WEST Wisdom Blog

When it comes to full shutdowns for public safety, Boston knows how to rally. A baseline of Boston winters. Those summer days when you deliver your elderly neighbor’s groceries. That zero-hesitation all-in drop-everything was all the difference after the Marathon bombing. Anyone who takes their winters below freezing knows that wasting emergency resources by ignoring a #stayhome order costs lives. That said, it’s a lot easier to stay Zen when the outside world is cancelled when you’ve got the infrastructure and daily rhythms down. When the COVID-19 #stayhome orders came, we’d already pulled out all the winter tricks like restarting Purple Carrot and upgrading a few other subscriptions of choice. 

Topics: Change, Career Path, Developing Your Skills, Self-Awareness, Own It, Empowerment, #WESTevent, Women in Business, Be Fearless, Be Brave, Competence, Webinar, Fearlessness

The sudden and total transition to remote work (RemoWo) triggered by COVID19 may mean that you need to tweak your work from home (WFH) setup. Compared to WFH-Fridays, full-time RemoWo requires a much stricter practice of boundaries and connections—both physical and mental. Check out these five quick tips to help you stay productive—and sane—in the weeks ahead. 

Topics: Work Life Balance, Change, Digital, Developing Your Skills, Advice, #WESTevent, Change Management, #WESTorg, Women in Business, Be Fearless, Be Brave

Learn more about past events listed below

5/15: Finding your Voice Among all the Chatter
6/12: How to Inspire, Advocate and Grow During Change
6/20: Building Your Company Culture and Developing Your People

Topics: Events, Best Practices, STEM, Women, Boston, Tech, Science, Career, Communication, Community, Panel, Cambridge, Network, Women in STEM, Workshop, Networking, Innovation, Biotech, Discussion, Interactive, Change, Lessons Learned, Connect, Management, Developing Your Skills, Leaders, Own It, Advocate, Diversity, #WESTevent, Change Management, #WESTorg, Organizational Culture, Corporate Culture

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

Sandra Glucksmann, CEO of Cedilla Therapeutics and a founding board member of WEST, sat down with us to share her experience and lessons learned over her 25-year career in biotech. Sandra holds a PhD in molecular genetics and cell biology from the University of Chicago and carried out her post-doctorate work at MIT.

Sandra’s career path spanned both science and business. She attributes her success to being open to new opportunities that were not necessarily in her wheel house and to cultivating a strong network. After working as a bench scientist for eleven years at Millennium, she made a mid-career shift into the business side of biotech. She believes that staying deeply connected with her science background gave her a leg-up when developing her corporate presence in biotech. 

Topics: Leadership, Women, Science, Career, Community, Giving Back, Interview, Success, Network, Inspire, Leader, Women in STEM, Presence, Biotech, Business, Change, Connect, Developing Your Skills, Strengths, Career Development, Influence Without Authority, PhD, New Opportunities, Mentor, Sponsor, Advice, Risk, Ask, Learn

Coaching circles adapt the principles and methods of individual coaching and apply them to small, intentional groups. They set the stage for peer to peer coaching facilitated by trained and qualified professional coaches offering women a supportive and motivating environment to connect through meaningful conversations. Participants develop a set of peer coaching skills in addition to benefiting from professional coaching, and are often preferred by people who learn well in small groups. Join us to establish new relationships, enhance leadership skills and talents, and develop in an area that is a current challenge. We will do three 30 minute sessions. Some of the table topics will be preset and some will be based on ideas submitted when people register to attend. The preset topics will include the following. 

Topics: Events, Leadership, Women, Tech, Science, Career, Communication, Community, Cambridge, Coaching, Women in STEM, Workshop, Networking, Upcoming Events, Relationships, Discussion, Change, Connect, Developing Your Skills, Talent, Confidence, Personal Branding, Strengths, Values, Challenges, Career Development

It is almost March, are you keeping up with your New Year's resolutions? Are you stressed at work and don't have enough free time?  Perhaps you are on track with your goals but are hoping to find better ways to advance your career?  You may just want to break out of your own circle and expand your personal and professional network.  Have you considered working with a professional coach to accelerate your growth?

Topics: Events, STEM, Women, Career, Communication, Community, Work Life Balance, Cambridge, Coaching, Women in STEM, Networking, Upcoming Events, Relationships, Change, Influence, Insight, Confidence, Personal Branding, Strengths, Values, Support, Conflict Resolution

Imagine going to a conference designed completely to meet your needs. That’s what an unConference is. This unConference will feature keynote speakers to get you thinking  about the economics of being female and how looking at the challenge from an economic view can positively impact your career. I n true unConference fashion, it has no agenda until the participants create it. You will decide what topics will be discussed by pitching solutions to the crowd for further discussions in breakout groups. You will share ideas, problem solve, hear multiple perspectives, and challenge the status quo with creative solutions. There is great diversity and experience in the Boston area and this is wonderful opportunity for you to share expertise and exchange innovative ideas in a supportive environment. This is self-directed learning at its best. The content is relevant and exciting because the agenda is created for you, and by you, in the moment.

Topics: Events, Gender Balance, STEM, Gender Balance, Women, Boston, Career, Community, Work Life Balance, Life, Women in STEM, Networking, Upcoming Events, Discussion, Financial, Interactive, Equal Pay, Change, unConference, Economics, Female

We know that many women draw the short straw when it comes to money: lower wages, slower career progression, outrageous child care costs, costly clothes, ridiculous dress codes, health care, etc. We also know that many women find themselves at the end of their working careers with little financial security.

What are the underlying economic reasons for these unfair outcomes for women who are working hard to both support their families and promote their careers?

Topics: Events, Women, Career, Community, Upcoming Events, Discussion, Resources, Interactive, Equal Pay, Change, unConference, Economics, Solutions, Female