WEST Wisdom Blog

Like your career, executive gender parity is not one-off tactic or a simple checklist. Gender parity among leadership requires intentional cultivation, systemic design and strategic implementation.

Topics: Gender Balance, STEM, Gender Balance, Women, Awards, Women in STEM, Business, Equal Pay, Leading Ourselves, Gender Pay Gap, Challenges, Leaders, Career Development, Empowerment, Advocate, Inclusion, Diversity, #WESTevent, #WESTorg, Women in Business, Organizational Culture, Corporate Culture, Be Fearless, Be Brave, Gender Parity

Conflict is caring

You know it’s time to polish your resume if you don’t care enough to voice your frustrations. Or call out the cognitive disconnect. Or make your case for a different approach. Personally and professionally, we tend to treat conflict as a negative event. But if someone cares enough to state their disagreement, that means they are invested in the outcome. Conflict only arises in situations where participants care enough about the subject to question whether the means best serve the ends.

Topics: Women in STEM, Workshop, Upcoming Events, Emotional Intelligence, Developing Your Skills, Problem Solving, Conflict Resolution, Feedback, Career Development, Influence Without Authority, #WESTevent, Women in Business, Be Fearless, Be Brave

Feedback shouldn’t feel like being called to the principal’s office

Regardless of whether it’s positive or negative, both the giver and receiver of feedback find the exchange awkward at best. No matter how stellar your year was, many of us approach our reviews somewhere on the going-to-the-the-principal’s-office spectrum ranging from Ferris Bueller to Bart Simpson. 

Topics: Leadership, Communication, Coaching, Management, Developing Your Skills, Insight, Engage, Feedback, Career Development, #WESTevent, Be Fearless, Be Brave

Your Career = Your Business. Regardless of industry, at some point, moving forward will requiring marketing your business-of-one.

In STEM fields, entrepreneurs don’t have a monopoly on ‘selling’ ideas. As the CEO of your career, you are your best advocate. In life and career, eventually we all find ourselves pitching a new concept. Maybe you need to explain your science to prospective investors. Or, you’re going for that grant. Or you want to present your paper at a conference. 

Topics: Women in STEM, Upcoming Events, Tools, Career Development, Marketing, Advocate, #WESTevent, Women in Business, Be Fearless, Be Brave

#1‒Even the origin of imposter syndrome highlights its inherent contradiction

Imposter syndrome was originally identified by on Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes’ 5-year study that describes its 150 subjects as ‘high achieving women’ with ‘outstanding academic and professional accomplishments’. The only way for imposter syndrome to present is the context of its inherent contradiction.

Topics: Women in STEM, Confidence, Challenges, Career Development, Own It, Empowerment, PhD, #WESTevent, #WESTorg, Women in Business, Be Fearless, Be Brave, Imposter Syndrome, Competence

In the world of business, careers are no longer linear or predictable. What was once a clearly sign-posted path as you progressed through milestones, a career road map is now circuitous presenting new challenges and opportunities at every bend. Life-long careers in one sector or one company are becoming a rarity as new technologies and shifting social norms disrupt traditional careers. Both employers and employees are seeking more diversity of experience, lifestyle flexibility and alternative paths.

These panels are designed to help you think about your career path and the different options that are open to you. Each panel will have an informational interview type feel with panelists sharing their career paths, a look at what their job entails, transferrable skills for those looking to make a change, tips for uncovering opportunities, advice for others, and how to make brave leaps. Then you will get some small group time with the panelists during a few speed networking rounds. 

Topics: Events, STEM, Women, Science, Transitions, Career, Panel, Cambridge, Success, Women in STEM, Networking, Upcoming Events, Innovation, Professional, Biotech, Digital, Career Path, Career Development, Career Possibilities, Speed Networking, New Opportunities, #WESTevent, #WESTorg, Be Fearless, Be Brave, Venture Capital/VC, Business Development, Research & Development, Devices, Medical

Fearless ≠ No fear

Fearless = Not constrained by fear

Fear is a survival mechanism. We need fear. Fear is an evolutionary force that pushes you forward. It’s denying fear that holds us back. At its root, fear often revolves around the possibility of losing something we value. That may be something we already have or something that we aspire to.

Topics: Annual Theme, Career Development, Change Management, #WESTorg, Women in Business, Be Fearless, Be Brave

Your career is your business. A successful business model is an intentional implementation of vision—not a reactionary fix.

Unlike an organization, your vision is not set in stone. Being a business of one makes you nimble and adaptable. Being human means that the only thing you can’t do is stay the same. 

Topics: Events, Cambridge, Women in STEM, Leading Ourselves, Decision Making, Confidence, Career Development, Roadmap, Career Possibilities, Own It, Empowerment, Risk, #WESTevent, Change Management, Be Fearless, Be Brave

Change may be life's only constant, but unexpected change is tricky for everyone.

You speak. WEST listens! By popular request, the next WESTevent is a workshop on how to own unexpected change. We're talking to Claudette Rowley about handling the change you didn't see coming. Change that is beyond our control. Change that we did not instigate and cannot avoid.

Topics: Women in STEM, Upcoming Events, Change, Developing Your Skills, Self-Awareness, Conflict Resolution, Career Development, Own It, #WESTevent, Change Management, #WESTorg, Women in Business

Managing up is not about manipulation or capitulation. Rather it’s learning to influence with respect, and broaden your horizons to speculate about the pressures and demands which may be outside of your view. It’s about influencing diplomatically yet authentically. Being intentional about challenging a plan. How can you get what you need at the same time you’re focusing on what your manager needs? How can you effectively negotiate the relationship that has the most impact on your career, and still be yourself? How can you have power   with  your manager, being cooperative and expressive?

Topics: Events, Leadership, Women, Science, Career, Community, Cambridge, Success, Network, negotiation, Women in STEM, Workshop, Networking, Upcoming Events, Professional, Relationships, Biotech, Interactive, Change, Connect, Influence, Management, Leading Ourselves, Developing Your Skills, Self-Awareness, Support, Conflict Resolution, Leaders, Impact, Career Development, Influence Without Authority, Own It, Empowerment, Learn, Advocate