- Key concepts, reflections, and insights.
I had the privilege of attending Overture’s STEM + HD conference, which brought together incredible female leaders and innovators. It was a powerful day of inspiration and motivation, and I would like to share some of the key concepts, reflections, and insights that I took away from the event.
Start with you.
1) Explore what makes you happy, and nurture it. Passion is an incredible source of motivation, and the primary force that will keep you moving towards your goals.
2) Work hard, and create your own opportunities. You can make change happen, if you set your heart and mind to it.
3) Push your boundaries. Be ready to leave your comfort zone, think outside the box, and take risks.
4) Dream big! Think of achievable ways to get closer to your objectives.
Start with you, but don’t stop there. Think of ways you can help, impact, or empower others.
5. No voice is too small or insignificant, especially in this day and age where technology (in particular social media) can take your message to anyone, anywhere.
6. The ripple effect can carry something beyond what you might expect. One caring gesture, one word of encouragement, one message of hope might reach the right person, at the right time, and it can be a catalyst of incredible positive change that may never be forgotten.
7. As Jennifer Crozier said, “It is everyone’s responsibility to make the world better”. Directly or indirectly, consciously or unconsciously, your actions and words can be an agent of positivity and change. Don’t minimize your experiences, your background, or what you do. Diversity empowers.
Each panelist’s point of view and knowledge was thought provoking and opened up the discussion to many important personal and social matters. These are some of my favorite phrases of the day:
“Be curious and willing to take a risk” – Rochelle King, Global VP Product Design and Insights Spotify @rochelleking
“Big dreams are alway what things are made of. If you can’t dream them you can’t go far ” – Seema Kumar, Vice President of Innovation, Global Health and Policy Communication Johnson & Johnson @SeemaJJIC
“Always have a plan B, and plan C”– Roya Mahboob, Co-Founder and CEO Digital Citizen Fund @RoyaMahboob
“You create opportunity (…) Find your voice” – Valerie Jarrett, Former Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama @ValerieJarrett
“Get out of your comfort zone and push your boundaries” – Kendra Peavy, CP Corporate Communication, S’well @swellbottle
“It is everyone’s responsibility to make the world better” – Jennifer Ryan Crozier, President of the IBM Foundation & Vice President of IBM Corporate Citizenship @JenCrozier
Thank you for sharing your perspectives and for being aspirational role models! @rochelleking, @SeemaJJIC, @RoyaMahboob, @MalikaSaadaSar, @LakshmiUNWomen, @ArielleDRoss, @ValerieJarrett, @swellbottle, @RChandran1, @CynthiaUNICEF, @JenCrozier, @TracyNowski, @MayaChoksi, @MadelineBuxton, @donnovana, @OvertureGlobal, #STEMHD #Spotify #JohnsonJohnson #DigitalCitizenFund #ValerieJarrett #Swellbottle #IBM #IBMFoundation
Special thanks to @thegarysu for making me aware of this amazing event! #STEMHD
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