Why Continue to Develop?
Lisha Coffey, Alliant Energy

We all are seeing it, feeling it and dealing with it – that “it” is the downturn in the economy. When profit margins get tighter and every budget dollar is scrutinized even more than before, one of the easiest ways for many companies to make up ground is to cut the proverbial training bucket of dollars.

And when that company mandate happens, how do we as employees often react? Arguably we hunker down, get the day-in-day-out work done. Do we continue to work towards individual development, not likely. We mean to, we want to, but without the structured seminars and direction from our direct supervisors it is easy to lose sight of our long-term development, much less those that work for us.

One might assume that letting the development side of things slide for a bit is okay. We all are doing more with less, right? That might be true but I would challenge all of us that it is in this rocky climate that we need to develop more, not less. In times of upheaval, in times of uncertainty, in times where security does not mean what it once did our leadership skills, our business acumen and our communication skills are put to the ultimate test. And taking your team through the hardest of times and coming out better than you started is only possible if you continue to develop yourself and others.

Odds are since you are reading this article you believe you own your development – so what no-cost, low-cost tools are at your disposal? Well, they are plentiful and none of them are really new:

• Webinars
• Local college classes
• Networking
• Mentoring – internal to your company and external
• Read, read, read – books, magazines, articles, newspapers

While the tools may not be new, maybe how you utilize them and make them a part of your regimen is new. Identify what your top three items/tools you will be using for your development; identify how you will incorporate them into your daily, weekly, monthly routine. Can you take what you learn and share with your employees to help them grow? Or maybe it is as simple as adding a book discussion to your monthly manager’s meeting. And if you don’t have direct reports, you could still get a group together and have lunch reviews every two weeks to talk about the book, the article or the webinar you all read or participated in.

For what it is worth, my top three items for personal development are reading newspapers – specifically The Wall Street Journal and New York Times, reading Harvard Business Reviews and Soundview Executive Book Summaries and finally the Energetic Women’s links. I then take pertinent items and share with others. It creates great fodder for staff meetings and allows us to see outside our “four walls” to how others are tackling the same issues we face.

In short, do not ever forget that your team looks to you to be responsible for understanding the situation, interpreting it, advocating for it, and presenting it so you and your group can respond in a way that enables sustainable success. Education and training is the key to meeting their expectations. And ultimately that development is in your hands.

FREE Pre-Conference Webinar with Sage Presence

Friday, May 29th at 11 AM Central
As a perfect opportunity to continue your development in a low cost manner, Energetic Women is happy to be one of the few, if not the only provider of FREE Webinars! Take advantage of this Pre-Conference session, especially if you’re not attending! Sage Presence will lead us through an interactive presentation that positions everyone in the room to lead conversations that produce value. Learn how to approach the networking challenge to turn around any anxiety you might feel and make the most of your time investment.

This is a pre-Conference Session but all are welcome! This would be a great occasion to gather your peers and learn together in your office or conference room. If you are attending the 2nd Annual Energetic Women's Conference, we'll host a quick re-cap of this webinar in AZ and then you will be set free to practice your new interactive networking skills at the Poolside Reception! Sign-up and continue your development!

Promote! Support! Connect! Recognize! Not Just A Tag Line, It's Real!

As we approach our 2nd Annual Energetic Women Conference next month, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the individuals and organizations that are involved, and recognize the value of their participation in this group. As you read, please give a hearty cheer (quietly or out loud!) to the people and groups that ARE Energetic Women.

The Leadership Team!

Top Row: Juli Wagner, Madison Gas & Electric; Kris Nichols, Nicor, Inc.; Patty Shea, Avista Utilities; Cindy Norlin, DTE Energy, Mary Palkovich, CenterPoint Energy. Bottom Row: Stephanie Menning, MEA; Mary O’Toole, KO Solutions; Amy Dlugokecki, Duke Energy and Heidi Swanson, National Grid. (Not pictured Lisha Coffey, Alliant Energy).

A true example of Energetic Women, these ladies have worked tirelessly to ensure a fantastic experience with each connection. Whether you participate in the web forums, the free webinars, the network teams or the conference, our goal is to meet your needs! Thanks Team!

The Participating Organizations!

We continue to grow as a viable resource for companies and are focused on adding value to our organizations. We’d like to recognize these organizations for their support of our mission through their participation.

The Sponsors!

Sponsors are the financial catalyst behind any successful conference or group. We are honored that these organizations find value in sharing our vision and providing financial backing. Thank you!! (Click on the names below to link to their websites!)

PREMIER Sponsors: Michels Corp, INTREN
Education Sponsors: Duke Energy, South Jersey Industries, Bismarck State College, Alliant Energy, National Grid, CenterPoint Energy, Quality Contracting
Reception Sponsors: KS Energy Services, InterCon Construction, SET Environmental, Groebner & Associates, Border States, SENSIT Technologies, Integrys
Industry Sponsors: AGA, CEWD, SGA, APGA, Penn Energy Jobs, WCEE, Underground Focus

Energetic Women and Social Responsibility
We specifically chose the FireSky Resort by Kimpton as they support Dress for Success, a non-profit organization that helps low income women entering the job market, Trust for Public Land to ensure every child enjoys access to a park or playground, Red Ribbon Campaign supporting the fight against HIV/AIDS and Kimpton Earthcare as they use eco-friendly products and services.