July/August, 2021  

Sounding Powerful and Professional

Kay Fittes, August, 2021

Some of you may react to this article with a shrug of your shoulders.  You may be thinking, “As long as I do a good job and know my stuff, I will succeed.”  Though doing a good job and knowing your area of expertise is critical, how you express your knowledge can be a game changer.  Let’s face it, women have a disadvantage in the workplace.  Period.  [Read More]

Kay’s Consulting Corner

Each month in this section, Kay offers actionable career consulting tips.

Listen, Learn, Change!

1. You can’t change what you don’t know.  You do not know if power-robbing language is a nemesis for you until you listen.  Record, record, record.  Record your Microsoft Teams meetings, record your Zoom meetings, record your practice for client presentations.  Don’t read from a script for this, talk like you would normally, that is where the truth will be revealed.  Identify all the verbal hedges, add-ons, and “I think” and “I feel” comments.  That is your starting point.
   
   
2. Keep track.  For a week, keep track of one behavior.  Let’s say you have become aware that you often say, “I feel”.  For an entire week keep a tally of every time you say, “I feel”.  Whatever system works for you is great.  Maybe you keep track on your phone.  Perhaps you use a pocket full of pennies, moving them from your right to your left pocket, every time you hear “I feel”.  It might be as simple as a post-it note on your desk with hash marks.  Focus on one behavior at a time, otherwise, you will throw your hands up in frustration and say, “Never mind!”.
   
   
3. Dig deep.  Now that you have awareness, it’s time to analyze.  What are these verbal habits about?  Maybe, they are just habits but maybe their presence has deeper meaning.  Are you avoiding confrontation?  Are you unsure of your expertise?  Are you new and waiting to be accepted?  Do you lack confidence?  Are you struggling with Imposter Syndrome?  Are you fearful of being labeled as an aggressive woman?  The foundation of your language is critical.  You likely will not be effective in changing these behaviors without addressing what is under the iceberg.

Need help in digging into your foundation?  That’s what I do with clients, we figure out the source and then work to morph what comes out of your mouth.  Don’t hesitate to reach out for a partner in this metamorphosis.  It’s easy to get rolling, email me at kay@highheeledsuccess.com or call my office (513) 561-4288 to set up a 45-minute complimentary phone consultation.

Association Testimonial – Grant Professionals Association

On behalf of the Grant Professionals Association Greater Cincinnati Chapter, it is my great honor and privilege to highly recommend Kay Fittes of High-Heeled Success.

The Grant Professional Association of Greater Cincinnati was founded in 2006 with a handful of local grants professionals.  We are the second chapter formed in Ohio and our membership and programs have grown each year.  Our chapter is led by a group of board volunteers who are employed at various organizations or as freelance writers.  It is our goal to guide our members by high standards and to provide fantastic tools and a wealth of knowledge and resources to empower them to be change agents of their communities.

Programming for our monthly meetings is of the utmost importance as it is a powerful engagement tool and opportunity to grow our field and skills.  And with such a diverse group of unique individuals working in a niche field, it can be challenging.  Kay presented “Kick Your Success Roadblocks to the Curb” which provided valuable insights and tools to both challenge and inspire our group.  She addressed and busted many myths and mind sets that are invariably holding us back in our careers and provided actual tools and action items to access and implement in our careers.

Our members were thrilled with her presentation.  The group was invested and engaged at the highest level and provided the additional feedback following the meeting:

• “Love your presentation style, it kept us all engaged.”  Susan M.
• “Awesome, enjoyed the group interaction.”  Patsy B.
  
• “Liked the practical advice and interactive presentation.”  Lindsey J.
• “Very positive presentation. Made it very easy to share with the group.”  Kara S.
• “Thank you, wonderful storytelling.”  Rick W.
• “Interesting insights on unrecognized self-limitations.”  Margaret D.

One member in particular shared her success implementing Kay’s tools with the entire membership at a subsequent meeting. It changed her life.

In addition to Kay being an extremely engaging presenter and a subject matter expert, she is a joy to work with.  As her point person, we worked together closely and I was truly impressed by her level of clarity and precision.  She demonstrates infinite attention to detail and can be counted on to always be professional and responsive.  Additionally, our board truly appreciated all of the time she took to understand our members – her audience – before crafting content and presenting at our meeting.  This extra step truly demonstrated her desire to meet our needs and deliver life-changing professional development for our members.

Thank you Kay Fittes for your time and expertise.  We are truly grateful for your investment in our members and our entire community.

Bethany Doverspike
Vice President & Director of Programs
Grant Professionals Association
Greater Cincinnati Chapter

High-Heeled Success^® supports Dress for Success through donations of clothing, time and money.  We offer complimentary seats at every workshop for women participating in the Dress for Success program.

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Contact Info:

Website:  https://www.highheeledsuccess.com

Email:  kay@highheeledsuccess.com

Phone:  (513) 561-4288

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