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?

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!

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!

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.

Sometimes  I think all we need is someone to believe in us until our confidence has time to catch up with our dreams.  I know that because I have been through it over and over and over. Each time I have had to drag myself out of it little by little but only with the help of those around me.  Those who believed in me, not the knockers and certainly not the narrow-minded idiots who don't believe in anything but what they can see in front of them.   If I had listened to them, I would never have achieved anything.

To those women - and you know who you are - believe and you will succeed and don't let those around you tell you otherwise.

BTW a lovely young woman I met the other day introduced me to her wonderful blog.  Michelle is writing her first book and we all know how hard that is to do, especially with a full-time job. So let's get behind her and support her efforts: www.simonnemichelle.wordpress.com

They are a fabulous group to work with - they participate, they learn, they inquire and they challenge.  They take this professional learning seriously and they make the most of their opportunities to improve.  They also raise some very important issues -

* when we talk about career/life balance, and we put ourselves as our Number One priority, is that being selfish?

* when we talk about values, should we compromise our personal values to better align with those of our line manager or organization?

* how do we positively promote and brand ourselves within our workplace and our organization?

These are not issues peculiar to just this group - they are questions that many people ask, regardless of their status and position.

How would YOU answer them?

My theory is that between electronic communication, ease of home computer access and the extreme use of mobile phones outside our normal work hours ,we have effectively added in another 3 -4 hours on top of our normal work day. This is making us feel time pressured and overwhelmed.

Just think about it. I know I get up in the morning at around 6am and check my emails and catch up with anything I missed the day before. At the end of the day I check my emails, finish a document or two and am still taking calls at 8pm. So this is my challenge to myself and to you. Turn off the computer and the mobile phone every day by 7pm. Just see if it makes a difference. I will check back in next week with what happened to me.

THINGY
Women: Any part under a car's bonnet.
Men: The strap fastener on a woman's bra.
VULNERABLE
Women: Fully opening up oneself emotionally to another.
Men: Playing football without a box.
COMMUNICATION
Women: The sharing of thoughts and feelings with one's partner.
Men: Leaving a note before suddenly taking off for a weekend with the boys.
BUTT
Women: The body part that looks bigger no matter what is worn.
Men: What you slap when someone scores a touchdown, home run, or goal.
COMMITMENT
Women: A desire to get married and raise a family.
Men: Trying not to pick up other women while out with girlfriend.
ENTERTAINMENT
Women: A good movie, concert, play or book.
Men: Anything that can be done while drinking
FLATULENCE
Wome: An embarrassing by-product of digestion.
Men: An endless source of entertainment, self-expression and male bonding.

Shoes give us the means to live life a little vicariously – it is like exotic lingerie with the added benefit of being seen by the general public and, in my case, it actually looks a lot better on. I seem to take on the personality of my shoes - red slingback shoes and I feel just a little naughty and daring, purple pumps and I feel stylish and funky. Black boots with silver heels and I feel sophisticated and worldly. They can give us confidence and make us feel that we have the edge, that little extra something that makes us interesting. It is the secret ingredient to success.

As I have got older my multiple shoe personalities have changed as well - I have stopped buying the high strappy numbers and have turned to the dark side………boots and low heels - but with added features of course. Two reasons – firstly, according to Harper's Index, the average increase in the protrusion of a woman's buttocks when she wears high heels is 25% and I really don’t need any more attention to that area and secondly, I am married…. need I say more???

I have this wonderful calendar that pictures a shoe for each month of the year with the appropriate personality. I examined my month in great detail and asked myself - am I

Impulsive?  Well, yes……….. Many years ago I packed up my 3 babies and sold my house and decided to tour rock bands all over Australia. My mother-in-law was singularly unimpressed. I couldn’t afford expensive shoes at that time so I decorated my own sexy numbers… sequins and ribbons… and had strappy, 3” high stilettos that I could barely walk in, but I did it anyway. I don’t regret it – in fact, it gave me many of the life skills I needed to be successful – the experience I mean – not the shoes…. They just gave me that little added extra…

Unpredictable?  Yes…...or so people tell me. I usually start off my meetings with "I have an idea for " ….  and everyone groans…. I don’t know why!!

Spirited?  Many have called me that and other not-so positive terms as I regularly argue my case for one or the other of my passions..

Friendly?  Yes, yes I love people, especially ones who share my passion for shoes of course.

Daring?  Oooh yes, I go where others fear to tread, because I want to leave a footprint on the world, and of course for that I need the right shoes….you must agree.

Therefore I can happily justify spending a lot of money to find the perfect shoes for each unique occasion. Nobody can argue with that….

I’d like to leave you with a little something I found on the internet (can't find out who wrote it though)…

It is called The Open Toe Shoe Pledge

Please raise your big toes and follow these rules when you wear sandals and other open-toe shoes:

I promise to always wear sandals that fit. My toes will not hang over and touch the ground, nor will my heels spill over the backs. And the sides and tops of my feet will not pudge out between the straps.

I will go polish-free or vow to keep the polish fresh, intact and chip-free. I will not cheat and just touch up my big toe.

I will sand down any mounds of skin before they turn hard and yellow. I will shave the hairs off my big toe.

I won't wear pantyhose even if my misinformed girlfriend, co-worker, mother, sister tells me the toe seam really will stay under my toes if I tuck it there.

If a strap breaks, I won't duct-tape, pin, glue or tuck it back into place hoping it will stay put. I will get my shoe fixed or toss it.

I will not live in corn denial; rather I will lean on my good friend Dr. Scholl's if my feet need him.

I will resist the urge to buy jelly shoes at Payless for the low, low price of $4.99 even if my feet are small enough to fit into the kids' sizes. This is out of concern for my safety, and the safety of others. No one can walk properly when standing in a pool of sweat and I would hate to take someone down with me as I fall and break my ankle.

I will take my toe ring off toward the end of the day if my toes swell and begin to look like Vienna sausages.

I will be brutally honest with my girlfriend/sister/coworker when she asks me if her feet are too ugly to wear sandals. Someone has to tell her that her toes are as long as my fingers and no sandal makes creepy feet look good.

And finally I give you all permission to buy which ever shoes you want, guilt free, go on …… you can blame me……..

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