Get Your Woman On!

By Khali Henderson

Get Your Woman On!” is more than a catchphrase, its a philosophy that author and business coach Kimber Lim has shared with her friends and clients  women and men  for many years. It is also the title of her forthcoming book as well as her keynote address at the first-ever Women in the Channel event, 5-7 p.m., March 12, at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas.

Get your woman on! is always something that Ive said,” Kimber Lim told Channel Partners. It is a call to action for women to embrace their beauty, grace and power and use their innate gifts for connecting and collaborating with other people.

In business this approach turns old paradigms on their head. Its possible that the way we have looked at competition in the world is simply a perspective, that its not the truth, that its not the only way,” she said, explaining that our success does not necessarily have to come at the expense of someone elses.

Lim, who has financial and business education and experience, is not unfamiliar with the need to watch the bottom line. I understand scarcity and survival economics. Its based on greed: the more I have, the less you have. That just doesnt seem to be very fulfilling for people these days.”

Looking at it from a financial perspective, she said that its possible for your business to achieve its best numbers while supporting another business in achieving its best numbers and vice versa. Understanding that, she said is going to shift the way you do business.”

A first step is to determine who you are going to work with, Lim said. Not everyone is up for co-opetition. Not every is up for collaboration,” she cautioned.

What are the basic of rules for creating a community for collaboration with discernment? You are going to have to start to trust people. Its hard to be cooperative and collaborative and not trust.”

For women, in particular, this can be a high hurdle since many, especially  women leaders, are used to doing whatever it takes to get it done even if it means working 24/7. Lim learned this folly of this stance by force. A health condition prevented her from meeting her commitments, so she rallied her best colleagues to her aid and found that she had surrounded herself with like-minded people who came through for her in her time of need. If you are going to have a life worth living, then you are going to have to learn to surround yourself with other people who you can count on in business and in life,” Lim said.

In her keynote address at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, Lim said she will begin the conversation with women in the channel about whats possible, what life might be like if you had more business, more time, more connections, more us” vs. me.”

There is something significantly different when you have what is essentially a team  thats what connectivity is  someone that cares as much about your business as they do about their own,” she said.

Lim said that her message applies equally to businessmen, who incidentally have been the majority of her coaching clients. The reason that I talk to women about this is that they are the ones that are the most open,” she said. Ive never met a woman who could tell me that it wasnt part of her DNA that those around her be taken care of.”

However, Lim acknowledged this is not exclusive to women, pointing to the long-standing institution of the good ol boys network” as an example of the collaborative spirit in the male-dominated business world. She doesnt necessarily think of this association as a bad thing and encourages women to create their own girlie networks.” An interesting byproduct is that men become very curious about what goes in womens groups, Lim said, noting such inquiries can be an invitation to include like-minded men in collaborations that cross gender lines.

Lims message about making connections extends beyond individuals and businesses to citizenship. She advocates humanitarian leadership, or stewardship” as she calls it, wherein companies support those who need help. As an example, a portion of the proceeds from the sales of her new book will go to causes that help women achieve economic stability around the globe.

As recognition of her advocacy, Lim was recently nominated and selected as a delegate for the by invitation only” 55^th session of the United Nations Council on the Status of Women.

Looking for More?
Join Kimber Lim at the Women in the Channel Workshop” at the Spring 2011 Channel Partners Conference & Expo, March 13-15, in Las Vegas. For more information, visit www.channelpartnersconference.com