A surefire and well-deserved way to rise as a leader is to consistently speak eloquently in meetings, conferences and public events. That means being competent and prepared, so whether you are standing on stage at the microphone or called on at a board meeting, you will come off polished and well-spoken. 

You do not want to be like actress Sarah Snook who accepted her Critics Choice Award recently, with this ramble,” Yeah, I just had forgotten what we were doing, and I didn't write a speech or anything, and I'm just trying to go through some things now."

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Age is not just a number. In many workplaces across the U.S. and the world, age is at the center of discrimination, bullying, promotion denial and career flatlining. But it doesn’t have to be.

Denying ageism is not a solution; it is remarkably prevalent.

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It’s been a rough and tumble year for sure, and the CEOs, entrepreneurs, founders, innovators, leaders and creators who have pursued their missions and delivered success serve as reminders of what is possible.

Take The Lead shares the best advice and insight over the past year gathered at the Power Up Conference, webinars, personal interviews, podcasts, blogs, and more, to come up with a bountiful treasure chest of helpful strategies, points of view and insights. Take what you need moving into the new year, share with friends and colleagues in order to move forward with audacious power.

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You may not agree always with the lyrics to Sheryl Crow’s 1996 super hit, “A Change Will Do You Good,”  but you can try to make the best of change that happens to your career—even ones you do not instigate. Many upheavals happened to millions of women’s jobs, responsibilities and career paths in 2025. And pivoting with purpose may indeed do you good.

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The Department of Education recently declassified nursing—plus physical therapy, audiology, physician assistance and more—as careers not deserving of the professional title.  What that means is no longer will anyone seeking those degrees qualify for higher amounts on student loans. It also reinforces biased hierarchy.

Women are the hardest hit and are paying for it--literally.

Healthcare is the largest employer in the U.S., with over 22 million workers. In that group,  87% of nurses identify as women, with men accounting  for 11% of the registered nurse profession. There are 5.2 million registered nurses in this country and an estimate 2 million new jobs by 2030, the National Library of Medicine reports.

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 Winding down 2025 is a good time to pick up a book for yourself, friend, family member or colleague that they can enjoy as keen insight into their working life, or an inspiration from historic and current women changing history, and an escape into fictional history of times that shape who we are and how we live. All are works that we benefit from as keepers of truth.

Take The Lead is choosing 11 books (for 11 years of operations) new this year that can be respite for your mind and heart, and also offer tangible steps for change through memoir, historical fiction, essays, deep research, strategic step by step nonfiction and  deeply emotional biography. Whether you are an ink on paper reader, audiobook listener or digital reader, all are ready to dig in and learn.

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