WEST Wisdom Blog

Celebrating WEST's 20th Anniversary with 20 stories of impact. This week's stories are from Chesley Chen, Maria Lalioti, Joseph Lehar, Anna Li, Enith Morillo, Makeda M, Liz O'Day, and Elizabeth Wu.

Topics: Events, Leadership, Women, Transitions, Career, Awards, Community, Giving Back, Work Life Balance, Resilience, Entrepreneurship, Network, Giving, Job, negotiation, Leader, Women in STEM, Workshop, Networking, Upcoming Events, Professional, Connect, Balance, Inspiration, Role Models, Delegation, Developing Your Skills, Volunteer, Board of Directors, Confidence, Leaders, Book Club, Impact, Career Development, New Opportunities, Mentor, Inclusion, #WESTevent, #WESTorg, 20th Anniversary, Grow

Celebrating WEST's 20th Anniversary with 20 stories of impact. This week's stories are from Anne Cheung, Elissa Hobert, Reina Improgo, Mariana Nacht, Juliana Soto, and Anne Thessen.

Topics: Events, Leadership, Women, Transitions, Career, Work Life Balance, Resilience, Network, Giving, negotiation, Leader, Women in STEM, Networking, Upcoming Events, Professional, Connect, Balance, Inspiration, Role Models, Developing Your Skills, Confidence, Impact, New Opportunities, Mentor, Inclusion, #WESTevent, #WESTorg, 20th Anniversary

Celebrating WEST's 20th Anniversary with 20 stories of impact. This week's stories are from Denise Aronson, Leah Cole, Elise Huang, and Yelena Wetherill.

Topics: Events, Leadership, Women, Transitions, Career, Resilience, Network, negotiation, Leader, Women in STEM, Networking, Upcoming Events, Professional, Connect, Inspiration, Role Models, Confidence, Impact, #WESTevent, #WESTorg, 20th Anniversary

What is networking?

Networking is the exchange of information, ideas, and help among people with a common profession, special interest, or community.

Why is networking important?

Making connections throughout life is essential. You never know if someone you met in middle school is going to have an impact on your future. For many people, you might not start thinking about networking and making career connections until high school or college. The internet has made connecting much easier by having the ability to connect with someone thousands of miles away.

Topics: Career, Community, Network, Women in STEM, Networking, Upcoming Events, Relationships, Connect, Collaboration, Developing Your Skills, #WESTevent, #WESTorg, Webinar

How do you build an effective community?

WEST began in 2000 intending to create a supportive environment for women in the fields of science and technology. The community has been growing over the past 20 years into an even more influential group impacting women every day. The goal for this year is to build a strong community of resilient women making a positive impact on the world.

Topics: Leadership, Career, Community, Resilience, Network, Women in STEM, Networking, Annual Theme, Upcoming Events, Connect, Making a Difference, Career Path, Developing Your Skills, Engage, Impact, Career Development, Diversity, #WESTevent, #WESTorg, Webinar

Take charge of your development. Take advantage of the opportunity to join events virtually from anywhere. WEST has many exciting upcoming events to help you improve communication, bypass your inner critic in public speaking, practice fearlessness, refine your presentation skills, and much more.

Topics: Events, Leadership, Women, Career, Communication, Resilience, Panel, Network, Presentation, Women in STEM, Networking, Upcoming Events, Mindfulness, Developing Your Skills, Career Development, Learn, Advocate, #WESTevent, #WESTorg, Be Fearless, Be Brave, Webinar, Fearlessness, Parenting, Public Speaking

On April 2, 2020, WEST will honor those who exemplify the mission of WEST. The two key award categories this year will be Making a Difference in the Community (e.g. running non-profit, helping in a soup kitchen, volunteering with animals) and Making a Difference for Women (e.g. supporting women's causes, mentoring, championing diversity). Do you know someone who is making a difference in one of these categories? If so, please nominate them here by 2/6/2020. Nominations are open to the WEST community including members and the larger community of supporters, friends, and allies. Awardees will be announced mid-February.   

Topics: Events, Gender Balance, Women, Tech, Science, Nominate, Awards, Community, Giving Back, Panel, Network, Giving, Inspire, Making a Difference, #WESTorg, Be Fearless, Be Brave, Gender Parity

1–I’m not an effective networker because I'm not a natural extrovert.

You’re the boss of you. You author your own self-fulfilling prophecy when you decide whether to limit yourself to, or expand upon, your natural talents. Everyone, extrovert or introvert, has to be intentional about networking. And success in anything, not just networking, is far more strongly correlated to continuous effort than the hand that fate or genetics dealt you. A chance event may point you in a certain direction, but only you can keep yourself moving along that path or venture off to go bushwhacking elsewhere, if so inclined.

Topics: Events, STEM, Women, Career, Cambridge, Network, Women in STEM, Networking, Upcoming Events, Empowerment, Advice, Inclusion, Diversity, #WESTevent, #WESTorg, Be Fearless, Be Brave, D&I

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

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