Women’s representation in leadership is vitally important in business. This statement has been something that I have been trying to promote since I worked as the marketing and communications assistant in the Women in Business Initiative at UNC Charlotte during my senior year of college. I see women’s representation brings more diversity of thought, helps break down barriers, and evens the playing field for others. This is one of the reasons that I feel truly grateful to be a part of a woman-led organization under Janet LaBar, and be a part of a team full of powerful, successful, and driven women. All these things are reasons why I jumped at the opportunity to attend the NC Chamber Women: A Force in Business Conference.
We started the morning off by hearing from Colleen Hauk, founder and CEO of The Corporate Refinery, about burnout. She spoke about a critical time in her life when she had to make a change in her mindset to help balance her life and decrease burnout.
“True change only occurs if we’re willing to change our mindsets and change our practices,” Hauk.
For her, this meant that she had to change her mindset that there is no work-life balance but rather figuring out how to stay on her balance board of life. Getting to hear about how Hauk manages the “balance points” (professional, personal, health, financial, relationships, and fun) of her life was impactful. The idea of when to lean in and when to shift when you start to feel fatigued in one of your balance points of life is foundational to avoiding burnout. Though I am relatively new to the workforce, the reminder to create balance and avoid burnout was needed.
In the afternoon, I got to hear from Erica Williams Simon, an award-winning narrative strategist, author, creative and interviewer. Simon spoke to the group about redefining work and finding purpose in what you are doing. According to Simon, purpose is where your gifts, passions, and strengths meet someone else’s needs. This means that you can find a purpose even in the most mundane portions of the job. She reminded the group to ask the important “who” and “why” questions. When we know who our work is impacting and why we work the way we do it creates purpose in everything we do. I appreciated the reminder to never forget the value that each one of us adds every day.
I also got the opportunity to hear from two panels throughout the day. The first panel focused on personal branding. According to the panelists, personal branding can be explained by three things: appearance, behavior, and communication. She went on to explain that personal branding is always evolving and creates the need for constant reflection. They described it as “the representation of who you are even when you are not in the room.” This part stuck out to me because it made me stop and think. I wanted to know, when people hear the name “Jordyne,” what adjectives came to mind and do those adjectives match with what I want to be my personal brand.
*The second panel included business leaders throughout the Charlotte Region including Andrea (Andy) Bunn, Sharon Gerard, Vonda Huss, and Janet LaBar, and was moderated by Dr. Jennifer Troyer. The panel focused on the degrees of leadership and what makes a good leader. When asked to define leadership Janet said that leadership was “having the initiative, courage, and confidence to make a difference.”
As someone who works under Janet, I can confirm that this is how Janet leads. I am so grateful to have an organization with a leader who truly cares about the work we do and the people we help. I have heard Janet speak multiple times and she is the first to tell you that the mission of CLT Alliance is what gets her up in the morning. Her passion for the work we do energizes me to do my absolute best every day.
Throughout the time of the panel, two constant themes stuck out: servant leadership and taking initiative. They reminded the group to “just take the lead,” don’t be afraid to ask for what you want, and take initiative. I found this to be encouraging and something that I am going to try harder to implement in my professional journey.
As an introvert, the conference pushed me out of my comfort zone. I am so glad that I went. As a young woman starting her professional career, I found the insights and topics shared extremely valuable. This conference put me in a room filled with amazingly successful and confident women. I am so appreciative to get the chance to learn from all the speakers and other attendees.
I will end this blog with a piece of advice that came from one of the panelists, Diana J. McAfee, a senior vice president at Fifth Third Bank: “On the edge of uncomfortable is greatness.” Women often do not take risks because of the uncertainty of the outcome, not wanting to rock the boat, or put others first. But it is when we step out into that uncertainty and take a leap of faith that we learn to fly and come into the fullest versions of ourselves.
