By Jennifer Lee, Vice President, Software & Data Services
As I reflect on March 2023, the 37th women’s history month, there’s a word that keeps showing up. A word that when spoken gives off a unique form of energy: connection.
As Maggie Wooll from BetterUp explains, “Human connection is a deep bond that’s formed between people when they feel seen and valued. During an authentic human connection, people exchange positive energy with one another and build trust.”
I had the pleasure to attend several women in leadership events recently. First, I attended the 2023 Women’s Leadership Forum at Harvard Business School in March (I couldn’t think of a better place to be on March 8th, International Women’s Day). While discussing the latest Harvard publications in leadership, I was surrounded by 47 like-minded women from around the globe who are motivated to leverage their strengths and personal power to make the world a better place. It was an immersive week where we looked for solutions to empower others to be courageous, embrace diversity, take risks and so much more. I emerged refreshed, focused, and inspired. What’s more, I made connections that I hope last a lifetime. The group breathed life into the word connection.
Next up on the connection train, my colleague and I attended the Crain’s Power Breakfast, Women Who Mean Business, event at the Detroit Athletic Club. It was an event that sparked networking and a conversation for women looking to recognize and embrace opportunities that advance their careers, scale their businesses, and significantly impact their industries.
Taking the Women’s History Month celebration, a step further, Zendesk hosted a Women in Leadership webinar: How to build your dream career with Elaine Welteroth. The theme was taking control of your work and building a malleable dream career, centered on longevity, that can evolve, grow and change as much as you do. Elaine was a breath of fresh air as she shared her learnings, trials, and triumphs while exploring how to find your zone of genius–that thing that no one else quite like you has, and how it can guide you as you build your career.
And lastly, our very own MDT Women in Leadership community came together this month for our regular meetup. Our community aims to educate, inspire and support each other. Conversations like this are one of life’s ultimate pleasures and their impact is long-lasting.
As I look back on the various events, the month was a strong example of how unique groups of women can create a “judgment-free” zone and safe environment to share and learn from each other, all the while, connecting.
In closing, I’d like to share a tidbit from Julian Treasure, a sound consultant, “The human voice: It’s the instrument we all play. It’s the most powerful sound in the world, probably. It’s the only one that can start a war or say, “I love you.” A point to ponder as Julian’s words cause me to wonder, is it the human voice that creates the feeling of connection, or a connection that brings out the human voice?