The CLUB - Incubator of Women Leaders News

From Response to Resilience: The Changing DEI Landscape

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 18:42:30 GMT

In the summer of 2020, amid the devastating toll of COVID-19 and a nationwide rupture over racial injustice, I found myself unexpectedly stepping into DEI work. Within Stanford Health Care, I saw our staff, who were grappling with grief, anger, and exhaustion, had nowhere safe to process their experiences. Their resilience on the front lines was undeniable, but their emotional toll was too often invisible. As a multiracial person navigating the same moment, I felt that weight too. That experience became a catalyst; one that compelled me to propose, and ultimately launch, our organization’s first DEI program.

I didn’t have a playbook. What I had was a response to an urgent need. We began with listening sessions before policy, small group conversations before guidelines and stories before strategy. It was less about knowing the “right” way forward and more about making sure people had a place to be seen and heard.

A quickly shifting landscape

Of course, DEI didn’t begin in 2020. The values of equity, fairness, and belonging have existed as long as human communities have. What changed in recent years was that more companies and institutions began to formalize these values into programs and strategies. Since then, the landscape has shifted:

From reactive to embedded. What started as responses to crisis is now maturing into integration. DEI is less often a side project and more a lens: embedded in hiring, budgeting, communications, and strategy.
From awareness to systems. Early efforts leaned on awareness–heritage months, pronoun norms, trainings. These were important beginnings. But in 2025, more organizations are layering in structural reviews, examining promotion equity, communications and budget allocations.
From one champion to shared leadership. A single passionate person can spark progress, but the work sustains when responsibility is shared across teams and leadership.
From urgency to sustainability. Momentum is vital, but so is durability. The most effective DEI efforts are built to endure leadership changes and shifting priorities.

At the same time, we can’t ignore that DEI has become politicized. In some circles, the term itself has been twisted into something divisive, used as shorthand for lowering standards or sidelining merit. That makes the work harder. But the values behind it–fairness, belonging, opportunity–remain non-negotiable. They simply need clearer framing and steadier leadership.

What this means for your organization

If you’re thinking about how to sustain DEI in your world, here are three places to start:

Listen before you act. Ask your teams: What does inclusion look like here? What would belonging feel like? Ground your actions in what people actually need.
Pair gestures with systems. Celebrations and awareness campaigns matter. But also look at hiring pipelines, promotion data, communications and budget flows. Inclusion has to live in the mechanics, not just the moments.
Center your strengths. There is a temptation of both practitioners and organizations to solve many things through DEI. However, a successful way forward involves recognizing and centering your strengths and partnering with those individuals and organizations with complementary strengths.
Design for endurance. Build shared ownership from day one. Rotate leadership, create working groups, and institutionalize accountability so the work doesn’t depend on one person.

Looking back–and ahead

What amazes me when I think back to 2020 isn’t how small the beginning was, but how meaningful. DEI isn’t a box to check. It’s how we show up for each other through our questions, our decisions, our systems, and our culture.

At KQED, our DEI Director Candace Rucker recently reminded me that this work can’t stand still. “DEI has always been about making sure everyone has a place. At its core, it’s about lifting up all perspectives. When we bring together diversity of thought and experience, design systems with equity, and act with inclusion, we build the conditions for belonging, fairness and real innovation.”

Minal Bopaiah, owner of the human-centered design firm Brevity & Wit, adds: “Behavioral science tells us that novelty is great for sparking change, but not great at sustaining change. Sustained change takes discipline. Everyone who's passionate about DEI needs to remember that consistency is far more important than intensity. Small improvements over time will yield transformation more than disruptive acts that can be undone just as swiftly."

Their perspectives are a good reminder: the story of DEI is never just one person’s or one moment’s. It’s carried forward by practitioners, leaders, and teams who keep finding new ways to practice equity and belonging even when the landscape shifts.

Five years in, the language and the terrain around DEI may be evolving, sometimes even contested; but the urgency hasn’t faded. The question now isn’t whether your organization “does DEI.” It’s whether you are practicing equity, inclusion, and belonging every day.

That’s not a program. It’s a practice. And over time, that practice reshapes culture.

by Vanessa Merina

When Fear Fades, Purpose Speaks by Shawnie Young

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 23:34:45 GMT

My gift of gab had always been confined within the walls of my fear.
The fear of being seen.
The fear of being misunderstood.
The fear that my voice might tremble and strip my message of its power.

For years, that fear kept my words confined to an audience of one—me. I had always had something to say, even as a child. I was the straight-A student who couldn’t stop talking in class. But as you grow older, you become acutely aware of other people’s judgments. And if you’re not grounded enough in who you are, those judgments can dim your light or worse, extinguish it.

My light barely flickered, but it never went out. It was kept alive by quiet optimism and a growing undercurrent that one day, I would say goodbye to fear for good. That day finally came when my fears and my purpose stood face-to-face. Only one could win. The question that echoed in my mind was simple: “What do I have to lose?” In that moment, I realized the uncertainty of embracing my gifts was far less frightening than a lifetime of hiding in the shadows of my fears.

It took the boldest move of my life to finally step into my power. In 2019, I moved abroad, to a city I had never visited, in a culture I had long admired. I made the Caribbean shores of Playa del Carmen my home. The white sand and warm breeze became more than scenery; they became a sanctuary for healing. The risk I took paid off in ways I could never have imagined. I wasn’t just discovering who I was—I was uncovering my voice.

Every day brought a new adventure: navigating an unfamiliar culture, learning a new language, meeting people from all walks of life, negotiating, bargaining. These were experiences I had never encountered in my day-to-day life in the States. I began to trust my discernment in ways I never had before. Alone and abroad, I had no choice but to believe that my internal compass was guiding me in the right direction.

The people I met while living abroad gave me the courage to fully embrace my voice. As an extrovert, conversation had always come easily but connection was my true currency. I loved the spark in someone’s eyes when we shared a moment of understanding but mostly when we shared a laugh. What I never could have predicted was how often those moments would end with, “You should do comedy.”

At first, I brushed it off. Then the suggestions became more frequent and impossible to ignore. So, I stepped up. My first comedy set was meant to be five minutes. But a few last-minute cancellations stretched it to twenty. Somewhere between minute one and minute twenty, something shifted. The laughter grew louder, my confidence stronger. By the end, I felt Seen. I felt Free. I realized I hadn’t just told jokes—I had reclaimed my voice.

Moving abroad had already been the boldest leap of my life, but this…this was me stepping into my power. I began sharing my story. I was a guest speaker on podcasts. I visited my high school to inspire the next generation and built a growing global community on YouTube. My videos became a meeting place for people ready to trade fear for faith, ready to step into a life they’d been too hesitant to claim. Each story I told, each conversation I had, became proof that my lived experience wasn’t just mine—it was a blueprint for others.

The gift of gab I once hid became my greatest tool. Public speaking turned into more than a skill; it became a calling. My light, once flickering in fear, now burned bright with purpose. When you stop resisting and let the current carry you, your strengths rise to meet your purpose.

Your voice matters. Your story matters. And the moment you choose to share it, you open the door for someone else to step out of their shadows and into their own spotlight.

-Shawnie Young

Leading Through Change: The Courage, Clarity, and Care Leaders Must Cultivate Now

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 17:46:28 GMT

We are living in an era of exponential transformation. In the next five years, we are projected to experience more change than the past fifty combined—driven by advancements in AI, climate realities, shifting workforce expectations, and economic and geopolitical disruptions. Change is no longer a phase we lead through—it is the condition we lead in.

As an engineering executive who has steered organizations through complex transformations, I have learned that the most powerful levers during uncertainty aren’t just frameworks or tools. They are clarity of purpose, constancy in communication, and deep care for people. Leaders who thrive amid change don’t have all the answers—they build environments where it’s safe to learn, adapt, and move forward with purpose.

Understanding the Dynamics of Change
Change isn’t just a new product launch or an organizational redesign. It’s a deeply human process. Behind every roadmap pivot or AI integration are people asking, “What does this mean for me?” “Am I still valued?” “Can I keep up?” The psychology of change is often one of loss before gain—loss of control, clarity, or familiarity. Resistance is not a sign of incompetence. It’s a signal for connection.

Too often, leaders over-index on strategy and underinvest in communication. We need both. A strategy without empathy fails. Empathy without a path forward stalls. The best leaders communicate change not once, but continuously. They repeat the “why,” they acknowledge the difficulty, and they create space for questions. In doing so, they build trust—and trust is the currency of change.

Courage Over Control
Leading through uncertainty requires courage—especially the courage to be vulnerable. As leaders, we don’t need to have every answer. We do need to be transparent about what we know, what’s still unknown, and how we’re navigating both. When we model calm, open curiosity, we give our teams permission to step forward, even when the ground feels shaky.
But courage isn’t just a mindset—it’s a muscle. It’s built by making hard decisions aligned with values. It's in protecting our teams’ focus by removing distractions. It’s in holding steady when fear tempts us to micromanage. When we trade control for trust, we see our teams rise.

Clarity in Direction, Flexibility in Execution
One of the greatest gifts a leader can give during change is clarity. Not certainty—clarity. Clarity of purpose. Clarity of priorities. Clarity on how decisions will be made. In moments of chaos, people look for anchors. Let your vision and values be theirs.

At the same time, hold your plans loosely. Change demands adaptation. We set a clear North Star but allow the team to iterate the route. We shift resourcing, we remove blockers, we celebrate micro-wins. Progress doesn’t always look like the plan. That’s not failure—it’s agility in motion.

I’ve led programs where shifting market dynamics upended roadmaps mid-quarter. What kept us steady was a shared understanding of why we were here and who we were building for. That clarity allowed us to pivot quickly without losing momentum.

Developing Change-Ready Teams
Leading through uncertainty is not a solo act. We must prepare our teams not just to endure change, but to be energized by it. That starts with building psychological safety—a space where people can speak up, ask questions, and admit mistakes without fear.

It also means investing in skill-building. Change brings ambiguity, and ambiguity rewards adaptability, systems thinking, and collaborative problem-solving. Leaders must encourage experimentation and reward learning—even when the outcomes are imperfect.

Empowerment is key. In times of uncertainty, top-down mandates falter. Distributed ownership wins. When teams co-create solutions and are trusted to act, they feel both accountable and inspired. And they move faster—because they believe in what they’re building.

Transforming Ourselves
Perhaps the most important work during change is the internal work leaders must do. We must shift from being the hero of the story to being the guide. From fixer to coach. From decision-maker to enabler.

That requires presence. It means slowing down to listen, even when your instinct is to rush. It means managing your own reactivity so you can model resilience. It means cultivating humility, because in the unknown, no one has a monopoly on insight.

Leadership is not a title—it’s a daily practice. And in times of great change, that practice must be anchored in purpose and people.

Leading Forward
We are not just managing transitions. We are shaping the future. And the leaders who will make the biggest impact are not the ones with the perfect strategy slides. They are the ones who walk through the fog with conviction, who build bridges of trust, and who lift others up as they climb.

Let us lead with courage, clarity, and care. Let us build organizations that are not just change-resilient, but change-capable. And let us remind our teams—and ourselves—that uncertainty is not the enemy. It’s the birthplace of transformation.

by: Manju Abraham

Strategic Thinking by Laura Fechete

Tue, 13 May 2025 01:53:59 GMT

Strategic Thinking is everywhere! Job postings, conferences, internal meetings and more. But what can it mean to you?

Strategic thinking is a skill, like many others. A muscle to flex and grow until you are confident in your abilities.

What is it? Strategic thinking is the ability to see the bigger picture, connect the dots, anticipate challenges, and craft a plan that moves you toward a long-term goal. It’s not just about solving today’s problems — it’s about positioning yourself to win tomorrow too. Strategic thinkers balance analysis, creativity, and foresight to guide action.

Think of it like playing chess, not checkers: every move you make should be part of a larger plan, not just a reaction to the moment.

To become better at Strategic Thinking, here are some beginning steps:

• Clarify the Goal: Get clear on what you’re trying to achieve — not just the next step, but the ultimate destination. Ask yourself, "What does winning look like?"

• Understand the Landscape: Gather intelligence. Study the environment, your competition, your allies, your resources, and the constraints.

• Spot Patterns and Trends: Don’t just collect facts — interpret them. Look for underlying patterns, trends, and dynamics that will influence outcomes.

• Think in Scenarios: Great strategic thinkers don’t assume one future; they imagine multiple possible futures and prepare for them. Ask, "What if X happens? What if Y happens?"

• Make Smart, Calculated Decisions: Strategy is about making moves that create an advantage, including risks — but the risks are intelligent, not reckless.

Like any skill, learning how to think strategically takes time and practice. Set aside time to work on it, just like you would do any other new skill you are learning. Games like chess, poker and even some video games can be helpful, they are a workout for your strategic brain.

To get started ask "Why?". Don't take anything at face value. Think deeper: Why is this happening? Why does this matter? Why are we doing it this way?

And just like that you are starting to become a Strategic Thinker.

Feeling Stuck? Here’s Your Secret Superpower by Jeanel Carlson

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 11:12:55 GMT

As women leaders, we've all experienced moments of feeling stuck, unheard, or undervalued in our careers. The feeling of rejection when building a business or the lack of recognition at work can erode our confidence and spark a downward spiral. I faced the glass ceiling and glass cliff over and over in my career - it made me question my self-worth and abilities. But through the rollercoaster ride of disappointments, I discovered a secret that helped me reclaim my power and transform my professional journey.

The secret is your personal brand.

At The CLUB, we believe in the power of women supporting women. As a former board member, I've witnessed firsthand how The CLUB community empowers each other to reach new heights. Today, I want to share a strategy that has been transformative for so many: leveraging your personal brand.

Personal branding is more than just a marketing buzzword—it's a powerful tool for personal development and career advancement. It's about intentionally defining and expressing your unique value, taking control of your narrative, and showcasing what makes you extraordinary.

Why does this matter? Consider these statistics from a 2021 Brand Study:

● 74% of Americans are more likely to trust someone with an established personal brand.

● 47% say a personal brand is more influential in their decisions than a corporate brand.

● 70% of Older Millennials think companies should teach all employees how to build their personal brand.

These numbers underscore a crucial point: your personal brand significantly influences how others perceive you, trust you, and value your contributions.

How can you harness this power?

1. Tell Your Story Authentically

Your personal brand story should be accurate, coherent, compelling, and differentiated. It's not about creating a false image but authentically communicating your unique value, expertise, and vision.

2. Determine Your Content Strategy

Consistently showcase your skills and expertise through thought leadership content. This could be articles, videos, podcasts, or speaking engagements that demonstrate your knowledge and perspective.

3. Engage and Network

Actively engage with your target audience on platforms like LinkedIn. Build authentic relationships and demonstrate your value to attract opportunities that align with your long-term objectives.

(Check out the free guide to optimizing LinkedIn at the end of this article.)

4. Stay Consistent

Consistency is key in personal branding. Regularly update your online presence, engage with your network, and continue to share valuable insights.

5. Evolve and Adapt

As you grow and your career evolves, so should your personal brand. Regularly reassess and refine your brand to ensure it accurately reflects your current goals and expertise.

Remember, personal branding puts you in the driver's seat. It empowers you to take control of your narrative and your career. When you invest in your personal brand, you're betting on yourself—and that's always a winning strategy.

As a CLUB member, you have a unique opportunity to support each other in this journey. Share your personal branding successes and challenges with the community. Offer feedback to yourfellow members. Elevate each other and create a powerful network of influential women leaders.

So, the next time you feel stuck or undervalued, remember that your personal brand is your superpower. Use it to showcase your unique value, build trust, and open doors to new opportunities. You deserve a personal brand that makes your voice heard and honors your value.

Your story matters. You matter. It's time to let the world know it.

Ready to start building your personal brand today? A strong LinkedIn profile is a table-stakes starting point for any leader looking to establish their professional presence.

Get your Free Quick Guide for Leaders to Optimize their LinkedIn Profile and take the first step towards showcasing your unique value and expertise.

Your LinkedIn profile is more than an online resume—it's your digital handshake, your personal brand, and a gateway to opportunities. Your LinkedIn profile helps you connect with the right people and showcase your expertise in a way that truly resonates. This quick guide provides key elements and an easy checklist so you can get started today! Download now.

Ready to level up with the power of your personal brand ?

Connect with Jeanel on LinkedIn for more tips and tricks, subscribe to our YouTube, or contact us here.

About Jeanel Carlson

As co-founder of OakBloom Marketing, Jeanel levels up leaders and entrepreneurs with their personal brand to build trust and exceed career, business, and life goals.

Join The Level-Up Club (TLC) community at OakBloomIQ.com.

Embracing Authentic Leadership by Tanal Basma

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 13:06:19 GMT

Ramadan, the holy month of fasting and spiritual growth, offers a profound opportunity to realign our intentions and cultivate a deeper sense of purpose. It’s a time to embrace mindfulness and reflection, not only in our spiritual lives but also in our professional relationships.

In a world where it feels like we lack true leadership, I revisited the book Muhammad: 11 Leadership Qualities That Changed the World by Nabeel Al-Azami. The author highlights how the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) exemplified leadership through trust and emotional intelligence; and how he continues to inspire leaders across cultures and industries.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a master of communication, adapting his style based on the audience, ensuring clarity, and offering constructive feedback with care. His approach can be distilled into these five traits, many of which resonate deeply with authentic leadership today:

Adaptability – Adjusting communication style to suit the situation and audience.
Authenticity – Ensuring speech is concise, meaningful, and aligned with values.
Assertiveness – Addressing difficult issues directly, without discouraging others.
Appreciation – Using feedback to uplift, motivate, and guide with balance.
Accountability – Seeking feedback from others and explaining reasoning with openness.

Inspired by these qualities, I reflected on how I can refine my leadership style—particularly in communication. One area where I want to grow is properly articulating myself, especially in difficult conversations. The emphasis on self-improvement and intentionality during Ramadan encourages me to refine this skill.

Why It Matters

As an HR leader, I understand that building a culture of trust and barakah (abundance) is crucial for long-term organizational success. When teams feel genuinely invested in collective success, collaboration becomes seamless, fueling innovation and collective wisdom.

The most effective way to achieve this is through authentic communication. This includes leading by example, ensuring actions align with values, and promoting trust through informed decision-making. Renowned author Brené Brown champions leaders who embrace vulnerability and openness. Leaders who embrace vulnerability and openness set the tone for teams to innovate freely in an environment of trust.

Similarly, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught us that leadership is a responsibility, not a privilege. Al-Azami emphasizes that the Prophet Muhammad’s leadership was transformative because it was deeply ethical, people-centered, and adaptable to changing circumstances. His leadership was not about power, but about influence, empowerment, and creating a legacy of justice and compassion. By embracing his leadership principles, we can continue to inspire excellence.

My Ramadan Commitments

To follow the Prophet’s model, I am intentionally refining my communication approach by:

Setting Intentions – Approaching every conversation with clarity and purpose.
Showing Self-Awareness – Acknowledging my areas for growth to create space for others to do the same.
Supporting Growth – Coaching and mentoring others in their personal and professional development.

Creating a Culture of Trust and Abundance

It's a known fact that authentic leadership fosters trust and abundance. When leaders model integrity, transparency, and informed decision-making, they empower their teams to do the same. By embracing these leadership principles—especially during Ramadan—we can cultivate stronger relationships, more resilient teams, and a workplace culture that thrives on trust, purpose, and collective success.

Lead on!

Tanal Basma

Leading with Purpose: My Journey by Manju Abraham

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 01:45:13 GMT

Leadership, to me, has always been about impact—lifting others, driving positive change, delivering high-quality products that focus on customer experience, and staying true to my values. From growing up in India as the daughter of two rocket scientists to leading and scaling global engineering organizations, my journey has been defined and enabled by resilience, courage, and an unwavering belief in people’s potential.

I began my career as a rocket scientist at the Indian Space Research Organization, much like NASA. In 1997, my husband and I immigrated to the U.S., seeking new opportunities and global experiences. I joined HP, rising through the ranks from an architect in the Business Critical Solutions team to leading engineering teams in HP Software. At NetApp, I built a reputation as a transformational leader in enterprise storage and data management. Later, I led engineering operations at a startup, guiding its evolution from an early-stage company to a mature organization. At Hewlett Packard Enterprise, I led a brand new product development and releases of multiple portfolio products, managed over 700 people and headed Engineering Operations for Primary storage products, a 4B$ business.

That is over 3 decades of work leading large, globally distributed teams and delivering complex, high-impact enterprise solutions across on-premise, cloud, and hybrid environments.

Beyond technology, my passion lies in creating inclusive workplaces where everyone feels respected, valued, and empowered. As the proud mother of two strong and independent young women, I am committed to making the world a better place for future generations. I serve on boards for women’s empowerment and charitable organizations, mentor aspiring leaders, and counsel cancer patients as a survivor myself. I believe that true fulfillment comes not from money, titles or accolades but from a life of service and purpose. Throughout my career, I have faced challenges, made tough decisions, and led through uncertainty. But through it all, I have remained committed to a few key leadership tenets that define who I am:

1. Courage to Challenge the Status Quo
Leadership requires boldness—questioning the norm, pushing boundaries, and driving transformation. Whether building complex infrastructure systems or leading large-scale change, I have always believed in raising the bar and continuously improving through kaizen.
"Well-behaved women seldom make history." — Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

2. Leading with Authenticity and Empathy
Leadership is built on trust, not authority. I have always shown up as my true self, fostering a safe space where people feel valued. Empathy and transparency transform disengaged teams into high-performing ones. Now, more than ever, we need leaders who create these spaces at work and in our communities.
"Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge." — Simon Sinek

3. Building Inclusive and High-Performing Teams
Diversity is not a checkbox—it’s a strength. I have intentionally built teams where different perspectives fuel innovation. By mentoring women in tech and empowering emerging leaders, I’ve seen firsthand how inclusion leads to excellence.
"There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish." — Michelle Obama

4. Resilience in the Face of Adversity
Setbacks are inevitable, but resilience determines the outcome. When a major product release faced failure, I focused on solutions—not panic. I rallied teams, made tough calls, and turned challenges into learning experiences. Every obstacle has reinforced my belief that leaders rise through adversity.
"You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated." — Maya Angelou

5. Lifting Others as I Grow
Leadership is not about personal success—it’s about impact. Whether mentoring engineers, coaching first-time managers, or uplifting underprivileged women, I believe in paying it forward. The greatest leaders create more leaders, leaving a legacy of empowerment.
"As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same." — Marianne Williamson

A Message to Every Woman Leader:
To every woman reading this: Your voice matters. Your leadership matters.
Do not wait for permission. Speak up. Take risks. Challenge the status quo. Leadership is not about being perfect—it’s about being courageous, authentic, and willing to grow.

Let’s lead, inspire, and transform the world—one bold step at a time.

With strength and purpose,
Manju Abraham

TheCLUBSV Guide for Finding a Mentor

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 05:12:54 GMT

They say your network is your net worth, and this couldn’t be more true—especially in today’s fast-paced, ever-evolving tech industry. Building a strong, supportive network is no longer optional; it’s a necessity. Good mentorship is a great way to build a power network. Whether it’s a seasoned mentor guiding you through career challenges, or a peer offering fresh perspectives, surrounding yourself with the right people can open doors you didn’t even know existed. And the best part? You don’t have to do it alone.

Why Mentorship Matters

Mentorship is transformative. It’s not just about career advice—it’s about navigating challenges, honing your skills, and expanding your view of what’s possible. A mentor can help you:

See Beyond the Horizon: They’ve walked the path you aspire to and can share insights that illuminate opportunities you might not have considered.
Navigate Challenges: Whether it’s overcoming workplace obstacles or managing big career decisions, a mentor offers guidance and cheers you on.
Hone Your Skills: A mentor’s feedback can help you identify habits that are no longer serving you.

Mentorship isn’t just about finding a senior leader who inspires you. It’s also about connecting with peers and colleagues who can provide valuable insights, share their experiences, and grow alongside you.

How to Find the Right Mentor

Finding the right mentor takes intentionality and effort, but the rewards are worth it. Here’s a simple guide to get started:

1. Define Your Goals

Before seeking a mentor, take time to reflect on your goals. What do you hope to achieve? Are you looking for career advancement, skill development, or help navigating workplace dynamics? Understanding your objectives will guide you to the right person or circle.

2. Identify Potential Mentors

Look for individuals who inspire you and align with your goals. These could be senior leaders, colleagues, or even peers who have expertise in areas you want to grow. Don’t limit yourself to one industry; sometimes, the best insights come from different perspectives.

3. Leverage Your Network

Tap into professional organizations, community groups, and networking events to find mentors. For instance, at CLUBSV, we offer mentorship programs designed to empower women leaders by connecting them with ambitious and like-minded professionals. Sign up here for our waiting list..

4. Build a Relationship

Mentorship is built on trust and mutual respect. Start by establishing a connection—reach out with a clear purpose, express your admiration for their work, and explain why you think they could provide valuable guidance. Remember, mentorship is a two-way street, so think about what you can offer in return.

5. Stay Committed

A successful mentorship requires consistency and effort. Set regular check-ins, come prepared with questions or topics to discuss, and actively apply the advice you receive. Show gratitude for their time and insights by sharing your progress.

Be a Mentor: Pay It Forward

Leadership isn’t just about what you achieve—it’s about what you stand for. If you’ve reached a point where you can offer guidance to others, consider becoming a mentor. Mentoring is an opportunity to:

Enhance your leadership and communication skills.
Gain fresh perspectives and insights from mentees.
Make a meaningful impact by helping others achieve their goals.

At CLUBSV, for example, mentors lead monthly mentoring circles, helping a group of 10-12 women navigate their career paths while fostering a supportive community. Programs like these create pathways for women leaders to rise and thrive, reflecting the diversity of our global workforce.

Resources to Support Your Mentorship Journey

For a mentorship to thrive, having the right tools and resources helps each party prepare ahead so they can come prepared. Here are a few suggestions:

For Mentees:

Career reflection exercises
Goal-setting guides
Templates for meeting agendas and follow-ups

For Mentors:

Mentor self-assessment tools
Training guides for effective mentorship
Context-specific insights based on industry or role

For Both:

Kickoff guides with suggested agendas and guidelines
Milestone checklists and progress-tracking templates

Final Thoughts

Finding a mentor or becoming one is a powerful step toward personal and professional growth. It’s an opportunity to build meaningful relationships, gain valuable insights, and contribute to a community of leaders who uplift one another. Remember, mentorship isn’t just about achieving career goals—it’s about creating a ripple effect of support, encouragement, and success.

So, whether you’re looking to find a mentor or step into the role yourself, take that first step. The impact you make—on yourself and others—can last a lifetime.

Fast Company: Why Women From Apple, Facebook and Tesla are Joining this Silicon Valley Incubator

Fri, 10 Jun 2016 00:37:07 GMT

https://www.fastcompany.com/3060748/why-women-from-apple-facebook-and-telsa-are-joining-this-silicon-valley-incubator

by Lydia Dishman – Fast Company

A new program aims to boost women’s careers so they can get to the executive level of companies and boards.

The case for having more female representation in the workplace—particularly at the executive level—is strong.

An even gender split at one company contributed to a 41% increase in revenue. Research from Catalyst demonstrates that companies with higher female representation in top management outperform those that don’t by delivering 34% greater returns to shareholders. Another report revealed women-led companies perform three times better than the S&P 500.

We also know that both men and women share the same skills that drive business. Yet the recent McKinsey/LeanIn.org study found that from entry level to manager and from SVP to executive rank, women are less likely to advance. The greatest disparity occurs between the move from manager to director: There is a 79% chance that women managers will reach director level, compared to 100% chance for men in the study.

The reasons for this disparity range from unconscious bias beginning with the hiring process to women being cautious about promotions, even sexual harassment.

One group of women aims to break that glass ceiling by helping each other become leaders. Founded in 2013, The CLUB (an acronym for Connect, Lead, Unite, Build) is a diverse community of professional women with over 200 members. Membership is by application and the CLUB also offers networking and member-led skills development and other programming relevant to career advancement.

To help solve the pipeline problem, the CLUB’s organizers hope to “build a critical mass of women leaders in Silicon Valley, so that when a company needs to fill a leadership position, whether for a CEO, CIO, CTO, general counsel, director, or a project leader, it need not look any further than the CLUB.”

Laraine McKinnon joined the CLUB in its early days. “I was interested in networking,” McKinnon says. She says she was drawn in by what the name stood for and the inclusiveness of the membership.

“Women keep their heads down at work. While they often get great reviews, they look up one day and say ‘I’m not being recognized the way I ought to be.’”

McKinnon soon discovered that even with the CLUB’s focus on career development and leadership, something was missing. Among the women who developed expertise in their fields, many had access to training and leadership development within their organizations. What they didn’t have, according to McKinnon, was the chance to develop their own personal brand outside their workplace.

“Women keep their heads down [at work],” she says. While they often get great reviews, she explains, “They look up one day and say ‘I’m not being recognized the way I ought to be.’” In an era of social media platforms that can showcase what an individual has accomplished and their viewpoints on industry trends, McKinnon believes there is a big opportunity for women to become known for their personal expertise.

So she started the CLUB’s Incubator in 2015. McKinnon describes it as an advocacy program designed to help senior leaders accelerate both their careers and personal potential by focusing on community, network, and board readiness, among other areas. McKinnon says there is an aspect of accountability for progress and members are encouraged to engage in discussions on how best to manage challenges.

The first class had seven incubees from companies such as Apple, Facebook, Tesla, and Adobe. Seeing the response from women at these top firms, McKinnon says, “I knew I was onto something.” A new class began recently with 10 new incubees.

Overall, the group comes from a diverse set of backgrounds, ethnicities, companies, roles, and leadership styles. Their career tenure ranges from 10 to 35 years and they hold positions that span industries from litigator to full stack developer, rocket scientist to entrepreneur and marketing executive.

Last year’s group has cited benefits from assistance with the creation of their public profile, to gaining confidence to grow professionally and having a better roadmap to get there. Others said they were able to leverage their newfound knowledge to get a promotion or an advisory role.

The new group is winning awards and snagging coveted speaking engagements. McKinnon points out that Megan Jones, a partner at the firm Hausfeld, was even selected to attend the United State of Women Summit at the White House.

In a blog post, another incubee, Olga Mack, also in the legal profession, went from viewing gender inequality as a “hurdle that I could overcome over time if I tried a little harder,” to a radical shift toward action.

“I started the Women Serve on Boards petition movement (#WomenServeOnBoards) that makes a fiscal and social case for taking initial steps toward gender equality on boards. My first two petitions — to Land O’Lakes and Discovery Communications, two companies on the list of 24 — requests these companies to add at least one woman to its board of directors.”

Yet gender isn’t always the first point of discussion, McKinnon underscores. “When I am coaching women, I am reminding them that first, they are a leader and they have a style.” She does say that some women feel that their leadership style is informed by gender, but their credentials stand apart from that.

“For Silicon Valley in particular, bright talent is important,” she notes. It helps, says McKinnon, that people are starting to recognize the diverse teams tend to be more successful. For her part, she doesn’t think changing the ratio of female representation in leadership will take as long as closing the gender wage gap.

“There is strength in numbers,” she explains, “And that is why we are trying to built this community.” The CLUB’s members and incubees are resilient, she says. “They’ve been through it all and they’ve still got drive and momentum. It’s extremely inspiring,” says McKinnon. “If we can help them as a cohort, it just gives back in spades.”

New York Times: Home Grown Efforts to Recruit Women in Silicon Valley

Mon, 06 Apr 2015 00:50:12 GMT

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/05/homegrown-efforts-to-recruit-women-in-silicon-valley/?ref=todayspaper&_r=0

Silicon Valley is not exactly known for its diversity. So when Andreessen Horowitz, the venture capital firm, wanted to make sure its job postings were reaching the most diverse audience possible, its partners did what most people in Silicon Valley do when they spot a problem. They turned to software.

They used programs that analyze the language in job descriptions to catch phrases that might turn off certain types of applicants. Looking for a candidate who is “off the charts”? Chances are, not that many women will apply.

“That’s just not how women talk,” said Margit Wennmachers, a partner at the firm. “They say, ‘Must be highly competent.’ ”

It is an example of many homegrown efforts across the Valley to change the face of the tech industry. There have always been big organizations hosting conferences and networking events for women. But newer efforts are springing up from inside companies.

There are programs to teach girls to code, like Girls Who Code, for which companies like Twitter and Google lend office space and teachers. CodeChix, started by engineers at companies like VMware, hosts coding workshops that promise to be “non-alpha.”

The Club is an application-only group trying to provide an alternative to golf courses and men’s membership clubs by coaching women leaders in Silicon Valley. It was founded by Annie Rogaski, a partner at Kilpatrick Townsend, a Valley law firm.

Rachel Sklar, who started a group called Change the Ratio, is introducing an organization called The List where members who pay have access to other women for advice, financing and conference speaking gigs.

“It’s to achieve the function of the classic old boys’ club, which funnels very easy advice and access and opportunity,” Ms. Sklar said.

At Andreessen Horowitz, the firm asks real people, not just software, to review all job descriptions, too — so in addition to the hiring manager, people who are women, African American and from other minority groups in Silicon Valley have input.

The firm also has a partner in charge of diversity who helps acquire a broad set of candidates for the firm’s talent agency, which its 200 portfolio companies tap for engineering and leadership roles. Despite those efforts, all of the firm’s investing partners are men.

“There’s a huge talent war going on, so we are doing a lot of things to try to surface all kinds of diverse talent and bubble that up to our portfolio companies,” Ms. Wennmachers said.

“What I’d like to see is Marla Zuckerberg and Mary Jobs and Joann Bezos.”

PR Web: Pivotal Bay Area Women's Leadership Organization Celebrates 1 Year Anniversary

Tue, 15 Oct 2013 00:58:00 GMT

On the evening of October 9, 2013 over 100 Bay Area business leaders converged at the Quadrus Conference Center in Menlo Park to celebrate the one-year anniversary of The CLUB, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping women accelerate their leadership journeys and increasing the number of women in leadership positions.

Since its founding in 2012 by five Bay Area women, The CLUB’s membership has grown to nearly 200 members and generated over $100,000 in funding including corporate sponsorships and in-kind donations. Members are established and emerging women leaders who hail from top Silicon Valley and San Francisco companies and reflect a wide spectrum of experience, professions and industries. Members leverage the expertise and networks of guest experts and other members to build strong leadership skills that they take back to provide more effective leadership at their companies.

At the event, women’s leadership expert Lise Edwards, named one of the Silicon Valley Business Journal's Top 100 Women of Influence for 2013 and co-founder of GenderAllies, led CLUB members and guests through an exchange of practical ideas on how to increase women’s representation at all levels of leadership, and the CLUB’s specific role in narrowing the gender gap among business leaders.

Rickey Stancliffe, CEO of Trombetta Family Wines, also shared the story of her rise to become one of the few women CEOs of a winery, and how she leveraged mentoring to reach the top of a male-dominated field.

The CLUB’s philanthropic arm collected clothing donations for Career Closet, an organization that provides disadvantaged individuals with business attire and work experience.

The event was sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC), with additional in-kind contributions from Trombetta Family Wines.

Reflecting on the first year of the CLUB, member Diana Olin from Adobe commented: “when I think of The CLUB, I think of the shared moments of introspection - the space to safely question and challenge who we are, what we want, and how to get there. I'm grateful that I bet on The Club and its vision, because in doing so, I bet on myself and fellow members.”

The CLUB welcomes emerging or established leaders in any stage of their career to apply for membership at http://www.theclubsv.org/join-2/.

About The CLUB

The CLUB is a diverse community of professional women helping each other accelerate their leadership journeys by providing a unique environment that offers the opportunity for women leaders across industries and career stages to connect in a supportive and intellectually challenging environment.

CLUB members participate in formal training, informal gatherings, networking and mentorship. Members have opportunities to practice what they learn and receive live feedback in a supportive and intellectually challenging environment, taking their honed skills and deepened confidence back to the office to lead their teams, divisions and companies to new heights.

The CLUB is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and is tax exempt under the Internal Revenue Code.

For more information on The CLUB, please visit http://www.theclubsv.org

SF Gate: A Sorority for Silicon Valley's Frat Row

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 01:00:13 GMT

http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/A-sorority-for-Silicon-Valley-s-frat-row-3985327.php

Annie Rogaski, one of the few female partners at the elite law firm Kilpatrick Townsend in Silicon Valley, often represents tech companies headed exclusively by men. Despite working closely with the men over long periods of time, she also found that she's rarely invited to socialize with the team after work.

"It was getting a little ridiculous," she says. "And at a certain point I just realized we, as women, had to get together and change something. And we had to make it big, expansive, more than just another 'women in patent law' conference."

So Rogaski decided to shake up the Silicon Valley fraternity mind-set by starting her own women-only clubhouse.

And she has executives from top companies like Salesforce.com, Hewlett-Packard and Adobe supporting her efforts. Her clubhouse, she says, will be very different from the white-gloved ladies' clubs of the past, like San Francisco's floral-print-heavy rooms at the venerable Francisca and Metropolitan clubs. There will be shared work space instead of tearooms, high-powered cocktail parties instead of leisurely luncheons. It will not feature the arcane secrecy of the Pacific-Union men's club or the cross-dressing antics of the bacchanalian Bohemian Grove. Admissions will be decided by ambition, not genetic lineage.

"You don't have to have made it yet," says Rogaski, "but you need to be on that path."

The first of its kind in Silicon Valley, her space will simply be called the Club - an acronym for Connect, Lead, Unite, Build.

With its corporate slogan "An Incubator for Women Leaders," and an executive board made up of local leaders, Rogaski's endeavor is more strategic than simply creating another networking outlet.

Her goal is to change one of the most daunting numbers in the tech world, she said, the fact that women make up only 6 percent of executive leadership in tech. The statistic, from the National Center for Women & Information Technology (a nonprofit organization supported by companies like Microsoft, Google, Bank of America and the National Science Foundation), is part of a broader picture that does not look as if it will improve soon.

From 2000 to 2008, there has been a nearly 80 percent decline in the number of incoming undergraduate women interested in majoring in computer sciences. In 1991, women held 36 percent of all IT-related jobs; in 2008, that amount fell to 25 percent.

'Worse than Congress'

"I never thought there would be a profession that is worse than Congress, but I think we found one," says Rep. Jackie Speier, 62, who started the Professional Business Women of California, which has held annual conferences with more than 3,000 attendees for the past 25 years.

Speier often lunches at women's clubs, "but that was the way women gathered through the '50s, '60s and '70s. This new club will be similar but different. We don't have time for luncheons anymore, but we can get drinks after work. This is a new generation."

Silicon Valley has had some mega-successful female stars like newly appointed Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer and Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, each of whom has spoken about being one of the few women to break through to the top of the tech world.

"People ask me all the time, 'What's it like to be a woman at Google?' " Mayer said on CNN, before leaving her post there. "I'm not a woman at Google; I'm a geek at Google. And being a geek is just great."

Sandberg began her career hoping to de-emphasize gender - until she realized how few women reached "the C level." Today, she has become one of the most visible and outspoken advocates for women in tech. Through representatives, both women declined to comment for this article.

"We need to start talking about how women underestimate their abilities compared to men, and how for women, but not men, success and likability are negatively correlated," Sandberg said in a graduation speech at Harvard Business School in May. "We need to acknowledge openly that gender remains an issue at the highest levels of leadership. The promise of equality is not equality."

On a recent evening in Menlo Park's Quadrus Conference Center, set in an expansive office park off the highway, nearly 150 women gathered for the Club's official launch party. A table of name tags at the door showed a bevy of executive titles from Silicon Valley heavyweights - Samsung, Google, Visa, Facebook. Most of the attendees already knew each other from the myriad women-in-tech summits held in hotels.

After about an hour of mingling and enjoying dim sum and cocktails, Rogaski got onstage and cued up a PowerPoint.

"As women, we often get into the pattern that keeping your head down and doing good work is enough - it's not," she told the rapt crowd. "Success requires much more."

When she finished, the women stood and gave a thunderous ovation. Other female executives stepped up to share their stories.

Catherine Valentine, general counsel of Logitech and an industry veteran, talked about work-life balance: "I had to mold myself to male behaviors. And I consciously decided not to have children. You may think it has gotten better since then, but it hasn't."

The room was quiet as Valentine paused, clearly teary-eyed.

"We don't belong to a club or play golf. We don't have those systems, and we should," she said. "We need to support women in being women."

Another major issue that needs to be addressed is the pay disparity among men and women in the industry, said Doris Pickering, who worked in product management for HP for 12 years. "I've been paid less than the men in my same job all the time," she said. "We've been talking about this for 30 years, and I'm sick of it."

The golf cliche

Silicon Valley, with a reputation for cutting-edge startups and a rebellious boyish culture, seems an unlikely place for business meetings on a golf course, but it is just as alive there as anywhere.

"The golf club is so cliche. But it's exactly what you would imagine, a bunch of powerful men getting together on their own," says Mona Sabet, a corporate vice president at Cadence Design Systems in San Jose. "I suppose I could get an invitation if I asked, but I don't even want to. You'd think Silicon Valley would be different, like too edgy for the golf course. But it's not."

The appeal of having a space of their own appealed to many attendees, including Kathi Lutton, part of the Forbes Most Powerful Women Network, who brought her grandmother to the event. "If the women in this room were part of a country club," she said, "I would have already joined it."

Over the past few years, dozens of women's professional organizations have sprung up in Silicon Valley. There is WITI, WilPower, Levo League and Women 2.0. And while membership booms, gaining momentum and finding headquarters are a constant struggle.

"Right now all of us meet either online or we rent conference centers - but our group keeps growing," says Radhika Emens, regional director of Silicon Valley's Women in Technology International, which has 140,000 members.

"What Annie's doing is unique. They're going after real estate, they're going to buy and develop it. We want to be part of that."

Emens, representing WITI's immense network, submitted her application - 15 short personal essays on her background, skills, ability and desire to mentor - for the Club that night. If accepted, she will pay $350 in annual dues, as have the other 50 members approved so far.

Financial backing

The Club has also received "a significant and surprising" amount of funding, Rogaski said, but declined to give specific figures. In the weeks since the launch, five large companies have stepped forward as sponsors, including Rogaski's law firm, which also underwrote the launch party.

"I'm proud of the firm's commitment to the Club and its goal of creating real leadership opportunities for women," said Paul Aguggia, chair of Kilpatrick Townsend.

Deanna Graham, the market research group manager at Adobe, had reservations about joining a women-only club. Years ago, as a manager at Intuit, Graham was asked to lead a women's group, and she refused.

"I didn't want to be pigeonholed," Graham, 46, says. "Now at this point in my career, I see the need to connect and mentor. And to have a club of our own. Having a physical space will indicate the seriousness and the stability." She pauses and smiles. "It should have a good entertaining flow, should be big enough for a great cocktail party. I mean, it really could be fun."

It's this kind of attitude that makes Speier believe in the Club.

"There are going to be women standing outside waiting in line to become members. I think there's a great hunger for this, and it needs to be sated."

For more information: theclubsv.org.

Nellie Bowles is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: nbowles@sfchronicle.com