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According to a 2021 report from the International Energy Agency, women make up only 19 per cent of the mining workforce in Canada.AFP/Getty Images
When The Globe and Mail released their annual Women Lead Here report in March, it showed that only 6.6 per cent of Canada’s largest publicly traded companies had a woman CEO. Perhaps surprisingly, several of the companies helmed by women were in the mining sector, a traditionally male-dominated industry.
Two of those CEOs, Jody Kuzenko and Aurora Davidson, spoke with the Globe Women’s Collective about leading in a mostly male industry, and how they are working to improve the ratio for the future.
Read insights from Ms. Kuzenko and Ms. Davidson here.
‘Shark girl’ Madison Stewart uses tourism to compete with shark trade
Cold-blooded hunters with dagger-like teeth and lightning speed, out to kill: That’s the image movies like the Oscar-winning Jaws paint of one of the ocean’s greatest predators – sharks.
They are to be feared and, ultimately, to be destroyed. And that’s exactly what happens not only on the the movie screen but also off. A hundred million sharks are killed every year by humans, and overfishing has led to a 70-per-cent decline in shark populations globally over the past 50 years.
Diver Madison Stewart is changing the narrative, showing that sharks’ importance goes way beyond terrorizing and biting humans as we see at the movies. The animals play a crucial role in maintaining species balance in ocean ecosystems.
Read about how Ms. Stewart is saving sharks by providing fisherman with alternative income through tourism.
If you want to be a great leader, make sure you learn how to coach
“The profession of coaching has evolved significantly since I started to work in this space in 2003,” says Eileen Chadnick, certified coach and principal at Big Cheese Coaching.
“In those early years when I told people I was getting into coaching, they would often ask, ‘What sport?’ That no longer happens.
“The International Coaching Federation (ICF) recently announced a global milestone of more than 50,000 ICF credential holders, reflecting the growth in coaching.
“Additionally, in May, the ICF released its most extensive global study to date, which provides a snapshot of the global state of the profession, and reflects confidence in future growth in demand for these services.”
Read more about how coaching skills can create better leaders.
In case you missed it
These immigrant women are lifting each other up while advancing their careers
It’s been a bittersweet few monts for Sahar Sayedy.
In July 2021, the Kabul native was on her way back to Afghanistan after completing her Fulbright Scholarship in the U.S. when all hell broke loose. The Taliban had stormed the country, taking over provinces and eventually the capital city with shocking speed. The violent takeover meant she would not be able to return home.
Ms. Sayedy moved to Canada to stay with her uncle and began looking for employment – all this in the middle of a pandemic while stressing endlessly over the safety of her family, who were still in Kabul under the shadow of the Taliban.
Despite her educational qualifications and comprehensive work experience, Ms. Sayedy made no headway finding a job. She says it was a demoralizing experience.
“I was told that I need Canadian experience [and I should] attend résumé and interviewing workshops, but I already had all this experience, a big network back home. So to be told that I had to ‘find anything’ to get started was depressing,” she says.
Read the full article.
I want time off. Why do I need a reason?
Back in 2018, work was stressful for Chantaine Green-Leech. The now 28-year-old had been working as an office administrator in Waterloo, Ont., on a team of three people. The workload was heavy to begin with, and when one employee left the company, reducing the team to just two people, Ms. Green-Leech knew she had surpassed her limit.
“I lasted about two weeks before I was like, ‘No, I don’t get paid enough for this,’” she says.
She booked a private meeting with her boss to ask for time off but was refused. When she insisted, Ms. Green-Leech eventually got the time off approved. But the situation left her feeling like her mental health wasn’t a priority, and that she had to come up with a “good enough” reason in order for her boss to grant her request for a break.
“After that, I just started saying I had appointments that I couldn’t miss, because taking a day off on the basis of [needing] a mental health day, it wouldn’t fly,” she says.
Read the full article.
Ask Women and Work
Question: I’ve had a couple of friends recently tell me I should be working on building my ‘personal brand.’ I’m not much of a social media person — why do I need to do this, and how do I do it?
We asked Lissa Appiah, career and resume strategist, founder and CEO of WeApply Canada, to tackle this one:
A personal brand helps you establish your professional identity and how you want to be perceived. Your brand is based on your experiences, expertise and achievements. Companies have a brand because they are trying to sell a product. Their brand helps them be the first thing people think about when they need the service or product they sell; this is called top-of-mind awareness. Your personal brand enables you to create top-of-mind awareness so that when someone is looking for your skillset or expertise, you will be the first person they think of.
In a competitive job market, your personal brand helps you stand out, increase visibility and attract career opportunities. It enables you to expand your reach and enlarge your network beyond your immediate circle.
Ultimately, you want to build a brand wherever people in your industry hang out. That would be LinkedIn for many, considering it’s a professional platform. However, as someone who is not a social media person, don’t underestimate the power of building a brand within your company and your community.
Here are three things that can help you begin to build your personal brand:
1. Define your unique value proposition. Your personal brand starts with your message. What stands out about the way you approach your work? Perhaps it’s your unique way of building relationships to secure accounts or your ability to bridge the gap between technology and user experience, resulting in intuitive and efficient apps. Potential employers or clients will recognize your specific skills and expertise, making you more appealing for relevant opportunities.
2. Showcase your expertise through content creation. By creating valuable content, you establish yourself as an authority in your field. People who find your content helpful will start recognizing your name, which can lead to networking opportunities, job offers, or potential collaborations.
3. Leverage in-person networking and events. In-person networking allows you to make personal connections that go beyond social media. Building meaningful relationships can lead to referrals, collaborations, and even job opportunities that might not have been available through online channels alone.
Building your personal brand can significantly impact your professional life. This brand identity will increase your visibility and credibility, leading to more opportunities. A strong personal brand can also positively impact your self-confidence and motivation as you become recognized and appreciated for your expertise in your field.
The Globe and Mail
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