This "leaning in" business :)

I had a coffee yesterday with my ex-boss who, on the 8th will be my ex ex-boss :) Only four working days left in the current role!

As we do, we got onto subjects about things I've read around the internet.

So I asked him what he thinks of all these Leaning In blog posts and he didn't know what I was talking about.

"ooohhhh, you're a man" I said :)

Sheryl Sandberg is the COO of Facebook. I think it's awesome and if she can make that kind of powerful position work together with being a wife and mother (no matter HOW she does it), more power to her.

I personally love my relaxation time too much to make the same choices but she's doing it and doing it well.

The thing I never get about women is how we like to tear one another down.

What is the deal with that?

It's madness.

So she's written this book called Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead. I haven't read it yet because at the moment the Kindle price is still too high (my money boundary is $10) but I'm so insanely curious I might just "splurge" (not be cheap) and get it.

All over the internets I'm seeing both sides - people liking her message and people tearing her down because she's rich and she can afford nannies. Um, what? My life's work is about making things work easier for people. For you. And if you have the money to pay to make your life easier, then USE it.

Yet... other women are jealous and I've seen some of that "she's not a real mother" business happening which is SO old, I wish people would give it a rest already!

Anyway!

In an effort both to share things you might not have seen around the internet and for me to pull it all together in one place, here are my favourite posts about this Sheryl Sandberg/ Leaning In business.


Watch this video - Sheryl's TED talk in 2010 - we need to discuss point two some more on this blog about male/ female household tasks :) :)

Leaning in: my 2 cents and 2 quibbles

Sit at the table

10 things Sheryl Sandberg gets exactly right in Lean In

Working from Home, Leaning In and All That Jazz

And of course, Brazen Careerist's take on things (I don't agree with what she says about SS and her kids but I do like what she says about most of us in corporates not being able to live that life)

Which is exactly what I've been thinking about a lot lately.

I always assumed early on in my career that my career path was up, up and up some more. But now it's very obvious - I'm sooo not cut out for senior management (exco) but that does leave me wondering where I'm likely to end up.

I'm a strange paradox - ambitious but I also like work/ life balance. I suppose I work hard and play hard :)

I'm a bit hesitant to even voice these thoughts aloud.

Do you think about these things? Where you'll be in the world at, say, age 50... 55.... 60.... 65?

In the interview for the job I start in April, I'll be team member 8. The manager's been there for 2.5 years. The average length of time worked for the current team members is about 6 months. 6 months!

He said the turnover is about 2 years...or sooner.

So something I have to think about is a next move and I honestly don't know where that will be or what that will look like. I do know this experience will be very good for me.

Anyway, this article on not wanting to be the CEO really talks to me. Anyone relate?


So, dare I ask?

What do you think about this leaning in business?

Are you senior management material?  

Tuesday Titbits

Yesterday I was driving to work and I realised I'm happy.

Totally completely happy.

The sun was shining, I only had on two thin layers (yes!) and Billy Joel was singing in my car.

That was it.

Yes, it doesn't take very much to make me happy but I got to thinking how I'm sitting with the most money I've had in my account ever (remember we've just received bonuses at work and I'm putting off paying a thing so I can just sit and enjoy looking at it in my bank account for awhile :)) and the money's not making me happy.

Very weird having these thoughts in the City of Gold where most people are totally money hungry.

Also, I always used to argue with one of my ex-bosses who used to tell me money is not a motivator and I'd say Hogwash! Of course it is.

I still feel it's important because of what it represents (for me, freedom) but in itself, I guess he's right, it's not a motivator by itself.

Anyway.

And now that I've written about it, I will pay my tithe. Do you tithe?

***********************************

My personal life is feeling ever so slightly out of balance.

Do you know how I know?

I start dropping the ball on things that are not normal for me. I'm actually working on the business slightly too much for my liking :)

Today I had to go to the hospital for blood tests so the gynae would have my results before my appt tomorrow.

Well, I searched high and low and couldn't find the thing he faxed me (I know! Faxes - so 90's :)).

I came to work, searched high and low here too and still couldn't find it.

So I printed off another one but had to move my appointment out so there'd be time for the lab to do the work first.

Thank goodness we have a nurse here who can take blood and send off to the lab (only 20 minutes out of my day).

My gynae is one of those who takes blood to check hormone levels at any routine check-up. It's good... but he wants two appts, one to do Pap and take bloods, and another for the results of either.

I got smart this year and told him I'd get my bloods done and will have one appt where he can do the Pap, check b**bs and give me results.

One consult fee :)

Have you been to the gynae yet this year? I have a friend who has it around the time of her birthday every year so she doesn't forget.


***********************************

I won this on Monika Wright's blog.


I am BEYOND thrilled first, because I never win anything and second, because I only ever enter things that I really, really want (in the last two - three months, I've entered a stationery giveaway (Macaroon) and this one and one more on Allison's Little Lovelies site).

I found Monika's blog about 3 months ago when I first started getting obsessed/ passionate about notebooks/ mini albums, etc.

I love her stuff - if you like this sort of thing, go have a look. I used to not like scrapbooking-type stuff as everything felt too fussy for someone like me. Her style is not at all fussy but still gorgeous.

BTW, pure coincidence, on Thursday I'll be working on a little project with some free downloads from Monika's site.

Love the serendipity!

Are you ready for Thursday? Photos/ craft/ scrapbooking/ whatever?

Balance, bonuses and my boy

taken from the office

can you see the white patches of sleet on the grass?

Four brave souls endured the cold (it is FREEZING here today - we even had some snow!) to come listen to me talk tonight.

My talk was on balance.

Here's my definition:

It's about spending the right (not equal) amount of time in the areas of your life that you've prioritised as important.

We had a fab time with some great insights and mindset changes.

They told me I have to talk about people-pleasing and how to say no next time :)

***************************

Today our boss was back so he could hand out our bonus letters.

I try to have no expectations of these things and therefore I'm never disappointed.

I see it as all free money because all that's in the contract is my monthly salary.

All that to say... it is MUCH better than I expected.

Wooohoooo!

Will definitely have to do something exciting and book a holiday.

***************************

My boy is worse today.

He's been snotty since Thursday evening and seemed to get better.

I have a gripe with V in that she doesn't tell us if the kids are sick/ getting sick during the day.

I walked in at 5:25 to find him SCREAMING and he'd been doing this on and off the whole day when he wasn't sleeping.

We all know that's not Connor so why did I not get an SMS or phone call?

When I get home, it's too late to get him to a doctor so now all of us have to endure another night of broken sleep with a screaming toddler.

At 8 am sharp I'll be phoning for an appt and taking the boy to the doctor.

Poor little sausage. Crying with snot streaming down his face.

My tricks of giving him a "sweet" weren't even working so I had to wrestle a Panado into his mouth.

***************************

Back to the cold...

Someone told me today that this sudden, extreme cold (12 degrees today, 14 degrees tomorrow) means there'll be one last cold spell and then ... spring. And I'll be dressing my kids in shorts on 1 Sept.

We'll see about that!

I'm well enough not to need to stay home but I don't feel 100% there yet.

How was your Monday?

P.S. I have some more to talk about with the nanny situation but that'll have to be for another post. My (warm) bed is calling.

Square peg in a round hole

Do you also do this?

Read a comment somewhere, find it interesting, click, click, click and before you know it, you're trawling the person's archives?

That's how I found this fantastic post about how Joburg stole her work-life balance.

This is exactly how I feel about the consumerism in Joburg.

I feel like a fish out of water sometimes because I don't buy into buying the biggest and best cars (I also am a bit "green"), buying new houses just because, wearing the latest clothes,having the latest accessories, etc, etc.

And it seems everyone else is!

Tamara also wrote this in her post:

In fact, if you're not busy in Joburg, people might think there's something wrong with you. Busyness and stress are worn as badges of honour here.

Again, absolutely true.

I don't like busy and I LOVE work-life balance. When I say things to this effect in meetings or casual conversations, people look at me like I'm crazy.

What? You mean you PURPOSELY design your life and weekends?

Oh yes I do!

I love simplicity and

I wonder sometimes if it's because I'm originally from the coast?

Or maybe I'm just different from the majority of people?

My new website is going to reflect the new me. Actually it's not a new me, it's just bringing that part of me to the fore.

Yes, it will annoy people and they will unsubscribe but at least the right people will know immediately that I am for them and they are for me.

Anyway....

Is there any place in your life (not just literally) where you feel like a square peg in a round hole?

Share :)