Joy Burnford’s Post

Happy International Women's Day! My daughters are 🍀 lucky 🍀 that they are growing up in the world today. I admire at least these 5 qualities that women contribute to leadership: 1. Diversity of Thought: Their unique viewpoints and experiences contribute to more well-rounded decision-making, driving businesses towards more inclusive and innovative solutions. 2. Empathy and Emotional Intelligence, creating a positive workplace culture that values understanding and support. 3. Strong Communication Skills: Women are generally strong communicators—skills that are vital for collaboration, negotiation, and level-headed conflict resolution. 4. Resilience and Adaptability: Facing numerous challenges, including balancing professional and personal responsibilities. These qualities are invaluable in today's fast-paced and ever-changing business environments. 5. Leadership Styles that Foster Inclusion and Growth: Women leaders often emphasize mentorship, team cohesion, and the development of their team members. These approaches and more lead to higher employee 💚 satisfaction, 🎯 lower turnover, and more 💵 sustainable growth. Admire and inspired by my wife, Anna May Deng, my mom, August Grigg, @Grandma Joy RIP, family, Anne Marie Littleton, and to name a few clients, friends, and fans: Melissa Barnes, Rosa Lee, Yawen Wu, Taylor Montgomery, Aiying Wang, Nicole Kaup, Jessica Hussell, A. Orah, MHRM, SHRM-CP, Erin Rio, Laverah Olukune, Zhang Jessica, Pamela Richarde (She/Her), Maria Malik, Jocelyn Yao, Beth Ford, Taylor Boteilho, Melanie Martinelli, Adriauna Davis, Lakshmi Gopalkrishnan, Kelly Griffith #internationalwomensday2024 #womeninleadership #womeninbusiness

Being a woman-owned business is incredibly meaningful on multiple levels. For me, it's not just about owning a business—it's about breaking barriers, setting an example, and bringing a unique perspective to the industry. It means having the opportunity to lead with empathy, offer personalized service, and create a work environment where everyone feels valued and supported. As a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field, it’s important to me to show that leadership doesn’t have to fit into a particular mold. I believe in nurturing relationships and ensuring that every client feels like they’re part of our extended professional family. This approach has been key to our success. But beyond the business, being a woman-owned company allows me to set an example for my daughter, Bridget. By demonstrating success and determination as a woman in business, I’m showing her that women can achieve anything they set their minds to. I want her to see that leadership comes in many forms and that empathy, kindness, and strength can coexist in a powerful way. It also gives me the chance to mentor other women and create opportunities for them to thrive in this industry. It’s a responsibility I take seriously, as I know how impactful it can be to have a role model who understands the challenges and triumphs unique to women in business. Here’s to all the incredible women-owned businesses—let’s keep inspiring and uplifting each other as we lead with strength, grace, and unwavering determination. #WomanOwnedBusiness #Womenleaders #EmpoweringWomen #J1 #F1#BridgeUSA

What’s YOUR superpower? What sets YOU apart? We all have something that makes us unique. How do you show up when you walk into a room? Drop your answer in the comments below ⬇️ , share it, and most importantly, be PROUD of it!💪🏼 Your superpower 🦸 isn’t just a personal asset—it’s a catalyst for creating better, more impactful, and meaningful connections. In both business and life, leveraging your authenticity is key to leveling up. When you fully own what makes you extraordinary, you’ll attract the right people, form deeper relationships, and leave a lasting impact. I’m excited to speak at the The Society of Professional Women (SPW) on 10/24, where I’ll be diving into how we can all tap into our unique strengths to elevate our connections— professionally and personally. Check it out: https://spwmainline.com/ I can’t wait to share this message and help others unlock their next level of success! Nicole Stephenson, IOM #Superpower #Authenticity #Leadership #MeaningfulConnections #Networking #SPW #ImpactfulLeadership

Galvanising Change: Reflections from the Women Rising Book Launch! 👏🌍❤️ Honoured to have been part of the “Women Rising” book launch authored by Megan Dalla-Camina in Sydney last night, where we dove deep into what it really takes to lead change. The conversation, brilliantly facilitated by Tracey Spicer AM GAICD was a powerful reminder of the work ahead of us and the opportunity. Some of my key takeaways: - We need galvanisers who can unite and push for change. - The fact that only 10.4% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women is a stark reminder of the work left to do. - It’s time to step out of the patriarchy and into our own light. - We explored paradoxes around empowerment, confidence, leadership, and visibility—challenges we must navigate with nuance. - Change happens in the middle, and we must engage male allies in these crucial roles. - Understanding resistance and listening with empathy are critical. - Male allyship is the next frontier—we need to find and engage the men who believe whom other men respect. - The different archetypes we encounter at work, like the people pleaser or the overachiever, are shaped by the system, yet we have the tools to rise above. - We need to show compassion for the patriarchal female leader—it’s been a struggle, and they need support too. Let's continue to celebrate women supporting other women, honour ourselves, work together and find space in stillness to reflect on our visions. Together, we all rise! #womenrisingbook #Leadership #Empowerment #MaleAllyship #WomenSupportingWomen

Empowering Women at the Workplace When you get inspired by your client's Initiatives at the workplace and try to inculcate such work culture in your organization, the results are simply wow!  At Mira, we believe that diversity fuels innovation. We're proud of the talented team with 50% women on board and so much more in terms of individual differences. We take great pride in providing a context where people can thrive with their unique strengths and perspectives. Our dear clients helped redefine our way of empowerment and inclusivity. What has inspired us is the commitment to and development of women's leadership. We have experienced firsthand how creating opportunities for growth, leadership, and decision-making can benefit women, but it also stimulates a virtuous circle that serves to drive success overall. Mira understood that lesson and was able to fit that into the culture and in the way we approach events. So, from strategy meetings to successful events, Mira brings their women to the front to lead with creativity, passion, and excellence. When ladies rise, everyone rises; this is a principle we take into every corporate event we plan. As long as such partnership with our clients keeps reminding us of how businesses prosper under prioritized diversity, we carry such a vision forward. 💪✨ Capt Anand #WomenInLeadership #DiversityAndInclusion #WomenEmpowerment #MiraEvents #CorporateCulture #EventIndustry #EmpowerWomen

Such a relevant read for all leaders. If you have women on your team - ask yourself- how is our environment/am I supporting agency & wholeness? Inviting authenticity? Encouraging connection? Even better if, share the article with your female leaders, get their take on what they need & what’s important to them. Remember, one size fits ONE, not all, when it comes to leading others.

It’s National Women’s Small Business Month, and I want to acknowledge all the female business owners I admire and respect immensely. They’ve shown us that they are willing to step up and swim against the current. This is evident in statistics gathered by the Canadian government, which show that 19.6% of all private-sector Canadian businesses were women-owned. Slow and steady will win the race for gender equality...we will get there. #womenbusinesses #femalebusinesses #womeninbusiness

Thank you to the The Association for Business Psychology and Dr Dawn H. N. for inviting me to share my research on women executives and leadership authenticity. For more details on supporting women at work, read the article below. Without intervention, this talented and customer-critical group leaves organisations giving CEOs costly recruitment and retraining bills. More balanced boards are suggested to achieve business performance, well-being and ethical outcomes. Click below for more. https://lnkd.in/e7GRT6E8

In the ever-evolving landscape of leadership, women continue to break barriers and shatter glass ceilings, showcasing their strength, intelligence, and resilience. As we ascend to new heights, it’s crucial to recognise the immense power that lies in unity and collaboration, rather than allowing jealousy to overshadow our collective progress. Jealousy, often rooted in fear and insecurity, can undermine our confidence and hinder our potential. But as female leaders, we have the unique opportunity to redefine the narrative. Instead of viewing each other's success as a threat, we can choose to celebrate and support one another. Our true strength emerges when we uplift each other, creating an environment where everyone thrives. Imagine a workplace where women champion each other’s achievements, share knowledge, and mentor the next generation of leaders. By fostering a culture of mutual respect and encouragement, we can create a ripple effect that transforms not only our organisations but society as a whole. Let’s commit to being allies, not adversaries. When one woman succeeds, it paves the way for others to follow. By embracing a mindset of abundance, we acknowledge that there is enough room at the top for all of us. Our collective power is boundless when we stand together, share our wisdom, and celebrate our unique strengths. Together, we can build a future where jealousy is replaced with genuine support and competition gives way to collaboration. Let’s lead with empathy, kindness, and unwavering support for one another. As we rise, we lift others with us, creating a legacy of empowered, successful women leaders who inspire the world. *loved this so had to share!* #WomenSupportingWomen #FemaleLeaders #Empowerment #CollaborationOverCompetition #RiseTogether

I’m delighted at the energy flowing today for International Women’s Day #IWD ... especially the celebratory nature of the messages and the gratitude they convey. I’m equally delighted by what’s missing ... the notion that it’s a zero-sum game where if women win, men lose.  I’ve long been committed to creating workplaces where being a woman was not a barrier or even a factor in opportunities for a person's impact or participation. I’ve had the great privilege to create 3 workplaces from scratch; it’s my duty and in my core to create a fabric of fairness and participation. To the women of WorkBoard both present and past: Thank you all for making the space for other women to show up, to grow up, to step up.  For never saying or thinking “how dare she?” or “who does she think she is?”  These to me are the essence and the key to equal opportunity, equal pay, equal access, equal funding -- and they've been more elusive than any of us want them to be. We owe it to each other to let other women show up as they are from where they are. When we all go first in allowing each other to be equal AND we all go together, we all arrive.  If you’re curious about women’s journeys in leadership in tech specifically, there are 2 outstanding books you should read and in which I'm honored to be a part of the story: Julia Boorstin's book "When Women Lead" — incredibly well researched book on the disparity of funding and opportunities women overcome, published in 2023. https://lnkd.in/gTJtBMPD Kelley Steven-Waiss's book "Valley Girls: Lesson from Female Founders in Silicon Valley and Beyond" which came out this week. It gives the inside story on the twisty journey women entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs travel. Cheers to a bright future together!