Financial Women International eCourse develops Smarter, Better, Faster business practices.

SHIFTING THE FOCUS FROM ‘ME’ TO ‘WE’

Financial Women International eCourse develops faster, better business practices
Roseville, Minnesota (2/18/09) – In this business environment, companies aren’t just
expecting their people to work “faster” and “better” – they’re demanding it.
But working faster doesn’t necessarily meaning speeding up the pace, says author and
business consultant Karlin Sloan. At the same time, being better at a job means
sustaining strategies over the long term, contributing not only to the bottom line but also
to the legacy the company is creating.

Sloan explains these concepts – and much more – in detail in a new, three-part online
course created exclusively for Financial Women International. The course is based on her
book Smarter, Faster, Better: Strategies for Effective, Enduring and Fulfilled Leadership.

Parts 2 and 3 (Faster and Better) are available at no cost to FWI members beginning
today. Many women have already participated in Part 1 (Smarter) of the course,
introduced last month.

"The process of becoming a more effective, enduring, and fulfilled leader is ongoing,"

Sloan says in the introduction to the course. Each of the eLearning program’s three
carefully designed learning modules are based on the following key ideas:

• Smarter: What are my greatest strengths? How can I use inquiry and my appreciative
   eye to become more effective?

• Faster: How can I cultivate sustainable work practices in order to endure over time?

• Better: How can I better others – my colleagues, customers, and community?

In the newly available Parts 2 and 3 of the course, financial professionals will identify values, create a legacy statement, and complete other exercises that help shift the focus from "me" to "we."

"Once in a while you find a business book that truly energizes you and changes your
outlook on how you do your job," said FWI Vice President Cindy Haas, vice president of
private banking at Gateway Bank in Mendota Heights, Minn. "Smarter, Faster, Better is
exactly that kind of book – and FWI’s new eLearning course is exactly the kind of
program organizations need right now to re-ignite enthusiasm, purpose and higher thinking."

The Smarter, Faster, Better eLearning course is currently available solely as a free benefit
to Financial Women International members. The self-paced program can be accessed
on the members-only section of www.fwi.org at any time. For more information or to join FWI, please see www.fwi.org or call Ann Kvaal at 1-866-236-2007.

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About FWI: Financial Women International is dedicated to developing leaders,
accelerating careers, and generating results for professionals in the financial services
industry. Membership is comprised of financial executives across North America. For
more information, visit www.fwi.org or call 1-866-236-2007.

About Karlin Sloan: The founder and CEO of Karlin Sloan & Company, Ms. Sloan
provides organization development consulting, training and executive coaching to
clients in the United States, South America and Asia. See http://karlinsloan.com.