Testimonial
Gerd Neumann, Business Consultant

“Lea-Ann is an outstanding marketing consultant with extensive professional expertise in systematic marketing methods. She uses her broad marketing knowledge to achieve her clients’ objectives in market awareness and market penetration for their products and/or services.

Lea-Ann worked together with me, the business development and sales consultant, in a few projects to ensure that sales and marketing programs for our clients boost each other. She came up with strategic, and very valuable marketing concepts adapted to each individual client which seamlessly integrated marketing and sales activities for the clients’ benefit. Her excellent ideas contributed to the success of our client engagement.

Lea-Ann is an asset to every company which wants to achieve results from marketing activities.”

- Gerd Neumann, Business Consultant

Their experiences as a leader

Posted on May 27, 2014
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Meet these pioneering women who share their candid experiences about their journey, and how they have achieved greatness in their work and in their careers.

I asked Fran O’Sullivan GM, Integrated Supply Chain, IBM:
How has being a leader changed you?

I can definitely say that being a leader is a character shaper. The more responsibilities, worries, risks and rewards you are exposed to the more `self-aware` you become.`Self-awareness` and balance are two of the most difficult states of mind you might never perfect in life.

As a leader you have a constant requirement for decision making, for risk taking and for affecting people`s lives.

The continuous questioning to yourself and others and listening to others yields this tendency to try to balance your decisions with personal experiences, facts, and second/third opinions. You will not always get it right and you might beat yourself for that over and over, but failure is the biggest school, and how you learn, and get up and continue stronger and better.

You learn to be humble, questioning yourself and continue this cycle…

And luckily, at the end of the day, I love helping people so it is all worthwhile! [/wpspoiler]

I asked Colleen Bonadonna International Service Chair at Rotary International:
How do you deal with challenging people?

Kill them with kindness is my motto when dealing with challenging people. Don’t put people in a position where they become defensive.

I have done this many times during my career and 99% of the time, the individual lets down their guard and wants to work with you rather than struggle with you.

I also acknowledge and take ownership, when I have been in error or offended someone. By taking ownership the other person will respect you — it clears the tension, thus being able to move forward in a positive manner.

Pioneers in SkirtsPioneers in Skirts is a feature documentary that shows every woman how to #BEaPioneer in pursuit of her career. The film follows filmmaker Ashley Maria as she investigates why she is experiencing obstacles and challenges unique to women of the past. In the film, Ashley travels the United States speaking to women and men about their experiences and interviewing other young women who are going through their own unique setbacks.

Learn more at Pioneersinskirts.com.