Book

Don’t let the title fool you, as this book is not only for women, and it’s not just for leaders! If you don’t find valuable information to help you organize the rest of your life, then you’re not paying attention.

Mark Villareal and Crystal Ann Suniga walk you through a process that will be life-changing. The story is related through the lens of a mentorship program. The narrator begins by introducing us to Ann, an “aspiring female leader” working in an administrative position.

Ann is guided through a process that is sometimes painful, but more often, insightful. She is asked to write a personal mission statement, something every one of us should be doing already. Just as our businesses have mission statements that guide our actions, so should we, as individuals.

The process continues with an exercise to create principle statements, which differ from a mission as defined by the authors, as turning your values into action proclamations. Each step in the narration includes Ann’s thought progression as she struggles to determine what is important to her.

For Ann, which is typical for many women, a greater focus on her career caused challenges at home as her husband and son expressed their feelings of being abandoned as she spends more time and effort on her leadership goals. The book even offers advice on addressing this marital discord through difficult conversations from Ann’s mentors who have experienced these challenges.

Throughout the book, you will find worksheets, spreadsheets, and evaluation forms for the reader to complete alongside Ann as she struggles through these thought-provoking deliberations. She honestly reviews her leadership traits and establishes a plan to address areas needing improvement.

You could spend thousands of dollars on hiring a leadership coach, or you can pick up A Script for Aspiring Women Leaders: 5 Keys to Success. This book provides a detailed road map for you to follow as you start your journey to achieve greater success in both your personal and professional life. Regardless of where you are in your career, you will find a renewed focus in defining yourself and your goals.

Forward written by Ellen Voie, CAE, PDC
Founder, Women In Trucking Association, Inc.
www.womenintrucking.org

Women In Trucking Association’s mission is to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments, and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry.

I found myself standing in front of a stage linking arms with ONE MILLION change-makers. Behind the mic, the dynamic Grammy Award winning recording artist, Alicia Keys. Her words to us, a call to leadership…

Fire in our belly. Feet on the ground.

That was 2017. The first year of the WOMEN’S MARCH in Washington DC. She was inspiring each of us to action … individually expressed, collectively creators of change.

What I’ve come to know to be true is that ‘feet on the ground’ looks different for everyone and carries many unique expressions.  What’s important is that we answer our call to lead, authentically and unapologetically. 

It’s a time for noticing the world around you. Studying the shifts required.
It’s a time for putting your genius into action and
making choices that speak to providing new ideas and answers.

Driving Innovation. Implementing influential ideas. Trailblazing change.
Collaboration driven. Value focused. Creativity fueled.

These are the trademarks of the new wave of a woman leader. 

We need not look too far to recognize there’s a substantial shift underway and it’s the woman who develops a strong and dynamic platform of success leadership who will lead the way. She knows who she is and where she is going. And, at the core of this clarity is the empowered capacities to elevate the workplace, motivate transformation, and generate impact.

When it comes to your career or growing your business,
authenticity is key. Be direct and very clear about
what success looks like for you.

By mastering the foundations provided within the pages of this book, you’ll find a roadmap to define a strong identity and determine how you will create your personal and professional future — elevating the definition of your role and your expertise – encapsulating your strengths – all essential to enhancing your individual authentic style of success leadership.

“There comes a time when a woman can no longer deny her call to lead.
A time when her voice vibrant. The truth of her value realized.
She knows the undeniable power of putting her creativity into action.
She knows that she is standing at the threshold of
living purpose-powered, mission-driven success.
That time is now!”

As we link arms together and rise in our creative contributions, I’m fully committed be right there next to you – knowing that your time has come, our time has come. Together, as a nation of amazing women, we will lift one another into an inspired new future.

TOGETHER WE LEAD!

Forward written by Marsh Engle
Founder, Amazing Woman Nation
www.theamazingwomannation.com/

About Marsh Engle

Marsh Engle is an acclaimed visionary pioneer and a leading authority in the field of women’s success bridging both the internal and external aspects of female power and contribution. A multi-published author of the bestselling AMAZING WOMAN book series and award-winning entrepreneur, her work and multi-decade research promotes practices to set free higher success – in career, in business, and in life. In 2016 Marsh served as an elected delegate to THE UNITED STATE OF WOMEN, an acclaimed leadership program sanctioned by THE WHITE HOUSE and led by First Lady Michelle Obama. She has shared the stage with bestselling authors including don Miguel Ruiz and Marianne Williamson; and the acclaimed journalists Maria Shriver.  Marsh is the founder of AMAZING WOMAN NATION, an organization powered by MARSH ENGLE MEDIA, a diversified media company devoted to enhancing the lives of women by designing lifestyle content, training programs and products positioned to impact millions. For more information about Marsh Engle and her work, visit: www.AmazingWomanNation.com and www.MarshEngle.com.

Women’s underrepresentation in leadership positions is no secret, and the research confirms that reality in many companies. Since women have historically faced barriers when they aspire to lead, the leadership culture, the type of leader and the aspirant’s ambition must converge for her career advancement to prioritized. The leader’s disposition, knowledge of their organization culture, and a personal operational philosophy of serving those who they lead are key factors. The leader must also be willing to use their power to support and sponsor the high-potential female candidate’s growth and development. These are the characteristics of a Servant Leader. Servant leaders must also show foresight, which is an orientation to the future that they respond to by taking action to resolve organizational problems -while they can. There are three questions in the book Servant Leadership, that Greenleaf uses as a measure for recognizing servant leaders: Do those served grow as persons? Do they while being served become healthier, wiser, freer more autonomous, and more likely themselves to become servants? And what is the effect on the least privileged in society? Readers have opportunity to find the answers to each of these questions in the chapters of this book.

Leadership development of high-potential women candidates can take on several forms and one of these is mentoring. Given that about 95% of leaders at the executive level are male, A Script for Aspiring Women Leaders: Five Keys to Success illustrates a rare and excellent example of cross-gender mentoring in leadership development. The level of the executive leader in the organization is critical throughout the process because of the knowledge of the organization culture and the power of their sponsorship to communicate a message that influences organization-wide perception of the aspiring leader thus facilitating alignment between aspirant and organizational goals. This works best in formal mentor-protégé pairings but has value for informal mentoring relationships as well. The authors make the connection and application between women’s natural leadership skills honed and refined through motherhood to contextualize concepts. Since leadership is not value neutral, ‘inside out leading’ or leading based on the leader’s values and principles supports authenticity from the start. The leader-mentor serves as manager of the evolutionary process, guiding the aspirant ‘protégé through development of their personal mission, vision, and goals and the intersection with organizational goals and the needed alignment for success. The process management role shifts to co-management with the protégé who ultimately becomes responsible for the process.

The book is useful in companies or can be adapted to coaching experiences for developing high-potential female talent. Methods that shape the ‘protégé’s leader identity development include the development of self-awareness with assessments that engage the input from those who work with the ‘protégé, using targeted development questions, providing a rationale for responses and facilitating the thought-process through to ownership and action. Identifying and participating in support groups is vital in that they build her leadership capital, extending beyond the strong ties of family to expanded networks that accelerate and sustain ongoing development even in difficult times. Not all mentoring relationships are successful for a variety of reasons, as you might imagine. But the self-actualized outcomes can translate into internal and external opportunities. This book simultaneously integrates retrospective and futuristic approaches of the mentoring experience serving as a Coach’s Blueprint for leadership development, complete with a step by step guide and process scripts for developing and empowering aspiring leaders.

Sources:
Greenleaf, R.K. Servant Leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness.

Dr. Carmela Nanton, CEO of Carmel Connections Inc., is a leadership strategist, executive coach, consultant, award-winning author, and educator. Diversity equity and inclusion, women’s leadership. carmelconnections.com, carmelconnect@gmail.com, @DrCarmelaNanton LI-FB/DrCarmelaNanton

Announcing the upcoming release of A Script For Aspiring Women Leaders: 5 Keys To Success with my appearance being interviewed by Jack Canfield, New York Times multi #1 Bestselling Author (Chicken Soup For The Soul, The Success Principles) on his weekly Hollywood Live TV Show, to be broadcast on ABC. The book is set for release the first week of October. Jack Canfield recommended the book to his TV audience and we thank him for that endorsement. My Co-Author Crystal Ann Suniga ensured the book is from an aspiring women’s perspective. Women have unique gifts and traits that align them with strong leadership skills. The book also comes with a 50-page downloadable workbook to ensure the readers success. Crystal and I thank all those who endorsed the project and support this exciting and important project.

It comes as no surprise to anyone that there is a disparity between the number of men and women in leadership positions and that great efforts must be undertaken by both men and women to create balance and equal representation in both business and government.

The effort to be taken by women is the process of embracing our gifts and skills as leaders and expanding our roles to the boardrooms and beyond.

The effort to be taken by men is a process of allowing and agreement that increasing the number of women in leadership positions creates benefits for the good of all.

One of the challenges I faced in growing into the leader I am today, and a major impetus to the creation of my company, Women’s Prosperity Network, was the absence of female role models. My mother, a stellar executive assistant, was my role model for my career path. She instilled a strong work ethic and desire to grow and often reminded me of the importance of learning shorthand and being able to type. “As long as you can type, you’ll always be able to get a job.” While the message was important (and true … I am a fast typist!), it also carried a subliminal message of what I “could” be.

What if the reminders and lessons from my mother were focused on the steps that Mark & Crystal guide us through in this book? How much faster would my rise in leadership and ‘coming into my own’ have been? How many more women would I have been able to be a role model and mentor for had I embarked on my leadership journey earlier?

I honor my mother and all that she instilled in me. Let’s face it, she didn’t have women leaders as role models either! Fortunately, in my late 30’s I was introduced to mentors and coaches that encouraged me to dream big and who also gave me step-by-step instructions.

The knowledge you hold in your hands is a roadmap to your rise in leadership. You already have the gifts, you already have the desire, the next step is up to you. With this roadmap you get to chart your own course and pave the way for other women. Thank you for answering the call to rise in leadership. We need you!

“The world will be saved by the western woman.”
~ Dalai Lama

Nancy Matthews
International Speaker, Best-Selling Author
Business Consultant & Master Coach
Co-Founder, Women’s Prosperity Network