Ever since high school, I had aspired to be editor-in-chief of a magazine. Of course, as I started journalism classes in college, my rose-colored glasses envisioned me at the helm of a consumer magazine such as Vanity Fair or The New Yorker. By graduate school, reality had set in: An entry-level editing job at a consumer publication would entail a whole lot more coffee procuring and dry cleaning retrieving than red-lining manuscripts or crafting clever headlines. With some wise counseling from a veteran female journalism professor, I took the road less traveled and headed down the trade publication path that began with a copy-editing position at a business magazine. During a career that has spanned several different magazines and one wire service, I have been fortunate enough to serve as an editor under three exceptionally talented and business-savvy women who mentored me and helped me attain my ultimate dream job: editor-in-chief of Training magazine.
But so many women today find themselves unable to advance further up the corporate ladder. According to the Center for American Progress, while women hold almost 52 percent of all professional-level jobs, American women still lag behind men in representation in leadership positions. In response, some corporations are taking a proactive approach to spurring more women to the top. See “Beyond Lean In” for more on leadership programs that focus on advancing women employees, creating internal support networks, and establishing a culture that values the contributions of all employees. And “How Top Companies Support Their Female Executives” reveals how a dozen organizations are ensuring they have accomplished women at the top in decision-making positions.
While the battle for gender equality continues, some organizations are taking their employees to actual former battlefields to forge their skills as strong, effective leaders. In “Learning Under Fire,” we look at how lessons from the battles of Gettysburg and Normandy can be incorporated into modern-day leadership development. Plus, discover what emerging leaders can learn from Navy SEALs, including lessons about strategic decision-making, accountability, resilience, perseverance, and camaraderie.
Winning on that front are our 2016 Emerging Training Leaders—25 Training professionals who inspire and engage their organizations with stellar leadership skills, business acumen, and innovation. Notes ETL Judge Graham E. Johnston, “This year’s Emerging Training Leaders distinguished themselves by how they support the business, leading training solutions that not only achieve learning, but help people perform better.” See “Rising Stars” for the list of winners and their profiles.
Speaking of performing, I urge you to submit a video for our 2016 Top Training Video (TTV) awards. The top three videos in each category (produced inhouse or by outside vendor) selected by our panel of expert judges will be shown at Training’s 2016 Online Learning Conference (September 20-22 in Chicago), where participants will choose the top winners in each category and recipients will receive crystal awards. The deadline for submissions is June 20. Visit: https://trainingmag.com/submit-2016-top-training-video-today.
Lights, camera, action!
