HOW TO STAY MARKETABLE IN MIDLIFE WITH BONNIE MARCUS

https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/e4vukf/Bonnie_Marcus_final_-_8_9_21_631_PM7ofsg.mp3

EPISODE SUMMARY:

As an award-winning entrepreneur, Forbes contributing writer, executive coach, and author, Bonnie Marcus is using her platforms to give a voice to the struggles midlife women face in their personal and professional lives. In today’s episode, we sat down with Bonnie to discuss her book, Not Done Yet!, workplace ageism, the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone, and the importance of self-care. First, we asked Bonnie what inspired her to write Not Done Yet!, and she told us that the initial idea came from a conversation she had with a client. The woman was a 58-year-old attorney who had become the oldest woman on her legal team, and as time passed, started to notice unsettling patterns in her workplace. She was being perceived differently, was not being invited to important meetings, and was having her work divided amongst the younger employees. Bonnie realized the fear and confusion her client felt was not an isolated incident amongst midlife women, and after speaking to more women with similar experiences, she decided she had to write her book to shed a light on the issues working midlife women face. We then asked her about fears midlife women have in the workplace and she explained that for many women, these fears begin during childhood. Growing up, women are taught to feel less than, so when employers start to treat us differently as we age, those childhood insecurities and fears are validated. Ageism is also so ingrained in society that we often don’t even notice it, so women don’t know that they can speak up. When asked about the key to changing your mindset in the workplace, Bonnie said that the best first step is to connect to the talent and experience you bring to the table and be unapologetic about it. Always use your voice, state your opinions and make yourself heard.

We also talked about stepping out of our comfort zones in midlife, and regarding career, Bonnie emphasized how important it is to embrace discomfort and learn new things to further our businesses. Despite stereotypes stating otherwise, research shows that midlife women have the capacity to learn a plethora of new things. Rather than becoming complacent, midlife women should utilize opportunities to learn new skills. Older generations should also be more open to learning from the younger generations, for both groups can teach each other as well as learn valuable skills beneficial for everyone. Although society has made progress, research shows that midlife women are still being treated unfairly in the workplace. Bonnie told us that this is due not only to executives not offering women the opportunities they need to progress but also because women do not feel confident in their abilities. Many midlife women will opt out of leadership roles out of fear of being discriminated against for their age or because of their menopause. Without workplace accommodations for menopause symptoms, midlife women are forced to endure extreme discomfort simply to keep their jobs. When asked how to help working midlife women feel less small and unimportant in the workplace, Bonnie reiterated feeling confident in one’s talents. With her own coaching clients, Bonnie often starts by asking them about their skills and guides them towards confidence. Bonnie also has her coaching clients keep a success journal. As women, we often forget or don’t acknowledge the wonderful things we do in our personal and professional lives. Through writing down our achievements, research shows that repetitive acknowledgement and positive thinking changes our neuropathways to make our default way of thinking more positive. We also discussed how to bring up conversations about ageism and sexism in the workplace.

Bonnie acknowledged how hard it is for women to discuss such issues, since we are made to fear losing our jobs if we speak up. However, it is important that we discuss how ageist and sexist comments and actions make us feel, since we must learn to advocate for ourselves. Gender Disparity is never acceptable. Speaking up may also help others, since often times, people are not even aware that the passive comments they make are harmful. Finding ways to communicate your concerns with your boss or HR manager in a productive way starts an important conversation and will hopefully lead to changes being made. In Bonnie’s book, Not Done Yet!, she has scripts that women can use for discussing ageism and sexism with their bosses. Finally, we talked to Bonnie about the importance of self-care. Bonnie told us that for her, self-care is important because it fuels us, energizes us and stimulates our brains. While many people view self-care as selfish or tedious, in reality, it is actually maintenance to keep ourselves healthy and happy.

Bonnie Marcus

Award winning entrepreneur, Forbes contributing writer, and executive coach, Bonnie Marcus, M.Ed., assists professional women to successfully navigate the workplace and position and promote themselves to advance their careers.

With 20+ years of sales and management experience, Bonnie’s extensive business background includes CEO of a ServiceMaster company and VP of Sales at Medical Staffing Network and two others national companies in the healthcare and software industries. She has held executive positions in startup companies and Fortune 500 companies.

Bonnie started her corporate career at an entry-level position and worked her way up to the top of a national company. Her passion is now to help other women embrace their talent and ambition and step into their full potential and workplace power. Bonnie shares her message globally through speaking engagements, live and virtual workshops, blogging, and her popular podcast, Badass Women at Any Age.

Bonnie’s book, The Politics of Promotion: How High Achieving Women Get Ahead and Stay Ahead, provides a roadmap for women to navigate the complexities of the workplace and position themselves for success. Her second book,Not Done Yet! How Women Over 50 Regain Their Confidence and Claim Their Workplace Power, shines a light on gendered ageism in the

workplace and gives women the tools and the voice to defy ageist assumptions to stay marketable and keep their job.

A certified coach, Bonnie has been honored by Global Gurus as one of the world’s top 30 coaches in 2015-2021. She has been acknowledged as one of the top 100 keynote speakers in 2018 by Databird Research Journal.

Bonnie received a BA from Connecticut College and a M.Ed. from New York University. Bonnie’s website is www.BonnieMarcusLeadership.com. She can be reached by email at [email protected] and on Twitter and Instagram @selfpromote. Read her articles on Forbes at www.forbes.com/sites/bonniemarcus. Her podcast, Badass Women At Any Age is available on Apple Podcasts.