Edition No 126. Can you see the future? These women can.

DEAR WOMEN WHO DO,

This week we bring you retail executive Kimberly Lee Minor who discusses the retail landscape, inclusivity, and leadership, an excerpt from former-lawyer Karena Kilcoyne's book about how to rise about your emotional state, and then finally advice from futurist Regan Robinson on how to prepare for and respond to the changing world. The future is going to be wild, and strong leadership is the only way through. It's on us to become those strong leaders. These tips should help.

WIE SUITE WOMAN 

Kimberly Lee Minor on Fostering Inclusivity and Leadership 

Kimberly Lee Minor is an esteemed leader in the retail industry. Kimberly previously served as President and Chief Commercial Officer at Bandier, Brand President of London Fog, Joe Boxer, and held leadership positions with iconic brands such as Express, Footlocker, David's Bridal, and BBW.

There's still a significant gap in understanding what true inclusivity means and why it benefits an organization. Some leaders view inclusivity as a box-checking exercise rather than a strategic advantage that can drive innovation, employee satisfaction, and customer loyalty. Without a deep understanding of the nuances of inclusivity—beyond just diversity in hiring—leaders may not fully commit to or invest in the necessary strategies to foster a truly inclusive environment.  

Read more.

MOVE THE NEEDLE

Karena Kilcoyne on How to Rise Above

Karena Kilcoyne is a former trial lawyer who specialized in criminal defense, including complex white-collar and civil litigation in federal and state courts.

I want to share an effective and easy exercise I use several times a day. I call it “I see you,” which is a phrase I use when talking to my husband, friends, and dogs. It’s how I convey that I see who they are, what they want, and how they feel. It’s how I let them know that I value who they are to me. I’ve taken this powerful concept and applied it to my emotions. Let’s give it a try.

When you feel an emotional storm brewing, when your anger, fear, rage, or disappointment is churned up, stop everything you’re doing. Go somewhere quiet, close your eyes, and breathe deeply. Wait for those fiery emotions to get right up to the top of your being. Visualize them scurrying around frantically.

Then, in the most loving way you can, say, “I see you.” And then wait. Breathe deeply a few times and check back in with your emotions.

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MASTERCLASS MOMENTS

Regan Robinson on the Future

Regan is the Chief Futurist and Executive-in-Residence at Happy Ventures. 

One aspect of the work that I do with leaders and teams is helping them recognize unconscious biases and unhelpful assumptions so that they can start to shift their mindsets, address their emotions and get unstuck. There are nearly 200 cognitive biases that affect our thinking and decision making. That sheer amount alone should teach us some humility. There are also many psychological blockages to future-oriented thinking and planning. For example, something you're probably all familiar with the tyranny of the urgent. This is the tendency to prioritize responding to today's pressure causing you to lose out on the opportunity to develop transformational strategies that keep you ahead of the curve of change.

Or one of my personal favorites: busyness is the new stupid. Being crazy busy enhances our perceived status and self-worth worth. Busyness is all also an anesthetic, there actually is a great existential comfort and feeling like alright, I know what to do. But here's the problem. Being 100% flat out on execution, and decisions made in the past does not bode well for the future.

Read more.

MUST READ NEWS

OUR WEEKEND READING LIST.

‘Woke’ Gen Z men are actually more likely than baby boomers to believe feminism does more harm than good, research says (Fortune)

These ‘toys’ are killing our kids (The Hill)

Great wealth transfer is underway in US — to women (FOX)

COMMUNITY NEWS

MEMBER NEWS

• Kyle Hawley, Founder, and Creative Director of Letterpress PLAY, will have her art featured at Austin's Zilker Brewing through the end of February.
• Halsey Anderson, vice president of marketing at J.Crew, announced a new augmented vision tool.

EVENTS

• February 29 - In this masterclass, Melissa Blum will help you craft a thought leadership strategy using digital platforms. From social media to personal blogs to podcasting, you’ll be guided through the intricacies of navigating the digital landscape to create an impactful strategy. Starting with your ‘greater why,’ understanding your true target audience, and implementing best practices, you’ll be on the path to leveraging digital platforms to achieve your business goals. RSVP Here.

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