Catalyzing

Catalyzing is the Catalyst blog, bringing together and amplifying diverse voices that share Catalyst’s mission to expand opportunities for women and business. Catalyzing reflects the wide range of opinions, ideas, and experiences of Catalyst employees, incorporating perspectives from our offices in North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond. It also features non-Catalyst industry leaders, experts, and academics committed to changing workplaces and lives. 

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    Catalyzing
    Two Lessons from the Boardroom

    Below is a guest post from Carolina Klint, Country General Manager of AIG in Sweden.

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    The venue’s address was in the board pack. Approaching an impressive building in the old part of town, I was both excited and nervous. As the first woman to serve on this ancient and very traditional...

    March 4, 2013 by Carolina Klint

  • Catalyzing
    More Face Time at Work? This Doesn’t Work for Me

    A recent memo from Yahoo! management calling for all virtual workers to begin working from the office has reignited the discussion surrounding work-life effectiveness and flexibility. Responses were rapid and widespread, from a Google exec who agreed with Yahoo’s new policy to Virgin CEO Richar...

    February 27, 2013 by Emily V. Troiano

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    Employers in India: Change Workplaces, Change Lives

    Today’s Take 5, based on conversations with representatives of Catalyst India member companies, includes recommendations for India-based organizations committed to advancing women in the workplace:

    #1: Safety is Essential

    Entering the 'campus' of a typical large global company—where anywhere...

    February 22, 2013 by Aarti Shyamsunder, PhD

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    So, Who’s Counting?

    There may be six women premiers in Canada, but they would be hard-pressed to find their equivalent leadership in Canadian business. The 2012 Catalyst Census: Financial Post 500 Women Senior Officers and Top Earners shows no significant increase in women among senior officers and top earners.

    Some...

    February 19, 2013 by Alex Johnston

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    The Value of Looking Within

    Clients often come to Catalyst concerned about a “stuck point,” a “fall-off,” or a gap between women and men at a particular level within their companies. They describe a feeling of “drowning in data” and ask questions like, “How can I figure out what data matters?” or “How do I make ...

    February 11, 2013 by Jennifer Kohler

  • Scenes of hurricane damage in downtown Manhattan, photographed by Amelia Costigan on Feb. 4, 2013.
    Catalyzing
    When Disaster Strikes, Flexible Organizations Are Prepared

    Hurricane Sandy may seem like old news, but those of us who work in downtown Manhattan, where Catalyst is headquartered, are still getting back on our feet: our phone service is unreliable, generators continue to clog the streets, and our favorite lunch spots are still shut down and even...

    February 8, 2013 by Amelia Costigan

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    Take 5: Actions for Success

    Everyone’s got advice for women, and much of that advice is related to career advancement. Some of it is even pretty good. But it’s wise to think about what certain advice means in the context of your organization before following it. Recent Catalyst research provides examples of specific...

    February 6, 2013 by David Lau

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    Feminism and Fantasy Football

    Are you still recovering from your INSANE Super Bowl party? Yeah, me neither. But, as I ate some nachos with my husband and watched all the people cheer on Ray Lewis, I really wanted to share my experience “playing” fantasy football. I have never been athletic or particularly competitive; I don’t...

    February 4, 2013 by Emily Cohen

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    A Ceiling Shattered, But One More to Go

    Can we finally put it to rest?

    I’m referring to that “Are we ready?” question. “Are we ready for a woman premier?” “Are we ready for a gay leader?”

    With the selection of Kathleen Wynne as Leader of the Liberal Party and Premier-designate of Ontario, a resounding “yes” to both...

    January 30, 2013 by Deborah Gillis

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    Driving Change at the Local Level

    Think global. Act local.

    Easy to say, but it takes extraordinary leadership, expertise, cultural sensitivity, and commitment to make it work. This year’s Catalyst Award-winning initiatives show that it can be done.

    Today, we announced that initiatives from Alcoa Inc., The Coca-Cola Company, and...

    January 24, 2013 by Ilene H. Lang