WEST Wisdom Blog

Finding Stability in a Disruptive World: The Power of Leading Yourself

Posted by Courtney Cyron on Nov 3, 2025 10:06:30 AM

We are living in a time defined by disruption. Technology is advancing faster than our ability to keep pace and even the nature of work itself is being rewritten. In a single decade, we’ve witnessed the rise of artificial intelligence, hybrid work, burnout epidemics, and redefined career paths.

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Topics: Resilience, Mindfulness, Lead, Leading Ourselves, Confidence, Empowerment, #WESTevent

Rewriting the Story of Your Power

Posted by Courtney Cyron on Oct 27, 2025 2:40:21 PM

We often wait for change to come from outside us- a new job, a better boss, a clearer path. What if the transformation we seek starts not with external shifts, but with internal agreements we’ve unknowingly made with ourselves?

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Topics: Interview, Coaching, Mindfulness, Leading Ourselves, Insight, Confidence, Strengths, Self-Reflection, #WESTevent, Strategies

If You Don’t Create Your Future, Who Will?

Posted by Courtney Cyron on Aug 25, 2025 5:29:08 PM

In the rapidly evolving world of STEM, it’s no longer enough to rely solely on technical expertise. If you don’t create your future, who will? MyndShift offers the transformative toolkit that empowers STEM professionals to take charge of both their careers and personal lives.

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Topics: Leadership, Career, Mindfulness, Insight, Confidence, Challenges, Career Development, Empowerment, #WESTevent, Identity

Taming the Inner Saboteur: Mental Fitness Strategies for Laser‑Sharp Focus & Career Momentum

Posted by Courtney Cyron on Jul 21, 2025 2:17:06 PM

You’ve got the ideas. The data is solid. You’re ready to contribute. But as your camera clicks on for that high-stakes Zoom meeting, an inner whisper creeps in: “Don’t blow it.”

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Topics: Resilience, Coaching, Change, Inspiration, Emotional Intelligence, Self-Awareness, Confidence, Personal Branding, Empowerment, Self-Reflection, #WESTevent, Personality, Growth

Grit, Growth, and Gratitude: Celebrating Women’s History Month with WEST

Posted by Courtney Cyron on Mar 7, 2025 9:15:00 AM

March is here, bringing with it an opportunity to honor, celebrate, and elevate the extraordinary contributions of women in STEM. At WEST, Women’s History Month is more than a tribute to the past—it’s a call to action for the future. WEST’s annual theme this year of Grit, Growth, and Gratitude highlights the attributes that fuel the journeys of women in STEM and beyond.

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Topics: Women in STEM, Annual Theme, Career Path, Confidence, D&I, Female Representation STEM, International Women's Day, Women's History Month, Strong Women, Grit, Growth, Gratitude

Finding Success at the Intersection of Joy & Skill

Posted by Courtney Cyron on Jan 31, 2025 5:23:57 PM

Burnout is becoming more and more common. Statistics, especially among women, have shown a dramatic increase in employees that feel burned out or close to burnout. Women reported higher levels of burnout than men at 46% over men’s 37%. (CNBC). Focusing in on the WEST community event further, 82% of employees in tech feel close to burnout (spill). With such high levels of burnout, it leads to the question: “How did we get here in the first place?”

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Topics: Mindfulness, Career Path, Confidence, Strengths, Career Development, Empowerment, Advice, #WESTevent, Purpose

Embrace Your Authentic Self as a Female Leader

Posted by Aliyah Weinstein on Jul 10, 2024 4:13:05 PM

On Friday, July 12th, WEST will host its first Women in Leadership Bootcamp in partnership with Nucleate! We are excited to welcome several speakers for this day-long event that will cover a variety of topics for our attendees. These include: understanding your leadership style, embodying confidence, and unlocking your team’s potential. This bootcamp will train the next generation of biotech leaders to communicate, delegate, innovate, inspire, and provide clear goals and direction to their teams more effectively.

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Topics: Leadership, Leader, #MemberSpotlight, Self-Awareness, Confidence, Personal Branding, Career Development, Inclusion, Self-Reflection, #WESTevent, Identity

Breaking Through the Mirrored Door: Uncovering the Hidden Barriers to Your Career Advancement

Posted by Courtney Cyron on Jul 8, 2024 4:47:52 PM

We’ve all heard of the glass ceiling, but there’s an even deeper barrier that needs to be discussed. This hidden barrier, as Ellen Connelly Taaffe refers to it in her book, The Mirrored Door: Break Through the Hidden Barrier That Locks Successful Women in Place, is constructed from the well-intentioned norms that are ingrained in women’s minds and holding them back more than they realize.

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Topics: Mentoring, Coaching, Mindfulness, Author Chat, Confidence, Book Club, Self-Reflection, #WESTevent, Purpose, Identity, STEM Women

Changing the Narrative Around Introverts in the Workplace

Posted by Courtney Cyron on May 6, 2024 11:43:15 AM

In a society that often favors extroverted tendencies, being on the introverted end of the   spectrum can bring challenges in loud workplaces. Extroverted or introverted, we all have inspiration, passion, and great ideas within us. We work to create inclusive workplaces that support the success of each person on our team. With a few skills, being open-minded and truly aware of ourselves and those around us, we can create a team that allows each member to contribute their strengths and find success.

There are some misconceptions about introversion at work: that people who are more introverted can’t lead as effectively, are shy, and don’t like to work with others (are not team players). Despite these perspectives, introverted employees can absolutely excel in so many spaces using their strengths. The reality inside an introvert’s mind is thoughtful and methodical, tending to think deeply and critically about the work at hand. Like extraverts, introverts want their team to succeed, and may see the path to success differently. Their ability to truly immerse themselves in the information at hand, process their thoughts from many angles, and present suggestions and solutions that are well thought out is an incredible strength to any company. 

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Topics: Leadership, Community, Confidence, Challenges, Career Development, Empowerment, #WESTevent, Corporate Culture, Identity, Introvert

Develop Your Personal Brand to Manage a Career Built For You

Posted by Courtney Cyron on Apr 4, 2024 10:32:34 AM

Often we think of our career path as something that happens to us. We think in terms of doing what we can to prepare ourselves, but tend to think there’s only so much we can control. By thinking with such a scarcity mindset, we’re setting ourselves up for a career that we endure as long as we have to and then retire as soon as possible. The good news is: we don’t have to live like that. We can learn to create a personal brand and use that brand to market ourselves in a way that allows us to take charge of our careers and create a career path built for us. 

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Topics: Career, Communication, Resources, Influence, Career Path, Self-Awareness, Confidence, Personal Branding, Challenges, Career Development, Influence Without Authority, #WESTevent, Identity, Hiring Women in STEM

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