Women Driving Impact

Nonprofit organizations face unique challenges when it comes to technology. Tight budgets and lack of expertise at the senior level result in what some organizations perceive as an inefficient use of tech. In fact, Stanford Social Innovation Review’s recent study of 80 advocacy-oriented nonprofits showed that only 11% of those organizations surveyed thought that they were highly efficient at managing technology. So how can nonprofits benefit from technology and focus on their missions at the same time? Rebecca Masisak, CEO of TechSoup, talks to Nicole Jones about bridging the tech divide for nonprofits, living your values as a leader, and how to balance a need for economic return with social missions. TechSoup is a nonprofit and social enterprise that equips changemakers with transformative technology solutions and skills they need to improve lives globally and locally. While most known for its NGO tech marketplace, which provides eligible organizations with donated and discounted software and training, TechSoup also hosts tech for good meet-ups all over the world, provides courses for nonprofits, streamlines international grantmaking, and works with the community to create social good solutions, among many other things. Since 2001 Rebecca Masisak has been a critical part of growing the portfolio of TechSoup's programs. She speaks about social enterprise, global networks, and data as a resource for civil society. She was awarded the Full Circle Funds prestigious Full Impact award in technology. And in 2017 was named one of the most influential women in business by the San Francisco Business Times. On top of that she was included in the annual list of the 50 most influential leaders in the U.S. nonprofit sector by the NonProfit Times. Share your wisdom and best practices with host Nicole Jones on social media: @kintone on Twitter or via email, at nicole@kintone.com. Read the full show notes for this episode at kintone.com/womendrivingimpact, and find out about how Kintone can change your business for the better at kintone.com.

As a movement, “Mindfulness” is gaining traction as an effective form of self-care, used for balancing balancing work/life stressors and strengthening emotional resilience. But how can businesses promote mindfulness in the workplace, in order to boost productivity and morale? Janet Fouts, CEO of Tatu Digital Media, talks to Nicole Jones about how to create effective human-centric strategies for leadership and relationship management to live a more fulfilling life at work and at home. Janet Fouts is an executive coach, speaker, and corporate trainer who believes deeply in the value of emotional intelligence at all levels of business. She's listed as one of the Top 50 Marketing Thought Leaders over 50 by Brand Quarterly magazine, and one of the Top 100 Giving Influencers on Twitter by Give Local America. She's been quoted in USA Today, Forbes Magazine, and Thought Leader Life, and her writing is syndicated on several business-to-business magazines online, including Business 2 Community and Social Media Today. Janet has also authored six books on social media marketing. The question for you is: how do you support team members and employees needing work life flexibility, and what does that look like for you? Share your wisdom and best practices with host Nicole Jones on social media: @kintone on Twitter or via email, at nicole@kintone.com. Read the full show notes for this episode at kintone.com/womendrivingimpact, and find out about how Kintone can change your business for the better at kintone.com.

One of the challenges facing women in the modern workplace is claiming credit where credit is due. Not being given credit for your work - or worse, having credit for your ideas stolen - affects not only your confidence, but it can have a measurable effect on your career as well. So how can women take a proactive role in ensuring that they get proper credit? And how can women support their female colleagues to do the same? Heather Johnson, compliance officer for Conrad industries, talks to Nicole Jones about how to bring more women into science and tech industries like manufacturing, the art of claiming credit where credit is due, and balancing work with new life changes. Conrad Industries is a division of A-B Emblem, which is a custom manufacturer and distribution company that produces emblems and patches for companies around the world. This 126-year-old family-owned corporation boasts thousands of clients including NASA, REI, Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of America, and more. A self-proclaimed “Jane of all trades, master of none”, Heather has a degree in computer information technologies, and her greatest passion is teaching and helping others pursue their goals. In her personal time, she volunteers and loves working with children and families. The newest adventure for Heather in 2019 is foster parenting. The question for you is: how do you support co-workers who are going through life changes? How do you step in to support them? Share your wisdom and best practices with host Nicole Jones on social media: @kintone on Twitter or via email, at nicole@kintone.com. Read the full show notes for this episode at kintone.com/womendrivingimpact, and find out about how Kintone can change your business for the better at kintone.com.

There’s no "one size fits all" approach when you’re trying to make your company more inclusive. The challenges of diversity and inclusion go beyond just ticking boxes and fulfilling metrics. So how do you work towards an organization that better reflects its customers, using strategies that encourage psychological safety in the workplace, while also driving performance with positive leadership? There are things you can do at every level, whether you’re a senior manager or just starting out. Emmy Negrin, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Adidas, spoke to Nicole Jones about how she's driving inclusive company cultures, while ensuring companies make services and products that reflect the community it serves. They discussed the traits that great leaders possess, how being a queer woman impacts Emmy’s leadership style, and tips for advocating for marginalized groups. Emmy is a social entrepreneur focused on building purpose-driven and inclusive workplaces. In her current role, she's creating a diversity and inclusion strategy focused on company culture and equitable approaches to hiring. She previously led diversity and inclusion and social impact at OpenTable in San Francisco, and prior to that worked at Yahoo, managing the Yahoo Employee Foundation, a global mindfulness program and social impact grant making connecting employees with nonprofits around the world. Emmy's also a leadership coach and wilderness guide for backpacking trips that teach you how to be agents of change and global citizens. The question for you is: what are you and/or your company doing to create environments that are more welcoming to a diverse group of employees? Share your wisdom and best practices with host Nicole Jones on social media: @kintone on Twitter or via email, at nicole@kintone.com. Read the full show notes for this episode at kintone.com/womendrivingimpact, and find out about how kintone can change your business for the better at kintone.com.

Creating an inclusive workplace based on respect, belonging and empowerment may not be top of mind for many organizations, but the research and business benefits present compelling reasons for making it a priority. Organizations with inclusive cultures are two times as likely to meet or exceed financial goals, three times as likely to be high-performing, six times as likely to more innovative and agile, and eight times more likely to achieve business outcomes. A recent survey found 83% of millennials say they are more engaged at work when they believe their company fosters an inclusive culture. Diversity has been linked to more creativity and innovation in the workplace, and it’s no surprise why. When people with different skill sets, backgrounds, and experiences are brought together in one workspace, it leads to more effective problem-solving. Dr. Carol Langlois, a lifelong educator who ran the MBA programs at University of San Francisco, spoke to Kintone’s Marketing Director Nicole Jones about women’s leadership and how to create inclusive organizations that value diverse backgrounds, cultures and work styles. Dr. Carol’s educational resume is a bright one. In addition to her work at University of San Francisco, she served as the Dean and Associate Provost at Mills College as well as Vice President of Hackbright Academy, the first all-female coding school in San Francisco that welcomes and trains women for the software engineering fields. She's also the author of the book, "Girl Talk: Boy, Bullies and Body Image,” a compilation of interviews with teen girls on the topic of self-esteem, and is the founder of Empowered Tech, a community space for women in tech to come together to share tips, tools and resources with one another. The question for you is: What can you do in your business to actively support employees, maybe women, maybe others, who might be experiencing impostor syndrome? Share your wisdom and best practices with host Nicole Jones on social media: @kintone on Twitter or via email, at nicole@kintone.com. Read the full show notes for this episode at kintone.com/womendrivingimpact, and find out about how kintone can change your business for the better at kintone.com.