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Mindset

Tips, Tools and Strategies
for Mid Career Professional Women

My guiding word for 2023

One little fact about me that you probably already know is that I love creating space and time to set goals and build a plan. Setting aside specific time to create an annual, high level plan, and a more specific 90 day plan is non-negotiable with me and I’m completely lost and unproductive if I don’t create my weekly success plan

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Why we must talk about menopause…

Let’s talk menopause

Yes! I’m going there.

Why? Because your ability to lead effectively and confidently relies on you being at your best – both physically and mentally.

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Have you forgotten to check in…

We are intuitive beings. We have an inner compass, that when given the chance, can guide us in the decisions we make and the direction we take. When we trust our intuition and take action based on its guidance, it will faithfully do it’s best to support us.

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Has COVID stolen your MOJO?

If your Mojo has been a NO SHOW lately – you’re definitely not alone! As we push through another week of restrictions, border closures, home schooling and working from home … today I give you permission to show yourself a little love and compassion.

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Jane Benston

Mindset

If you’re beating yourself up –…

So you’ve found yourself in that awful place where you realised you’ve not lived up to your high standards. Perhaps you’ve made a critical error, missed an opportunity to present well in a senior executive meeting or failed to deliver a piece of work by the deadline…

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Do You Need To Share The…

As fiercely independent women, we’ve prided ourselves on how much we can do and what we can achieve on our own.

While being independent and getting-things-done is a definite strength of ours, it’s also one of our greatest weaknesses.

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Jane Benston

Mindset

5 Ways You Can Start Leading…

The number 1 thing you need to do to be a great leader is to show your true self.

Now, my guess is some of you are sitting thinking, ‘Yes Jane, but that’s easier said than done. How do I show more of my true self?’

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Back to work Blues? Here’s what…

After a year of doing our best to adapt to the changes brought about by COVID-19, have you found yourself re-evaluating your priorities and what’s important to you?

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Your end of year survival guide

The days are getting warmer and the evenings longer, but this does not mean that it’s time to put your career aspirations on hold, That time will come but here’s what I suggest you focus on first.

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Jane Benston

Mindset

7 simple ways to boost your…

When you reach a certain level of leadership – you are employed to think not just do! Being able to think creatively, solve problems and create new and innovative ideas will have you stand out in the crowd and put you in a powerful position.

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Do emotions belong at work?

Many corporate environments would have us believe that emotions do not belong at work. We have been well trained to suppress any resemblance of an emotion, pushing them below the surface.

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Is having a strong work ethic…

Imagine a world where we worshiped a good “rest ethic” as much as we do a strong “work ethic.” Where we encouraged taking time out to rest and prioritise self care – just as much as we applaud someone’s dedication to hard work.

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Increased workload? Here’s the simple secret…

A few weeks ago, I asked 1500 women in the Leading Ladies Facebook Group whether they were less busy, about the same or more busy as a result of Covid.
The response was a resounding “WAY more busy!!”

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Resilience. A key foundation to thrive…

Right now, our resilience is being tested. With increased uncertainty, massive disruption to our day to day lives and the threat to our physical, mental and economic health, focusing in on building resilience has never been so important.

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Our mindset matters – even more…

There is much of this Covid-19 crisis that we can’t control. But what we can control is our mindset. How we choose to respond to the changing landscape is totally up to us… and could be the difference between just surviving it or truly thriving through this.

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Jane Benston

Mindset

New Year. New Job. The 5…

So you’ve had time to reflect over the summer break and you’ve come to the decision that a new job is on your list of goals for the year. Good for you! Perhaps you’re looking for greater job satisfaction, more money, better corporate culture, more variety, a leader who inspires you …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Emotions. Do they belong in the…

Emotions. Do they belong in the modern workplace? Many corporates would have us believe that emotions do not belong at work. We have been well trained to suppress any resemblance of an emotion, pushing them below the surface. We hide them in an attempt to stay in control, look strong, and …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Do you put everyone else first?

Do you put everyone else first? Is it time to stop putting everyone else first? The kids, your partner, the needs of your ageing parents, your boss, your team, the business you work for… even the dog! Or perhaps I should ask… when was the last time you put your own …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Are you listening to your intuition?

How often do you find yourself doing what you think you should be doing rather than listening to your intuition… and later wishing you had followed your gut instinct? Women are intuitive beings. We have an inner compass, that when given the chance, can really guide us in the decisions we …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

How to set clear boundaries for…

Do you have clear boundaries? Or perhaps an even more important question is … do you have any boundaries at all? Are you clear on what’s acceptable to you and what isn’t? Do you protect your time, energy and resources and prioritise what is import to you? In a world that’s becoming …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Do you have a powerful magnetic…

You have the title and the responsibility, but are you seen as a leader? Do your team members follow you, respect you and deliver for you? Does the senior leadership team value your and the contribution you make? If you have ever struggled with making your mark as a leader, I …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Do you hold yourself accountable?

Why is staying accountable to what we say we want, so jolly hard? If it were easy we would all be a dress size or two smaller, super healthy, spending quality time with the kids, leaving the office on time, applying for the job we really want, doing great work for …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

How persistent are you?

It is human nature to want to be good at what we do and to have our efforts recognised by others. It makes us feel worthwhile, valued and it leaves us with a proud sense of achievement. But if you feel like you have to do things perfectly and that near …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

How To Work Smarter Not Harder

If your everyday workload regularly leaves you feeling overworked, overwhelmed and frazzled then it’s time to work smarter not harder. We all have the same amount of time available to us but have you noticed that some people are able to get much more done while remaining calm and unflappable… but how do they do it? …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Your professional reputation is at stake

How you show up at work matters. The type of energy you bring to your work impacts your effectiveness while also shaping your professional reputation. It’s not something many of us give much consideration to, but it can absolutely influencing our outcomes and whether or not new and exciting opportunities come …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Your words hold the power

Your ability to influence, engage, inspire and drive performance from your team all stems from your language skills. The effectiveness of your relationships, your ability to build trust or your skill to craft powerful communications by email, through reports or to be delivered from stage all rely on your mastery of …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Does Happiness Matter To Leadership Performance?

How happy are you in your current role? Pretty simple question really but not one we ask ourselves that often. Maybe it’s because we don’t really want to admit the answer. And what does happiness have to do with work, career and being a productive, inspiring, high performing leader anyway? I’d …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Shatter Your Inner Glass Ceiling?

Women continue to struggle to make their mark on the corporate landscape with the numbers of women securing leadership roles remaining stagnant at unacceptably low levels. For many women, the glass ceiling is real although often subtle and hidden. Those seeking leadership roles talk about bumping up against the many barriers …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Why This Job?

Why is it that you do what you do? Of all the jobs and all the companies; why this one? If you were to think back to when you said YES to the role that you are now in, what was it that excited you? Can you remember? Interestingly, research has …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

5 Questions To Ask To Get…

Has your career come to a grounding holt, where you are no longer being recognised, rewarded and promoted? Perhaps you are feeling bored, lacking challenge and missing the opportunity for growth. Are you wondering why it is that your career progression has plateaued over the last few years, leaving you less …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

The 80/20 Rule: Stop Wasting Your…

In a world where the most valuable commodity we have is TIME, finding ways to maximise our results with less effort is paramount to our success and sanity. We seem to be in a constant battle to “get it all done” while struggling against distractions, putting out the spot fires and completing low value busy work that can chew up most of the day …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Who is holding you to a…

Do you hold yourself to a higher standard, where you are constantly pursuing your personal best, taking action and extending beyond your personal comfort zone? Or do you let yourself get away with slacking off, taking the easy road and settling for second best? Let’s admit it… we all slide into …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Mindset: How leadership success is an…

So often we think about leadership growth in terms of learning new skills, gaining more experience or expanding technical knowledge. While these are all critically important elements of leadership success, they will only get you so far. The difference that makes the difference is working on our mindset. There always comes …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

7 Simple Ways To Supercharge Your…

Innovation, creative thinking and problems solving is becoming an increasingly important skill for all leaders to foster. Organisations are hungry for employees who can see things from a new perspective, solve long-standing problems with simple changes and really drive progress within the business …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

3 things to let go of…

So often when we think about getting ahead in our career we think about what we need to do more of or be better at or what new action we must take, but very often the place to start has more to do with what we must let go of. The …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Why women underestimate their abilities

Have you noticed that many women underestimate their abilities and fail to shine a light on their performance? Perhaps you at times you have thought that you needed to know more, learn more, or have more experience to be taken seriously, seek promotion or allow your true value to be seen. …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Are You An Energy Giver or…

Have you ever worked along side someone who was a drainer of your energy? You know the sort; the people who are constantly negative, focused on what could go wrong and spend most of the day gossiping about other people…. even if they don’t know them. Unfortunately some organisations seem to …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

4 Ways Meditation Will Improve Your…

Is meditation the key to personal and professional success? Is it the gateway to our inner stability and true peace, love and happiness? Can learning to settle the mind bring you clarity, wisdom and give you what it takes to be an exceptional leader of people and business? There is a …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

When An Opportunity Presents, Do You…

When an opportunity presents to further your career, do you; Seize the moment and grab it with both hands or Do you retreat wishing you had the courage to say YES. Why is it that so many of us have fallen for the curse of the shrinking violet at some point …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

4 Steps To Overcoming Fear

Lack of education, lack of opportunity, lack of desire; these are not what hold us back from achieving success, reaching our potential or creating significant impact in our work. The number 1 thing that holds us back is our silent struggle with confidence, self worth and faith in ourselves. I had …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Are You Hiding Your Talents? How…

Being visible is a key part of being an effective leader. We become well known and recognised for the skills we bring to the leadership table by being seen, being noticed and being courageous and vulnerable enough to stand out and shine. But many women struggle with being visible. Perhaps this …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Our Words Can Empower Us ……

Imagine if by focusing in on changing just a couple of words in your every day communications with your team, colleagues and customers, you could have more influence and impact and achieve improved results. The fact of the matter is … you can! From the moment we learn to talk, we …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

The Power Of Owning Your Space

One of the most powerful lessons for all leaders is to embrace the importance of owning your space. When we own our space we say to the world that we belong, that we believe in our value and give ourselves every opportunity to shine, allowing others to form a positive impression …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

7 Ways To Increase Your Confidence…

Is your lack of confidence and self belief killing your opportunities at work? Having confidence in yourself, your abilities and your capabilities to excel in your work matters. Our level of confidence can mean the difference between getting stuck in a job year after year or getting noticed for new and …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Are You Settling For Less?

Have you ever found yourself going through the motions at work, where one year rolls into the next and you find yourself settling for less than you are capable of… and for just getting through the day, month or even the year? Some years ago this was my lot in life. …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

How Are You Telling The Story…

What is the story of your year? As we near the end of the year and we slip into reflection mode, I am wondering what stories you are telling yourself and others about the year that was. Are you focus on what has gone well, the wins you have had, what …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Building Resilience To Thrive During Times…

Resilience is a pre-requisite for surviving the fast paced, demanding and ever changing work environment. In our modern world of highly stressful roles, where the pressure to perform is relentless and the resources are diminishing, we need to be equipped to ride out the difficult times and bounce back from setbacks. …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

3 Easy Steps To Be More…

How is it that we can be busy all day… but at the end of the day feel like we have achieved so little? The problem lies in the fact that we are so often busy … but not overly productive! Just because you are stuck at your desk all day working through a long list of tasks does not necessarily equate to being productive …

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Jane Benston

Mindset

Let Go Of Perfection

It is human nature to want to be good at what we do and to have our efforts recognised by others. It makes us feel worthwhile, valued and it leaves us with a proud sense of achievement. But if you feel like you have to do things perfectly and that near enough is absolutely not good enough, then you may be afflicted by the curse of perfectionism …

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Jane Benston

Mindset