Vol 18/2023 September 2023

WHO WE ARE

A global network of individuals who believe that everyone has some unique skill.?We just PowerUP!?We consist of a group of passionate individuals (of all genders) who are positive, with make-it-happen and lead-by-example attitudes. A peer-to-peer network to support and PowerUP each other! Do I need to be an expert to be a part of this group? NO. We just need to be good enough. Good enough to own up to our limitations, be willing to respond to others, and be social and acceptable.

Here is a visual representation of our theme this month?'VALUE CREATION'?as illustrated by?Fernanda

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK?@olufunkeadio

In this edition we're all about creating and delivering #value. The idea of Value Creation is one power concept that resonates deeply with me both on a personal and professional level. I believe that everyone, employees, technocrats, entrepreneurs, politicians, teachers, doctors, volunteers whoever else have a huge responsibility to deliver and keep delivering value! It's a shame where any of these groups are unable to rise up to the 'value creation occasion'. Little wonder why we're super excited to feature @Bartley J. Madden 's impressive book 'Value Creation Thinking'. It is good to know that it is possible to groom a mindset cum thinking pattern that breeds value creation! Still on the subject of Value Creation, by now, no one's left in doubt that the makers of the Barbie movie went above and beyond in delivering value to a massive audience looking to connect with their inner Barbies or those who simply just wanted desperately to let their hair down, all garbed in Barbie dress codes as they made for the premieres across various cities all around the globe!

In the concluding part of 'The Barbie Movie' article, Cecilia Boggi wraps up her masterpiece as she shares about the Barbie movie protagonist, Australian actress and producer Margot Robbie who played the stereotypical Barbie role and actually pushed the idea of making the film!

We're not yet done! Our usual events are also captured. We share snippets of the August PowerConnect which was all shades of brilliance! Rocío Brice?o truly has a knack for story telling. A skill that left us all so riveted! Her message really hit home. Plus! It was unanimous that participants left the event feeling 'Happy!' No joke! If you missed that edition no worries. We captured snippets just for you. You don't want to miss our next PowerConnect event.

Finally, guess who we spotlight in our Member segment this month? It's Andrea Pratt-Smith, PMP... ! Our very own WeMentor lead. Andrea's go getter personality definitely inspires!

LEADER'S SPEAK: The "Barbie Movie": Women Empowering Women [2] Concluding... Cecilia Boggi

.....Regarding the movie “Barbie”, Gerwig mentioned that it was a great responsibility for her to direct a film about such an important cultural icon, and that she took great interest in exploring Barbie's influence on popular culture and on the life of the girls. With a nuanced approach, creativity and humor, Greta Gerwig achieves an intelligent and humorous critique of the patriarchal system in which we live.

The third woman I want to mention, in relation to the movie "Barbie", is its protagonist, the Australian actress and producer Margot Robbie, who played the Stereotypical Barbie role and pushed the idea of making the film by suggesting that Greta Gerwig should be script writer and direct the film, considering her track record in films that understand women.

Margot Robbie has had a history of effort and improvement. Raised on a farm, she had to work from a young age to help her family since her father abandoned them when she was just 4 years old. Her mother took care of her family for which Margot admires and is inspired by her. From the age of 10 she worked in a restaurant as a dishwasher and kitchen helper and at her 16 she worked 3 jobs at the same time to help her mother afford their expenses. She had always shown an interest in acting, a discipline that she studied during her adolescence at the Queensland School of Performing Arts. At 17, she moved to Melbourne to try her luck and look for opportunities. At first, even with her natural beauty, she barely got a few brief supporting roles, until she managed to make her film debut in 2008 with an action movie titled "Vigilante" and the same year she landed a role in the Australian series called "Neighbors" in which she remained until 2011, a role for which she was nominated for the Australian #LogieAwards.

Robbie continued to specialize, she even took classes to perfect her American accent, and then made his leap to Hollywood at the age of 21, where she also had to overcome various obstacles to later become famous with her performance in "The Wolf of New York." with Leonardo DiCaprio.

While filming one of her films, “Suite Fran?aise”, she met who would later become her husband, assistant director Tom Ackerley, with whom she founded her own production company, LuckyChap Entertainment in 2014, with the purpose of telling women's stories and promote the visibility of women in the film and television industry. LuckyChap Entertainment has also produced the “Barbie” movie.

I don't want to do a full biography of any of these great women, but I would like to point out that all three have fought for their place in largely male-dominated worlds and have been strongly committed to empowering other women.

In short, the film “Barbie” comes to dust off major controversies about stereotypes, biases and feminism, but we cannot fail to highlight the interesting stories of empowerment that these three powerful women bring with them, challenging the status quo and champions of female leadership.

PREVIOUS POWER CONNECT: Empower Yourself And Change The World.

The August 2023 Edition of Power Connect can only be described as Powerful!?Rocío Brice?o presentation was beyond engaging. With a canny story telling approach, she succeeded in conveying lessons of how she overcame some of the most difficult circumstances one could encounter. Rising above what were potentially debilitating scenarios, Rocío Brice?o decided to rewrite her own scripts. By jettisoning what seemed like stereotypes, she literally ditched the 'expectation ladder' going on to make for herself a life and career that's truly exemplary. The recording is definitely a must watch. Access it here.

As always,?Fernanda Freytes Ramos?has done a beautiful job capturing the event in this illustration! Thanks Fenny!

POWER CONNECT- September 2023!: Benefits Management Versus Value Realization: are you doing enough?

We're really excited about the next PowerConnect event. This September we shall be hosting Maria Sansom Business Development Specialist, BT, UK.

In line with our theme to Create Value, Maria Sansom will be leading a conversation and providing insights into what benefits management is and will then go on to discuss the various ways that benefits can be identified, managed, and realized.

Maria is a highly experienced and enthusiastic individual with over 7 years’ service management experience in the IT sector. Experienced in seeking and adopting best practice and implementing improvements within multiple teams across a wide range of locations. A member of BCS @The Chartered Institute for IT and itSMF UK. Certified ITIL Strategic Leader and Managing Professional and holder of certificates for #DevOps, #Agile and #CMMI. With experience delivering Service Management training to individuals new into the industry both internally to BT and in partnership with itSMF UK.

Register for the event here.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT? Andrea Pratt-Smith

SPECIAL FEATURE: Value Creation Thinking

"In a world where short-term thinking has taken hold for too many managers and investors, Value Creation Thinking provides a much needed perspective on the key drivers of long-term value. Madden unites the fundamentals of financial valuation with a unique emphasis on corporate purpose, culture, and knowledge. Based on decades of research and practice, Value Creation Thinking, focuses on how creating long-term value begins with clarity about the purpose of the firm and about management's core responsibilities, and emphasizes the overriding importance of a knowledge-building culture. Value Creation Thinking sheds light on enduring sources of competitive advantage and exposes how traditional business thinking and accounting practices often distract managers and investors from sustained performance. By speaking the language of both shareholders and stakeholders, Madden provides an important contribution to illuminating roadmap for the future of business." — Dominic Barton, Global Managing Director, McKinsey & Co.

ABOUT AUTHOR

Bartley J Madden retired as a managing director of Credit Suisse HOLT after a career in investment research and money management that included the founding of Callard Madden & Associates. His early research led to the development of the CFROI valuation framework that is used today by money-management firms worldwide. Madden's current research focuses on knowledge building and wealth creation as opposite sides of the same coin. For additional background information, including journal articles, op-eds, and videos, see his website http: //www.LearningWhatWorks.com.