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<!--Generated by Squarespace Site Server v5.0.0 (http://www.squarespace.com/) on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:14:07 GMT--><?xml-stylesheet type="text/css" href="/universal/styles/feed.css"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>Women in Focus - Comments</title><link>http://www.project-u.com/womeninfocus/</link><description>Womans' personal and professional development</description><copyright>Project U</copyright><language>en-AU</language><generator>Squarespace Site Server v5.0.0 (http://www.squarespace.com/)</generator><item><title>Anne Stade comments on Networking - Myth or Must</title><author>Anne Stade</author><pubDate>Wed, 07 Nov 2007 05:44:27 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.project-u.com/womeninfocus/2007/3/28/networking-myth-or-must.html#comments</link><guid isPermaLink="false">55763:657283:comment/1106393</guid><description><![CDATA[I agree it can be quite a challenge to strike up a conversation with someone you don't know, but the way I look at it I would rather meet someone new and hear their story because nine times out of ten you go away having learnt something new and that is worthwhile.]]></description></item><item><title>Simonne Michelle comments on Believe to succeed!</title><author>Simonne Michelle</author><pubDate>Sat, 16 Jun 2007 02:59:10 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.project-u.com/womeninfocus/2007/5/26/believe-to-succeed.html#comments</link><guid isPermaLink="false">55763:657283:comment/866655</guid><description><![CDATA[Tracey, was lovely to see you and Carol at the Every Woman Expo yesterday :) I think I might need a wee hand over at my blog! www.simonnemichelle.wordpress.com<br/>I wrote a post about feminism and need some strong female voices adding to the comments! Any comment would be greatly appreciated!<br/>]]></description></item><item><title>Simonne Michelle comments on Believe to succeed!</title><author>Simonne Michelle</author><pubDate>Sat, 02 Jun 2007 05:25:36 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.project-u.com/womeninfocus/2007/5/26/believe-to-succeed.html#comments</link><guid isPermaLink="false">55763:657283:comment/845435</guid><description><![CDATA[Tracey, thank you so much for your encouraging words and the wee plug! You are such a wonderfully supportive and caring woman. I am certainly trying to take your advice and keep the zing in my life on a daily basis! Thank you again.<br/>:) Simonne]]></description></item><item><title>Leigh comments on Networking - Myth or Must</title><author>Leigh</author><pubDate>Mon, 21 May 2007 23:54:53 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.project-u.com/womeninfocus/2007/3/28/networking-myth-or-must.html#comments</link><guid isPermaLink="false">55763:657283:comment/832131</guid><description><![CDATA[Have you ever walked into a room full of grey suits and felt like a wallflower at your first high school social? For someone inherently shy, overcoming this feeling is one of life's biggest challenges.  How is it that the grey suits appear to network with ease, yet many women colleagues seem to experience my sense of networking dread at conferences and meetings. <br/>In addition, I sometimes feel there is a tension between integrity and the art of networking, both my own and when observing consummate networkers at work. ]]></description></item><item><title>Tracey Hodgkins comments on Networking - Myth or Must</title><author>Tracey Hodgkins</author><pubDate>Fri, 18 May 2007 23:58:34 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.project-u.com/womeninfocus/2007/3/28/networking-myth-or-must.html#comments</link><guid isPermaLink="false">55763:657283:comment/828951</guid><description><![CDATA[Unfortunately the world works on relationships. The better your relationships the more chance you have to develop yourself and your business. Find a way to connect with others and you will be set for life. I recommend a good networking course and then loads of practice. Be sincere and the rewards will come.]]></description></item><item><title>Kia comments on Networking - Myth or Must</title><author>Kia</author><pubDate>Thu, 17 May 2007 01:29:07 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.project-u.com/womeninfocus/2007/3/28/networking-myth-or-must.html#comments</link><guid isPermaLink="false">55763:657283:comment/826467</guid><description><![CDATA[The mere thought of networking generates great pangs of anxiety.  I am not a skilled networker.  I have a strong work ethic and hope that my hard work and effort will be rewarded.  I must admit that my efforts have not yet been rewarded in the way that I would hope.  It seems hard work is only rewarded with more work.  Networking is a skill I would love to master.  ]]></description></item><item><title>Louise Burke comments on Mind your mummies</title><author>Louise Burke</author><pubDate>Mon, 23 Apr 2007 06:44:03 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.project-u.com/womeninfocus/NaN/NaN/NaN/mind-your-mummies.html#comments</link><guid isPermaLink="false">55763:657283:comment/793851</guid><description><![CDATA[I worked non-stop for 19 years before having my one and only child. My life had been completely career focussed, despite an overwhelming desire to have child of my own. When the time came to stop work, I was relieved. I knew that given the other circumstances in my life, going back to work was inevitable. I had no desire to return when the time came to do so as I loved being with my child. It did not take me long to realise that my return to work was actually a good thing for both my daughter and I. Being so long in the worforce, I actually loved what I did. My life was home or work. I had no friends of my age having children, so there was no network available to me. My daughter's personality is such that she needed more contact with other children and people than I was able to give her. Daycare worked for us, coupled with a partner who willingly took a day off a week to be at home. <br/><br/>I saw my time out of work as &quot;me time&quot;. I wallowed in my child and maternity and had no regrets. I knew that there would be initial gaps in my knowledge when I did return to work but I didn't care. I also knew that I could catch up. Any potential set backs to my career were trivial by comparison with what I found with my child.<br/><br/>It ultimately has become a matter of priorities. You don't have to sacrifice family for career or vice versa. You don't have to choose one over the other. What you do need to do, however, is look at what matters most. Work gets 100% when I am there. But Life gets the same entitlement. By structuring carefully how we live and taking care of the big rocks first we (my family) are able to establish and maintain balance in an often unbalanced world. I love my job and want to continue to rise in my career...but on my terms. It is about taking control.]]></description></item><item><title>Tracey Hodgkins comments on Mind your mummies</title><author>Tracey Hodgkins</author><pubDate>Thu, 12 Apr 2007 12:57:10 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.project-u.com/womeninfocus/NaN/NaN/NaN/mind-your-mummies.html#comments</link><guid isPermaLink="false">55763:657283:comment/778017</guid><description><![CDATA[I know exactly how you feel. Why should we give up our chance at a career just because we wish to be mothers. Employers really need to get with the program and realise just how much intellectual property they are losing by not catering for the needs of mothers returning to work. Having successfully managed my career and 3 children though, I can assure you that every closed door leads to another one that is wide open. If you employer doesn't support you then go to someone who does.]]></description></item><item><title>Renae Hill comments on Mind your mummies</title><author>Renae Hill</author><pubDate>Thu, 12 Apr 2007 07:40:13 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.project-u.com/womeninfocus/NaN/NaN/NaN/mind-your-mummies.html#comments</link><guid isPermaLink="false">55763:657283:comment/777777</guid><description><![CDATA[I am preganant with my first child due in September.  The issues discussed in 'Mind your mummies' are my greatest fears on my journey into motherhood.  While I know becoming a mother will be the most rewarding endeavour I have ever embarked on, I love working and want to continue to develop my career opportunities. Most of my female role models sacrifice motherhood and sometimes even their marriage for their career or alternatively put their career behind them when they become a mother.  I want to create and achieve both. Most of my friends have no desire to return to paid work and do so resentfully for financial reasons. As for the support of my employer, I am not entirely sure where I stand but I am doing as much as I can to signal to them that I want to return to work and that while I am on leave I want to be included in team communications, team planning meetings and professional learning opportunities. Ultimately, I want my child/children to grow up respecting that both parents have equal access to a career.  Confidence in this comes not so much from the assurance of my employer - more from my husband's supportive attitude and his commitment to work part time to make an equal contribution to the care of our child.]]></description></item><item><title>Carol Scott comments on Networking - Myth or Must</title><author>Carol Scott</author><pubDate>Fri, 06 Apr 2007 15:12:43 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.project-u.com/womeninfocus/2007/3/28/networking-myth-or-must.html#comments</link><guid isPermaLink="false">55763:657283:comment/770814</guid><description><![CDATA[I was at a very swanky function earlier this week, where I watched a serial networker in action.  While asking the obligatory questions of me - what did I do? where? how? - I had the distinct impression that I could have said I was a hit-woman from the murky depths of the underworld and not caused a detour of her darting eyes, as she sought out her next conquest.  Once identified, she was off and I was left mid-sentence, talking to myself.  Now I don't call that networking - it was more along the lines of speed dating, where you have two minutes to make an impression before you are deserted for the next on the list.]]></description></item></channel></rss>