Reflections

"Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many - not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some."

- Charles Dickens 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Evening EWI!

 

Well, it is well past closing time, but I must get this out as it is Friday, after all!  "No slacking Karen!".  Truth be told, I have spent most of my first day back buried in IT issues.  Someone in our company thought today would be a good day to convert our email server.  Why do techies always treat you with total disdain when you are having issues following their instructions?  Anyway, all well that ends well, and I did learn a few things about my Blackberry today...previously undiscovered features, which is always fun!

 

As we enter this weekend and the countdown to a New Year, my wish for each of us is to find the time for a quiet moment to reflect upon all the wonderful things you have learned, the new friends made and the impact made on others' lives through our membership in EWI.

 

As someone once said, "What does not kill you will only make you stronger". There were many moments in 2012 where I thought that it could not get worse, but it did. I for one, choose not to dwell on those moments, but instead learn the lessons presented and count my blessings.

 

If I were asked to summarize what 2012 has meant for EWI, I would respond that it has been a year of immense learning for all.  Collectively, we have ran the organization without an Executive Director for more than seven months of this year.  While less than ideal circumstances to be sure, I know that the staff and both last year's board and this one would tell you that we have all learned a lot.  That is a blessing and if you like, one more example of how EWI imparts Business Literacy!

 

We introduced the Standards of Excellence for all Chapters to follow as a blueprint to success.  That is a blessing.

 

We embraced One Vision and started our 20 Mile Marching!  That is indeed a blessing!

 

We have moved to a new database system that will ease Chapter operations and raise our professional image.  That too, is a blessing.

 

Most important though, we donated over $550K collectively in our communities and that is a HUGE blessing that will continue to make positive ripples in the world for years to come.  So, I say, "Congratulations EWI" - on persevering, rising and overcoming 2012!

 

Wishing you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year!  I raise my glass to EWI as we enter 2013 knowing that we have so many special moments to come.  Cheers!

 

- K

 

 

 

 

 

Traditions



"The merry family gatherings, the old, the very young. The strangely, lovely way they harmonize, in the carols sung.  For Christmas is tradition time, traditions that recall, the precious memories down the years, the sameness of them all."

- Helen Lowrie Marshall

 

 

Good Day EWI!

 

I must tell you that as I write this I am hearing in my head Tevye (Topol) from Fiddler on the Roof, sing "Tradition"!  It is one of my favourite movies that I love to watch at this time of year, along with Dr. Zhivago.  Why the fascination with Russia?  My maternal grandparents and two of my Aunts immigrated from there in 1923, (well, actually one was born on the way to Canada in England), so it always fascinates me.  I am determined to take in the new movie Anna Karenina this holiday too.

 

For the first time in about ten years I am making the trek home to Saskatoon for Christmas.  My Mom is not able to travel here anymore and her dear sister, my favourite Auntie,  is about to have her last Christmas as she is in stage four cancer without treatment.  This Christmas will be bitter sweet for all of us, to be sure.  What makes it bearable is that I know she will take comfort in seeing us continuing on with a lot of the traditions she enjoyed as a child and in turn helped our Mother recreate for us.  One of which is the fact that "Santa" always placed a mandarin orange in the toe of our stockings.

 

I would hazard to say that this coming week, over any other week in the year, is where we each lovingly embrace our individual traditions to the greatest degree.  Maybe its your Grandmother's recipe for shortbread cookies, turkey stuffing or the way in which you decorate your tree; traditions become ingrained in us and passed down through the collective experiences we share with our loved ones. 

 

Your favourite Christmas recipes filling your kitchen with those wonderful smells of fresh baked cookies, the scent of pine from your Christmas tree, or maybe even the smell of wet woolen mittens, it is those sights, smells, tastes and feelings which help imprint those memories we hold dear and help us to create traditions.

 

EWI is full of our own traditions, collectively gathered and cherished throughout our 75 years of history.  How blessed are we to be members in such an amazing organization?  We impact lives each and every day and that, in and of itself, is so heartening!  As we turn the calendar soon to 2013 and officially start the countdown to our 75th Anniversary on April 20th, it is my Christmas wish that each Chapter can take a moment to truly celebrate their efforts and the impact they have made in the lives of their member representatives and in the communities in which they live.  Let this be a joyous year for EWI!

 

In closing, I leave you with this Christmas blessing:

 

"With faith, courage and hope, every dream is achievable.  If you dream, dream to succeed.  May this Christmas, God bless you with determination, honesty and happiness."

 

- Anonymous

 

I wish you a Very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

 

-K

Life Is Indeed A Roller Coaster!

"The obscure we see eventually.  The completely obvious, it seems, takes longer".

- Edward R. Murrow

 

 

Good Day EWI!

 

I am writing this while CNN is on in the kitchen and I can hear them talking about this horrific act of terror that has just been committed in Connecticut today.  I am at a complete and utter loss over this barbaric, senseless act that has robbed families of their most cherished possession; their children.  May God wrap his loving arms around them all.  We ALL lost today though.  How do you send your children to school now with any sense of security?  School is where they are supposed to be nurtured and kept safe each and every day until they can come home to loved ones.  How do you go to a mall without looking over your shoulder now given last week's rampage in Oregon?

 

My blog was going to be about overlooking the obvious in so far as giving is concerned, but really now, I want to talk about gun control.  I won't, but I want to.  Again, maybe something so obvious that we cannot see the simple solution?

 

Back on track....this week I had the great pleasure of attending our Chapter's Christmas celebration.  A great evening wherein we select a charity for the night to fund raise for.  This is accomplished by us bringing direct donations, but also by shopping at a number of vendor tables.  The vendors kindly donate 10% of their gross sales back to the charity.  The charity was once again "No Crib for a Bed", which focuses on supplying families in need with items for infants; diapers, formula, etc.  This year however, the charity asked us specifically to all bring can openers.  Can openers?  Yes, as most of these families just coming off the streets or fleeing abusive domestic situations are reliant upon food hampers, most of which contain canned goods.  Pretty obvious isn't it...but who of us has thought to include that in any donations we make?  Kudos to EWI of Calgary as they raised over $2200.00 for this worthy cause, as a best guess after an early tally.  Could be even higher!

 

Our December meeting is also where we present the "big" cheque to our Charity of Choice for the year.  The Chapter presented the Highbanks Society with a cheque for $35K, plus another $5K for a Reading Nook at the home they run for their residents (young mothers who are continuing their education and their children).  Funds were raised throughout the year, but primarily from our two signature events, the Hot Heels Fashion Show and our Charity Connect Classic Golf Tournament.  If that was not enough though, they also gave our scholarship recipient an additional $500.00 for additional year end expenses.  WOW - what a night!  I am so proud of what EWI accomplishes in our communities!

 

Sadly, I came away from that high of Wednesday night, to the sad news Thursday morning that EWI of Orlando is handing in their charter.  Again, I find myself having to thank the member firms and their representatives for all of their dedication and passion to EWI over the years.  We WILL miss you!  Hopefully, some members may continue on as Members At Large.  We hope so!

 

So, what did Thursday afternoon bring?  Great news in that our legal proceedings against our former Executive Director are progressing as expected!  Then, news that we might have another potential Chapter in Canada within the next year.  That was topped off with a great conversation with our beloved Lori G. who has agreed to create a new Academy of Leadership module for Spring Conference in Chattanooga, April 19 & 20, 2013.  I also had the privilege of watching EWI of Detroit-Windsor's great video highlighting their day at Banbury School.  They used wonderful, cutting edge technology that I immediately researched and forwarded to the 75th Committee and to our office staff for their consideration.  So, again, all in all, I ended the day on a high.

 

If  we could have a guarantee that each day would end on a high, who would not face the challenges we have with glee?  I think that it is something we can each do for ourselves though if we just promise to stop and find the bright light of our day - because there usually is one.  Definitely need one after today's events.

 

If you have little ones, grab them close and love them hard this weekend.

 

- K

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall..."



"Both within the family and without, our sisters hold up our mirrors; our images of who we are and of who we can dare to be".

- Elizabeth Fishel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Day EWI!

 

Well, as promised, I have lots to share with you today!  First and foremost though, I want to tip my hat in acknowledgment to Benita Collins and Mary Helen Johnston, our two Texans on the Corporate board,  for jumping into a snowbank with gusto!  We dared them to get in there and make snow angels last weekend at our retreat in Lake Louise.  They threw all reservations aside and found their inner child which was a delight to watch!

 

I am always in awe of these women I walk beside for EWI this year and none more so than a week ago today.  We started out our weekend with a full day, facilitator led, workshop on Leading with Emotional Intelligence.  This is never an easy subject to delve into as it can be a very raw experience.  Holding a mirror up to oneself is a brave and courageous act and I thank the board for agreeing to participate in this critical piece of leadership development.  The firms of the board members funded this training and I want to thank them for recognizing the value of developing their staff in this way.  In addition to discovering the growth opportunities for me personally, I was very curious to observe the model unfold as I truly believe this is one area we must strive to train our members in via our Academy of Leadership.  I know I can say without a doubt that each of us walked away with lots to ponder and act upon in our path for personal excellence.

 

The rest of the weekend was spent on two very long meeting agendas (EWI and B/C/DP), which thankfully, we were able to focus upon and finish up just before our 8pm dinner on Saturday night.

 

We reviewed the October financials of course and in addition, all the tremendous work that our Corporate Chairs and their committees have undertaken:  the membership survey results, draft documents for Board Governance, LCAM 2013 schedule, sponsorships and speakers, our responses to the RFP for legal counsel, LCAM 2014, Bylaws survey, new revenue opportunities for website firm to firm engagement, Personnel Committee, Office review and finally a plan to update the Corporate Procedure Manual, the Accounting Procedure Manual and the Annual Meeting Procedure Manual.  Whew, and that was just the EWI agenda! 

 

In the B/C/DP meeting we again reviewed October financials but also reviewed the B/C/DP Procedure Manual and the plan to update it, recommended dba names for B/C/DP, the LCAM literacy initiative survey, a potential 2013 Summit  and whether or not we can be using FAFSA for ASIST and EWISP financial criteria.

 

We then cross-checked all of this to the Strategic Plan and I was really surprised as we went through it and I could say, "check, check, check"!  I think I sometimes get lost in the trees and cannot see the forest, so to speak.  A very useful and necessary exercise to ensure you are on track with the plan.

 

I know I can't leave you dangling, so will tell you that we did choose to retain Astill Law again for another year, with an option for a second year extension.  A huge thank you to all of our member firms who responded to the RFP and my hearty congratulations to Dennis and his team.

 

The deadline for applications for the Executive Director position was last week and now we enter the decision making process; interviewing, full background and credential screening, references, etc.  My deepest thanks to Carolyn, Ronwyn, Lisa, Karen Thompson and Verla Kelly.  We are confident that we can have a new ED in place for the start of January, which makes me VERY happy!

 

All other updates arising from the meeting will have to wait until they have committee approval and/or undergo further analysis.  Stay tuned though as it is going to be an exciting year for EWI!

 

It was very sad to say good-bye to my fellow board members on Sunday, but now we can get back to the work of EWI until we meet again face to face!  I love you all!

 

My wish is that all of us within EWI can take the weekend ahead and make a difference somehow, either in the lives of our family members, friends or complete strangers.  Tiff and I are going to man the Salvation Army kettle tomorrow outside the Canadian Tire store in Shawnessy from 11 - 2pm.  All of you in Calgary - I encourage you to drop by and make our day!  Tonight we are putting up our tree, tomorrow night friends are here for dinner and will help us with the annual Poppycock making marathon (100 cups of popcorn)!  Sunday will be fun too...Christmas cards and my Great nephew Oliver's 2nd birthday!

 

I must say that I am feeling quite calm as I got the majority of my shopping done this week online through Plan Canada.  We are giving maternity beds, fuel efficient stoves, literacy for women, pharmacy supplies, classroom essentials, goats, rabbits and chickens and even a mango tree!  All of our donations made in honour of our family members are matched through corporations and grants x5 on average, so the impact is huge and meaningful for those in need throughout the world!  Makes us feel very good!  Check out UNICEF or CARE in the U.S. if you are so inclined to as they too have great gift packages you can buy for loved ones instead of  buying them things they really don't need. 

 

Have a great weekend and Ho Ho Ho!

 

With love,

K

 

 

Cherish One Another



"They were absolutely lovely, and in their presence, so was she". 

- Ann Brashares

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Day EWI!

 

I am writing this two days early as I will be deeply engaged with my fellow board members on Friday as we convene at our retreat.

 

The women whom I am blessed to have walk beside me on this journey are due to arrive here in Calgary tomorrow and then we are heading out to Lake Louise in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.  A huge thank you to member firm The Fairmont Lake Louise for all their assistance in planning this retreat.  I am very excited to be welcoming the board members to my world, so to speak! 

 

The excitement I am feeling however is not just about reuniting with all these absolutely lovely women who are so passionate about EWI, it is about the way I feel about myself when I am in their presence; fulfilled, joyous and oh, so grateful!  The prospect of gathering as a team to work together in discussing, planning and reviewing tactical strategies that support our strategic plan gets my heart pumping too! 

 

Whenever I gather with members of EWI I am energized and come away ignited not only about our organization, but about life in general.  For me, that invigoration is a key benefit of being a member representative. 

 

The time we spend together as a board is never enough.  It seems like LCAM was six months ago!  That is one core difference in being on a Chapter board versus the Corporate board.  Sadly, we can't just get together face to face over lunch or dinner...although Skype does help!  It always amazes me how each board year seems to speed by, but this year I am really trying to "live" in each moment fully so that I can walk away with lasting memories that are rich in detail.

 

I cannot wait to hear this months update from each of the board members in what work has been accomplished and what is well underway. How their committees and their "Fleet" of Chapters are doing, what issues are they facing and how can we better assist Chapters and member representatives?

 

We have a full slate on the agenda and I cannot thank Darlene Banogon, our Corporate Secretary/Treasurer enough for all that she does to keep us on point.  

 

My wish for this coming weekend is that we can discuss and debate issues with full respect for one another, coming to consensus and always making sure that what is best for EWI is the top priority.  I know that we will be forming bonds that will last a lifetime, to be sure.

 

This issue of my blog is a light one, but I know I will have lots of news to share next week!  Be sure to check back, won't you?  I must say it has been fun to track the "views" on this page since I started this and today, it broke the 1200 mark!  As such, I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this weekly blog and for passing on your comments and thoughts. 

 

Have a wonderful week EWI!

 

- Karen

 

 

 

Survey Says...

 
"If speaking is silver, then listening is gold".

 

 

- Turkish Proverb

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Day EWI!

 

I hope this finds the vast majority of you well rested after a joyous Thanksgiving Day with family and looking forward to leftover turkey sandwiches today!  For those of us in Canada, we can take comfort in the fact that it is Friday and that we have the proverbial East vs. West football showdown this Sunday for the 100th Grey Cup!  Go STAMPS Go!

 

Yesterday, I sat down and reviewed the results from the recent demographic membership survey we conducted.  What a pleasure it was to see that almost 400 of our member representatives took the time to respond.  THANK YOU!  It is only through the consistent collection and study of member feedback that we will thrive as a member-driven organization.

 

First and foremost, please know that we are listening!  We sent this survey so that we establish updated demographic details for our collective marketing purposes.  I share with you these stats now so that you may start to incorporate them into your personal elevator speech about EWI.

 

Of those that responded:

• 76.5% are 46 years of age or older
• 96% female
• 88.7% had either some college, a Bachelors Degree or an Advanced Degree
• 51.6% have been involved with EWI for 8+ years
• 39% are Executive Assistants
• 41.6% make buying decisions for their firm with 17% of those purchases being $50K or more annually

These stats seem consistent with those of our overall membership demographics, so no real surprises at first glance.  Where this gets interesting is when you compare these results with the last demographic survey we did in 2009.  There are shifts occuring; some expected such as a growth of 7% in members being 46+ in age.  What is interesting is that we are showing a growth of 8% of our  responders being Executive Assistants and only a 1% growth in the number of Entrepreneurs.

 

The board will be reviewing the survey results in great detail next weekend at our board meeting, and we will report a complete summary of the results to the membership in the January Connect.  Part of that process will be to compare these survey snapshots against the entire membership database.  For example, the ratio of EA's to Entrepreneurs may be skewed as it could just be reflective of those that had sufficient time to respond. 

 

However, I can state that we can safely identify that our member representatives are comprised primarily of highly educated, mature women who hold positions of trust within their firms.

 

The second part of the survey asked for commentary from you on a variety of questions.  I thank you for your honesty and candor.  To quote Winston Churchill, "Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen". 

 

To my dismay, we had one member respond as "Anonymous".  To that member, please know that I will personally try my utmost to rebuild your trust in EWI this year so that you feel comfortable in having your voice heard.

 

I was thrilled to see so many of you refer to your Executive as being a key driver in the decision for you to be a part of EWI.  That bodes well for my upcoming discussions with International Executives Association!  The overwhelming majority responded that it is the connections they have made with other members that keep you involved.  In fact, there was a 6% jump since 2009 in listing Networking/Referrals as the number one priority.  Professional Development grew by 10% and Community dropped by 15%.  We are thus on track by re-focusing our attention to our first C, "Connections"!  

 

From a marketing perspective our three C's are still labelled in the correct priority, however this has not yet filtered down to the Chapter level in our daily practices.  As I have stated before, please make Connections and recruitment are your number one priority.  20 Mile Marching!  When you better secure yourself as a strong Chapter with a healthy number of member firms and representatives, you will have the manpower to focus on Community efforts.  We must stop killing ourselves, burning out our leadership and members with so much fundraising.  It is honorable of course, but let's take care of ourselves, first and foremost.

 

There are a myriad of opportunities for us to partner with other organizations to impact literacy and the board is investigating those, with the ultimate goal of raising our profile by building our brand awareness and simultaneously easing Chapter operations.

 

On that topic and as today is "Black Friday"...I encourage you to look at some amazing, alternative gifts that can impact the lives of others.  This year, we have decided that instead of buying gifts for our siblings and adult nephews and nieces, we would make a donation in their name with Plan Canada.  For $125.00 we can provide a literacy scholarship to two girls living in poverty.  They are just one charity that have programs like this.  CARE also has a program dedicated to scholarships.  If you would like to understand the issue in greater detail, then I personally recommend you take a look at "The Girl Effect" video by the Nike Foundation.  Changing the world and the status of women all starts with a 12 year old girl. 

 

In closing today, I share with you this quote:

 

"The Connections between and among women are the most feared,

the most problematic,

and THE MOST potentially transforming force on the planet"!

 

- Adrienne Rich





 

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

- Karen

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 



Being a Curious George!

"A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots".

- Marcus Garvey

Good Day!

Have you ever had the experience of knowing you are on the brink of discovering something profound?  Goosebumps, a flutter in your tummy, adrenalin rushing at what you are sure is going to an "AHA" moment?  Well, this week I had that wonderful experience and I am so excited to share it with you today!

Last week I was on Facebook and saw a post by Anne Marie Poltarek, EWI of Detroit-Windsor.  It was a picture of her at a local event hosted by the Detroit Executives Association, toasting an Executive from one of their "member firms", the Detroit Red Wings.  Now, granted I am a Wings fan when my Calgary Flames don't show up to play, which sadly is more often than not, even when there is a hockey season!

What struck me about Anne Marie's post though was the association...Detroit Executives Association.  I emailed her and asked, "Do you think this could be the original association that our Founder Lucille Johnson-Perkins modelled Executives Secretaries after in 1938?  We know Lucille was encouraged by her Executive, who was a member of the San Francisco Executives Association.  I decided to be a "Curious George" and do some investigating.

Yes, indeed, Detroit Executives Association is part of International Executives Association, which was founded in San Francisco in 1916.  They now have 110 "Chapters" worldwide.  When I found the website for IEA (www.ieaweb.com) I was immediately struck at the similarities between them and EWI.  The language and concept is so similar....one firm per business category, a mission to support each other's firms and like us they also received a citation for war bond sales during WWII to name just a few.

I was even further blown away when I looked at where they are located.  In Edmonton, Alberta, just a three hours drive away from me.  Even more exciting is that two of their Corporate Board members currently serving are from Calgary.

On Tuesday, I reached out via phone call to their Managing Director, Betty Adams.  She had no idea of this history but did confirm that National Lead was a member firm of Executives Association of San Francisco back in 1938.  They too used to meet at the Drake Hotel. 

So, after a long conversation sharing each other's history and current state, we determined that Betty would come down one Wednesday for an EWI of Calgary Chapter meeting, but in the meantime, would put me in touch with the two Corporate Directors for IEA here in Calgary.  She agreed there is such a profound potential for a strategic alliance between the two organizations.  They need Executives and we need firm representatives.  Cross-promotion, advertising, guest speakers are just a few potential ideas we came up with in just a few minutes.

Another intriguing practice their Chapters have is that they post those industries where they currently have openings on their website.  Something we too should be doing at the Chapter level.

Lucille grew Executive Secretaries by writing letters to Executives in other Chapters of IEA.  I always wondered how we grew so fast and established Chapters overseas, and I am sure it was largely due to the support members of IEA gave.  How exciting that we can perhaps re-establish that partnership and common endorsement of one another!  I will be sure to keep all of you up to speed as things progress with IEA.

So, curiosity does not always kill the cat!  Sometimes it pays to delve into something without knowing the outcome.  Why not take the opportunity of the upcoming holiday season to reach out to those firms who helped build your Chapter's history?  Thank them for their past support, share with them some of the exciting things you have happening in your Chapter's and invite them to re-connect with EWI!

In closing, I want to wish all of our American members a glorious Thanksgiving next week.  May you all be surrounded with your loved ones!

- K

What's In Your Toolbox?

 

"Knowledge is power."- Francis Bacon

 

 

Dear EWI Representatives,

 

 

Today I am thrilled to be able to share with you my experience at the Midwest Board Forum last weekend.  What a fabulous, energetic group of passionate women we had gathered for the day at Wayne County Community College!  A huge thank you to all those who welcomed Cortney and I and to EWI of Detroit-Windsor for being such amazing hosts!

 

We started out the weekend at a wonderful Greek restaurant on Friday night and then had time to catch up with one another back at the hotel...the historic and beautiful Westin Book Cadillac.  Saturday morning was led by an outside facilitator who led us in vigorous discussions to identify the challenges facing EWI today.  We then finished off the afternoon sharing best practices - always a useful exercise that gives you lots of takeaway ideas!

 

One of the key issues I heard repeatedly was that Chapters are not aware of the marketing and recruitment tools we have available.  Yet again, we are not educating our membership adequately.  That is something I take to heart very seriously, as really, if no one knows what we create, or if it does not meet the needs, what is the point?  I came away more determined than ever that we need to be hosting a New Member Webinar monthly at a set day and time.  This needs to be part of a new member's orientation process.  It was also suggested that we hold a Chapter Development Webinar on reviewing the tools we have in place, or that we are currently working on.  I will make sure this gets on the slate as soon as possible.

 

In the meantime, I would like to invite each of you to build your knowledge NOW!  The next time you find yourself at your computer going to play a game of solitaire or peruse Facebook, instead why don't you take some time to poke around the corporate website at www.ewiconnect.com?  There is a tonne of great tools ready for your use at Chapter level;  press releases, phone scripts, recruitment postcards, brochures, letters to Executives, etc, etc.  Please let me know if there is something specfic you would like to see that is not currently developed and we will work hard to ensure it is delivered.  The staff is currently refreshing some of these pieces so be sure to take a look soon.

 

I would like to thank the staff for always being cognizant of potential savings that we can realize in running more efficiently.  They regularly bring these to our attention, and that, to me, is great leadership!

 

We will be posting the ED position next week.  Watch your inbox!  I know there are quite a few interested candidates amongst the membership and we eagerly await your replies.

 

As we enter into this weekend of remembrance, please do take the time to pause on Sunday the 11th at 11:00am for a minute of silence.  We should never forget to honour those that gave their lives so that we can enjoy the freedoms we have in both countries.

 

The freedom to vote comes to mind of course given the US election this week.  I for one, as a regular watcher of Detroit cable TV, am happy that Prop 3 was turned down (thanks Renea for educating me that if you wanted the new bridge you had to vote "No"!).  Confusing?  WOW...how counter-intuitive is that? 

 

Enjoy your weekend everyone and remember - take time to familiarize yourself with our website.  It is there for you to draw upon when building your own EWI Toolbox!

 

Kindest Regards,

 

Karen

 



 

 

 



 

Trusted Advisors

 

"Advice is like snow - the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into the mind."

-Samuel Taylor Coleridge

 

 

 

Dear EWI Member Representatives,

 

 

I am writing this a day early as tomorrow I will be flying to Detroit to join in the second annual Midwest Board Forum, hosted by EWI of Detroit-Windsor.  I am so excited and looking forward to spending time with each of the six participating Chapters... Detroit-Windsor, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Milwaukee , Fort Wayne and Chicago!

 

What a phenomenal event Board Forums are within the EWI organization.  The ability to gather and share challenges and best practices is a wonderful exercise.  If you have not yet participated in, or currently do not have a forum in place with neighboring Chapters, I encourage you to investigate the possibility.  Deb Saldana, EWI of San Antonio is Vice Chair of Board Forums and would love to chat with you about the value.

 

Forums started as a Chapter initiative and have grown organically since then.  I am always excited to receive an invitation to attend.  Cortney Ewald-Ihde and I will be there this weekend, representing the Corporate Board. 

 

Being able to take the advice of another is not always easy, but I find, it is always thought provoking.

 

This week I can definitely attest to the value of listening to trusted advisors.  What would we do without having someone to turn to in moments of indecision or to bounce ideas off?  I am so grateful to the advisors I have within EWI!  You know who you are and I cannot thank you enough for the feedback I received from all of you this week.  When one is passionate about something, it can be very hard to put a reign on things, sit back and evaluate from another perspective. 

 

The thing I find with advice, is that it is all about how it is delivered.  I love this quote at the top of the page...something to keep in mind when we are asked to deliver advice, to be sure!  Thankfully, I was covered in gently falling snow!

 

Sadly this week, we accepted notice from EWI of Tampa Bay that they are dissolving their Chapter.  We are so saddened and hope that the members might consider staying involved as Members At Large.  I would like to thank the firms and member representatives of EWI Tampa Bay for all of their dedication and commitment to EWI over the years.  You will be missed.

 

On the office front, conversion to our new database is today and so far, so good!  The staff are all in training today with MemberPoint.  We cannot wait to see what this new technology can deliver for all of us by way of easing Chapter operations!

 

I want to thank Kim Fankhauser for stepping in to the role of Expansion Chair.  Kim, you are a godsend!  Thank you Benita for running this Committee until we had someone in place.

 

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend!

 

- Karen

The Scariest Thing Of All

Happy Halloween!

 

What a special time of year this is for those who love Halloween!  I happen to be one of those that adore this time of year, however I know that not all share that joy.  If you happen to fall into that category, you can skip this next paragraph!

 

So, flying home from Montreal last night, I decided to just try to relax and enjoy the 4.5hr flight.  I had my aisle seat, exit row with no one beside me and thankfully, was on Air Canada as they offer movies and TV shows on demand for free.  So, what movie did I pick for my first half of the flight?  "Dark Shadows", with Johnny Depp and Michelle Pfeiffer.  It seemed like a great choice with Halloween being next week.  What a great, fun-filled, spooky tale with lots of laughs!  A definite must see if you are renting a movie off iTunes this weekend.  Johnny, or "Captain Jack" as I most often refer to him, is one of my favourite actors and he certainly did not disapoint in this one.  The pleasant surprise was seeing Michelle Pfeiffer back on the big screen.  It seems like forever since she starred in a movie. 

 

Given my delight with her, my second movie of choice was "People Like Us", again with her.  A mini "Michelle" marathon, if you will.  Okay - this one is a definite MUST see for everyone.  A tale about how fruitless it is to hang on to old hurts and misconceptions about people.  Truly, is not judging one another the scariest thing of all in life?  How easily you can miss out on the fabulous gifts others can bring to your life by labelling or being too quick to dismiss.  I always try to remind myself that there are no coincidences in life.  That everyone that you meet or cross paths with is indeed an intentional happening in the grand scheme of your life.  The question then when dealing with those we find challenging is to ask oneself, "What am I supposed to learn from this encounter?"

 

Can you imagine what the world would be like if we met everyone with an open stance and mind?  Are we, in our lives as EWI member representatives being "open" and welcoming to those guests and new members?  I truly hope so!  We must always remember that there are no second chances for making a great first impression. 

 

Monday was our first official board meeting of the year.  What a fabulous group of women with truly "open stances" I have beside me.  I thank them for the blessings of having them in my life and being able to lead such an amazing organization. 

 

Today, my first day back from my business trip, was spent catching up on emails, listening to all the great ideas flowing with the 75th Anniversary Committee and then mapping out plans with the Personnel Committee.  A quiet week for EWI, but will need to do some work on the November Connect message this weekend. 

 

Have a great weekend everyone and I hope that somehow a little bit of that Halloween magic will visit your front door!  BWA HAA HAA!

 

- Karen

Our Community

 

“One can acquire everything in solitude except character.”

-         Stendhal

 

 

This week I had the pleasure of attending my monthly Chapter meeting.  I say, "pleasure" because it was a very special evening.  What a comfort it is to walk into a room and be greeted by so many dear friends and yet also meet new faces!

 

The theme of the evening was “Celebrating the Past, Present and Future.” The board honoured our Chapter Life members and Sustainers, along with each past Chapter President in attendance.  Then, the outgoing board was recognized for a great job done over the past year and we “pinned” our outgoing Chapter President.  It was then time for the installation ceremony, and I was reminded again how important this is to the culture of EWI.

 

The installation theme that was used was the Book/Literacy theme found under best practices on the corporate website.  It is such an amazing analogy of how a board is like the key components of a book; cover, title page, chapters, binding.  I love one component of this ceremony though because it focuses on the pages of the book…the Chapter members! 

To quote, “Without you, there is no organization.  Every page of a book is essential for the reader, and each of you is essential to this organization.  If one page is missing – it changes the whole book.”

What a fabulous quotation and oh, so true.  I would even go so far as to say that we can have our book filled with pages, but unless they are engaged, they do not add to our story.   

It is custom at our October meeting to have sign up sheets posted around the room wherein no member leaves without having signed up for a committee.  Or, at least that is the objective.   

As I have shared before, we must all understand that EWI is a hands-on learning experience and serving in different capacities is how we grow.  Learn, Lead, Mentor!  If you have not volunteered for committee work yet within your Chapter, please do so.  We are also still seeking volunteers from the membership to serve on the corporate committees.  If you are interested PLEASE reach out to me personally and I will ensure that you are put in touch with the right Chair.   

Now – just for everyone’s information, the Executive Director position is still being studied by our Personnel Committee Chair, Carolyn Woodmansee.  She is working diligently with our staff to determine the full scope of tasks involved and what the best approach for the position is, i.e. on-site or remote.  As soon as the Board receives the final recommendations we will be posting the position.  I am sure you can all appreciate that we want to fully understand the benefits and risks before proceeding in any potential new directions. 

The conversion to MemberPoint, slated for November 01^st is progressing.  Thank you to Shannon at the office for spear-heading this important project that will help to alleviate chapter operations.   

Board meeting is on Monday, so better get started on my notes! 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

 

- Karen

How Much Is Too Much?

 



 

 

                                   First Snow!

 

 

 

Yes, this was the view from my living room Thursday morning; first snow and gloomy all day. Just 24 hours later it is all gone and the sun is shining once again.  My outlook seems to have matched the weather each day of this shortened week, which thankfully bodes well for the weekend!

 

I thought I would start by offering just a few updates from last week's blog, which, if you did not read it, I am sorry, but I have inadvertently deleted it and now you can't!  LOL!  I am still learning all about blogging, so bear with me!

 

First of all, I am happy to report that we had 7 of the board members jump on the first "Coffee Chat Call" last Saturday morning. It was fun and really gave us a chance to get to know each other a little better.

 

Second update is that I am thoroughly enjoying reading Ashely Judd's "All That Is Bitter and Sweet".  She is an amazing Christian woman who has very quietly and humbly turned the power of her fame into bringing light to some incredibly dark, disturbing issues for women around the globe.  I am about half way done the book and when finished I will make my final recommendation to the Board, LCAM Committee and office as to whether or not we should pursue her as a guest speaker for Friday's lunch.  She first came to my attention as a possible fit after I watched an interview with her.  Best of all is that she is passionate about literacy and the options it brings to women everywhere.

 

I had a member ask me this week, "How much time is this new role as President taking each week?"  So, I thought that today I would share some actual stats with all of you from Sunday until today:

• 287 EWI emails hit my inbox
• 2 hours and 10 minutes spent with a Judge, our counsel and accountant
• 4 conference calls
• 13 phone calls
• about 2 hours of paperwork, writing, reviews, etc.
• 1 hour on a great webinar with 56 other of you, and....the day is not yet done! 

Now, I am not sharing these stats to frighten off anyone.  That would be counter-intuitive to my purpose for this blog in trying to inspire others to serve at this level.  Rather, I offer you these realities with the disclaimer that I would not change any of this time spent!

 

I have learned so many things this week that I would not have ever been exposed to otherwise.  So, this is my current learning platform within EWI.  Where is yours?  Are you learning something new in the way of knowledge or skill sets through your current level of engagement?  If not, you should be!  I know for a fact that Chapters and the Corporate Committees are still looking for people to step into roles that are still vacant.  Just reach out and let leadership know what your interests are and what skill sets you need to develop for your firm.  We are here to help you develop!

I offer you this quote to consider;

"The value of anything can be determined by how much of your time and life you are willing to trade for it" - Brian Tracy


Last month I booked my neighbor some flights.  I have lived next to this gal for about five years now and we are friendly but not overtly.  You know, the chats in the back yard during the summer, running in to her at the mailbox, grocery store, etc.  I had forgotten where she worked and was intrigued when her email came in.  I checked out her company and realized that we do not have a member firm in this classification in our Chapter, so I diarized to call her this week and invite her to our meeting next Wednesday.  She was thrilled to be invited, accepted the invite and said to me, "I was hoping you would ask me one day"!  She had noticed the logo for EWI on my email and seen the EWI license plate I have on my car and had looked us up.  Have you asked your casual acquaintances and neighbors to a Chapter meeting yet?  They could just be waiting for you to ask!

Everyone that was at LCAM received a window decal.  I sure hope you have placed it somewhere prominent.  Better yet, order an EWI license plate for yourself or for every member of the Chapter.  Great, really inexpensive marketing.  Jordan in our office also created a specifc email signature logo for each Chapter!  They were just announced in the Leadership Connect on Wednesday with a link to the website.  Please use them if you can.  It could lead to some great discussions about EWI with potential new members.

Just checked my inbox and it is a GREAT day for EWI!  Those two hours and ten minutes on Wednesday were worth every second!

Enjoy the weekend!
- K

 

 



Welcome to My Blog!

Well, it is the end of the second week of my Presidency and already so much work has been done!  I am continually amazed at our membership and our staff!  Immediately upon returning from Dallas the board and office set to work creating press releases, updating the website, designing business cards, establishing board meeting dates, uploading all documents from LCAM to the website, social media updates, LCAM survey, October Connect messages, staff meetings, committee calls, calls with accountant, lawyer and bankers, not to mention moving forward with our new database conversion. 


Some very high days and some low ones and I can tell the roller coaster I jumped on in Dallas is going to be a year long ride! 

Off to the Calgary Chapter Board retreat tonight in Canmore.  Really looking forward to focusing on "home base" for a couple of days. 

I am going to committ to posting herein each Friday for the next 50 weeks!  Let me know what you think!

Kindest Regards,
Karen