4word Women

As you’re enjoying this time of the year with family and friends (whatever that meetup may look like), it can be so easy to throw yourself into everything and not take a moment to remember that you are only human and cannot be everything to everyone at every moment.  It’s so important to be intentional with your time and your energy, especially in the middle of a busy holiday season. So how do you do that well? Dr. Debra Dean, President and CEO of Dean Business Consulting, talks about how she’s protected her time spent with her six children and four grandchildren and discusses why she believes women in the workplace should use their business savvy to set airtight boundaries for their families. Links for this episode:Dr. Dean’s websiteFollow Dr. Dean on LinkedInDr. Dean’s Halftime Institute videoTools from the Halftime InstituteBoundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life by Henry CloudAsk For It: How Women Can Use the Power of Negotiation to Get What They Really Want by Linda BabcockGuest Bio: Awarded 2020 Women of Influence by The Colorado Springs Business Journal. Also 2020 Winner of Most Influential Business Consultancy CEO (USA) by Global CEO Excellence Awards. Dr. Debra Dean has decades of experience in Corporate America as well as years of teaching experience at the university level. She was nominated as one of three top operational excellence leaders with OPEX Week Business Transformation World Summit 2019. She received the 2018 Outstanding Reviewer award for the Management, Spirituality, and Religion (MSR) community. She was nominated as a top female leader with her previous global workplace where her research efforts elevated employee engagement to some of the highest levels in the multinational organization. And, she has been included in Biltmore’s Who’s Who of Women Business Leaders, Continental Who’s Who of National Business Leaders, and Who’s Who Among University Students. Dr. Dean was born and raised in Kentucky, spent nine years in Iowa, and currently resides in Colorado with her husband Steve and their youngest son Gavin. In total, they have six amazing children and four wonderful grandchildren. Orginal broadcast dated: Dec 2020 Click here for the latest Podcast from 4word - Work Love Pray Podcast - 4word (4wordwomen.org)

None of us could have ever anticipated what 2020 would be like, and we could all come up with interesting “pros and cons” lists for the past 12 months, with the cons lists probably being slightly longer.  One pro to 2020, though, might have come in the form of wanting to be more intentional with our time. (Thank you, quarantine!) This year, maybe you learned that you were a little off balance with what you thought was a good use of the hours in your day.  Lisa Adams, coach, mentor, and leader of 4word: Saratoga Springs, returns to the podcast (catch her March episode here) to talk about making intentional living a reality and shares her tips for staying sane and grounded this holiday season. Links for this episode: Guest Bio: Lisa Adams has a contagious enthusiasm for training and coaching leaders at all levels of an organization. She utilizes her 20+ years in management to coach leaders to intentionally develop their own leadership skills and mentor their teams for long term success.  Her career spans from various marketing and small business ownership opportunities to corporate human resources at American Express, training and development at Ceridian, software sales at Lawson Software, and strategic partner management and business development at Lycos.com and Monster.com. In 2009, Lisa decided to begin her formal coaching work. Since then, Lisa has coached a variety of professionals, from young leaders fresh out of college to senior executives.  Lisa is an active mentor through 4word. She has been a preferred expert with Keystone Partners and Work It Daily.com. At one time, Lisa co-hosted a leadership podcast called LEADTHIS! Lisa is a graduate of the Paul College / Whittemore School of Business at the University of New Hampshire. Her coaching certifications were received through Career Coach Academy and Susan Whitcomb, one of the premier career experts in the field today. Personally, she and her husband, Mike, have been married for 20 years. They have 2 teenage sons in high school. Mike has been a pastor for 23 years for 3 different churches. Lisa understands a life in ministry and business. In her free time, she attends the boys’ football, baseball and volleyball games, and spends time with her girlfriends. She and Mike love to vacation on warm ocean beaches. Orginal broadcast dated: Dec 2020 Click here for the latest Podcast from 4word - Work Love Pray Podcast - 4word (4wordwomen.org)

Financial planning may not be something high on your priorities list right now, but there is honestly no better time than the present to start thinking about your finances and how to strengthen or protect your financial future. For women, financial planning doesn’t have to be a daunting task that men should just “handle.” Financial stability is something that any woman can achieve, as long as she knows what the process will look like. On this episode, Valkyrie Lang, Investment Advisor Representative at Chisholm Trail Financial Group, an independent financial planning firm in Austin, TX, lists out the financial goals all women should aim for and how anyone can start making their financial future more secure, no matter your starting point. Links for this episode:Chisholm Trail Financial Group websiteResources for creating financial wisdomGuest Bio: Valkyrie Lang’s mission is to support entrepreneurs, especially women, in creating financial independence. She is a passionate advocate for assisting and educating her clients and their families through the unique transitions they can face throughout their lives. She believes our finances and investments should reflect our values. She is committed to serving her clients and their families with respect, non-judgement and excellence. Orginal broadcast dated: November 2020 Click here for the latest Podcast from 4word - Work Love Pray Podcast - 4word (4wordwomen.org)

Have you ever felt “the nudge?” You know, that nagging thought or “what if” that won’t go away, no matter how hard you try to bury it down? That nudge is usually the beginning of a “next step” in your life, which could mean going for a promotion to switching industries or careers. Career steps are big and sometimes scary (especially in a pandemic!) but always necessary if you want to keep pushing forward. On this episode, Elizabeth Knox, founder of MatchPace, shares simple steps to keep in mind when giving in to your “nudge” and talks about a couple of helpful tools (linked below!) MatchPace has developed to help women set themselves up for success, no matter where they are in their career.   Links for this episode:MatchPaceFree Core Values exerciseChronoPace quizThe Working Mom SprintMcKinsey/Lean In study on Women in the Workplace (2020) Elizabeth Knox started MatchPace in 2016 because of her love for working. She knows how much companies, government agencies, and non-profits contribute to the good that the world needs, and Elizabeth helps organizations use the right team, to focus on the right priorities, to drive to the right outcomes and give people back their time.  You can find Elizabeth squarely in the “messy middle” of her life: running a young company, while raising 4 small children, being a spouse, and a community member. She speaks from a place of honesty, not as someone who has all the answers, but as someone who, like most of us, is still trying to figure it out, and knows that figuring-it-out is a life-long process.  Elizabeth is the host of the podcast “You Need to Stop Doing That,” offering refreshing ideas that challenge the thought that, more often than not, our answer is to add more to our lives – more tech solutions, more activities, more stuff; but in reality, if we want to live a life in line with our priorities, we often need to prune things away.  Elizabeth is a Certified Professional Diversity Coach, providing individuals a non-judgmental space to consider and take action related to diversity and equity.  Elizabeth’s writing has been featured in HuffPost, Thrive Global, Today’s Parents, and Today’s Christian Women. Her first book, Faith Powered Profession – a Woman’s Guide to Living with Faith and Values in the Workplace was published in 2013 (and you can find it on the 4word website!) and helps women grasp the importance and power of their professional work.  Orginal broadcast dated: November 2020 Click here for the latest Podcast from 4word - Work Love Pray Podcast - 4word (4wordwomen.org)

Remember when being hurt meant that someone didn’t let you play with their toy, or maybe you weren’t picked for a team during PE. Those were the days, huh?  Now when you’re hurt, it’s usually something a lot more painful and long-lasting, like the death of a loved one, a relationship that gets strained beyond repair, or unexpectedly losing a treasured part of who you are. Finding healing for hurts like these is not easy, and it doesn’t happen overnight. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to find peace for yourself.  On this episode, Lauren, a 4word mentor living in Miami, graciously talks about how the death of her grandfather was made even more unbearable by years-long rifts within her family and how she is orking to help her loved ones find unity. Links for this episode:Follow Lauren on LinkedInEmotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis BradberryThe Problem of Pain by C.S. LewisGrit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela DuckworthGuest Bio: “[She] who refreshes others will [herself] be refreshed.” Proverbs 11:25b Lauren’s purpose in life was always rooted in this. At an early age she strived to make a difference in the world through her writing and public speaking, representing multiple organizations on a local, regional, and national scale. Her work with girls and women started in her youth and continues in the present, as her passion is in helping others identify their true selves and embrace the now. With a degree in Communications, most of her professional life has been spent in South Florida working in marketing and business and brand management. She currently works for one of the top real estate attorneys in the state of Florida managing marketing, business development, and the client experience. Lauren also services a select clientele through her own company: Reinvint. They focus on reinventing businesses and brands with hope that in the process God uses the company to reinvent lives. Outside of mentoring with 4word, she is also an advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association working with both state and national government officials. Orginal broadcast dated: October 2020 Click here for the latest Podcast from 4word - Work Love Pray Podcast - 4word (4wordwomen.org)

When something unexpected pops up (we’re looking at you, pandemic!), how we respond is incredibly reflective of the level of emotional intelligence we possess. “Emotional intelligence” is a term you’ve likely heard of but maybe don’t know exactly what it means. Dr. Katherine Pang, licensed psychologist, founder/Clinical Director/Managing Psychologist of Lakewood Wellness Partners, founder of the Christian Life Institute, and member of 4word: Dallas, shares what healthy emotional intelligence can look like and why being emotionally intelligent can strengthen your Christian walk. Links for this episode:Christian Life InstituteLakewood Wellness PartnersHarvard Business Review’s 10 Must Reads on Emotional IntelligenceGuest Bio: Dr. Katherine Pang is the Founder and CEO of Christian Life Institute. She is also the Managing Psychologist and Clinical Director at Lakewood Wellness in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Pang has a ThM and MDiv from Talbot School of Theology, two law degrees, an MBA over 30 years of experience in law, business, and education.    Dr. Pang has also served as the Director of a Women’s Ministry, Bible teacher, Conference, and Retreat speaker and has published numerous books. Orginal broadcast dated: October 2020 Click here for the latest Podcast from 4word - Work Love Pray Podcast - 4word (4wordwomen.org)

You know those quizzes that randomly show up on our social media feeds that inevitably draw us in? They reveal incredibly important information about you like, “Which color matches your personality?” or “Which pizza topping best describes you?” While those quizzes are just fun and games, there IS an underlying truth to them: we all want to know what makes us unique.  We thought it would be fun to continue this month’s conversation on confident leadership by exploring the world of “assessments,” what they mean in the grown-up world, and learning how they can be used to help you be the best leader you can be. Joining the podcast is Alli Worthington, speaker, author, coach, and entrepreneur who cofounded the Blissdom Conference. Alli discusses how using popular personality assessments to tap into your personality will help you discover and utilize your most effective leadership style. Links for this episode:Pre-order Standing Strong!Jump over to 4word’s Facebook and Instagram to enter to win a copy of Standing StrongAlli’s websiteAlli’s InstagramGuest Bio: Alli Worthington is the author of Standing Strong: A Woman’s Guide to Overcoming Adversity and Living with Confidence, The Year of Living Happy, Fierce Faith, and Breaking Busy, she is a speaker, podcaster, and business coach.  Her goal is to help women reach the next level. Alli co-founded Called Creatives and has helped individuals, small business owners, and Fortune 500 companies reach new levels of success.  Alli’s no-nonsense, guilt-free take on business, family, and balance led to appearances on The Today Show and Good Morning America.  Alli, her husband, Mark, and their five sons live outside of Nashville, TN with the only golden retriever who refuses to retrieve.  You can connect with her at AlliWorthington.com and on Instagram at AlliWorthington. Orginal broadcast dated: September 2020 Click here for the latest Podcast from 4word - Work Love Pray Podcast - 4word (4wordwomen.org)

You know the term, “fake it ‘till you make it?” As professionals, we don’t want to be faking our way through anything. We want to show up and be the best, most confident version of ourselves. Confident leadership (no matter how big or small your leadership role is) just makes you feel good as a person, and yet it’s something that so many professionals struggle with. Why? How do we change that?  In this episode, Jill Perrin, an executive coach and a 4word mentor from Dallas, Texas, shares best practices for learning to be more confident and why vulnerability is a big determiner in whether or not you’ll succeed. Links for this episode:Download Jill’s confidence exercises worksheetUnlocked Leadership websiteGuest Bio: Jill Perrin’s mission as an Executive Coach is to be an actively engaged partner & guide for Clients as they identify, explore and step into growth activities that will bring them increased self-awareness, growth, success, and satisfaction. She works with executives who are at a professional inflection point (ex. recently promoted, earmarked for the fast-track, newly overseeing a business unit, start-up leaders, executives in transition/transformation, etc.) & helps them chart a growth path ~ both professional & personal. As a coach she capitalizes on experience gleaned from her 30+ years 1) as an executive with F100 companies in Marketing and Senior Management roles; 2) in a successful start-up; and, 3) launching her solo practice. Jill is the founder and principal of Unlocked Leadership, an Executive Coaching practice. Jill holds a Certificate in Coaching from Georgetown University’s Institute for Transformational Leadership. She is Myers Briggs certified & ACC credentialed via ICF. Her clients include Senior Executives and High Potential Managers in Global For Profit, Not for Profit, and Government Organizations. She joined the successful startup Business Talent Group (a leader in the On-Demand Talent Market-place) in 2007 as the 5th employee. Over 12+ years she served on the Executive Committee & held leadership roles ranging from SVP, Client Services to SVP, Talent Development, to Chief Talent Advisor.  Ms. Perrin served for 17+ years as an executive in F100 companies focusing on Brand Management, Direct Marketing, & General Management. She served as President of a $100MM Direct Marketing business with General Electric (6 years). Prior, she held leadership positions at American Express (7 years), General Foods & First City National Bank.  She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School & an undergraduate degree in Economics from Stanford University. She is Six Sigma certified.  She serves as an advisor to Reboot Career Accelerators, a national organization which offers a suite of programs to get women current, connected, & confident to return to the workforce or pursue new goals.  Jill volunteers as a Mentor for women in the workplace with 4word, serves on the Board of Directors for the Harvard Business School Club (Dallas/Ft. Worth), and serves as a 1:1 tutor for children behind grade vis a vis reading skills in the Dallas Public School system. “My job is to awaken possibility in other people.” Benjamin Zander, musical director of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra Orginal broadcast dated: Sept 2020 Click here for the latest Podcast from 4word - Work Love Pray Podcast - 4word (4wordwomen.org)

How often do you find yourself wishing for just a few more hours in your day? It’s OK to wish for that when you’re on vacation (no one ever wants that to end!), but your everyday life shouldn’t routinely leave you wishing for longer days. In today’s COVID-19 workplace, time management is even more crucial than it was before, since you may be working outside the structure of an office but still needing to meet all the same deadlines and expectations. Kristen Montigny, an executive and life coach (and also a 4word Member Insider coach!), shares her professional tips for reimagining what time management looks like in today’s workplace culture. Links for this episode:Download Kristen’s Checklist For Taking Charge of Your TimeFollow Kristen on LinkedInGuest Bio: Kristen Montigny is an ICF certified life and executive coach. She specializes in helping women develop their leadership potential and live with passion and purpose. She particularly loves partnering with Christian women who are seeking to effectively navigate and positively influence the relationships, organizations and environments they serve in. Her coaching has been deeply informed by 20+ years professional experience in adult learning and development, and in evidence based coaching practices, as well as through her own discipleship journey. Today, Kristen takes an entirely customizable, portfolio approach to personal development, where her clients can choose a combination of coaching, assessments, retreats and other self discovery tools that support self leadership, well-being and the achievement of goals, in a rapidly changing and challenging world. Orginal broadcast dated: August 2020 Click here for the latest Podcast from 4word - Work Love Pray Podcast - 4word (4wordwomen.org)

Talk to any professional woman and she will have heard the term “work life balance.” It’s something we’ve talked about many times at 4word, and it’s likely one of the top things discussed among professionals. But what about “work/life integration?” What’s the difference? Emma Sharma, the Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and Company Secretary of Valiant Integrated Services and 4word Advisory Board member, chats about why we should be embracing integration over balance and how to avoid just “making it work.” Links for this episode:Emma’s blog on transforming the men you work with from colleagues to advocatesGuest Bio: Emma Sharma serves as Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and Company Secretary of Valiant Integrated Services overseeing many of the vital administrative functions of the organization including the human resources, legal, contracts, security, compliance, business integrity, communications and procurement departments. As a co-founder of Valiant Integrated Services, Emma was able to draw on her 23+ years of experience as an international attorney, compliance professional and empathetic business leader. Additionally, Emma has a passion for organizational design, psychology and development and change management. Emma leads mentoring initiatives for fellow executives and senior managers at Valiant Integrated Services. In recent years, Emma has worked internationally in a number of senior management and legal roles for recognized multinationals including Motorola, Business Objects (now part of SAP) and Capgemini. She is a graduate of the University of Cambridge, England and holds licenses to practice law in a number of jurisdictions. Outside of work, Emma is a devoted wife and mom to two young children as well as an active member of Holy Trinity Church, McLean. In addition to serving as part of the 4word Advisory Board, Emma is the President of the Board of Trustees of a significant non-profit in Northern Virginia. Her hobbies include a passion for learning about great food and wine, music, movies and reading. Orginal broadcast dated: August 2020 Click here for the latest Podcast from 4word - Work Love Pray Podcast - 4word (4wordwomen.org)