Wl)c C^jarlotte ^o£rt
Thursday, March 31,1988
LIFESTYLES
Section
B
Professional Women
They Are Better Prepared Than Ever And Poised For Continuous Achievement
Bjr Loia Vanderhall
lifestyles Editor
The role of women In our soci
ety has become more compli
cated and diversified. Twenty
years ago It was strange to know
of a black doctor, lawyer or busi
ness woman. Today women
have broken Into almost every
area of the business world.
Some skeptics say that the
presence of women in the busi
ness world Is superficial, but 1
disagree. It Is an Injustice to say
that women have not grasped
the hand of opportunity and ex
celled.
Freedom of choice has added
ammunition to the women's
movement. Women have a
choice nowadays as to whether
they want to stay at home and
raise a family, pursue a career or
both. The decision Is yours.
Family life should not be taken
lightly. Women have always
been the backbone of the family.
More times than not the woman
Is the guiding force that keeps
the family together.
Women who strive to have It all
must manage time wisely. It Is
possible to have a family and a
career but if It Is not befitting to
your personality and capabili
ties It can cause Increased
stress and anxiety.
Many women embrace the Idea
of work and family with equal
enthusiasm because they see
the two as mutually reinforcing.
Successful women reject the fre
quent asserted notion that, as
much as they tiy, they cannot
have It all...a fulfilling career,
children and a happy marriage.
Such talk Infuriates them, says
Ellen Van Velsor, a researcher
at the Center for Creative Lead
ership In Greensboro, N.C., who
Interviewed 76 senior executives
In the nation's 100 largest com
panies. She says they resent the
assumption that to reach the
top they must have made deci
sions to the detriment of their
families.
Some women find that not try
ing to separate family and busi
ness Is a more realistic ap
proach. They assert that If you
let your family share In your
highs and lows, they can't help
but be supportive partners.
Husbands who shoulder the
weight In child rearing and
household chores help working
mothers balance the demands
on theh time. The kind of sup
port that helps a woman suc
ceed, rather than just cope. Is
most Important.
There are women who have
chosen to take less demanding
jobs In small companies, stay
ing home or starting their
own businesses. Regardless of
the obstacles women are finding
ways to resolve conflicts be
tween work and family.
The number of professional
women In the Charlotte area Is
growing. Here Is a brief look at
three professional women.
Vivian Williams Is the owner of
Vivian's Boutique and she has a
family. She has two sons, War
ren and Andrew.
After moving from St. Louis to
Charlotte In 1971, her first posi
tion was at North Mecklenburg
Senior High School. She was a
guidance counselor. Working
with the school system en
hanced her desire to help young
people. "I had a chance to make
a difference In their lives and
that's Important to me," she
said.
After suffering some personal
tragedies which Included the
death of her husband, she de
cided she needed more to occu
py her time.
In the winter of 1985 she
opened the boutique. "The bou
tique has been the source of a
lot of happiness for me. I enjoy
the fashion business and the
Charlotte community has been
very receptive to me," she said.
Vivian knows the Importance
of good management and she
has that In her manager, Joyce
Brayboy. "I don't know what I
would have done without her,"
she added.
Working with young people Is
still a very Important part of her
life. She continues to work part-
time In the school system. She
Is a special projects coordinator
for Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Schools,
Vivian Is also Involved In more
than a dozen professional and
educational organizations. "1
□ Career Woman
□ Starting Their Own Business
□ Mother
□ Earn Millions
□ Wife
□ Pay Dearly For Success
□ Have It All
□ Drop Out
a^AII Of The Above
k
/
Evelyn Dove
Pboto b, UALVL'i FERGUSON
Vivian Williams
Photo by CALVIN FERGUSON
Dr. Paula Newsome
believe in giving something back
to the community," she added.
She says that God Is the num
ber one voice in her life and she
believes In being positive about
everything.
Dr. Paula Newsome is an op
tometrist. Her hometown Is
Wilmington, NC and she gradu
ated UNC-Chapel Hill. She re
ceived medical training from the
University of Alabama-
Blrmingham.
Dr. Newsome says there are
several things that attracted her
to the medical profession. "I
have always wanted to be In a
healing type of profession," she
said.
Dr. Newsome believes that her
faith In God is the major reason
for her success.
Organizational skills are also
Important for the busy doctor.
"Having organization In your life
and your work can make things
a lot easier."
"Another thing that Is Impor
tant Is to have a thick skin so
that you don't take things per
sonally. You have to separate
yourself from business. You will
not win every battle.... you just
have to win the war," she added.
Having been In private pratlce
for the past four years, she spe
cializes In the examination and
treatment of the eye and visual
system. Helping patients with
problems such as glaucoma,
styes and eye Injuries related to
trauma are some of her dally du-
tle.
Dr. Newsome beUeves that It Is
possible to have a family and a
career and she hopes to have a
family one day.
Her goals for the future Include
writing a book, painting, experi
encing motherhood and moving
Into her own office building.
She enjoys running, walking,
church, traveling and all water
activities.
Dr. Newsome's advise to others
Interested in pursuing a medical
career is to "be steadfast, laiow
yourself and don't let anybody
turn you around."
Elvelyn Dove Is the owner of
Positive Concepts. Ms. Dove Is
originally from Kinston, N.C.
She attended Governor's School
and graduated from the Univer
sity of North Carolina at Chapel
HlU with a law degree.
She moved to Charlotte in
1981. Before founding Positive
Concepts Ms. Dove worked as an
assistant city attorney for the
city of Charlotte.
"After practicing law for 10
years 1 decided to open my own
business," said Dove.
Having advised managers and
elected officials for j'ears she Is
an expert on the topics of lead
ership skills and Interpersonal
relations. "Helping a company
or Individual get a message
across Is very exciting to me. 1
have the opportunity to utilize
my speaking and writing skills,"
said Dove.
Developing New Skills Will
Increase Your Job Potential
By Oorla Rusch
Si>ecial To The Post
There are two kinds of women
who work — those who work at a
job and those who work at a ca
reer. Chances are. If a woman Is
what we consider successful,
she does the latter.
Competition In the job market
Is tough and it's likely to get
tougher hi the next few years as
America tightens her belt to re
duce the deficit. And as more
Black women (54.2 percent) re
ceive money Income than Black
males according to the Census
Bureau, we may be hardest hit In
any new recession.
Job security depends on your
company's prosperity. If a com
pany does poorly, lay-offs are
Inevitable. Recessions hit hard
at job security. You can fight
back by doing a better job NOW,
but Is that the only solution?
I think not. What we working
women really need Is not just job
security, but career security.
If one develops and perfects
skills that are In high demand
by many different companies,
then one's future Is not so tied to
just one company. Career secur
ity really depends on how mar
ketable your skUls are In the
general marketplace and that Is
the difference.
To Increase your career secur
ity, you might even begin to
learn new s^lls that you don't
even need for your current job.
In other words, you don't just sit
back, eyes shut and fingers
crossed, hoping that eveiything
will turn out all right. You con
tinue to plan for and develop a
career beyond your current re
sponsibilities.
In the current New York Times
■
LL
Gloria Rusch
best-seller DIANETICS: The
Modern Science of Mental
Health by L. Ron Hubbard, the
world renowned author discuss
es the elements that contribute
to an Individual's "survival po
tential." A person's basic ability
to survive can be enhanced or
reduced. "Successes raise the
survival potential toward infi
nite survival," explains Mr. Hub
bard. "Failures lower the survi
val potential toward death."
Your ultimate security rests
upon your survival potential. It
rests upon your ability to cope
and to deal successfully with
anything that life can throw
your way. Developing new career
skills Is one way to raise your
survival potential.
Gloria Rusch Is a successful
television actress and singer
who performed with such people
as Duke Ellington, A1 Jareau and
B.B. King. She Is also an ac
complished Dlanetlclst who en
joys helping others to a more
successful and satisfying life.
Positive Concepts also offers
speech writing for all occasions.
"I care about people and I will
look for several ways to help
them . The Charlotte communi
ty has been very receptive to
me," she added.
Having courage and determi
nation has helped Ms. Dove to
excel. "I believe that "can't" is
dead and that a closed door Is a
detour onlyl"
Ms. Dove future ambitions in
cludes making Positive Con
cepts a national firm, making a
series of tapes for managers and
to share a meaningful personal
life. She also desires to do
something that will eliminate
the homeless situation.
During her leisure time, which
Is limited , she enjoys reading,
going to movies and plays and
traveling! "I by to visit Eu
rope once a year," she added.
Ms. Dove advises those who
are Interested In starting a busi
ness to be sure that It Is some
thing you enjoy doing. "It Is good
to get an education and appren
ticeship. Maximizing contacts
Is also very important." said
Dove.
The women of today are maxi
mizing their freedom of choice.
Those who believe that they are
not a force to be reckoned with
are In for some Interesting de
velopments .
Accomplishments Of The Black Woman
By Carole Ricks
Special To The Post
Accomplishments, by the
black woman. In any endeavor,
are prized. Such accomplish
ments are achieved through
many struggles and in spite of
many obstacles. Racism and
sexism are barriers with which
she is all too familiar.
The journey, for the black
woman, from the abyss of limit
ed educational and socio
economic means, to advanced
education and improved socio
economic means, is a long jour
ney. The outcome of that jour
ney Is uncertain and unpredict
able. The black woman of today,
as ten years ago, cannot say she
"has arrived". Neither educa
tional level nor material posses
sions guarantee her a position
of honor, respect and equality.
"Accomplishment", as defined
by others, is a paradoxical blend
of gains and losses for the black
woman. While greater numbers
of black women, have been mov
ing up the educational ladder,
opportunities to use that educa
tion have Increased very slowly.
Doors that used to be closed, are
now only slightly ajar. Elven ad
mission through those doors
does not assure acceptance
commensurate with her experi
ence and educational level. The
black woman has learned that
others presume that her abili
ties and accomplishments will
be few while Tier challenges are
great. Historically and present
ly, the black woman has been
resilient enough to achieve any
way.
Not only does the black wom
an strive to achieve for herself
but she Is committed to sup
porting the achievements of her
family. Black women have tradi
tionally been supportive of
black men when society has
sought to hold them down. Sons,
husbands, brothers, and fathers
struggle together with the black
M
Corole Ricks
woman to survive In a culture
which seldom endorses their
achievements. Low and unequal
Income and limited career op
portunities have placed limita
tions on life choices.
Regardless of the educational
level, black women have always
worked to survive. In recent
years, the black woman has In
creasingly begun to seek per
sonal fulfillment and financial
compensation In employment.
Career choices, though, remain
limited. However, the pain of
deprivation and rejection that
might harness and discourage
the black woman often activates
and energizes her to grow in
strength and creativity.
Increasing numbers of black
women are using vision, deter
mination and talent to become
entrepreneurs. Increasing num
bers of black women are using
each other as mentors for sup
port.
However, Informal conversa
tions around the nation andi
black publications note that
greater numbers of black wom
en are becoming self-employed.
If "accomplishments" are
measured by others In terms of
equal treatment, fair income, re
spect and validation, the black
woman has accomplished little.
But If "accomplishments" are
measured In terms of the black
woman's capacity to be self-
assured, Independent, suppor
tive and creative, the black
woman has accomplished
much.