Make your life easier with a delegation strategy http://diversitywoman.com/2010/04/21/the-art-of-graceful-delegation/
Investing doesn't have to be an unsolvable mystery — learn more today http://diversitywoman.com/debunking-investment-myths/
Headed to the Windy City? We've got tips on where to go http://diversitywoman.com/2010/01/17/time-out-chicago/
With 38 nieces and nephews, many of whom are multiracial, Kim Wayans, actress, comedienne, writer, and producer, decided it was high time for children’s literature to reflect multicultural young people in a positive light. She and her husband, Kevin Knotts, have coauthored a series of children’s books called “Amy Hodgepodge,” about a young multiracial girl and her diverse group of friends.
Years ago, Susan Ballard waited backstage to speak at a McDonald’s Woman Owner Network conference featuring the company’s top executives. The tone of the conference reflected the tone of many of the conferences she had attended: the McDonald’s system is strong, and business is good.
When Meredith Moore started her new job in 2006, “there was a lot of excitement from family and friends,” she says—which was new. After all, her previous jobs had been in finance. “In finance, when you try to explain what you do, people just say ‘whatever’—they don’t understand it.”
But when she became a communications manager at McDonald’s, suddenly the first 30 minutes of any family visit was all about Mickey D’s. “They would ask me stuff like, ‘Why does Filet o’ Fish have a half slice of cheese?’ Or, they’d request Happy Meal toys, or—the best—‘Why don’t you put your cousin in a commercial?’”
Maya Angelou, featured in a recent issue of Diversity Woman, is a gifted speaker. I have had the opportunity to hear her speak and am always amazed at how her words and reflections can make people feel good about themselves, their lives, and their futures.
Words have meaning and power. Many of us realize that our ability to use words, conversations, and dialogues offers a way to educate and connect. Yet, we can be challenged by differences, our emotions, and our “lenses and legacies,” and sometimes are not as skilled in our communication as we would like to be.
Dr. Maya Angelou lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in a sunny yellow house that is as colorful on the inside as it is on the outside, much like the woman herself. Paintings and flowers and more than 5,000 books fill her home—and her mind, too. When presented with flowers upon our arrival, she immediately recognizes and names the variety, an obscure blossom native to South Africa. Her expansive intellect has room for a lot more than botany. When she quotes Shakespeare, she doesn’t just recite a line or two; she recites half the sonnet. Her journey thus far has covered more than eight decades, but the years have obviously taken nothing away from her intellect or her passion.
Whether you’re operating at home or abroad, if you’re dining out with clients, bosses, or prospective employers, there’s a whole world of rules associated with the “business meal” that you need to learn. Gracing your way through dining protocol tells colleagues that you’re professional, reliable, and savvy—and this just may set you apart from the pack. Sloppiness or mistakes can put you in a bad light and even cost you a deal or a job.
