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Alana Riley: Staying Connected in a Disconnected World

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Alana Riley MBA(FS) 2017

Ironically, at the start of the 2020 business planning year, my plan title was 20/20 VISION. I think no one could have predicted that the world would be this flipped upside down in less than 9 months. Simple social norms and customs- now a complete social faux pas. Will people ever hold the door open for each other again when no one wants to touch the handle!

Remember when we jammed into elevators, holding the door to squeeze one more person in like sardines?  Now we follow arrows, look down at which box to stand in and are encouraged to be anti- social. Where does anyone meet any new connections these days? The power of human contact has a deep and impactful meaning for our emotional well being, sense of belonging and purpose and of course can impact our business success.

One of the unique aspects of the Master programs offered through Dalhousie’s Centre for Executive and Graduate Education is that it was fully functional online long before the pandemic. My journey through the MBA Blended with Financial Services was enhanced by the meaningful relationships that were formed with the current students, professors, and alumni, most of which were originally initiated online. In fact, our network continued to grow post graduation- an underground alumnus if you will!

Last year, I attended a Calgary Dalhousie Lobster Fest (who would miss fresh Atlantic lobsters) hosted by alumni representatives and had the opportunity to meet Joseph Macdonald. Joseph, MBA’91, has been championing the Dal community in the West for decades! With his encouragement, I committed to volunteering in the Dal Circle, formalizing some of our activities together and most recently was appointed as Alumni Ambassador for Calgary. I look forward to connecting and building our community. Now, more than ever, the power of connection builds resilience and courage.

Welcome to 2021, a fresh year of exciting possibilities and opportunities. Whether you are deep into your online studies, working from home or in need of personal connections, join me in bringing powerful connections together in this disconnected world.

 

Alana Riley: A Woman’s Day on the Honour System

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Alana Riley MBA(FS) 2017

Alana Riley MBA(FS) 2017

As a teenager, I remember well that my Mother, a career professional, was actively involved in the celebration of International Women’s Day. Each year, I would attend as her guest with my younger sister. It was an event I looked forward to each year. There, we sat in a room mostly filled with women. Dinner, speeches, awards, a full celebration of diversity. As part of my upbringing I thought it would be hard to imagine a work environment where employees were not all equally respected and represented. So, it certainly came as a surprise to me that, in my first leadership role, I was sitting in a meeting with twelve men and two women. Looking back, that ratio for the 90’s was impressive!

Twenty years later, I entered a different meeting room, filled with senior banking leaders with the same diversity ratio, if you include the facilitator, to attend an ‘Unconscious Bias’ presentation. The training was held on the corporate banking floor. It felt like a throw-back to the 90’s.  At the break, I jokingly asked if they actually had a lady’s room on this floor of the building.  I was greeted with quizzical looks as if I just asked a very perplexing question!

Recently, during a panel event, I was asked: what changes would we need to see in the work place to make a true difference for women in leadership? The one area that seems to be overlooked in the Diversity and Inclusion planning process is recognizing the extraordinary impact of contributions made by women. Men are active in ‘He for She’ and advocate for Me Too, yet our biggest obstacle may be ourselves.

In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8th,  commit to honouring each other and ourselves through 10 commitments for 2019;

  1. The way to your next role is to be the very best at your current role. Period.
  2. Seek roles that push you outside your comfort zone and trust that you have the skillset required to thrive.
  3. Be your authentic self, do not change your personality, leverage it.
  4. Set learning and growth goals and find an accountability partner.
  5. Do not apologize for requiring flexibility to meet your family needs.
  6. As woman leaders, mandate diversity of job applicants with a clear understanding that regardless of the ratio goal, the best candidate will prevail.
  7. Commit to a pay it forward approach, providing mentorship to other women who seek it.
  8. Commit to supporting and building strong networks of women who work in support of each other, not in competition with one another.
  9. ‘Done is Better than Perfect’ are words to live by.
  10. Honour Yourself by taking time for Yourself – yes, every day!

Happy International Women’s Day!

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Alana Riley MBA(FS) 2017, Senior Vice President, Financial Services at IG Wealth Management, is committed to employee engagement and client centric outcomes. As a success-driven professional with a consistent track record of generating exceptional results while motivating top performing teams, Alana excels within an agile setting, where innovation and strategic thinking are highly valued assets. Passionate about leadership, she fosters a collaborative work environment that enhances individual and team-based participation. Alana is a repeat contributor on CEGE Connection. We invite you to read Alana’s first post, Investing in You. 

Alana Riley: Investing in You

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Alana Riley MBA(FS) 2017

Alana Riley MBA(FS) 2017

As leaders, we often focus all our energies on building up our teams, executing strategies and, quite frankly, managing demanding work schedules. What is often overlooked is a strategy to invest in our own success.  I have found that an Investing in You approach allows us to routinely take a pulse-check to determine if we are thriving or simply surviving. Strategic, proactive and ambitious, Investing in You is a personal marketing plan that prepares us for that next opportunity.

Executing an Investing in You strategy does not need to be as daunting as it seems. In fact, in ten steps you can be in control. Creating a plan with weekly and monthly milestones, accountability and evaluation can be the key to long-term success. When people meet with me to help prepare for a specific role or interview, I recommend an Invest in You strategy that prompts them to think ahead of that next opportunity. Just as the Financial Planner provides a plan for financial health, and a Personal Trainer designs a work-out for physical health, having a coach, mentor, sponsor or trusted colleague who can hold you accountable to your commitments is a vital to the planning process.

Creating the Plan

Step #1 Deliver:  The fastest way to get that next role you seek is to be the very best at your current role! In a sales orientated culture, driving results are table stakes. What is your plan to ensure the right people know about your success?

Step #2 Differentiate: How you set yourself apart from others in the same role is not just a matter of sales ranking but how you are creating impact. This may be leading in service, joining committees or work groups, visibility both at internal events and external networking; there may be opportunities to engage on media platforms and seek ways to add further value in your current role.

Step #3 Evaluate: What are the 3 to 5 areas you hope to learn or develop in your current role. How are you tracking to these benchmarks? What are key developmental goals you seek in your next role?

Step #4 Diversify:  Leveraging your skillset to find a role you can exceed in plays it safe, however seeking a role that pushes you outside your comfort zone, allows for new learning and development.  At the same time, hone your current skills to have impact on your next role.

Step #5 Plan: Now that you have identified specific business lines or roles of interest, formulating a strategy to prepare for the role is the next step. Documenting a development plan will hold you to your commitments. Document your action items from steps 1-4.

Step #6 Learning: Continuous learning will help you grow in your current role but also help you land your next one. Whether you commit to an MBA, CFP, CFA or even daily learning through industry related articles, it is essential to add learning to your plan.

Step #7 Networking:  Like the previous steps, networking also calls for a specific plan. Create a network tree, setting weekly or monthly targets with specific goals for networking and interacting.

Step #8 Resume: Update your resume. Be sure to keep it to fewer than three pages and include achievement examples specific to each role.

Step #9 LinkedIn: Your online profile reflects your brand. It needs to be kept current and active.

Step #10 Leverage:  Ask your coach or mentor to review your plan for feedback and accountability checkpoints.

Bonus Step #11:  Repeat!

Alana Riley MBA(FS) 2017, Senior Vice President, Financial Services at Investors Group, is committed to employee engagement and client centric outcomes. As a success-driven professional with a consistent track record of generating exceptional results while motivating top performing teams, Alana excels within an agile setting, where innovation and strategic thinking are highly valued assets. Passionate about leadership, she fosters a collaborative work environment that enhances individual and team-based participation. Alana has graciously agreed to be a repeat contributor on CFAME Connection.