The cover of the past June 2015 PowerNetworking Conference
If you want to network with important people you have to know where they are and get yourself there…Since its beginning, I have attended the FraserNet PowerNetworking Conference. At these conferences I not only power network, I connect, do business with, learn from, collaborate, speak, mentor, celebrate, laugh and create bonds of family friendship. I am proud to serve as Dr. George C. Fraser’s Conference Director of Training and Education. Yes, I work also.
An amazing man and friend, Dr. George C. Fraser is Chairman and CEO of FraserNet, Inc., a company he founded 25 years ago with the vision to lead a global networking movement that would “bring together diverse human resources to increase opportunities” and to be a voice and advocate for people of African descent. He is one of the foremost authorities on economic development, networking and building effective relationships.
His vision has made real a conference that has become bigger than many could imagine, drawing people from around the world, brilliant thought leaders who are faculty, guests, volunteers, youth and sponsors. This is an up close and personal conference that has earned recognition as one of Forbes “Top 5 Can’t Miss Conferences For Entrepreneurs”. We “Learn, Earn and Return” to our communities with over 70 hours of training and instruction by and for Black and African American people.
Highlights for me, in addition to keynotes by Dr. Fraser, included educational leader and minister Dr. Emma Fraser-Pendleton kicking off the conference with a context-setting “invest in yourself” message; economist Dr. Pamela Jolly presenting her patent-pending model for wealth legacy building; buoyant and energizing Sekou Andrews; conference MC Dr. Stacie NC Grant; Shirley Johnson of the LiSA Initiative for financial literacy for women; Nana Dr. Kwa David Whitaker who reminded us this was group therapy in his uniquely wise way; Dr. Randall Pinkett, Coach Carter, Bernie Dohmann (CEO Space), Linda Clemons, Veronica Conway and Les Brown.
I was moved to action by the presentation made by Willie Barney “Rebuilding the Village: A Movement to Transform Omaha; Lessons from The Empowerment Network.” He and his team is literally transforming a city. They decreased crime, decreased youth drop out, increased jobs and quality housing…so many accomplishments that other cities need to learn from these men and women.
I delivered a dynamic, fun, deep, inspirational and informative workshop based on my 15+ years of work. “TheSecret Hundreds of Thousands of People Have Used to Transform Their Lives” had a packed room of attendees who experientially got how their communication could immediately shift their attitude and results from the negative to the positive. I also co-led, Dr. Robert Scott’s “Standing Out: 5 Positive Habits to 360 Your Life” that introduced a masterfully crafted series of assessments and tools with sales, relationship and other applications.
International Community Services Awards were presented to Rev. Earl Erasmus, The Dream Center Urban Consultation Capetown, South Africa, Chief Nana Kodwo Eduakwa V, Elmina, Ghana and Linus Okorie, Founder of GOTNI, Lagos, Nigeria.
Suzan Hart (Isagenix) and Dr. Fraser kicked off the new health and wellness initiative with a healthy weight loss program with prizes up to $25,000.There was also a spirited multi-generational Technology Town Hall meeting. Look out for engineers, business owners and STEM consultant Abby Adesina. The conference ended with Rev. Dr. Freddie Haynes who delivered a sermon that was “off the charts”. Last was the closing party.
LInda Clemons and Dr. George C. Fraser presenting Dr. Joel P. Martin with the Phenomenal Woman Award
At this year’s event, I was honored to receive the Phenomenal Woman Award with other honorees Dr. Emma Fraser-Pendleton, Debra Peek Haynes and Dr. Pam Dessaso.
PNC started in Cleveland, then moved to Atlanta and then Dallas. Starting next year, we move to the nation’s capital and the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Prince George’s County, MD. Dr. Fraser and the FraserNet team are already deeply involved in the planning of what promises to be a most extraordinary event next May 26 to 28, 2016. Registrations are on sale now and we expect to have the conference sold out shortly.
If you would like to register as a member of my Positively Powerful Inner-Circle receiving significant benefits for the 2016 PowerNetworking Conference, contact me immediately if not sooner.
How do women in business find success? Collaboration may be the answer.
The bipartisan Senate Women Power Workshop, co-hosted by Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D) and Sen. Susan Collins (R).
Regardless of when it is or what generation, women get together to get things done that matter. While there have been more recent disconnects, as Senator Liz A. Mundy detailed, “female senators have stood together since the ’90s when a tradition of periodic women-only dinners began.”
Collaboration, leadership, and inclusion are not mutually exclusive.Fortune’s Stephanie N. Mehta’s article about the Most Powerful Women Summit says for the CEOs at this Fortune’s Summit, inclusion and leadership can coexist. I suggest that they must. Women increase their success when they collaborate when they work with another woman to get something accomplished.
When you meet a woman who is intimidatingly witty, stylish, beautiful, and professionally accomplished, befriend her.(Source) Surrounding yourself with the best people doesn’t make you look worse by comparison. It makes you better. This tip and testimony is from Ann Friedman, who wrote about her “Shine Theory” in Why Powerful Women Make the Greatest Friends. Women don’t need to compete, they need to collaborate.
Be a woman’s champion and a vocal cheerleader. Let her know you are there for her. In the “Flawless” remix Nicki Minaj “Queen of Rap” and Beyonce “Queen Bey” reigned side by side. Reality televisionists would say that two powerful, glorious women standing together might signal a TV catfight when instead, it tells us they are belting it out together with their flawless parts. From the article, 2014: The Year That All-Female Collaborations Ruled the Radio: “Beyoncé reportedly tapped the Queens-bred rapper to write a verse shortly before kicking off her recent tour, then, when it came time to record, visited a studio in New York to serve as Minaj’s ringside trainer (Nicki recalls Bey’s advice: “Do your thing! Don’t hold back! Go in!”). This brought out the best in Minaj (Source).“[Tweet “Women don’t need to compete, they need to collaborate.”]
Learn from her: Queen Bey’s “Flawless” also includes Nigerian novelist and short story writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. View her entire TEDx presentation on Everybody Should Be A Feminist Below.
Excerpt: “We raise girls to see each other as competitors Not for jobs or for accomplishments
Which I think can be a good thing But for the attention of men We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings In the way that boys are Feminist: the person who believes in the social Political, and economic equality of the sexes.”
The 1-day Positively Powerful Conference & Woman Awards theme for 2015 is COLLABORATION. The public is invited to attend. June 5th, 8:30 AM to 6 PM, Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix. Learn more by clicking here.
Women increase their success when they collaborate, when they work with another woman to get something accomplished.
At the heart of any relationship, business or personal, is our ability to communicate. Our best communicative platform has always been in the form of live conversations. Fewer and fewer conversations take place these days in part because of the expediency and efficiency of things like email, texting and other forms of social media. “It’s just easier and quicker.” We are being engaged in sound bites. These online forms of communicating are akin to fast food, they keep you moving, fill an immediate hunger but are not always effective if what you really want is nourishment and fulfillment.
Staying with the food analogy, a good meal is memorable and complex in that there is more to the taste than what can be seen on the plate. Good food is to be savored and so should a good conversation, they both have the ability to transform our thinking, our careers and our lives.
Ingredients of a good conversation:
thoughtfulness
listening
silence
nuance
diversity
ideas
challenges
mutual respect
learning
freedom
an open mind
fullness/completion
authenticity
harmony between the words, the body language and the tone of voice.
Conversations add to our understanding and appreciation of what it takes to be able to make good decisions and build better relationships. For high performing teams, knowing how to have a conversation, a form of “committed communication”, that includes the above characteristics is one of the core ingredients behind what makes their team successful.
A good conversation, like a good meal, can be complex when there is more to the taste than what can be seen on the plate.
