Disrupting the ordinary

Have you ever attended an event where you felt challenged and empowered at the same time? That is how being part of the 39th Simmons Leadership Conference felt like. The theme, Disrupt the Ordinary, invited participants to stretch themselves beyond their strengths and accomplishments and use these to create positive change in their lives, communities, and organizations.

There were over 3,000 women and men who gathered to network, connect, and engage in dialogue about the opportunity to create transformative ways to work and to collaborate. The speaker line up included entrepreneur Nely Galán, American commentator Gretchen Carlson, former CIA Operative Valerie Plame, and former First Lady Michele Obama!

The day was a smorgasbord of emotions. We laughed. We hugged. We felt stronger. We left ready and willing to challenge the status quo and disrupt the ordinary.

Some lessons learned:

1. Show up in real life (IRL). I was so tempted to document every single moment. It was so easy to fall into the iPhone trap. Although I did take my share of selfies, I forced myself to put the phone away and let my whole self live the experience. I am so glad I did. I had the pleasure to hang out with Nely Galán. Her opening keynote was a validation to my identity as an immigrant and entrepreneur. I will always treasure the bracelet she gave me.
2. Ride the waves. Don’t try to control them. Moderating the business panel tested my ability to manage uncertainty. Between conceptualizing the flow of the discussion and coordinating meetings, there were many moments when I had to trust everything would fall into place. It somehow, did. What helped? Organizing the material; being flexible when meetings were cancelled or rescheduled; and keeping the process simple.
3. Let your essence guide you. I debated on playing it safe or letting some of my authentic self show. It was a hard decision. My default corporate identity told me to play it safe. In the end, I allowed the warmth and playfulness of my personality in my how I wore hair, in my attire, and my remarks as moderator.
4. Acknowledge the team. I had the joy to have a wonderful host, Lindsey Johnson (top left corner), who made sure I felt welcome and comfortable. We bonded immediately. She made the whole experience a lot more meaningful. Lindsey was one of several people from Simmons College who had my back. Thank you!
5. Remain open to learning. Edie Weiner’s morning keynote blew my away. It reminded me of things I don’t know that I don’t know. You can find her discussion of the 10 Spaces or “10 major growth areas that will increasingly shape, define and influence the future” here.

Lastly, I had girl crush moment when Michelle Obama entered the stage. Her conversation with Simmons President, Helen Drinan, felt like a chat between to two good friends. It was filled with humor, candor, and wit. Here is the link. It starts at minute 8. Enjoy!