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Dear member,
Here we are, two full months into 2021, and more
‘unprecedented times’ have come our way. Between work, online school, personal
challenges, weather events – one thing is for sure. Change is the new norm.
With the future looking to have just as many curve balls, how does someone cope?
Stress is the body’s natural response to change, and if
stress is mismanaged it can cause a snowball effect of other issues mentally
& physically. I highly recommend “Burn out: the secret to unlocking the
stress cycle” by the Nagoski sisters.
Take a look at the high-level outline of the Audio book in
this newsletter. Try some of their
suggestions, change it up, get creative to complete your stress cycle. When you
complete the stress cycle, assess the stressor, and determine how to shorten or
diminish for the next time around – you’ll be able to respond to unprecedented
stress at a healthy pace. It gets easier with practice but give yourself grace
as we learn about ourselves, and interactions with others. |
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Choose to Challenge: International Women's Day
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International Women’s Day is March 8th and this year’s theme is Choose to Challenge. From the IWD website:
A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions - all day, every day.
We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women's achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.
From challenge comes change, so let's all choose to challenge.
We are a long way from reaching gender parity in the workplace. This was made worse by the burdens of the past year, which have more than two million women considering leaving the workforce entirely.
This doesn’t just hurt women. It hurts everyone.
According to research in Diversity wins: How inclusion matters by McKinsey & Company, companies with women well-represented in leadership are more likely to outperform their competitors.
So what can we as individuals and companies do to help women succeed now and in the long term?
One way is to mentor and sponsor women and women’s networks
In-company mentorships are a great way to impart company culture and support employee retention. But often women are only mentored or sponsored by other women. Male leaders and managers should be encouraged to mentor women.
Women, in turn, should be encouraged to mentor not only women, but men. In a recent Harvard Business Review (HBR) article, Raina H. Anderson, Executive Coach and expert on men and women at work, described female mentors and how their leadership, support, and guidance have helped their male proteges.
Finally, a recent study reported in HBR showed a well-connected network isn't enough for women. To be the most successful, women also need an additional, separate network. A network of women.
Companies can establish formal mentoring within their own ranks and encourage women to participate in women’s networks. Companies can also support these networks, like WWLF. (See our article on sponsorship opportunities, below, or email sponsorship@wwlf.org to sign up as a sponsor now.)
Women can reach out to senior leaders to request mentoring help or offer to help mentor junior women and men.
This past year has been a strain on all of us. But we can let it create change for the better. It will not be easy, given the setbacks. Yet, if we choose to challenge workplace disparity, we can all make a difference.
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WWLF’s New President Amanda Cahill Looks Forward to Expanding Mentorship and Engagement |
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Note: This article originally appeared last month on the WIA website. A portion is reprinted here with permission. Mentorships and engagement will be key focuses for the Women’s Wireless Leadership Forum (WWLF) during the next two years under the direction of newly elected WWLF President Amanda Cahill. Her passion for promoting the value of mentorship and expanding its role within WWLF is a reflection of the importance mentors have played in her own career trajectory.
Cahill didn’t set out to pursue a career in the wireless industry, but like many people, she said she fell into it. Working for a market research and consulting firm in 2012, Cahill knew that was not something she wanted to pursue long term. A fortuitous interview set up by a headhunter in her network provided an opportunity that propelled Cahill into the telecommunications industry.
Now, after nearly a decade in the industry, Cahill serves as National Director of Business Development for SQUAN, a design-build firm focused on evolving telecommunications infrastructure for both wireline and wireless network operators, developers and related organizations. In her role, she leads business development initiatives, collaborates with multiple departments on proposal delivery and execution, pursues new and manages existing client relationships, and assists in marketing activities to showcase SQUAN’s service offerings across several different media. Early in her telecommunications industry career, Cahill has also brought her talents to WWLF, which she joined as a member in 2014. Within months of joining, Cahill became involved with membership initiatives for the forum. She served as Co-Director for Membership through the end of 2015, and in 2016 served as Executive Director of Ways & Means, a position which she held until early this year when she was elected President of WWLF.
“Involvement in women’s empowerment and leadership groups has always been important to me,” Cahill said.
As president of the premier organization representing women in the wireless industry, Cahill now looks forward to building on and expanding WWLF’s focus on mentorship and increasing engagement among members. (Read the rest here.) |
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Amanda Cahill currently serves as President of WWLF. She has been a
member since 2014, serving as Co-Director of Membership in 2015 and
Executive Director of Ways & Means from 2016 – 2020. Amanda began
her career in the wireless industry in 2012. Based in Dallas, Texas,
Amanda currently serves as the National Director of Business Development
at SQUAN.
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Go Red for Women In honor and memory of Janae Turner
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In May of last year, WWLF lost one of our own to heart disease. Member Janae Turner was just 50 years old when she died of a heart attack. Janae frequently attended industry events and loved working in telecom. And she valued the many friendships she made during her eight years in wireless. She is missed by all who knew her.
"Heart disease and stroke cause 1 in 3 deaths among women each year –
more than all cancers combined. Fortunately, we can change that because
80 percent of cardiac and stroke events may be prevented with education
and action," reports the American Heart Association (AHA). The AHA raises funds for women's heart health education under their Go Red for Women initiative. And while National Wear Red Day was February 5 this year, you can wear red or give anytime. Janae was part of the Selective Site Consultants, Inc team. To honor her, SSC has teamed with the AHA to raise funds.
To learn more about Janae, please visit her Go Red site. And if you would like to join in remembering Janae by making a contribution, you can do so through the same link.
To learn more about the risk of heart disease and stroke in women and how their symptoms differ from men's, please visit AHA's Go Red for Women site.
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Helping us can help you! WWLF 2021-2022 Sponsorship opportunities
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Last chance to submit a sponsorship request is today!
Don't miss out. Email Shamrose Ali before it's too late!
Did you know helping our members helps your company?
Our programs help our members learn and hone important business skills—skills that benefit your business, as well as themselves.
Our members and mentors share their expertise and wisdom so everyone can improve their jobs and grow their knowledge...and then pass it along to others.
We also provide a Fellowship Program for a member just beginning a career in telecommunications.
None of this is possible without the support from our annual sponsors, event sponsors, and industry colleagues.
The benefits of sponsorship
When you sign on as a sponsor, your company becomes part of our national advertising and publicity—letting everyone in telecom know you’re committed and supportive of diversity in our industry.
And you’re our invited guests (via complimentary passes) to some of the most attended industry events of the year.
Every sponsorship level includes:
- 1 year advertising on the WWLF webpage, including hyperlink
- Your logo included in WWLF WIA (Connect X) and MWCA event invitations
- Your logo prominently displayed at WIA (Connect X) and MWCA events
And, depending on the level you choose, you'll also receive:
GOLD Level ($6,000)
- 12 Complimentary Annual (2021) Memberships
- 12 admission passes to the WWLF WIA (Connect X) and MWCA events
- 4 Passes to each WWLF Regional Event and educational webinars, with advance registration
- Opportunity to participate as a featured speaker for WWLF webinars and events
SILVER Level ($4,000)
- 8 Complimentary Annual (2021) Memberships
- 8 admission passes to WWLF WIA (Connect X) and MWCA events
- 2 Passes to each WWLF Regional Event and educational webinars, with advance registration
BRONZE Level ($2,000)
- 4 Complimentary Annual (2021) Memberships
- 4 admission passes to the WWLF WIA (Connect X) and MWCA events
COPPER Level ($1,000)
- 1 Complimentary Annual (2021) Membership
- 1 admission pass to WWLF WIA (Connect X) and MWCA events
EXCLUSIVE FELLOWSHIP SPONSOR (Only one available) Gone!
EXCLUSIVE WWLF NEWSLETTER SPONSOR (Only one available) Gone!
Support women in telecom Help your company
Become a WWLF Sponsor today
Email Executive Director of Ways & Means, Shamrose Ali, before you miss your chance!
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Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski, PhD and Amelia Nagoski, DMA
Book Summary by Ashli Fuselier |
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Dealing with stress is different than dealing with the
stressor.
- Your body needs to complete the stress cycle to
relax, and release the chemicals built up caused by stress.
- Start with completing the stress cycle, then
assess what caused the stress? Is it something you can change? How can you
shorten the stress cycle next time? Can yo avoid completely?
- Rest is not ‘self care’, it is essential and
just as important as a balanced diet.
Sounds easy right? If it was that easy, we wouldn’t have so
many ‘unprecedented times’ because we could let it roll off our backs with
ease. Often times, we assume once the event is over, the stress is gone and our
bodys have completed the cycle. The truth is – human evolution needs to
complete the stress cycle by convincing it the imminent danger has passed. Some
solutions to tricking your body are easy, some are things we already know we
should do.
- Play. Full on play. With your kid, your pet,
your loved ones. Bust out the LEGO, throw water balloons in the back yard,
anything that brings you little kid type of joy will do. Full belly laughter
and play signals to your body the danger has passed.
- Physical touch. Long, meaningful, snugly hugs
with someone you have a strong bond with. Prolonged physical touch releases
chemicals letting your brain know – its okay to breath now.
- Exercise. This ties directly to evolution, if
you finished running from a saber tooth tiger its because you’ve escaped the
hungry beast. Releasing endorphins with cardio, Pilates, or boxing does the
same. The ‘post runners high’ is real.
- Meditation. Full body breathing, resting in a
comfortable position, and focusing on every inch of your physical body to
release tension. When you focus on your physical being in a calm manner, your
brain assumes you are doing a ‘self-assessment check’ which would only be done
once the danger has passed, and starts the ball rolling towards relaxation.
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WWLF Book Read
(Our first ever!)
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
6:30 pm Eastern | 5:30 pm Central | 4:30 pm Mountain | 3:30 pm Pacific
This will be an open discussion with an opportunity for everyone to share comments, questions and insights. For our inaugural session, we will be reading and discussing: Deep Work (Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World) by Cal Newport When you are trying to be productive, are you easily distracted? Do you mindlessly open your favorite website or app instead of focusing on the task at hand? Do you wish you could focus better, spending more hours per day driving toward your most important goals? Deep Work provides insight about how to develop your focus and resist distractions. Focus is like a mental muscle - you need to structure training sessions and push yourself to your mental limit to increase your focus capacity. We hope to see you on the zoom call and look forward to these book discussions as a quarterly virtual event. Registration Closes March 8th Sign up here!
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"Fooling" Around with Paint
Sponsored by LCC Telecom Services, LLC
Thursday April 1, 2021
5:30 pm Eastern | 4:30 pm Central | 3:30 pm Mountain | 2:30 pm Pacific
Join WWLF and Wanchay Itmis as we embark on a fun painting journey with a drink of your choice.
Wanchay Itmis is a founding partner of LCC Telecom Services, a Site Acquisition company located in Rosemont, Illinois. She has been in the Telecom industry for nearly two decades. During her years running a growing and sometimes stressful business in a competitive and challenging industry, Wanchay utilized the practice of mindfulness, meditation and art appreciation to seek a healthy outlet and work/life balance.
Wanchay has also taken her passion for the practice of Mindfulness to develop an online boutique at zensavan.com which offers uniquely curated mindfulness tools, gifts and jewelry.
Wanchay has acquired different means to achieve and remain in the present moment through reading and practicing mindfulness, one of those being “Mindful Painting”.
Join Wanchay along with other WWLF members for an evening of mindful breathing, painting fun, and creative flow.
At the end, you may not come away with a masterpiece but rather new connections and hopefully piece of mind.
Registration closes on March 31, 2021. Save your space here!
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Monthly Networking Event:
Motivation and Mugs
(1st Monday of every month)
Our next event is Monday, April 5, 2021 from 10-10:45 am EST
Let’s come together and connect while enjoying our morning ritual of coffee, tea, lemon water or whatever you like to start your day.
During Motivation and Mugs, each attendee will have one minute to introduce themselves and talk about what they are looking for/needing during these times (job opportunities, connections, friendly support, etc.).
Registration closes the Friday before the event. You'll receive a zoom link before the event. |
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Thank you to our exclusive newsletter sponsor |
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Connect with WWLF
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WWLF is a proud affiliate of WIA
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Women's Wireless Leadership Forum C/O WIA
2111 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 210 Arlington, VA 22201
© 2020 Women’s Wireless Leadership Forum All Rights Reserved
WWLF is committed to creating an inclusive environment where diverse voices are welcome in all aspects of our organization. WWLF values the knowledge and perspectives that our members bring to our organization from their diverse backgrounds. While all members are welcome to participate in both regional and national events, WWLF remains committed to the design and delivery of content to support the development of women in the wireless communications industry. |
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