I just finished reading a wonderful article on The Huffington Post by Morra Aarons-Mele, called “The Women We Know.” It’s a good read, so make sure to visit the site. Morra convenes an online group for the American Cancer Society, so she uses her experiences in, and mini stories from, that realm to illustrate her point: that there’s a new women’s movement about, one grounded in personal support and social change and that’s largely happening online in micro communities and large gatherings.

The article sparked a number of thoughts (a sign of a good post!), but the first one that came to me is “I know. I experience the power of women almost daily through my involvement in Women in Consulting (WIC).”

Now, I know some of you’ll think, “Of course she’d write that. She sits on the board. She’s the president-elect. She’s supposed to say how wonderful WIC is.” You’re right. It is part of my job to promote WIC. But — and this is a big but — WIC is an all-volunteer organization, save for our administrative support and a small stipend for PR. I don’t get paid for the work I do for WIC. It’s all pro bono — same for all of WIC’s board of directors, program chairs, and coordinators. If I didn’t believe everything I wrote or said about WIC, I wouldn’t be here. If I didn’t receive all the benefits that I tout, I wouldn’t donate so much of my time to help keep WIC going. So, yes, I drink the Kool-Aid, but only because I know first had that it’s mighty tasty.

It’s Not About Perfection. It’s About Connection.

Is WIC perfect? Heck no. Is it for everyone? Nope. No organization is — that’s what keeps life interesting. “Variety is the spice of life” didn’t become a cliché for nothing. What WIC is though is a community…a place to connect, to learn, to get support, to be motivated.

Now you may say, “Morra’s post was about movements. WIC isn’t a movement.” And you’re right. WIC isn’t a movement or even necessarily about social change (although the organization and many or our members do get involved). However, Morra’s post is about community and women and their power to bring about change. And WIC is all about that.

WIC is first and foremost an online community. It started as a small group of women meeting in person to support each other. And we still have regular monthly meetings (six total to accommodate the Bay Area geography), as well as special events and workshops. But WIC’s true value comes from the knowledge bank that is the WIC online Community, the partnerships we make with other organizations and businesses, and the relationships that one can build simply by getting involved. 

Make a note of that last point, as it’s one of WIC’s best kept benefit secrets and also the reason that movements grow. It’s only natural that the WIC people that I’m closest to are the ones that I’ve worked with in my various roles. I started small (helping with a silent auction, managing one of WIC’s newsletters) and slowly moved into larger roles. I’ve been on the board for almost four years now, serving in two different capacities.

The people that I turn to first for business advice are the people with whom I’ve collaborated with at WIC. The people I refer first are the people I work with, as I’m familiar with their work ethic and deliverables. And, as I’ve mentioned in the past, at least 75% of my business can be directly tied to having volunteered at WIC. And it’s not like I see all of my coworkers all the time. Heck, one of them I didn’t meet face-to-face until we’d worked together for two years! Our communications were all through the Internet or the phone for quite a while. Not only do we refer each other for projects, but we’ve developed a friendship that will last beyond our work on WIC.

It’s Not About Competition. It’s About Collaboration.

The current women’s movement works because the women work together for a common cause. It’s simultaneously about each woman and all women. Everyone is important, but no one is more important than anyone else.  This philosophy is the life blood of WIC and taps into the true power of women. Sure there are exceptions, but overall women tend to be about collaborating with others not working against them.

I and so many other WIC members that I know are more than happy to help a fellow consultant brainstorm ideas on how to improve and promote their business. Our archives are full of members and affiliates openly sharing consulting best practices. And I know that I recommend other writers for projects and other writers recommend me. It feels good to help. And I firmly believe what goes around comes around — and I’d rather see the good karma coming and going vs. bad.   

It’s Not About Going Alone. It’s About Going Together.

In her post, Morra wrote, “This week, in the midst of frenzied online organizing to promote gender equality in health care, I had a family crisis. And when I had to bow out of the action, Jodi Jacobson wrote, ‘Don’t apologize for anything…that’s what a movement is for….”

Consulting can be a solitary business. Social media communities make it less so. But even before the advent of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn…I didn’t feel alone, because I was part of WIC — a pre-social-media community. The people I’ve come to know at WIC are my colleagues. And that group continues to grow as I continue to meet more people from the WIC Community. I’m continually amazed at the organization’s ability to attract sharp, savvy individuals who are so open and willing to share.

I don’t promote WIC and tout its benefits because I’m going to be president. Rather, I accepted the president role because I believe so strongly in WIC and want to help ensure its continued success.

I tend to stay away from self-promoting on blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc. It’s just not my thing — probably because I really dislike hard sells. And as a board member of Women in Consulting (WIC), responsible for its marketing & PR no less, writing a piece on “why I love WIC” is considered self-promotion. However, in this instance, I just can’t help myself; and WIC’s latest monthly meeting is the reason.

In this one meeting, I was reminded of the many reasons why WIC is so important to me as a consultant, both personally and professionally.

• Collaborative environment and rich information sharing: collaboration is the chief quality that truly sets WIC apart from other organizations. I’ve not met one person who isn’t willing to share best practices, insights, resources, and more. All you have to do is ask, and you’ll have an amazing number of members responding immediately.
• Amazing connections and friendships, and an unbelievable support system: I never cease to be amazed at the brain power and talent that make up WIC. As a WIC member, you have access to some of the best minds in the Bay Area. WIC’s collaborative-not-competitive environment also fosters close relationships, resulting in some wonderful friendships. The business life of a consultant can often be solitary; but with WIC, it doesn’t feel that way at all. No matter the business challenge, I know I can call any number of my WIC friends/colleagues for advice. They not only listen willingly, they offer spot-on advice. They also happily celebrate my successes.
• Numerous learning opportunities: whether it’s a table discussion at a WIC meeting, a guest speaker, an email exchange on the WIC Community List, an article or blog post by a WIC member, or some other WIC communication exchange, I learn something.
• Business opportunities: I can attribute at least 75% of my business over the past two years to my involvement with WIC, and another 15% to following the best practices advocated in meetings. One of the reasons I get so much out of WIC is because I’m involved. I’ve been a member since 2002 and started volunteering in 2004. Participating in the organization has been an amazing business booster. My WIC colleagues provide me with invaluable advice, and they also are a great source of business — either hiring me on their engagements or referring me to clients. Even at Thursday’s meeting, two different people whom I hadn’t met previously recognized my name because someone had referred them to me for a project.
• Inspiration: I always leave a meeting feeling jazzed and excited; and it’s because of the energy that fills the room. People care. They listen. They share. You hear their latest triumphs and business plans and you leave energized to do more. And this happens even when the economy isn’t doing well. It did this past meeting.
• Great meeting topics: no matter the topic, I typically walk away with at least one usable tip or strategy. For example, April’s meeting on “Attract new Clients and Increase Revenue Now!” I learned some tips for positioning the initial evaluations I do for clients, whether or not I choose to charge for the evaluation — a topic that was much debated at the meeting. Even if a topic is way off base from your philosophy or interests, chances are you can still find something of value. I always do. It’s just a matter of perspective.
• Delicious food: the mushroom ravioli at Quadrus is beyond yummy, as was the other food. So often food at networking events is at best tolerable. Not so here.

These are just a few of the reasons I love WIC, and the ones that presented themselves at last Thursday’s meeting. If you’re a consultant or small business owner, you really should check WIC out, read about exclusive member discounts, attend a meeting, or even sign up as an affiliate on the WIC Community Email List – where you’ll see information sharing on steroids among some of the best consulting minds in the Bay Area (and beyond, for that matter).

Our WIC community now numbers over 400 consultants, stretching beyond the Bay Area to locations all around the US.

Some of our members and affiliates are very effective at leveraging the power of WIC to build and grow their businesses. I’d like to share a few observations regarding those that are most successful.

Many people come to WIC because of the incredible power of the WIC community list. At least several times a day someone posts a question to one of our lists and receives numerous replies with suggestions and ideas in response.

How can you best use the WIC lists?

• Be aware of the rules and regulations regarding the lists. These are posted on our website and a reminder email is sent to community members each month. To summarize, no back-and-forth discussions, no self-promotion, no reply-to-all, no off-topic discussions (except on the off topic list, of course), and above all no discussion of pricing or rates.
  
• Be aware that we police all of our lists all of the time. Any time one of our rules is violated, a private email is sent to the poster. We know people are busy and everyone makes mistakes, however we also know that all the people reading the list expect that we run a tight ship. We’ll warn you once, reprimand you the next time, then remove you from the list for a third violation. Caveat posters.
• Keep your question simple and succinct. The shorter your email the more likely it will be read and responded to.
• If you’re the questioner, you’re expected to summarize and post the responses received in a timely fashion. Include the names of the people who made the referrals, *unless* they’ve specifically asked you not to do so.
• If you’re responding to a post, you’re expected to only refer people or firms you would feel comfortable using yourself in a similiar situation.
• Those who respond to an inquiry are expected to follow WIC’s rules about responding to the poster with input rather than forward the post to other lists.
• When making a referral, include either email or phone contact information, or both if possible.
• If you are referring a friend or colleague, please make sure they are aware of our list policies and respect them as well.
• Be aware that the number of responses to a posting can be quite lengthy and it may not be possible for the poster to respond to all of them. Don’t take this personally!
• Read the post carefully to see what is actually being asked for. At times the poster will tell you they are posting on behalf of a colleague which means they likely don’t have additional details about the situation. They certainly won’t appreciate being contacted multiple times by individuals trying to sell their services to the poster, or calling to find out when they should expect to hear back if they will be hired for this opportunity. (Both these situations actually happened to me recently.)

Following these suggestions will make the list posting experience more positive for everyone involved.

Look for other tips on how to get the most out of WIC in future posts.

Linda