Lessons on communication and empowerment will fuel my strategies at UG2
Although the pandemic has limited our ability to travel in these difficult times, it’s inspiring to discover that even when we are geographically apart, we can learn from each other.
Recently, UG2 gave me the opportunity to attend the Pennsylvania Conference for Women, held virtually for a day on November 11th. The annual conference was designed to offer motivation, networking, personal and professional development, and community building. As I attended from my desk, I felt a connection to everyone who was also attending virtually, with similar goals to perform at their best, both in the workplace and at home.
Here are some of my takeaways from the conference:
- Be confident in your vision, and unafraid to share it. In this first session, panelists discussed communication strategies, but went much deeper —it was more about how to be heard than how to talk. I learned that confidence is multi-layered, and that you have to understand how you’re defining yourself, your purpose, and your priorities. How you see yourself as the owner of an idea will come through in how you present that idea to others, and that’s what creates confidence. That’s what gets heard.
- Leadership is understanding your impact. Just as important as using your voice is understanding the role of observation when it comes to leadership. The second session I attended went deep in terms of identifying employee talents, recognizing their strengths, and overcoming obstacles together. Many people are struggling right now, and that’s completely natural in such an unprecedented year, but it’s not helpful to just hope they go back to performing at a high standard. As a leader, you must do what’s possible to clear that path, and to be a source of motivation.
- We need to acknowledge mental health impacts. The third session addressed the rise in anxiety and depression that’s happening right now. Unfortunately, it’s more widespread than I thought. This is affecting not only young people, but those in leadership roles as well, and these challenges for mental health are part of the impact of the pandemic. Everybody is suffering in different ways. One strategy mentioned was the importance of wellness programs. Fortunately, we have a strong program here at UG2, with a great deal of emphasis on resources and support. This session helped me understand the role of these programs and how people need to know that help is available.
This conference, and conferences like it, offer an opportunity to learn in new ways, and I appreciate that UG2 gave me the chance to participate.
Reflecting on these lessons, I feel that even though the conference lasted only one day, the lessons are likely to resonate for a long time—not just in how I communicate with others, but also in how I view the importance of leadership and making sure we all come through this pandemic together, stronger and better than ever.
Photo credit: https://www.paconferenceforwomen.org/conference/agenda/