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CAN'T FIND SOMETHING? |
Women take centre stage at IWIB AwardsAnnual luncheon leaves audience members with words of wisdom to apply to their own careersBaila Lazarus There was no shortage of wisdom floating around the Fairmount Waterfront ballroom Wednesday when Business in Vancouver hosted the 11th Annual Influential Women in Business Awards. Amid presentations by BIV publisher Tom Siba, BIV Media Group vice-president Cheryl Carter and emcee Gloria Macarenko, each winner and honouree had messages for success to tell the audience. Julia Levy, Lifetime Achievement Award winner, coporate director and co-founder of QLT Inc., gave her four keys to success. First, trust your gut, especially in making hires. “If you have doubts, pay attention,” she told the crowd of more than 400; second, “Bite the bullet.” If you have to fire someone, fire them. “I’ve never seen a self-healing situation when you have the wrong person in the wrong position,” she said; third, be a decision-maker. “Even bad decisions are better than no decisions”; and fourth, cherish mistakes. “Your mistakes will teach you more than your successes,” said Levy. “But don’t make the same mistakes twice.” Cybele Negris, honouree and co-founder of Webnames.ca, focused her talk on what she had gained personally from being on boards of directors. “I didn’t have a stategy when I went looking for a board to join,” she said. “I just wanted to give back to the community. Now I realize how much you get back.” Honouree and YWCA CEO Janet Austin highlighted the need to ask others for their opinions. “The way we think we present ourselves is often not how others see us,” she said. “So it’s important to ask for feedback and listen to it whether we like it or not.” Janine North, CEO of Northern Development Initiative Trust and honouree, urged the audience to maintain humility. “It’s all about what you can do for others,” she said, adding that coming clean about what’s not working is crucial in business. “You always have to be ready to put all the snakes on the table.” Ida Goodreau, former CEO of LifeLabs and Vancouver Coastal Health, corporate director and honouree, told the audience to treat life like a journey because the pinnacles are fleeting. “Be sure the journey is one that you enjoy,” she said. “Don’t play it safe. Some believe playing it safe keeps you safe, but it’s more risky not to take risks.” The final speaker was Sarah Morgan-Silvester, honouree and UBC chancellor. She praised the importance of volunteerism, pointing out that people who volunteer regularly are happier and have more fulfilling lives. A common thread through all the speakers’ notes was the continued importance of recognizing women’s achievements. As far as women have come, there are still barriers and still the need for women to act as mentors to one another, form networking groups, support each other and strive for leadership, they said. “It’s important that you don’t wish to be anything than who you are,” said North. “But be that as perfectly as you can.” Judges for this year’s awards were previous winners Jane Peverett, Jill Bodkin and Elizabeth Watson, along with BIV managing editor Timothy Renshaw. The event was sponsored by the Women’s Enterprise Centre, Telus, Deloitte, Certified General Accountants of BC and Fasken Martineau. • This article from Business in Vancouver April 20-26, 2010; issue 1069 Business in Vancouver (www.biv.com) has been publishing in-depth local business news, analysis and commentary since 1989. The newspaper also produces a weekly ranked list of the biggest companies and players in a wide range of B.C. industries and commercial sectors, monthly features and industry-focused sections that arm its subscribers with a complete package of local business intelligence each week. |
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