7 inspirational quotes from successful women (plus images)

At LH Agenda, we’re driven by a desire to build women’s confidence in their businesses and careers. And there’s so much to learn from celebrating the achievements of confident women that have gone before us and impacted the world. To inspire you, we’ve selected the following 7 inspirational quotes from successful women; from senators and global superstars, to the legendary Eleanor Roosevelt. We hope reading these quotes will motivate you to kick ass and achieve amazing things just like the women that created them!

1. “Women have to work much harder to make it in this world. It really pisses me off that women don’t get the same opportunities as men do, or money for that matter. Because let’s face it, money gives men the power to run the show. It gives men the power to define our values and to define what’s sexy and what’s feminine and that’s bullshit. At the end of the day, it’s not about equal rights, it’s about how we think. We have to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves.” – Beyonce

2. “I didn’t get there by wishing for it or hoping for it, but by working for it.” – Estee Lauder

3. “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

4. “I advise you to stop sharing your dreams with people who try to hold you back, even if they’re your parents. Because, if you’re the kind of person who senses there’s something out there for you beyond whatever it is you’re expected to do – if you want to be EXTRA-ordinary – you will not get there by hanging around a bunch of people who tell you you’re not extraordinary. Instead, you will probably become as ordinary as they expect you to be.” – Kelly Cutrone

5. “Women asking for raises should not only know their value, but they should ask with the confidence that they’re helping the company to be successful.” – Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

6. “A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it’s in hot water.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

7. “Drama is very important in life: You have to come on with a bang. You never want to go out with a whimper.” – Julia Child

Which successful women are you inspired by? Let us know in the comment section below.

If you’re ready to step into your calling, then arm yourself with the right tools – view our purposefully-designed stationery products (filled with even more inspirational quotes) in our online store. You can also sign up to our newsletter on our Welcome page for regular business and personal growth tips and exercises.

10 happiness quotes for female leaders (plus images)

As leaders wielding influence over other people, it’s important to bring a positive energy to our work. We’ve pulled together our favourite 10 happiness quotes for female leaders to remind you to celebrate, appreciate the little things, and not take life so seriously. Try saving these quote images to your phone or laptop to look back on whenever you need a little mood boost, then go out and kick those goals!

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How to develop an employee training program

There are few steps during the hiring process that are more important than the proper training of employees. However, many businesses fail to recognise this fact, which can lead to high turnover rates and unprepared workers.

When you equip your new hires with the tools, resources, and training they need to succeed, however, you’ll lay down the groundwork for an effective first few months. This, in turn, results in higher job morale and increased productivity.

Here are some tips on how to develop an employee training program.

Identify Goals

The first step in creating an employee training program is to identify the goals that need to be met for success to be achieved. Every business is unique, and therefore the goals will be dictated by the requirements in the workplace.

For instance, when training hotel employees you may want to set goals that are related to customer service, while the goals of a firefighter training program may focus more on safety. Depending on the type of business your organisation runs, you will need to tailor the steps in the training process to fit the knowledge and skillset that will best serve your new hire and prepare them for success.

Utilise Training Resources

With the emergence of technology, training resources have been taken to a new level. Gone are the days of flipping through manuals and writing on chalkboards. Instead, there are an array of software platforms on the market that can be programmed to meet the demands of nearly any business.

By utilising these, employees will have a more interactive and dynamic training process. This also shaves numerous hours off HR personnel’s work days, allowing them to allocate dedicated time to more personalized, one-on-one training as needed.

Implement a Schedule

In order to create the most efficient training process possible, employers need to consider implementing a training schedule. There are jobs where the training programs can take weeks to complete, and accommodating the individual schedules of the employees can cause delays.

For this reason, it is wise to have a set schedule in place which can be accessed by all those going through training. Not only will this ensure that every employee is properly trained, but it will also expedite the process.

Hire a Trainer

Hiring an experienced trainer can help the process move along more smoothly and it can be an incredibly effective way of onboarding employees. While there are costs to consider when using a professional trainer, it is certainly one of the most efficient ways of teaching.

You may also want to seek out the assistance of a seasoned employee, as this can also go a long way in showing the new hires the details of the position.

Monitor Progress

Keeping track of the progress of the trainees can be crucial. After all, it can cost a significant amount of money to put employees through the hiring process, and the results can be disastrous if they are not properly trained.

Whether your business is using software for training purposes or the learning is more hands-on, you will need to develop a set of criteria to gauge the progress of those being trained.

Gaining Feedback

It is important for a company to gain feedback during and after the training process. This can help to show areas that need to be improved upon, along with pointing out the strengths of the program.

To do this, arrange one-on-one meetings with employees so that their opinion will not be skewed by that of other workers. Have them list a few of the obstacles they encountered during the process and the places where they feel they benefited the most.

Training employees in every facet of their job will significantly increase the chances that a business will succeed, and it helps to maintain employee morale. If your company is implementing a training program, be sure to identify the goals that need to be met and take advantage of the array of training resources available.

Furthermore, it is necessary to put in place a schedule so that the training of employees can be streamlined, thus reducing training-related expenses. Take note of these points and you are sure to develop an effective employee training program.

5 Strategies for Handling Difficult Work Conversations

During your career as a manager, you may encounter sensitive situations with colleagues and employees. Often these problems don’t resolve themselves on their own and employees may be upset, confused and the list of potential situations you may face is endless.

When difficult situations arise it often falls to the manager to have the hard conversation with their direct report. No one told me this when I became a manager and I have had to teach myself this skill, apply knowledge gleaned from others, and consolidate what I have learnt on the job. It’s my hope that with this post I’ll leave you with tips you can use the next time you find yourself in a “what the heck do I do with this?” type of dilemma.

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11 Inspirational Quotes For Leaders

There are so many wonderful leaders, past and present, that we can learn from for our own journeys. As such, we have compiled a great selection of our favourite inspirational quotes for leaders like you! Use them when you need a little extra pep, you’re feeling unmotivated or you just need a friendly reminder that your goals are amazing and achievable.

PS – save your favourite quote cards to an album on your phone and read them anytime you need a blast of motivation.

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Change in the workplace: 4 ways to thrive

Change is the six-letter word that makes most of us cringe.

Ask anyone how they feel about change, and most people will tell you it’s not their favourite thing to experience in life. That’s because change can be incredibly difficult and more than a little stressful—especially when change occurs in the workplace.

Below are four strategies you can implement before, during and after the next change episode in your workplace to ensure your team stays positive, optimistic, and both mentally and emotionally resilient.

 

Inclusion

It’s amazing how many companies and organisations roll out new changes without ever informing their employees beforehand.

This can lead to confusion, anger, and distrust among employees. People don’t like unexpected losses, and they certainly don’t like to feel as if they’ve lost control.

Wherever it’s possible, it’s absolutely vital for leaders to let their employees ‘in’ on the change that’s soon to take place.

An easy way to accomplish this is to invite them into planning meetings so that they feel they have ownership of the change from the start.

 

Security

Sometimes, change can be an extensive process. It can last for weeks, months, or even years.

This is a very fragile time for employees because they’re still learning ‘the ropes’ of the change, as well as what to expect at each and every turn. This can often lead to anxiety in some team members, who may feel as if they’re experiencing a loss of certainty and security.

To combat this, it’s important to provide them with a new sense of safety.

How?

Set easy-to-understand timetables that serve as roadmaps for the change and go over new processes in-depth, answering any and all questions employees may have. This will reinstate their feeling of security and allow them to trust the change on a higher level.

 

Community

As social creatures, we depend on others for support constantly. We want to feel as if we belong.

In too many cases, employee morale has reached an all-time low during change because people no longer feel connected to each other.

As a leader, you can ensure this doesn’t happen by regularly investing in team building activities for your staff.

When you build a solid foundation through such activities, you ensure that your employees can thrive and build healthy workplace relationships with one another—a great tool to lean on during change.

 

Development

In the wake of a change, some employees may feel left behind because of new tasks that are mismatched with their current skillset.

When people don’t feel they have the skills to perform a job well, it can lead to stress, anxiety, and frustration, which eventually results in low morale and poor performance.

Fortunately, this is easily remedied.

Keep your employees sharp and on top of their game by continuously providing training, education, mentorship and support during and after times of transition.

When you invest in your employees’ skillset and talents, you not only make your team stronger but you also equip an individual with the confidence to perform a job well and the dedication to contribute their best work to the team moving forward.

 

When you employ the four strategies above, you’ll create a work environment that feels not just positive but cohesive as well.

The more people feel as if they’ve been heard, guided, supported, and developed, the more they’ll feel capable of facing the changes that your company faces, making for a stronger, more adaptive, and happier team.