REAL LIFE ROSIE

http://www.humanresourcesglobal.com & http://www.newtohr.com

Hello my name is Nicole and I am the Founder of New To HR. I am Dutch from origin and live, well…all over the world.

I have spent the last 15 years working both internationally and locally within a variety of HR role and functions. Having achieved a series of qualifications including an MBA, MAHRM and MCIPD, and now co-authoring a 2nd book ‘The Female Leader, Empowerment, Confidence and Success.’

I am also the founder ‘Human Resources Global Ltd’, a HR Consultancy which specialize global transformation, start-ups and change HR projects.

What inspires you? Companies like rosieMADE – who think global, but act local.

Do you have a favorite quote? “Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.” Mary Kay Ash

What are the most pressing issues facing women today? Young women face a unique challenge when it comes to “being” and becoming a leader in this world. There is an urgent need to broaden young women’s career choices and aspirations. It is very significant that talent and success are talked about – not conceitedly but effectively. Women seem to be poor at highlighting their strengths and successes in the workplace, instead humbly playing down what they have achieved; in direct contrast to the way men are often very happy to communicate their successes. Perhaps this is because women worry that highlighting their success will make them the subject of negative emotions like jealously among their co-workers? Women are all too often denying their “femaleness” and attempting to override their natural tendencies to be expressive and expressively intuitive and are instead trying to match the boldness and stubborn manner of many of their male colleagues.

In many peoples’ view, this is where so many women fall down and sabotage their own careers. Human beings are encoded to be themselves and trying to disguise natural feelings or tendencies cannot be sustained for a long period. Women who are not being honest with their own behaviors will inevitably become unhappy and frustrated with their lives, and tension will creep in disturbing them even more. If they are not honest to themselves, they are damaging what they really are, which in turn makes them easy to weaken. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

What are the biggest keys to your success? I currently am doing what I wanted – guiding and assisting other people with their careers and helping start-up businesses with HR. This however means that my life/work/start-up businesses all get mixed up most of the time. My longer term plans are to reduce the need for me to always be monitoring my businesses, as some of my tasks are not complicated but they are business critical and very time sensitive. In the future I will be looking at adding to my team, which will allow me to work on the strategic direction, new businesses and create even more value. (In 2014 this will mean a new business – specifically towards empowering women and leaders).

What are the biggest keys to the advancement or success of women? Staying Yourself – In order to be successful women should embrace their sensitive side, and should not try to hide it.

If an infuriating situation drives a woman to the edge of tears, she should display these emotions, and rather than apologizing for being ‘weak’ or ‘irrational’, see the tears as the level of passion she feels about the problem. Women should be honest and true to their feelings, and never treat other women badly, which not only damages the concord of a situation, but also adds to the negative concept of women as leaders.

By being open and honest about the way they feel about individuals, procedures and problems, women can build successful working relationships and confidence. It is vital that they get onto their peers, co-workers, bosses level and collaborate with them about their interests and strengths.

By using humor and honesty to deflect negativity and be clear about what they want and what they want from others, women can actually thrive in the workplace in senior positions without becoming a cliché or undermining themselves.

What successful female bosses are finding is that they can now be an effective and successful leader on their own terms, by being true to themselves. Women don’t have to act the aggressive male to get ahead if they’re not aggressive and not male. Leadership is not gendered and it’s time to break the ingrained stereotypes that still persist. Women and men should not need to be something they are not.

Where did the inspiration for your business come from? I wanted to start my businesses for various reasons. Firstly, I started my company for me! I wanted to be the ruler of my own success, reputation and financial situation. The feeling to be accountable for my own success and progress are very exciting and keep me focused and motivation to grow. Secondly, I created my business for my clients. I found that my clients and specifically their small organizations were yearning for HR services with a more personal, customized approach.

Where is your product sold? My services and products are sold all around the world. http://www.humanresourcesglobal.com and http://www.newtohr.com/shop

In 2014 I will be co-authoring a new book “The Female Leader: Empowerment, Confidence & Passion”, very exciting as I am writing a section on ‘Being!’.

Note: To our rosieMADE friends, Nicole will provide a signed copy if you pre-order her book now via: http://www.humanresourcesglobal.com/books

What advice do you have for a woman who is considering starting a business? Don’t ask for permission to be successful. What you choose to do with your life is not based on your parents’ expectations, what your teachers thought you were capable of, what your husband or partner thinks you should do or even what your friends are doing with their lives. It is all about what moves and inspires you. You should never need anyone else to tell you what that is or should be.

What are the biggest hurdles you’ve faced in starting or growing your business? How did you overcome these? Starting and running your own business gives you the keys to take control of your life and make a difference, create your own income, be the person that you want to be, follow a path that allows you to create the difference that you want in the world.

I will NOT tell you that it is always easy, it takes a lot of hard work; or that there will not be times where you will question what you are doing or why you are doing it but when you find the right thing, there is nothing more rewarding. The other great thing about starting your own business is that you can do it on your terms.

Are there any additional thoughts or questions that you have? “If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader.” Dolly Parton