New Book Provides Women With Formula For Unstoppable Success

Britt Santowski is the voice of the new Unstoppable Woman. Bridging the gap between women of the past and present, from women who were victims to women who are successful and empowered, Santowski uses her personal story and that of many other successful women, along with practical examples, inspirational stories, and a good dose of shrewd common sense to enlighten women about the requirements for success. "The Three Strategies of the Unstoppable Woman" is that book women have long awaited-a surefire guide to finding the required balance in life that leads both to goal-achievement and happiness.

Having experienced violence and abuse, and having seen it in the lives of the women around her, Santowski makes a strong point early in the book that while violence exists in our world, women cannot accept the role of "victim." Santowski has no problem taking on what does not work for women. While education is fine, she points out the educational system's limits, and she provides practical ways for women to determine what is the right goal, field of study, or career for them by exploring their passions and natural inclinations rather than doing what other people or society at large expects is best for them.

At the heart of "The Three Strategies of the Unstoppable Woman" is the invaluable point that women need to support one another. Santowski encourages women, once they know where they want to go in life, to collaborate with each other rather than simply envy one another. She teaches women to transform their envy into the fuel to ignite their dreams. "Envy is not a bad-news indicator that reflects something awful about you. Rather, it is a great-news indicator, telling you that you too can achieve this particular aspiration. All you have to do is to step out of your comfort zone and start moving toward it."

One of my favorite sections of "The Three Strategies of the Unstoppable Woman" was the discussion of forming mastermind groups with like-minded women. While I have heard of mastermind groups before, I appreciated Santowski's simple guidelines for creating such circles, based on her own experiences participating and forming mastermind groups. As a male reader, I felt this information and so much more in the book was directly relevant to my own desires and goals, so I did not let the book's title stop me from absorbing all the priceless information included.

Another favorite piece of advice I found was Santowski's statement that we need to change "if" to "when" in terms of what we desire. We need to assume something we want will happen and then imagine and plan for it. I especially appreciated her example in this case because she helped one of her male clients believe he would receive custody of his child, a situation that did become a "when" not an "if" and it illustrates that Santowski is understanding of men, rather than seeing them as the enemy. She makes a point of saying that she did truly believe in this particular situation that the child would be better off with the father. There is no man-bashing (or woman-bashing) in this book, but rather a sense that people can work together, regardless of sex or background, to make what they want into reality.

Throughout the book, Santowski provides "Call to Action" sections to challenge the reader toward becoming unstoppable. The end of the book is filled with several excellent appendices, not just the usual list of references, but also inspirational quotes from such women as Eleanor Roosevelt and Helen Keller. My favorite appendix is the "Famous Failures" section that illustrates how people (men included) like Walt Disney, Betty Grable, Joan of Arc, and Benjamin Franklin, might have experienced perceived failure but still succeeded. As Santowski points out, failure only really happens when you give up. Everything else is merely a setback.

So, what are the Three Strategies of the Unstoppable Woman? I'm not giving anything away by stating that they are Accountability, Collaboration, and Initiative. It's learning how to apply those strategies that makes this book worth reading. Let Britt Santowski teach you, male or female, how to become unstoppable.

Tyler R. Tichelaar holds a Bachelor's and Master's Degree from Northern Michigan University and a Ph.D. from Western Michigan University. His family's long relationship with Upper Michigan and his avid interest in genealogy inspired Dr. Tichelaar to write his Marquette Trilogy: Iron Pioneers, The Queen City, and Superior Heritage. Dr. Tichelaar is also a professional book reviewer and editor. For more information about Tyler R. Tichelaar, his writing, and his author services, visit:
http://www.marquettefiction.com/

View the original article here

Should Women Rule the World?

At 31, Dee Dee Myers became one of the youngest White House press secretaries in history. She was also the first woman.

Whether due to her age, gender, or experience, the job offered to Myers came with less authority and a smaller office. She was still able to demonstrate her capabilities, staying with the job for two years. During that time she told the president she needed appropriate access and authority to show what she could do - and she got it.

Myers' book, Why Women Should Rule the World, talks about the differences in how men and women approach their lives and their work. She suggests that our world would be a better place, with a stronger economy and more effective institutions, if the upper echelons of organizations were filled with many more women.

The book recounts many of Myers' own experiences, along with other women who have held positions of power. It is also grounded in research.

Studies have confirmed that men and women have brains that operate differently. Men have larger brain areas controlling action and aggression. They brains also devote more than twice as much space to sex drive than women's brains. All brains have two halves. In women, these halves tend to be somewhat less specialized and there is a stronger connection between the two halves.

There are genetic differences in the way boys and girls act and react. Within 24 hours of birth, Simon Baron-Cohen, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at Cambridge University in England saw distinct differences between the reactions of males and females. When shown a mechanical mobile and a human face, girls almost always preferred the face, while boys spent more time looking at the mechanical object. Another study shows that this trend is also exhibited in infant monkeys. When given a choice of human toys, male monkeys prefer trucks and the females choose dolls much more often.

At an early age, boys can be up to 50 times more competitive, while girls tend to be much more cooperative. Boys will often look for an "adversary" in their games. Girls generally prefer games that involve nurturing. They also take turns much more often, even at an early age. These trends continue in later life. Women use conversations to develop and maintain relationships. What they discuss is often not as important as the fact that they are communicating. Men prefer to share activities, rather than thoughts or feelings, with their friends.

Myers notes these findings then talks about them within the context of how organizations, especially government, operate. Our society, like almost every other one in history, is male-dominated. This tends to value male traits, like competition and aggression, over female traits, such as nurturing and cooperation. This can make life for women difficult, especially within the executive offices of most organizations.

Myers has talked to a number of women who have demonstrated the ability to excel in leadership positions. There are those who run organizations and those who lead countries. Her book is full of examples of strong women who have handled difficult situations with a combination of grit, poise, and grace. These women have almost invariably also had to "thread a needle," walking the line between getting accepted by their male counterparts while maintaining their female viewpoints.

Women who are in strong roles in organizations often look for ways to compromise to move decisions forward and get work done. In Congress, the women support one another, looking for ways to get their bills through. And the bills they champion often deal with family-related and work-life issues that have been previously overlooked. Women can help a war-torn nation heal more quickly, as demonstrated after the Rwandan genocide. They are more likely to set aside the tragedy of the past in order to move toward a better life in the present and future.

Our world will change for the better, according to Myers, when women are represented equally at all levels of society and particularly when they have a much stronger voice in decision-making. She is quick to point out that women are not better than men. Rather, including more women at the uppermost level of organizations adds to diversity. That gives us a stronger talent pool, more choices, greater experience, and multiple viewpoints, all of which almost always leads to better group decision-making.

Why Women Should Rule the World, by Dee Dee Myers, was published by HarperCollins in 2008. It is full of information, yet written in a conversational tone that makes for a great read. Myers ideas are well-grounded and intriguing. Look for it in your local library or bookstore.

Judy Downing is a freelance writer who focuses on marketing, sales, customer service and women's issue. She shares tips, techniques and strategies with small business owners to clarify and enhance their customer and business practices. Visit her website at http://www.customerapproach.com/ or email her at judy@customerapproach.com.

View the original article here