what you can do. But what does that conversation sound like? In this video, I share a few examples of how a productive, promoting conversation unfolds - and how you can feel good about having that conversation.

by Lacy Schoen on February 26, 2016. Do you know a woman that apologizes too much? Over-apologizing is a habit that is more common among women than men, and it undermines our power and sends a message to others that we undervalue ourselves. How can we break the habit and most importantly, how can we know when it is important to apologize, or when an "I'm sorry" is misplaced? In this video, I share ideas to consider when contemplating an apology.

by Lacy Schoen on February 19, 2016. In my New Year's message to my Women's eClub Members, I reminded women that continuing to hone our skills is so important. It's a characteristic of top leaders and it allows us to continue to move towards our goals more expediently, even if we only carve out 5 - 10 - or 15 minutes a week. In this video I share three opportunities that are coming up for women to invest in themselves and recharge their batteries.

by Lacy Schoen on February 12, 2016. How do you know when you are giving too much? Women are born with the skills to build strong relationships. We are innate givers, and because of that we possess the skills to add immense value to others' lives. But when does that giving go too far? In this video I share several ways to think through the relationships you give to - to determine if you are tapping your well dry, or if there are good reasons to keep giving.

by Lacy Schoen on February 5, 2016. What do you think of the "Good Ole Boy's Club?" Whatever you may think, men are doing something for each other that women don't do - they are building a supportive male community, while women tend to "go it alone." If you ever want to get the support you want and need, you'll have to build a community of support around you. It pays big dividends to build this community with other women - because when we build confidence in female leadership - all women benefit. In this video, I share the 3 simple strategies that, when practiced habitually will increase your ability to achieve your own goals while helping "all ships rise," among female leaders.

by Lacy Schoen on January 29, 2016. Women who compete are still pervasive in the workplace. What can you do to immunize yourself from the harmful impacts of women who compete with you? More importantly, what is the one thing you can do to not only stop this destructive behavior, but take it a step further and help all women succeed? In the video, I share the most important action you can take to turn the tide toward women supporting women, and marginalize destructive behaviors in the process.

by Lacy Schoen on January 14, 2016. Have you ever contemplated how to be powerful? Truly successful women have six characteristics that give them power. If you are a woman in leadership, then these tips are for you. If you are a women wanting to feel more empowered, these tips are for you. If you are a woman seeking more happiness, these tips are for you. Women are born with innate leadership skills and strengths that that the world needs today. In this video, I talk about why - and how to empower yourself to become a more powerful and happy woman.

by Lacy Schoen on January 7, 2016. When you're new, you want to prove yourself, get your ideas heard, knock it out of the park and achieve success. If you're a woman that has come from a place of proven success, you may feel you deserve instant credit - because you are already a leader - and you do deserve it! But it's not always so easy, even for successful women to get that credit when you're new to an organization, department or position. In this video I show you how to start empowering yourself in order to become the leader and influencer that you want to be - so that you can assert yourself in the right way, and create success for yourself and your organization.

by Lacy Schoen on December 16, 2015. How can you bounce back from adversity and why is that important? It's a known fact that successful people find a way to move on quickly. Yet, there are those times in life that are just plain hard, and it's important to go through the healing process. Women have resilience and fortitude. And because of this we are hard wired to bounce back and drive our success. In this video, I discuss strategies to make the healing processes easier so you can bounce back, move on and thrive.

by Lacy Schoen on December 9, 2015. How can women claim more of the confidence that drives success? We can take a lesson from our male counterparts; how they look at challenges and how they see their next professional step.Most importantly, we can tap into our own innate female skills, and lean on those heavily to produce the confidence we need to drive success. In this video I share with you the difference between being confident and being certain, and how we can be confident right now, and find certainty along the way.

by Lacy Schoen on December 3, 2015. Have you ever had difficulty disagreeing with another woman? Have you ever had a problem being too weak or too strong when a conflict occurs? We all have, and to address this important topic I want to share a great experience I had at work. In this video, I share what happened with another woman that I disagreed with, and how we solved a problem productively and fixed a mistake together. In the end, we both came out winners.

by Lacy Schoen on November 26, 2015. Like most women, I'm sure you are constantly on the go. Isn't it wonderful when we find a tip or product that saves us time on our beauty regime? I'm always thankful for that! I have no connection with any of these products, but I wanted to share them. Because if it saves you time, allowing you more time pursuing your dreams or to spend with your family - then I'm all for it.

by Lacy Schoen on November 19, 2015. Top leaders recognize the accomplishments of others without hesitation. They are secure enough to generously and publicly give praise. But, we sometimes see glory stealers - people who take credit for someone else's achievement, or gloss over a job well done. When women do this, they undercut each other and themselves. Their insecurities drive their "one-up" mentality. It's disheartening when this happens. So how do we become the force for good that recognizes others for their contributions and impacts this disturbing behavior? In this video, I share how we, as women can become that force for good. 

by Lacy Schoen on November 10, 2015. If you are like many women I've talked to, you've had another woman compete with you in a professional setting. Why does this happen and how can we reverse this unsettling behavior? Are we hard wired to compete? The research is fascinating. The consequences hurt all women. In this video I discuss what we've learned about female competition, and how we can work together to create a movement of women supporting women so that we can minimize female competitive behavior and all women can succeed.

Click here to check out this New York Times article about Why Women Compete With Each Other. It's a quick read, and instructive. Click here to get a pdf version of this article.

by Lacy Schoen on November 5, 2015. Did you sleep well last night? If you're like many professional women - you didn't. And that's why I'm so excited to share this week's video with you. In this video, I talk about how we solve other people's problems all day long, and then often come home to have to solve more - which causes more stress. But there is one thing you can do to help yourself disengage from stress and problem solving - and pave the way for more sleep filled nights and a more refreshed perspective.

by Lacy Schoen on October 31, 2015. Let's get real. How do you feel about feedback? Whether it's constructive or destructive - defensive responses hurt us in a professional setting. Some of us are better at responding than others, but one thing is sure - we all know someone that is defensive in the face of constructive feedback. In the video I share the 4 reasons why we need feedback to succeed professionally, and how to respond if the delivery is less than professional. I discuss how to "practice" responding appropriately and reasons to mentor others.

by Lacy Schoen on October 25, 2015. Women have innate strengths that are needed in today's organizations. One of our strengths that is often overlooked is our ability to empathize. In this video, I'm going to tell you why this skill is vitally needed in today's organizations - and how to utilize it. In it I discuss the components of an empathic interaction, when to empathize, why it's important and when NOT to empathize. I also show how you leverage this important skill to build relationships that will increase your influence.

by Lacy Schoen on October 16, 2015. What is one of the MOST POWERFUL ACTIONS you can take in the workplace? Holding someone accountable for their behavior - in this case, a woman that undermines you. It's something that is never "fun," but how we respond can define us as a leader or a door mat. Strategic response builds our influence. Haphazard or lack of response sucks away our influence. In this video, I've given you 4 proven strategies to respond to the toxic, apathetic or even unaware destructive females in the workplace.

by Lacy Schoen on October 8, 2015. How can you avoid dysfunction in the workplace and why is that vital to your success? Sometimes we are drawn into it, but if we play in the mud with the pigs, we are going to get dirty! This topic is particularly important for women, as we often get saddled with the reputation of back biting, gossip and catty behavior. Whether true or not, this impacts all women's credibility. In this video I share strategies for shutting down dysfunctional situations, nipping them in the bud before they grow and become damaging. 

by Lacy Schoen on October 1, 2015. How can continually advance in the workplace? The answer is simpler than you may think. There are just 4 simple steps to building a career of continual upward advancement. And when you learn these 4 simple steps and repeat them over and over in your career, you will be so valuable, people will know they can't live without you! Click here to access a PDF download of sample questions from step 2 of this proven 4-step process.

by Lacy Schoen on September 15, 2015. How should you respond when someone verbally attacks you in a professional setting? It happens to all of us, whether a customer, a supervisor or a peer. In this video, I give you tips and best practices to manage your emotions, consider responses and create a beneficial outcome.