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Monthly newsletter for chapter members
January 2017
Moving Beyond Busyness to Find Your Purpose
by Sarah Julian
It seems that everyone is busy nowadays —
and for professional women, who are often
balancing careers, education, families, caretaking
responsibilities and hobbies, just to name a few —
that’s more often the case than not.
But keeping busy isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
As we begin 2017, it’s time to pause and consider
how and why we’re putting forth effort — and
whether we’re achieving our goals in doing so.
“Our culture has unknowingly drafted each and
every one of us professionals into a war,” says
Robbie Osenga, a speaker, coach and consultant.
“Unfortunately this is a war that very few of us have
been trained in how to survive, let alone in how to
fight.”
During our Jan. 18 professional development
opportunity and lunch, Robbie will encourage
attendees to “stop, breathe, and put busyness in
its rightful place.” Join us as we look back over
2016 and gain the awareness needed to run headfirst into 2017, living lives of greater purpose and
intentionality.
Robbie is passionate
about his mission to
empower others to live
a life worthy of their
calling. He recently
wowed audiences at
TEDx Normal. Check out
his TEDx talk, “Finding
1
Clarity in Your Calling,” and his website for a taste
of the fabulous presentation we’ll receive later this
month.
Robbie’s varied career included work in design,
before founding the LeRoy Preparatory Academy
in 2008, where he served as school principal. He
began accepting opportunities to speak, coach and
consult with other schools, non-profit organizations
and businesses, all centered around his core mission
of “empowering others to live a life worthy of their
calling.”
He currently serves as vice president and chief
potential officer of Cybernautic, a web design and
strategy firm, in addition to his collaborative and
consultative efforts in various projects. Cybernautic
has offices in Bloomington-Normal, Peoria,
Springfield, Champaign and Chicago.
He considers himself an “elder statesmen” of the
millennial generation, working tirelessly to bridge
the gap as millennials transition into a larger slice of
our workforce and culture.
Robbie holds a bachelor’s degree from Moody Bible
Institute, a master’s degree in special education
and teaching from the University of Phoenix, and
a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and
Administration from Eastern Illinois University.
Join us for the next AWC event to share your
thoughts and ideas. And find out more about
upcoming development opportunities, events and
other news at www.awcbn.org.
A Note from the President:
A New Year, a New Workplace Resolution
Happy new
year! What a
year 2016 has
been for me
personally…
turning the big
3-0…studying
abroad over
s
ka
vic
Na
lie
Ju pter president the
summer
cha
in London…
welcoming
baby girl Lillian in September…I
can honestly say 2016 has been a
wonderful year for me and I am
feeling very blessed as the year
comes to a close. As I prepare to
return to work after my maternity
leave, I know it’s important to
turn my personal happiness into
professional success in 2017.
The new year is a perfect time to
say hello to workplace happiness
and good-bye to the bad habits
that hinder professional success.
By making positive workplace
new year resolutions, it’s possible
to enjoy time in the office a little
more if you too make it your new
year’s resolution to cut down
on these 10 counterproductive
behaviors:
1. Excessive Complaining:
constant complaining and whining
about insignificant things does not
serve a purpose and keeps you
in a perpetually bad mood. Plus,
happy people will avoid you.
2. Gossiping: the next time a
colleague tries to engage you in
the office drama, offer a one-word
response, like “interesting” or
“wow,” and follow it with, “I’ve
got to go. See you later.” Repeat as
necessary.
3. Criticizing Others: sometimes
you must criticize a colleague’s or
subordinate’s performance, but
have a heart when doing so. If
possible, mention a few positives
for every negative, and try to be
constructive rather than cruel.
4. Beating Yourself Up: so you
made a mistake, or your brilliant
idea actually turned out to be
a bad one. No one is perfect.
Own up to your mistake, or take
responsibility for your failure.
Then move on.
5. Taking Yourself Too Seriously:
admittedly, this may be tough for
overworked employees. But that
is precisely the reason to crack
a joke now and then. Everyone
benefits when the tension is
brought down a notch, even for
just a minute.
6. Stagnating: are you content
to be bored at work? Do you
want your boss to consider you
uninspired? Probably not. So
make it a resolution to learn
something new or try something
different in 2017.
7. Isolating Yourself: in today’s job
market, professional networking is
more important than ever. So this
year, don’t hole up in your office.
Get out there and meet some new
contacts -- both inside and outside
the company -- who share your
profession or passion.
8. Blending into the Woodwork:
even if you’ve always had a hard
time speaking up in meetings or
expressing your opinion to your
boss, it’s never too late to start
putting in your two cents. Pick one
work-related issue that is close
to your heart and that you’re
knowledgeable about. Contribute
a few comments on this issue
during a meeting.
9. Burning Bridges: don’t assume
that colleagues, customers
and others who cross your
professional path will forgive
and forget when you do them
wrong. So make it one of your
resolutions in 2017 to stay on
good terms with your professional
acquaintances.
10. Wasting Time Via Social
Media: wasting time at work
is as old as work itself. But a
particularly timely pet peeve of
many employers is the overuse of
social media. This final resolution
-- to curb your social media
addiction -- may not make you
happier at work in the short
term, but it will protect you
professionally in the long term.
Make 2017 a great one, AWC! I
look forward to our upcoming
monthly programming, the annual
Crystal Awards in February, and
much more.
A big THANK YOU to presidentelect Kara Pool-Snyder for
stepping up and filling in for me
while I enjoyed my time at home
with my new daughter.
Send announcements about
local events, promotions, career
changes, birth announcements,
milestones, awards and other
celebrations to Angie Coughlin
no later than January 25 to
be included in the February
Communiqué.
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Abolish Your New Year’s Resolutions
by Christy Germanis
Yep, that’s right. You read that correctly. Let’s eliminate
resolutions. I know it sounds pretty drastic, but hear me
out. Resolutions have always seemed so flimsy to me.
You think about how your life can be better and what you
want to do for the year. Resolutions usually aim way too
high and by the time February rolls around you are back to
eating pizza while binge watching Netflix in your pajamas
instead of working out three times a week and eating salad
every day for lunch while you brush up on your Spanish.
Instead of making resolutions, let’s make goals. And not
just at the beginning of the year. I know it is fun and
reenergizing to start anew and think anything is possible,
but if you make goal-setting (and achieving) a habit, you
will be happy and energized all year, instead of just January.
If we were to approach our
goals (formerly resolutions)
like we do our business
day, we will be much
more successful. Always
remember what Antoine
de Saint-Exupéry said “A
goal without a plan is just
a wish.” I love this quote.
And I think I love it so much because of the implications
and expectations it puts on the goal maker. It reminds us
that we can wish for and have goals to do whatever we’d
like, but if we fail to plan, we’re really just dreaming. And
there is nothing wrong with dreaming, but don’t we make
goals (resolutions) because we really want to achieve
them? It also reiterates to me that we are in control of our
own happiness and achievements.
If you’re having trouble getting started or need a refresher
on goal setting, read this quick, great article: The
Beginner’s Guide to Goal Setting.
The article talks about S.M.A.R.T. goals, and if you don’t
know what they are, then you really need to take a break
and read it now. By making all your goals “smart,” you
can change the way you do things both personally and
professionally.
So, my first goal for 2017 will be to read the article The
Beginner’s Guide to Goal Setting and set three goals by
February 15, 2017. The three will be smart goals and
achievable by the end of 2017.
See what I did there? If not, go read the article! Happy New
Year!
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AWC Crystal Awards 2017:
A Red Carpet Affair
by Kara Pool Snyder
Our annual Crystal Awards
Banquet, a Red Carpet Affair,
will be held Thursday, February
23, 2017 at the DoubleTree
Hotel and Conference Center.
You won’t want to miss this
wonderful evening where we
recognize and celebrate women
excelling in communications.
Reservations are required and
can be made through www.awcbn.org. Be sure to take
advantage of the early bird pricing now through February
1st, 2017 ($40 per person; $300 for a table of eight; and
$20 for students).
This year, we are thrilled to feature Kim Kaufman as the
keynote speaker. Kim Kaufman is an award winning public
speaker, writer and storyteller. Ranked one of the 10 best
public speakers in the world by Toastmasters International,
Kim has delivered motivational, thought-provoking
and humorous speeches to audiences throughout the
United States - including New York City, Washington D.C.,
Memphis, Tennessee and internationally on the global
TEDx Platform.
A former television news anchor and reporter, Kim’s
storytelling has been featured on CBS, FOX & CNN.
Trained in both media and corporate communications,
she’s received recognition for her work at the Illinois
Broadcaster’s Association Silver Dome Awards, Nexstar
Broadcasting Group in Dallas, Texas and the Public
Relations Association. Her work continues to appear in
every area of broadcast media, including television, radio,
magazines, newspapers, blogs and websites.
In 2015, Kim participated in the record breaking Children’s
Hospital of Illinois Telethon, where she used the power of
story to raise awareness for children and families faced
with difficult life circumstances and the miracles made
possible through community support.
Kim possesses diverse
talents. Her strong
background in dramatic
arts led to an early career
as a Walt Disney World
Cast Member in Orlando,
Florida where she made
magic as an entertainer,
while also serving as a tourguide and show host.
With her unique style, winning personality and dynamic
delivery, Kim continues to inspire audiences to achieve
their potential through the power of creativity, imagination
and forward thinking. Kim is a Robert G. Bone Scholar and a
Summa Cum Laude graduate from Illinois State University.
She lives in Bloomington with her husband Andy.
Join us for an inspiring evening as we learn from Kim and
celebrate outstanding communicators in the BloomingtonNormal community!
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Member Profile: Kris Harding
by Angie Coughlin
With a passion for student
success and higher education,
Kris Harding has found her career
sweet spot. After completing her
bachelor’s degree in psychology
and sociology from Elmhurst
College and a master’s degree in
higher education administration
from Illinois State University, she
has spent her entire career in higher education.
Harding states, “I have had the pleasure to serve the
University in several leadership capacities during my
tenure at Illinois State University. I became a member
of the leadership team in Admissions in 2005 and
accepted the challenge of several mission-critical
responsibilities along the way. These include: building
the admissions communication strategy, its look, feel
and flow of communication; developed and managed
countless outreach events that distinguish ISU in the
marketplace of higher education in Illinois; designed
and implemented transfer student recruitment
strategies and developed an international student
recruitment plan.” What a journey it has been for Kris.
A few years ago, she accepted a position in the
College of Education as the Director of Constituent
Relations. The purpose of this position is to
steward the reputation of one of the finest teacher
preparation programs in the nation and to cultivate
relationships with people across campus and
throughout the state. In this role, she manage
outreach to and communication for the College
as well as overseeing events, marketing and
communication efforts, work with new student
recruitment and alumni engagement.
The beauty of working on a college campus is the
unique opportunity it provides to explore several
areas of professional and personal interests. Harding
shares, “My entire career has been dedicated to
college student behavior, multicultural leadership,
new student recruitment, retention efforts and overall
student success. Each position has required strong
networking skills at the local, regional and state level.
My entire career is a tribute to my success as a leader
in higher education and the community.”
Currently, Kris is the AWC chapter Vice President
of Communications and has been on the board for
two years. “I enjoy my work with AWC because it
allows me to connect with many brilliant women in
Bloomington –Normal,” she says.
On the family front, Kris has been married to Jamie
for almost 20 years and they have two amazing
teenagers. Kaleb is 17 and Emma is 14. Work-life
balance is a priority for Kris so she keeps busy with
family activities and hobbies. She says of her leisure
time, “I enjoy boating, reading, and wine.”
Kris brings positive energy, creativity and passion to
her work and we are fortunate to have her as the Vice
President of Communications.
Your Membership Counts
Get Involved!
• Join the Communication Committee. Email Kris Harding.
• Join the Community Involvement Committee.
Email Christy Germanis.
• Write a newletter article. Email Angie Coughlin.
• Join the member-only Working Moms (Rachel Hatch).
or Social Media Affinity group (Ann Aubry).
2016-2017
Executive Board
• Chapter President
Julie Navickas, Illinois State University
• President-Elect
Kara Pool Snyder, Illinois State University
• Past President
Jackie Langhoff, Myself 4 Life Coaching
• Vice President of Membership
Kari McMullen, State Farm
• Vice President of Communications
Kris Harding, Illinois State University
• Vice President of Finance
Helen Dobbyn Reedy, Illinois Farm Bureau
• Vice President of Programming,
Freedom of Information/Progress of Women Chair
Sarah Julian, Country Financial
• Historian/Secretary
Rachel Kobus, Illinois State University
• Community Involvement Chair
Christy Germanis, YWCA McLean County
• Professional Development/Scholarship Chair
Molly Davis, Illinois State University
• Fall Workshop Chair
Becky Mentzer, Private Practice
• Communiqué Editor
Angie Coughlin, Heartland Community College
• Communiqué Layout
Jackie Langhoff, Myself 4 Life Coaching
• Student Chapter Liaison
Christine Reis, Illinois State University
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