New, expanded edition from Mika Brzezinski offers thoughts on confidence, communication, and passion
Jeanie Heffernan, Independence Blue Cross senior vice president and Chief Human Resources Officer, is one of several leaders sharing workplace insights in a new, expanded edition of Know Your Value: Women, Money, and Getting What You’re Worth. Released on September 25, Mika Brzezinski’s updated book includes personal stories from CEOs, senators, authors, and comedians — to name a few — about gender dynamics, negotiating, and lessons learned.
In the book, Heffernan shares how emotions impact women at work and the “best emotion” to bring to the workplace: “The passion piece is huge. I think that is a positive—when you can actually see someone’s passion regarding a topic or the mission of the organization.”
Heffernan also comments on the importance of understanding the “purpose behind every meeting on your calendar.” She shares, “It’s always helpful to have clarity: Why are we there? What are we trying to accomplish? What are the expected outcomes? Whoever is being invited to the session should be clear about the purpose and the intended outcomes, so the meeting doesn’t end up in awkwardness of some sort.”
On September 21, Independence launched year two of the “Know Your Value” employee development and empowerment program to a select and diverse group of Independence associates. Launched by Brzezinski, founder of “Know Your Value” and co-host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, in partnership with NBCUniversal, the program will provide 48 Independence employees the opportunity to participate in development programs, workshops, networking events, and leadership sessions with executives from across both organizations.