Highlights from the Art of Leadership for Women

The Art of Leadership for Women rolled into Vancouver last week featuring 5 speakers with very different styles and messaging with a common thread : the theme of leadership. Here are the highlights.

Dr. Seonaid Charlesworth – Vice President, Executive Assessment & Succession at Lee Hecht Harrison Knightsbridge

“Intuitive thinking is good but not good enough. You can improve the accuracy of decisions you make by asking 3 simple questions”.

• What is it that you want? – you have to be clear on this.
• What is the story you are telling yourself – is it real?
• When will you decide? Set a date – most bad decisions are as a result of putting things off.

Danielle Laporte – Author, Motivational Speaker, Blogger and Entrepreneur

“Leadership is lonely – you have to go against the grain”.

• Know what you are devoted to – it could be something really simple!
• Be true to yourself – be yourself.
• Don’t be embarrassed by your passion.
• Say thank you 108 times a day.
• Be radiant with your power.
• Compassion is a strategy.

Diana Nyad – Record Breaking Endurance Athlete

At age 64 Diane swam from Cuba to Florida (110 miles through jelly fish infested water swimming against currents and winds). It was her 5th attempt and something she had dreamed of doing since she was a kid. Her message: Don’t Quit!

“When you achieve your dreams it’s not about what you get but what you become.”

Geena Davis – Academy Award Winning Actress and Founder of the Geena Davis Institute of Women in Media

Film and TV images shape our cultural norms. Women are perceived as less important and less talented in part because of media images. The world is 51% female and yet in the media there are 3 male characters for every one woman. Women can achieve parity but at this rate it’ll take us another 70 years! Geena is on a crusade to change how Hollywood portrays women in order to speed that up. The number of girls taking up archery shot up after Brave and The Hunger Games. Positive and empowering images of women in the media will influence girls to dream bigger and achieve more.

Amy Cuddy – Game Changer – TED Talker – Social Psychologist

How to manage self doubt and anxiety in stressful situations. It’s not about faking knowledge, you need to be present. We become present by becoming powerful. Power leads to presence. When we feel powerful, we expand. When we feel powerless, we shrink. Raise you daughters to take up space to stand up tall and proud (no slouching!). It’s not what you say it’s how you say it.