Well my entrepreneurial friends, there is a new Entrepreneurs Club  that will be of interest to people everywhere. Why? Well all the speakers are videoed and each month they are put on line for all the members to view and membership is really cheap. There are also plans to build a Virtual Incubator online so you can access a range of necessary services at a reduced rate. Any members that join now will get discounted rates as the service gets going so if you are interested in getting some great information at low cost then go to www.aelc.edu.au and click on Entrepreneurs club. I highly recommend it!

The latest average weekly ordinary time earnings (AWOTE) showed this week that the average male earnings jumped ahead by 5.2 per cent to $1172.20 while female wages only grew 4.8 per cent to $980.70 in trend terms. Men are earning much more than women, with the average male wage rising earning to almost $10,000 more than their female counterparts.

These are incredible figures. I can only presume this refects the male focused dominance of the mining sector in Australia. But I also believe that women are still not choosing the high earning executive pathways that so many men pursue.  In fact many women I talk to seem to be heading back down the pathways of their grandmothers and only work because they have mortgages to pay. It is just too hard to work, have a family and pay for childcare.

Well if this is the problem, what are we doing about it?

I was watching Neighbours on Television a couple of nights ago and they were tackling a major womens' issue - the belief that young women who want kids should take on a lesser role so as not to impede the progress of their 'female with balls' counterparts. In this particular episode, a young soon to be lawyer was told quite firmly that you can't have it all and she should get out of the game so as not to make it harder for the other females who apparently want only to have a career.

The fact that this is being tackled in a show like this is fantastic. It shows the bias that some women do have towards their potential 'baby-making' counterparts. I have come across this a lot in industry. The very women who are supposed to support you and help you balance your career life with your family life are the obstacles in creating the culture that will make this happen.

I had a meeting with a very dear friend in a senior position in the mining industry who is going about it the right way. She says that the culture for work-life balance in her company is there but women aren't using it. These women are indoctrinated in the belief they have to work longer and harder to get the same rights as their male counterparts. The woman mine worker of the past was tough and did it the hard way.  Although this was true of industry, things are changing rapidly. Work life programs and benefits are for male and female alike and this is the perfect time to access them.

This wonderful young woman knows that she must be the role model for the women in her organisation to change their attitudes and beliefs. With programs, support and great role models, the change can begin. After all we work to live and as enjoyable as that is, it shouldn't be live to work!

If you believe everything you read, you would get the very strong impression that women are making great headway into the careerosphere. We are now apparently needed as the skills shortage grips a stripped corporate airspace. This is supposedly leading to more flexible hours, better childcare arrangements and a range of programs that will support our journey to the top. Pity that news hasn't hit the women working in these haloed positions.

Most of the woman I know are working their butts off for no extra pay and definitely no extra benefits. I am not sure why, but I think it something to do with the white male centric boardroom still in prominence.

Come on boys, get it together. Research shows that women are leaving corporate life in the droves to set up thriving home businesses. If something is not done I can guarantee that work life is going to get tight when the same woman who could have been promoted and supported in your business is now going into competition with your company!

Managing a family and a business is challenging enough but managing a family working in a business together is even more difficult. The professional relationships we have with our co-workers is so important to the business dynamic. When we add that deep personal element a situation can quickly perceived as a personal attack.

My family all work in our business - husband, 2 sons and a daughter and soon my daughter in law. We all have complimentary skills which is really fantastic but sometimes the recognition of that skill is diminished as the one-up-man-ship of the family dynamic comes into play. Take for example the situation we had this week where 2 of my family members were working on a particular outcome without consultation with the workers/family members who were using the system. This happened because of a lack of recognition of the value the others could bring to the situation and was directly linked to a personal attitude and not a professional one.

When I realised what was happening, I talked to each of the individuals involved until a common understanding was reached. That old chestnut "communication" really does work.

I don't believe this will be the last time something like this happens however we can control the way we approach it. My advice is:

• arrange a time to talk when you aren't too tired
• do not point the finger in an accusatory manner
• really listen to each person's point of view
• allow them to talk until they are finished
• speak quietly
• do not be derogatory in your comments
• link the behaviour to the outcome and make sure they understand how the behaviour affects the business outcomes
• always make sure they understand how much you value their contribution

Follow these suggestions and most problems can be worked through in a professional manner.