As women who are in our late 40s and early 50s, we both broke new ground in our professional careers and were the recipients of the efforts of those women who came before us. Whatever our level of achievement in the workplace, however, it's clear that the "glass ceiling" - a term coined by a Wall Street Journal article in 1985 that describes women's barriers to advancement - is still prevalent.
That's not to say, of course, that women haven't made strides. Although we still haven't achieved pay equity, we are increasingly visible in top management positions and in the political arena. But, although our educational achievements are unprecedented - and often surpass those of our colleagues - senior management positions and the exclusive club of CEOs often remains out of reach. Although we may not be able to breathe in that rarified air during the course of our own career, we have the responsibility to take whatever steps we can to pave the way for our daughters and granddaughters to take their rightful place in the world of professionals.
How do we do this? A good place to start is to review the recommendations of the Federal Glass Ceiling Commission, which issued two reports in 1995. Although it's been over a decade since the Commission outlined its recommendations, they can still serve as a springboard for each of us to do what we can to ensure that women move through the ranks and are well positioned to assume influential positions. Here are five ways to help:
1. Influence corporate culture. Wherever you can, infuse your workplace with an affirming, inclusive atmosphere. If your company has an informal "boys network," do your best to open it up to women. If some gatherings and events disproportionately appeal to men, suggest alternatives that would draw women in as well.
2. Hire outside of the box. If your company makes its hiring decisions based on traditional forms of experience and references, try different tactics in your department. A woman who doesn't fit into the traditional mold may still bring a wealth of applicable life experiences to the job and may have the knowledge and wisdom to shine.
3. Open up the process. All too often, women are left out of the meetings and processes that serve to help groom up-and-coming executives. Do what you can to ensure that women have access to these meetings, and that they are visible to the higher-ups.
4. Keep it family friendly. Companies with family friendly policies attract qualified women and have better retention rates than companies that do not. Use the influence you have to create a corporate culture that respects the work-family balance.
5. Pay it forward. You've accumulated a wealth of knowledge over the course of your life and your career. Share what you know with another women. Whether you come across someone in your company that shows promise or find someone in your community, you can guide her in polishing her skills and developing the persona that will enable her to thrive in the corporate world.
Every business professional needs to be as productive and efficient as possible. One the the best ways to achieve this is to employ the use of electronic equipment and accessories such as a cell phone. The Apple iPhone is ideally suited to this purpose as it will allow you to communicate with your business contacts with crystal clear voice quality, monitor your e-mails, surf the internet and send SMS messages quickly and easily. Not that you'll only be using it at work, after a long day working in the business world you can also use it to help you relax and unwind by listening to your favorite music.
However, having an Apple iPhone isn't enough to make your professional life streamlined and compact. There are many accessories for the iPhone that have been developed with the business professional in mind. You will find that with these various accessories, you will be able to become more productive as well as allowing your iPhone to better suit your individual needs. If you use your iPhone constantly, than you are probably tired of having to hold the device up to your ear, and you do more than likely not want to fill your ear with a headphone or Bluetooth set. If this is you, than you will want to have an iPhone accessory that not only frees your hands to type on the computer or make notes, but also your ears so you can hear what is going on around you, which is very important when driving in the car.
One of the most unique professional business accessories for the Apple iPhone is the Blueant Supertooth II Speakerphone. Using this accessory frees up your hands and ears from the iPhone and gives you excellent voice quality even though the sound is coming from a loudspeaker. Whether you at at home, in the car, in the office or relaxing with in a coffee shop this Bluetooth speakerphone gives you the freedom to help you get your work done. It also boosts a very impressive 15 hours of talk and and up to 800 hours of standby time so you can be sure it will keep on working for you.
One of the coolest features about this Bluetooth speakerphone is the fact that you can attach it to your sun visor within your car, allowing you to drive safely while still holding a crystal clear conversation. The reason why this accessory is so useful in the car is because unlike normal in-the-ear Bluetooth devices, your hearing is not obstructed in any way. If you have ever tried to have a conversation while driving with a Bluetooth device in your ear, it is easy for you to become distracted and you are also not able to hear your driving environment.
As this device prevents the risk of distraction it means that you are able to keep on driving on complete safety. Another benefit of this speakerphone is that it is designed with portability in mind. It will literally take you less than five seconds to set it up for use in the car. You can attach the speakerphone via a magnetic clip which makes it incredibly easy to move it from car to car. It also features one of the best noise cancelling microphones available which means that the person on the other end of the line will always be able to hear you perfectly without any background noise. This is especially important when you are holding important conference calls.
Both Chris Robertson & Chris Simpson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.