What a year! Looking back at the events Oswald’s Women’s Leadership Council (WLC) hosted to empower women, I am humbled to be a part of a truly amazing movement.
We started the year off with Empowerment through Awareness, a self-defense class. A group of Oswald women, currently going through leadership training, partnered with the Cleveland Police Department, Downtown Cleveland Alliance, Domestic Violence Project and self-defense trainers to cover basic safety tips, new perspectives, and even hands-on demonstrations. Each participant received a self-defense key chain, in addition to, life-saving knowledge.
Our WLC Signature Event this year was an opportunity to empower others. Our esteemed panel featured Heather Ettinger (Founder & Luma Wealth Advisor), Susan Fuehrer (Director, CEO Northeast Ohio VA Healthcare System) and Sandra Pianalto (Former President & CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland). Margie Flynn (Principle and Co-Founder of BrownFlynn and Co-Author of Uplifting Leaders* Who Happen to be Women) moderated the panel. Experiences of being empowered, advice for uplifting others, and words to live by were shared during this morning session.
A unique opportunity to pay it forward was also presented. Participants were encouraged to identify an “up and comer,” and invite them to a follow-on networking event, hosted by PRADCO Management Consultants, in partnership with Oswald’s WLC.
The final event of the year was planned to empower women to be poised and confident during presentations. Information was shared regarding proper planning and attention to detail in order to make every opportunity to communicate a success.
So let’s review your year! Here are three easy steps to empower yourself with reflection, assessment and a strategy to move forward.
- First, celebrate your success. What went right this year? What turned out better than you expected? Who empowered you to be your best and who did you support to do the same?
- Second, take a constructive look at the goals you did not achieve. What were your roadblocks? Were you too aggressive or not aggressive enough? Did you give yourself enough time? Did you have a way to track your progress?
- Third, reset. Were your goals useful? Ditch the fluff goals that won’t add value. Carry forward the meaningful goals that you can achieve in 2018. Add a couple of new goals that will keep you moving in the right direction. Write them down and check your progress every quarter. Empower yourself to choose what you will accomplish next year and then go for it.
Wrap up your year as a gift to yourself. Take the time to reflect on your success, assess what worked and what didn’t, and get yourself ready to face 2018 head-on!
About the Author Stephanie Kovacs:
Stephanie Kovacs is Senior Manager Benefits & Compensation at Oswald Companies. She is responsible to oversee the selection, utilization and effectiveness of the company’s comprehensive benefit program; ensures the total rewards / compensation program is competitive and drives the performance of the employee population. She supervises the payroll function and works with compliance and wellness programs as well. She also takes an active role in employee relations, sustaining company culture and keeping Oswald a great place to work. Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn.
The Oswald Women’s Leadership Council, developed in 2013 to inspire females at all levels to empower, develop and advance, has focused its 2017 education efforts around Empowerment. Read earlier articles from the Council below.
Related Articles:
The Business of Uplifting Others: Women’s Leadership Forum 2017
Networking: Acquired Skill, Born With It or Maybe Both?
Three Key Actions Toward a Better Work-Life Balance: Women’s Leadership 2017
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