5 Tips & Tricks on Effective Negotiation: Event Recap

Last Tuesday, to quote our amazing speaker Mitra Kiamanesh, “We teased the topic of negotiation”. Having over 30 years of international experience in mediation, intercultural project management, conflict resolution and negotiation, Mitra opened our eyes on a few key things we have to prepare for and keep in mind whether we enter a negotiation in our professional or personal lives.

“In business as in life, you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.”

- Chester. L. Karrass

1. Ask for What’s Feasible

Before starting, say, a  salary negotiation, do your homework! What is the industry average? Does the company need you? What is the company’s current state? What is the ceiling? What are some of the arguments the company might have against your proposal and how would you prove that you deserve that promotion? Coming in prepared, with statistics to back up your asks, will add weight and professionalism to your points.

2. Everyone is Right

If you think about it, everyone thinks that their perspective is the right one. However, with this approach an agreement can never be reached as everyone’s “right” does not match. It is important to think about similarities and differences in your points of view and negotiate around them. Don’t ignore cultural sensitivities! We all come from different backgrounds and have different points of view.

3. Have a Reservation Point

Coming into negotiation, have these three things figured out: what you want - the ideal outcome, what are your maybes - things you can play around with and are willing to concede on, and your non-negotiables. You have to be true to yourself and strict about your non-negotiables. If a negotiation starts putting your non-negotiables at risk, you have hit  your reservation point and it’s best to walk away to avoid regretting any decisions made.

4. Environment and Body Language Matter

Be very mindful of the setting in which negotiation takes place. Certain seating arrangements, for example, can either make or break a conversation. For example, a round table is inviting and erases any power dynamics as everyone can see each other and sit at the same level.

As for body language tips and tricks, nobody said it better than Amy Cuddy, you can watch her TED talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are?language=en

5. Linda, Listen!

We can’t stress enough how crucial it is to practice active listening. Acknowledging the fact that you heard and understood what the other person was saying by rephrasing his or her words will show that you were listening, you care about their position and you want to reach an agreement. This type of listening  calms people down and sets an overall positive atmosphere.

On the importance of listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP8RB7UZHKI

If you have any questions about the content of the session or would like to join us at an upcoming event, check out our events page. We can’t wait to meet you!

5 Takeaways from ‘WordPress for Business’ with Laura Eagin

We had the pleasure of having Web Developer and Camp Tech Vancouver City Manager, Laura Eagin, join us for our ‘WordPress for Business’ workshop last week. Laura’s WordPress tips and tricks were valuable for everyone. Beginners and everyday users alike left having learned something new. In case you missed it, here are our top five takeaways from Laura’s workshop.

WP.com-vs-WP.org_

Image source: Laura Eagin, YWiB’s WordPress for Business

1. Know the difference between WordPress.org vs WordPress.com It can be confusing to grasp at first, and despite the two nearly identical URLs, they operate as two completely different websites. See the chart below for a brief comparison, but simply: if you want to set up a simple blog or website - go with WordPress.com. If you want a more complex and multi-functional website - go with WordPress.org.As the chart indicates, WordPress.com is completely free while WordPress.org will have web hosting costs, which brings us to our next takeaway…
2. Pick a good webhost!With the plethora of webhost providers out there, how do you ensure that the one you pick is right for you?A web host is a service that provides you space on the Internet to run your website(s). To put it in a different context, it can be compared to how you would purchase a house or pay rent to a landlord; essentially you are paying for the land (i.e. the space) for your dwellings.Do your research and make sure the web host provides all the features you need. For example, you want to make sure that the web host provides WordPress installation or even better, a one-click or automatic WordPress installation. Check out whoishostingthis.com for a list of the different web host WordPress providers including a breakdown of their ratings, costs, and the type of different features they provide.Here are some of Laura’s top picks for webhosts:
   • Dreamhost
   • Bluehost
   • WPEngine
   • CanadianWebHosting
3. The do’s and don’t’s with themesWhether you’re going for a more simplistic and minimal look or a friendly and retro feeling, there are multiple themes for you to choose from!A WordPress theme is a way to change the overall design and layout of your website. A theme will change the way your content looks but not the content itself.There are several ways you can get themes, some free and some paid:
   • Wordpress.org/themes: Provides free themes vetted by WordPress
   • Wordpress.org/themes/commercial: Provides paid themes vetted by WordPress
   • woothemes.com: Provides paid themes with online shop features
   And make sure to avoid these big theme mistakes:
   • Googling and downloading from any website – you may risk downloading themes that are poorly coded
   • ThemeForest.net bloated themes – Themeforest.net themes may appear to be a gold mine but often comes with panels and sheets of unnecessary code which will make further customization difficult
   • No active support team – Making sure that you have an active support team will allow you to ask questions in the future when it comes to website and theme support
   • Not mobile friendly – in the golden age of mobiles, not having a mobile optimized theme is a huge red flag!
   • Not touch screen friendly – similar to above, it’s all about adapting to the market’s needs.
4. Customize it with pluginsDepending on your website, you may need to install different plugins to further enhance the user experience. WordPress Plugins are bits of software that can be uploaded to extend and expand the functionality of your WordPress website.In continuation of our house example, think of plugins as installing a dishwasher or upgrading to a flat screen TV in your new home.Laura’s recommended plugins include:
   • For building Contact Forms → Gravity Forms
   • For website backups → BackupBuddy
   • For SEO optimization → Yoast SEO
   • For an anti-spam website → Akismet
   • For an e-commerce website → WooCommerce
   • If your website is under maintenance → UnderConstruction
   Plugins come in a variety of costs, ranging from free, free for the basic settings, to paid. Check out the WordPress plugin directory for a complete list.

5. Don’t forget about those metrics!You have your domain and web host, you chose the perfect theme, and your website has all the plugins that you need. What’s next? The next step is ensuring that you are meeting your website goals, whether it is reaching a certain number of hits each month or having users perform a certain action on your website.Set up Google Analytics on your website to track important data like number of new visitors, visitor demographics, which pages visitors are going to, and bounce rate, to name a few. There’s even a behavior flow chart that tracks the path a user takes when they visit the website.

Ready to get started? Simply, login with your Google account at Google Analytics.

We hope you’re ready to take a stab at WordPress for your business with these essential tips. Looking to learn more? Don’t forget to check out Camp Tech Vancouver’s website for courses on WordPress, SEO, and more. Interested in getting more involved with YWiB Vancouver? Check out our events page.

Q & A with Laura Eagin

Laura Eagin is a web developer and designer in Vancouver, BC. We are thrilled to have her host an upcoming Wordpress Workshop on Jan. 26. Join us to learn more about creating professional website with WordPress, including her list of favourite plugins, how to choose an appropriate theme, and resources to learn more. Get your ticket here today!

1. Can you tell us about Camptech, your role there, and what it's all about?

   Camp Tech offers half-day and one day workshops for adults interested in acquiring new digital marketing skills. Camp Tech classes are fun, friendly, professional and very practical. We create a welcoming environment for those who are hesitant around technology and we teach skills that can be put into practice right away. Some of our most popular classes in Vancouver are WordPress for Beginners, Intro to Google Analytics, Writing Killer Web Content and Email Marketing with MailChimp.

   As the City Manager for Camp Tech in Vancouver, I connect instructors who excel in their field with students who are eager to push their business and career to the next level. It's such a positive role - I love the mentorship aspect and I'm thrilled to be part of a women-lead organization like Camp Tech. It inspires me to be more involved in mentorship. Helping students feel confident and empowered about tech is the most rewarding thing I can do.

2. What things should every young professional know how to do in WordPress (or web development, in general) and why?

   Take a few hours to get to know the basics in HTML and CSS. I promise it's not bad and it won't take you more than a week to grasp the concepts. I know it's intimidating at first, but between online courses offered at Codecademy and in-person web development classes similar to those offered at Ladies Learning Code, you can absolutely do this. No matter what is powering the website (WordPress, Shopify, Squarespace, Drupal or a hand-coded website) the output is the same: HTML, CSS and Javascript. With a good grasp of those first two, you've got a good chance of understanding what is happening behind the scenes. You'll be in a much better position when talking to a developer or when you look for the solution yourself.One of my most valuable WordPress skills is Googling. Yep, you read that right. I Google like it's my job and I'm not afraid to jump straight to a search tab when I encounter a stubborn problem. One good place to start searching is the WordPress codex, but an even better and often more frequently updated resource, is the support thread on each theme or plugin. There's a fantastic community of developers and webmasters who have struggled with everything that WordPress could throw my way. Go and dig and see if your question has been answered before - chances are it has.

   When I started out doing WordPress web development, I did something that I now know is called cowboy coding. It's... not recommended. Cowboy coding is when you edit a website on the fly. It's too easy to break a website or to lose your changes and be unable to revert. I have to admit that at first I was using this element of risk as a motivator - if I broke something on a website momentarily then my adrenaline would shoot through the roof and I knew I had to fix it as soon as possible, so I did. I don’t recommend that you do this - it's something I'm glad I stopped doing long ago. Set yourself up for success and a lot less stress by working in a smarter way. Never work on a live site, always work on a copy and then push those changes to the live website. Some people work on a local copy that is off-line and others work on a password-protected staging website online which your web host can help you make. Lastly, save your work often and the best way to do this is with version control. Get to know your options with Git, GitHub and BitBucket so you can always roll back a change you've made. This advice may sound very web-development focused, but I know writers, designers and researchers who take this advice to heart and apply it to their work as well. It's smart to work smarter!

3. What piece of advice would you give to the members of Young Women in Business Vancouver in regards to professional and/or personal development?

   Professional or personal development is more than just a nice idea - it's critical for your success. We know how fast technology is changing and we see how that change affected generations before us. There are too many people for whom technology proved to be a real hurdle at one point or another in their career. Strive to become the first person in the office to know that new skill that no one else has mastered yet. It will take a while to master it, but the first step is the most important one. Do it!

Q & A with Mark Savard - Covenant House Vancouver

We recently held our Mingle & Jingle winter social and had the opportunity to partner with Covenant House Vancouver. Following the event, we asked Mark a few questions about his work at Covenant House Vancouver, how to get involved, and what advice he has for the YWiB members.

 

Can you tell us about Covenant House, your role there, and how you got involved?

Founded in 1997, Covenant House Vancouver offers a clear exit from life on the street for youth aged 16 to 24. We make this possible through a carefully designed Continuum of Care including a daily drop-in, a 54 bed residential crisis program, a transitional living program, relapse prevention, and life-skills training. Each and every day, young people come to us damaged from the abuses of their past, desperately needing love and guidance. Over the next year, more than 1,400 homeless young people will come to Covenant House Vancouver and take the first steps in creating a better life for themselves.

My name is Mark Savard and my role is Development Officer – Community Giving. I’m part of the Development and Communications team which includes: fundraising, volunteers, communications, and gifts-in-kind administration. I’m responsible for working (and fundraising) with: schools, community groups, service clubs, employee groups, and stewarding third party events (individuals or groups creating events benefitting Covenant House). I’ve been in this particular role for 8 years and have been on this team at Covenant house for 10 years. I always say that I ‘fell into it backwards’ – starting out on contract. I’ve had the opportunity to grow with the agency and I’ve never looked back! From my first day here I was very impressed with the program delivery model.

Youth accessing Covenant House’s programs and services are met ‘where they’re at’. They drive what they want to do and are accompanied through their journey with us by Youth Workers. Some youth may use all three programs; some may need just one. It all depends on their individual needs. We refer to our programs collectively as our ‘Continuum of Care’. Ultimately, we provide the programs and services that allow youth to leave the streets behind for good by providing a hand up, and not a handout.

With winter upon us, how can people best support or get involved with Covenant House and the great work you do?

There are a few options to help Covenant House in its work with homeless youth:

Donating items:

Gently used clothing appropriate for youth in our age range of 16 to 24, donating new toiletry items, socks, and/or underwear. Non-perishable food is welcome however it does need to be commercially prepared (we can’t accept food made at home).

Financial donations are always welcome:

We’re 95% privately funded so individuals, corporations, foundations, community, and employee groups sustain the work we do. You can donate online, via phone, or mail. You can also become a monthly donor!

Third party events:

People can hold all kinds of fundraisers from bake sales to birthdays. We have a peer-to-peer fundraising website where people, groups, and/or teams can set up fundraising pages then encourage friends and family to support them (they get instant tax receipts when donating online).Short-term volunteering: We hold thank-a-thons in our offices at the Drake Street building. This involves calling donors to simply say ‘thank you’ for their recent gift. We do this twice per week in October and November (plus a few dates in December) then again in February, April, and May. The application is brief and not the same process as the regular volunteer positions.

Long-term (regular) volunteer positions:

To hold a regular volunteer position at Covenant House you need to be at least 26 years old. There’s a fairly rigorous process involving: an application, one-on-one meeting with our Manager of Volunteers, police check, and group orientation.

Mentor Program:

This is a new opportunity to act as a mentor for youth residing in our transitional living program. You have to be at least 25 years old and be able to meet with your mentee once per month in person and be available via phone and/or email once per week.

What piece of advice would you give to the members of Young Women in Business Vancouver in regards to professional and/or personal development?

My grandmother told me, “never stop learning”, which I’ve endeavored to do (and I’m middle aged now!). It doesn’t have to be learning in the formalized (school) sense, but being open to new ideas, networks, and opportunities. When networking and meeting new people, I think about what I could possibly do for them and what other networks I know of that they could benefit from. Of course everyone you meet has a story so there’s learning potential from each person you encounter!

A couple of my favourite quotes come from Eleanor Roosevelt:

“Do one thing that scares you every day”.

“You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give”.

Blueprint Mentee: Natalie Chu

Another mentee's reflection from our Blueprint Mentorship Program should inspire you to apply for your own mentor in our January 2016 intake -- but quick! Applications close October 15, 2015.  

Natalie Chu

Development Coordinator

Citimark Development Corp.

What were your main objectives for the Blueprint program?

My main objective of the program was to learn both valuable business and life skills from not only my mentor, but other like-minded individuals. I wanted to get involved in a community that empowers women and encourages both professional and social long-term relationships. As this was my first formal mentorship program, I did not want to set expectations per se. I wanted the relationship with my mentor to develop naturally.

How was your mentor, Carlee Groves, a good fit for you?

Carlee is a charismatic, passionate, and driven individual. We met for the first time prior to the formal launch of the program in January. Within minutes of meeting each other, it felt like we had known one another for years. At that initial meeting, we asked one another what we hoped to achieve throughout this program. We agreed to be open […] with one another and vowed to hold each other accountable. She was the perfect fit for me, and I am grateful to have shared this experience with her.

How did you and Carlee connect and work together throughout the program?

Carlee and I made it a priority to meet at least once a month. We went to a few industry events together, and met before each of our workshops. At these meetings, we'd discuss the progress we both made with respect to our personal and professional goals. In addition, we would talk about some of the challenges that we were facing at work, how we overcame them, and how each of the experiences we faced was a growing and learning opportunity.

What was something Carlee said or did that really stuck with you?

I can be a perfectionist, which can be my demise sometimes. Carlee had a very similar journey through the early stages in her career; she taught me that not all questions can be answered right away, but to embrace the unknown and let fate be my destiny (to a degree, of course). I consider myself to have risk-adverse tendencies. Carlee encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone because risks are not necessarily always bad. Taking risks can result is great outcomes, but without trying, we'll never know what those outcomes are.

What were the most impactful lessons, conversations, or development that came out of your discussions with Carlee?

She emphasized that there are no wrong choices per se, but highlighted that there is something to learn from every experience. It is important to put yourself out there, get involved with the community and be open to new experiences. So long as you are constantly learning and doing, you are moving in the right direction. Personally, I have struggled with what the next steps of my career are. Whether it's pursing a masters degree, continuing with my current career path, travelling, or doing something completely different, the unknown scares me. I have learnt to embrace this journey with open arms.

Did you apply any of your development from this experience to your career?

This experience has taught me about the balance between my career, lifestyle, and relationships. As important as it is to execute tasks, it is equally important to develop one's growth, lifestyle and relationships. I have made it a standard practice to revisit my goals, and constantly develop them. By breaking my goals down into three categories, I have been able to focus on each of them independently and to determine how best achieve them. I have found this to be an extremely rewarding process, and has helped me challenge and push myself.

What was your favourite aspect of the YWiB Blueprint program?

Sharing this experience with others, and seeing the progress of other mentors and mentees was inspiring. I usually attend industry-related events, so it was great to meet women in other industries, and learn the ins and outs of different lines of work.

How has YWiB Blueprint helped develop your career?

This mentorship program has helped me celebrate my achievements to date, and has helped me envision what I want to get out of the next year, five years and ten years of my career. Though I cannot guarantee any given set path to achieve my goals, Carlee and I discussed all different ways to achieve them, and I am excited to see what my future entails. I have made it a goal of mine to take some courses to acquire new skills. I am now inspired to constantly challenge myself with things that I am hesitant of. […]I look forward in pushing myself to new boundaries.

Apply before October 15, 2015 for the January 2016 intake!

BTGC: Women & Innovation

We're still feeling the afterglow of last Thursday's inspiring panel at RED Academy, on Women & Innovation. We saw a lot of eyes light up listening to our panelists, and in case you were too in awe to take notes, we wanted to share some of the thoughts from the evening. Here we go...  

On defining "innovation"

• A mindset/skill that needs to be practiced (don't just stick with the same old answers!)
• Disruption
• You do not need to reinvent the wheel to be considered innovative
• Taking concepts or ideas and applying them to another situation or for another purpose
• Taking old concepts or ideas and applying them to modern day situations or purposes
• Solving a problem in a new way

On being innovative

• Don't force it. To be innovative, you need to know who YOU are; your strengths and passions; focus on those. It can be difficult to come up with creative ideas for things that bore you or you know little about. strengthfinder.com.
• Innovation is not equal to technology. Technology is a result of innovation and a tool to be innovative, but not innovation itself. You can be innovative in any field of work.
• Stick to your guns. Your ideas are good ones. Men get an idea and think it's the best thing since sliced bread. Confidence (even if false or fake) can be convincing.

When it comes to defending your ideas

• Know your audience. Tailor your pitch to what you think they are looking for or what motivates them.
• Make sure you put your idea in context of the problem it's solving.
• Your ideas are not YOU. It's easy to be emotionally attached to your ideas, but don't take things so personally if someone shuts one down.
• Further to the above, some people will never be won over (or won't be until you're already successful :P). Some people need to be shown how good an idea is, not told.
• Sometimes it's important to realize if the environment your in is not welcoming of your innovative ideas, it may be time to move to somewhere that is.

On what organizations can do to cultivate innovative thinking/corporate culture around innovation

• Incentives for new ideas that work
• Starting an innovative group (Vision Critical's Innovation Circle)
• Generally being open-minded and welcoming of employees' ideas (sometimes it may not be the entire organization, but someone who has decision power who listens to you and will give you a chance without repercussions)

You don't need to know it all

• Create your own personal Board of Advisors and consult them on decisions you feel are important. These people will be invaluable. Family do not count.
• Get a mentor. Whether informal through a personal connection (maybe someone on your Board of Advisors) or a formal mentor who has relevant experience and new connections for you...better yet, do both. Apply to YWiB Vancouver's Blueprint Mentorship Program before October 15th!

Did you hear a good quote or have your own thought that isn't on this list? Sharing is caring, so add it to the comments below!

#YWiBbtgc: Meet Melanie Levenberg

Beyond the Glass Ceiling panel event is back again, and this year’s theme focuses on Women and Innovation. We sit with top tier panelists from Vancouver who live and breathe innovation. Who are these innovative businesswomen? Today, we’re pleased to introduce you to…

Melanie-Levenberg

Melanie Levenberg

Founder & Program Director of DANCEPL3Y

There are a plethora of classes to choose from these days. But have you ever bought a pass for something just to use it a few times and let the rest expire? Conventional fitness classes tend to follow the same template: the instructor is at the front of the class and has everyone do the same movement or activity.

Enter Melanie Levenberg. Growing on her background in fitness and health across a number of industries, Melanie wanted to create something that was engaging, interactive and playful to promote a positive, fun attitude to fitness. It was this philosophy that DANCEPL3Y and the 3 Rules of PL3Y were created:

Be positive.

Be fun.

Be yourself.

DANCEPL3Y is designed to inspire everyBODY to feel like a rockstar as they "sweat happy". After learning simple moves from a variety of dance styles, DANCEPL3Y is all about interacting with the others in the class and discovering your own unique style and way of moving. No minimum skill required, and no boredom over repetitive, recycled classes. Just fun being yourself.

DANCEPL3Y runs programs in Vancouver, catered to ages as young as preschool, children, teens, and also adults. Children, in particular, are growing and developing habits – both good and bad – as well as their outlook on things like health and fitness. If children are to have a positive attitude towards these, it’s important that they have a lot of fun doing it. Last year, Ms. Levenberg presented DANCEPL3Y at the 2014 Global Summit of Physical Activity in Children in Toronto.

Come hear Ms. Levenberg talk about her innovative concept this Thursday, September 17th at Beyond the Glass Ceiling: Women and Innovation. Not only that, but she’ll be giving us a demo of what DANCEPL3Y is all about with a quick “refresher” exercise to get up and bust a move after the panel ends!

Last chance to grab tickets for tomorrow's Beyond the Glass Ceiling!