Let me set the scene for you. I had just returned to town after attending a conference and unexpectedly ran into my best friend at the grocery store. Honestly, is there anything better than that? Naturally, we decided to do our errands together and started chatting about our days. I mentioned that I had just come back from a conference in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Her first question was how I could be in such a good mood after a work conference—a valid question. I explained that this conference was different; it was all about personal growth and empowerment. The Women Lead Change conference is a two-day event focused on empowering and advancing women through keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities. Who could leave a conference like that not feeling energized?
However, do you know what my best friend pointed out that I hadn’t realized myself? She remarked, “It’s amazing how your company invests in you like this,” and “Back in college, we all hoped to join a company that truly cares about these things.” Now let me share my takeaways from the conference, but the biggest takeaway of all is realizing just how fortunate I am.
CONFERENCE TAKEAWAYS
1. Growth and comfort do not coexist! One of the passionate speakers, Rachel Eslick, really spoke to me when she emphasized the power of embracing change and how we can reframe our mindsets to truly believe in ourselves as we take on the nuances that inevitably come with change! Rachel displayed this quote on the screen, “Ships are safe at harbor, but that’s not what they are meant for.” I am the type of person that loves doing the same things each day and eating the same things at the same restaurant, so this concept challenged me.
By the end, Rachel’s presentation made me realize that it is okay for us to collectively agree that change is hard but what is most important is to reframe our mindsets on how we embrace that change. I am going to start looking at challenging projects or company reform as an opportunity for us to become even better. We are meant to sail into the ocean!
2. Improv and organizational understanding go hand-in-hand. Trust me, I needed some convincing at first too, but once we started the Improv Incubator session with Anthony Jensen, I quickly realized that improv is a creative way to understand how we communicate in our work lives. Our session was divided into two large circular groups, each prompted by Anthony with a single word. The first person in our group began with that word, and together, we were to craft an eloquent story, each contributing one by one without knowing what the next person would say.
I remember thinking, “How is this supposed to work? I have no control over what the person next to me will say! What if the person after me completely derails the story and doesn’t build on the word I gave them?” But that’s exactly the point. The beauty of improv lies in the unpredictability; actors never know what their partners will say next. They must trust their teammates to keep the story moving forward. This concept is highly applicable to our organizational work, especially in group meetings. Empower people to expand on ideas, even if they diverge from your initial thoughts. Trust that your teammates share the same mission, and if they falter, support them and help them get back on track.
In conclusion, the most important takeaway is how fortunate I am. My best friend often helps me see things from a new perspective, and her recent remarks truly resonated with me. They made me realize the significance of conferences that offer professional growth, but even more so, the value of companies that recognize and invest in such opportunities for their employees. DISTek Integration, Inc. is one of those exceptional companies that I only dreamed of snagging in my college years. I feel incredibly lucky to be part of an organization today that values me enough to provide resources that help me grow not just as an employee, but as a person.
