A new book from Apollo Research Institute, Women Lead: Career Perspectives from Workplace Leaders, provides an in-depth examination of women’s role in today’s workplace. Drawing on interviews with nearly 200 women leaders and survey responses from over 3,000 male and female managers, Women Lead explores 21st-century career trends and provides practical advice to help women excel in the new world of work.

    The book also details the roles women will play in the diverse, technology-driven workplace to come.  Readers will learn:

    • Which skills and attributes will help women leaders stay competitive over longer working lives.

    • How leadership styles differ by gender and generation.

    • Steps women can take to become more effective risk takers and problem solvers.

    Readers will also find real-world stories about leadership, education, and career planning, and learn how women can use negotiation, networking, and other collaborative practices to lead their organizations into the future.

    Learn more at www.apolloresearchinstitute.org

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        Today is Wednesday, January 23, 2013. Are you still part of the 8%, the 8% of people who keep their New Year’s resolutions? I’ll admit, I am not doing so well.

        My resolution is to use my calendar more strategically in 2013. I am notorious for saying, yes before I consult my calendar. In an effort to make it stick this year, I wrote my goal down, determined WIFM, set 3, 6, 9, and 12 month goals, listed the critical success factors that will make it happen and the consequences of not following through. To learn more about this tool, click here to read our January newsletter article, “Four Secrets to Guarantee Your 2013 Goals Stick!”

        Another method I have used is to verbalize my goal to the people around me. I can always count on them to say, Toni, did you check your calendar!

        This is just one more way that Success Trek makes what feels difficult simple for you in the workplace!

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            The Holiday song, Do You Hear What I Hear brings to mind communications in the workplace.

            We face many opportunities when communicating in the workplace; the diversity of our workforce, different verbal and writing styles as well a multitude of tools we can use to send and receive messages. Add distance and location between and among co-workers and it increases the chances of miscommunication.

            Don’t be dismayed. There are steps you can take to use today’s communication tools effectively.

            Click on the link to read our latest newsletter about this topic or to find out more about how we can help you and your organization.  Go to our website at www.success-trek.com

            This is just one more way that Success Trek makes what feels difficult simple for you in the workplace!

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                Theresa is a featured contributor in the Fall 2012 Edition of the LNI Follow the Leaders epublication . Her article titled Minding the Gap can be read in full by clicking the link: http://www.success-trek.com/newsroom.

                Hi there, Theresa Valade here, CEO of Success Trek. Today I am talking about minding the gap. I wanted to share with you some information that to me is really important to any community. It is something that I have become more and more passionate about as I learn about the needs of our local nonprofit communities.

                Imagine the challenges among leaders in our local communities when they are aware that just in our three counties alone that there are over 3,500 registered tax exempt nonprofit organizations. To me this is absolutely staggering to think that we have this many local organizations that need our financial support. As I think about our counties here in Northwest Indiana primarily just outside of Chicago, Illinois I have personally been working with many of our local nonprofits and have seen firsthand about the challenges they face. On top of that it really can be overwhelming and taxing for a lot of our regional funding agencies such as our United Way and our community foundations and they are challenged to assess the uniqueness of each of the organizations needs and yet figure out a way to allocate limited dollars to these organizations.

                So as I think about what I’ve been able to do and how to help and assist, I’ve really done that through what the nonprofit world calls capacity building services. It’s another word for organizational development. That is what Success Trek truly provides to and for nonprofit organizations. I have learned to figure out how to transfer and leverage my skills to those nonprofit agencies who truly need some additional assistance to strengthen the capacity of their current infrastructure and their organization.

                So, how can you help? You know as leaders we don’t stand still. If you’re interested in helping align yourself to what can be accomplished in helping our local nonprofits you can easily reach out to your community foundations, or your United Ways and figure out a way you can volunteer or participate in a Board, or figure out how to raise dollars to help support the infrastructure.

                The way I do it is through the capacity building process. If you want to learn more you can certainly touch base with me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . I am available and willing to have conversations with individuals who are interested in learning how to support your local nonprofit organizations.

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                    Hi! Toni Biancardi Operations Coordinator with Success Trek here with you today to share the last of our 3 part series of the myths and facts about performance evaluations.

                    We already know that some of you may feel a bit anxious about getting performance evaluations completed on time and meeting with the employee. And that some of you may have bought into the myth that straight and to the point communication damages the working relationship with direct reports. It’s time to let go of that belief. I know and persons in leadership positions agree that straight and to the point communication is the best approach during performance evaluations. It’s really “what you say and how you say it” that either gets an employee hunting for a new job or keeps an employee pumped up with confidence to create a winning team.

                    Click on the link to read our latest newsletter about this topic or to find out more about how we can help you and your organization.  Go to our website at www.success-trek.com

                    This is just one more way that Success Trek makes what feels difficult simple for you in the workplace!

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                        Hi there, Theresa Valade, CEO of Success Trek here with you today to share more information about the myths and facts about performance evaluations.

                        This month’s newsletter talks about the metrics of performance evaluations.  It describes how the 2011 Globeforce, employee recognition experts, reported 52% of US employees do not think annual performance reviews are an accurate appraisal for their workday.

                        It’s no secret that managers do not get the necessary training to complete employee performance evaluations. Without the tools and training, unhappy employees start looking for a job. They can even make future recruiting difficult and turn potential customers away in your workplace.

                        Click on the link to read our latest newsletter OR to find out more about how we can help you and your organization.  Go to our website at www.success-trek.com

                        Improving your employee retention through a newly created or revived performance review process  -  that’s just one more way that Success Trek makes what feels difficult simple!

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                            Hi there, Theresa Valade, CEO of Success Trek here with you today to share information about the myths and facts about performance evaluations.

                            Whether employee performance evaluations are due once or twice a year, one thing for sure, bosses almost universally hate them, and complete them only because they are required to. And many bosses have little or no training and typically evaluations are filled out  incorrectly, with the employee being the victim of the process. Back in my managerial / leadership days, it truly was a struggle to make the time to document what is important for an employee to learn about their performance

                            Click on the link (link back to the newsletter) to read our latest newsletter about this topic or to find out more about how we can help you and your organization.  Go to our website at www.success-trek.com

                            Helping employees and managers look forward to the annual reviews – that’s just one more way that Success Trek makes what feels difficult simple!

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