SLC44 Lunch and Learn Facilitator Guide

Lunch and Learn Facilitator Guide A discussion and action learning companion piece offered to extend the learning of keynote speakers from the 2023 Simmons Leadership Conference.

RENEWAL AND INNOVATION SIMMONS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2023

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Welcome to Lunch and Learn Facilitator Guide for the 2023 Simmons Leadership Conference.

This year’s conference brought a diverse range of exceptional women leaders to the stage, each with her own fascinating story about defining her own measure of success and, by example, inspiring others to do the same.

Our 2023 theme – Renewal and Innovation – grounded the conversations of the day while serving as an invitation for all of us to renew and innovate as leaders.

The goal for this guide is to make it easier for you to share the learning and extend inspiration across your organization during the 90-day Simmons Leadership Conference video on demand period.

We also hope that a lunch and learn series will be a catalyst that allows your teams to celebrate and embrace the spirit of renewal, connection, and creative energy – key ingredients that propel all innovation. Enjoy.

Kristen Palson

Kristen Palson Executive Producer, Simmons Leadership Conference COO, Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership

RENEWAL AND INNOVATION SIMMONS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2023

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Inside the Guide

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page 6

What Is a Lunch and Learn?

page 7

Setting Up for Success

page 8-12

2023 Conference Speakers & Panelists

page 14-15

Carla Harris: Lead to Win

page 18-19

Business Panel: Leading Through Change

page 20-21

Amy Purdy: A Story of Renewal Against All Odds

page 22-23

Dia Simms: Women and Work-Life Balance

page 24-27

Susan Brady or Elisa van Dam: Innovating with Courage

page 28-29

Olga Custodio: Emotional Intelligence – Lessons from the Flight Deck

page 30-31

Lynn Perry Wooten and Erika H. James: The Prepared Leader

page 32-33

Signature Panel: Renewal and Innovation as a Leader

page 34-35

Gloria Estefan: Renewal & Innovation – A Fireside Chat

page 36-37

Dorie Clark: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World

page 38-39

Masih Alinejad with Juju Chang: Ending the Gender Apartheid Regime

page 40-41

Sheryl Lee Ralph and Quinta Brunson: Renewal and Innovation

page 44

SLC44: Video on Demand Details

page 45

Setting the Ground Rules

page 46

Lunch and Learn Session Checklist

“

After listening to the moving stories of these exceptional women ... I am amazed at how much humans are capable of. I left the conference feeling inspired and ready to embrace new challenges!

– Molly Miller from Mercury Systems Conference Attendee 2023 5

RENEWAL AND INNOVATION SIMMONS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2023

What Is a Lunch and Learn?

Lunch and Learn is a term used for a professional event where teammates or entire departments come together for a meal during the work day (typically paid for by the company) for professional development. Lunch and learns can be recurring or stand-alone events.

The intention is to bring together people from across your organization in an informal atmosphere to collaborate and learn. A Lunch and Learn is meant to drive personal, team, and business development. It can also be used to refocus, learn new or improve existing skills, get creative, and even get to know other colleagues.

This type of program creates an opportunity for information flow and training.

It doesn’t matter if the event is targeted toward professional or personal development, skill-set training, or even life skills. These sessions can boost employee motivation and hone skills needed for a valuable and successful work experience.

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Setting Up for Success Step 1

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A SIZZLING PRESENTER. Check this one off! The Simmons Leadership Conference has you set up with our exceptional speaker lineup from 2023.

Step 2

PROMOTE THE HECK OUT OF THE EVENT. Get your teams excited about the upcoming Lunch and Learn. Posters, email reminders, sign-up sheets, and company calendar updates will keep the event top of mind.

Step 3

HAVE A STRONG LEARNING OBJECTIVE. With a goal for learning, your attendees will leave with something actionable to add to their leadership toolbox. Bonus: As part of this guide, we have a suggested learning objective for each of the SLC44 sessions.

Step 4

RETHINK PIZZA. PLEASE. Get creative with food choices – keeping dietary restrictions in mind.

Step 5

CREATE A POST-EVENT SPACE. Keep the conversation going in a space where your attendees can continue to talk about a topic.

Step 6

ASK FOR FEEDBACK. After each session, send out a follow-up survey asking for candid feedback – allowing you to make continuous improvements as needed.

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Keynote Speakers 8

Gloria Estefan Grammy Award-Winning International Superstar

Sheryl Lee Ralph

Quinta Brunson

Emmy Award-Winning Star of ABC’s Abbott Elementary, Singer, Producer, & Activist

Emmy Award-Winning Writer, Actor, Producer of ABC’s Abbott Elementary, & Stand-up Comedian

Masih Alinejad

Juju Chang

Dorie Clark

Iranian-born Activist, Journalist & Author

Emmy Award-Winning Co-Anchor of ABC News Nightline

Wall Street Journal Best-Selling Author & Expert at Self-Reinvention

Carla Harris

Amy Purdy

Susan MacKenty Brady

Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley

Survivor, New York Times Best-Selling Author of On My Own Two Feet, World Class Snowboarder & Founder of Adaptive Action Sports

CEO of Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership

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Signature Speakers 10

Lt. Colonel Olga Custodio, USAF (Retired)

Erika H. James Dean, Wharton School

America’s First Latina Fighter Pilot & STEM Advocate

Dia Simms

Elisa van Dam

CEO of Lobos 1707 & Former President of Combs Enterprises

Vice President, Allyship & Inclusion, Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership

Co-Hosts

Kerry Seitz Vice President, Women’s Leadership, Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership

Joyce Kulhawik Emmy Award-Winning Journalist

Dr. Lynn Perry Wooten

Kristen Palson

President, Simmons University

COO, Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership Executive Producer, Simmons Leadership Conference RENEWAL AND INNOVATION SIMMONS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2023

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Panelists 12

Saidah Grayson Dill

Kavitha Imani

Jen Petersen

Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Cisco

Vice President, IT, Dell Technologies

Vice President, Human Resources, Air Power, Raytheon Technologies

Ann Stanberry

Joanne Stephane

Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer, Liberty Mutual Insurance

Principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP and Executive Director, DEI Institute

RENEWAL AND INNOVATION SIMMONS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2023

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Carla Harris: Lead to Win Time

33 minutes

Themes/ Keywords

intentional leadership; asserting your voice; leading millennial’s; building trust; community; engagement; cultivating future leaders; visionary leadership; diversity; innovation; inclusivity

Learning Objective

When you leave this session, you will have Carla’s “pearls” of wisdom empowering you to become a more intentional and impactful leader no matter where you are in your leadership journey.

Session Summary

What does it take to lead effectively today? The world of work has undergone a sea change, presenting a new matrix of concerns and questions for leaders and potential leaders. Powerhouse Carla Harris shares a message that is timely, inspiring, and filled with her trademark “pearls” of practical advice and wisdom about renewal and innovation.

Additional Resources

https://www.carlaspearls.com/ Better Understanding Podcast https://www.inclusiveleadership.com/research-insights/season-two-arriving-and-thriving-carla-harris/ Latest single: “Everybody Is Somebody’s Child” https://youtu.be/xwaB00FjoAk

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Session Discussion

The following are key questions to guide discussion about this session.

1. With no playbook, how would you rank our organization’s ability to do work in the post-pandemic era?

What is working well? What needs improvement? Why?

3. How can you better define what success looks like in your work?

For yourself? For your team?

4. Are we being intentional about diversity on projects? In our hiring practice? On our teams? In our leadership suite?

Learning in Action

2. How are you building trust intentionally with your teams?

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES ALLOWING LEARNERS TO ACTIVATE THE TOPICS DISCUSSED.

Think about how you were personally INSPIRED by this session.

What would you put on your vision board (actual or imagined) to take that inspiration to action?

In the next week, choose a meeting and refrain from talking.

Just listen.

What do you observe?

What did you learn about the room?

Or yourself?

RENEWAL AND INNOVATION SIMMONS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2023

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“

What a learning experience!

Attended the Simmons Leadership Conference today representing HPE. Interacting with such powerhouses and women of impact first hand was an experience I will never forget.”

– Fatima Hassan from HPE Conference Attendee 2023

RENEWAL AND INNOVATION SIMMONS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2023

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Business Panel: Leading through Change

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Time

30 minutes

Themes/ Keywords

navigating career challenges; work/life balance; risk taking; career journey; mentorship; sponsorship; self-care

Learning Objective

When you leave this session, you should have learned the importance of taking risks, building key relationships, and prioritizing self-care in order to lead effectively.

Session Summary

In this moderated discussion, women business leaders reflect on their personal journeys and engage in a thought-provoking conversation with a focus on how – through life circumstances or by choice – they were able to navigate challenges and succeed in leadership.

Session Discussion

The following are key questions to guide discussion about this session.

1. As you reflect on your career accomplishments, what are some of the challenges you faced that translated to big opportunities?

2. What relationships have been instrumental in your career journey and success?

3. Saidah shared the idea of a “day in the background” to support self-care.

What do you feel would be an impactful way our organization could encourage people to care for themselves or others in their life?

4. Each panelist shared some advice to their youngest self. What resonated most for you?

5. What are some ways you can recharge? What can your manager/team/organization do to support your commitment to this?

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Amy Purdy: A Story of Renewal Against All the Odds Time

37 minutes

Themes/ Keywords

renewal; resilience; overcoming obstacles; inspiration; perseverance survival; self reinvention; courage; confidence

Learning Objective

When you leave this session, you should have learned that obstacles can either stop us dead in our tracks or they can force us to get creative. With that creativity we can overcome even the most difficult of obstacles.

Session Summary

As a three-time Paralympic Medalist — the most decorated Paralympic snowboarder in U.S. history — Amy Purdy has taken what could have been a devastating setback and turned it into an opportunity for innovation. Amy shares her inspiring story of achieving Paralympic glory as a remarkable survivor who beat a deadly virus that claimed both legs below the knee and her spleen and required her to undergo a kidney transplant. With a courageous spirit and resilience, she vividly recounts how — despite her vulnerability — she confronted her challenges and emerged as a leader who has succeeded at every stage of her multifaceted career

Additional Resources

ADAPTIVE ACTION SPORTS http://adacs.org/ https://amypurdy.com/live/ https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-purdy1/

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“

I am so inspired by the amazing women who shared their stories of how Renewal & Innovation have shaped their career journeys. I was especially encouraged by speaker Amy Purdy who spoke on cultivating resilience, reframing life’s challenges as opportunities to innovate, & the power of embracing vulnerability.

– McKenna White from Cisco, Conference Attendee 2023

Session Discussion

The following are key questions to guide discussion about this session.

1. When you think about the biggest obstacle you have faced, how did you get creative to overcome it?

2. What lessons did you learn from that experience?

4. When was the last time you chose courage? What was it and how did you feel?

5. Of the challenges you have overcome, what are you most proud of and why?

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Learning in Action

3. When is the last time you have used your imagination? What did you dream of? How are those dreams informing your decisions today?

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES ALLOWING LEARNERS TO ACTIVATE THE TOPICS DISCUSSED.

Imagine your life was a book and you were the author.

How would you want your story to go?

Create a visual or describe your book cover and give it a title.

What are the guiding themes?

What is the subtitle?

Who offers rave reviews on your back cover?

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Dia Simms: Women and Work-Life Balance

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Time

29 minutes

Themes/ Keywords

work-life balance; life over work; multitasking results in not doing anything well; women as time-keepers; life is about our time – nothing is more valuable than that; women are not compensated for their enormous contributions; negotiate for your value and time; women are not jugglers

Learning Objective

When you leave this session, you should have learned why it’s important to be present in the moment and not try to keep many balls in the air simultaneously.

Session Summary

Dia articulated her belief that the work-life balance is a myth and that life should take precedence over work. Rather than juggle several balls, she encouraged the audience to focus on the things that are in front of them, be present in the moment, take an action and commit to it, and hold ourselves as the timekeepers of our own lives.

Additional Resources

https://www.diasimms.com/

Session Discussion

The following are key questions to guide discussion about this session.

1. What individual, team, or systemic changes need to be implemented to put Dia’s recommendation to put “life” before “work” into action at our organization?

2. What are some actions you can take to assert more control over your time?

4. Do you think it’s possible to NOT multitask in your position?

5. Do you think men’s time is considered more valuable than women’s? Why or why not? Why does this perception exist?

Learning in Action

3. Do you agree that we should not multitask? Why or why not?

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES ALLOWING LEARNERS TO ACTIVATE THE TOPICS DISCUSSED.

Think of a time when you were multitasking — with more than a few items on your plate.

What was the quality of your work?

Would you have been more or less successful if you focused on a single task rather than many?

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Susan Brady or Elisa van Dam: Thriving as a Leader - Innovating with Courage Time

29 minutes

Themes/ Keywords

cultivating courage, overcoming fear, courageous action in the workplace

Learning Objective

When you leave this session, you should have learned how to use the 7 Questions to Courageous Action to help you take action despite your fears and to identify your fears and employ strategies to mitigate them.

Session Summary

Embracing renewal and innovation requires courage, both for ourselves and for those who depend on us to lead the way. Susan and Elisa share that “Courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s the presence of vulnerability.” They offer 7 questions that will support you in taking courageous action, starting with “Is this issue important?” and “Is now the right time?”, and ending with “How can I take a small step?”

Arrive and Thrive: 7 Impactful Practices for Women Navigating Leadership Wall Street Journal Best Seller and Forbes’s list of 10 Must-Read books about Women in the Workplace Thrive in a senior leadership role as your best self. Inspire excellence in your team by channeling your own well-being.

Lead a highly fulfilled life. This best-selling practical guide shows you how.

LEARN MORE 24

Session Discussion

The following are key questions to guide discussion about this session.

1. What courageous positive actions have you seen at work?

2. Think of a time when you took action despite the risk of failing. What was the risk, how did it feel, and how did you overcome the fear of failing?

3. How can you manage situations where you have a fear of acknowledging what you don’t know?

4. If you struggle to ask for help, what strategies can you use to feel more comfortable to ask for the help you want/need?

5. What is a courageous action you want to take, and how can you use the 7 Questions to help you?

RENEWAL AND INNOVATION SIMMONS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2023

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Extend Your Learning

ARE WOMEN LEADERS IN YOUR ORGANIZATION LOOKING TO EXTEND THEIR LEARNING?

Learn more about the Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership’s Impactful Practices to Thrive as a Leader Certificate Program for Women Learn to Thrive as a Leader •

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•

Learn how to create a healthy team environment that allows everyone to thrive.

This program is designed for women who feel their success as a leader has challenged their resilience, energy, time, and their ability to bring their authentic self to work. It’s for women who want to create healthier work environments, up-level their courage, and have a clear action plan to spend more time thriving and less time surviving.

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– Michele Hentges, Cisco Systems, Global Strategy and Planning

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RENEWAL AND INNOVATION SIMMONS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2023

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Olga Custodio: Emotional Intelligence Lessons from the Flight Deck

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Time

23 minutes

Themes/ Keywords

perseverance; overcoming discrimination; emotional intelligence; empowerment through education; inner confidence; women helping women

Learning Objective

When you leave this session, you should have learned to stay open to possibilities and keep reminding yourself that when there is a will there is power!

Session Summary

Olga Custodio considers her sheer determination to be one of the essential assets that propelled her to success and helped her understand how her actions and feelings as an airline captain and crew member affected her crew. Her perseverance and tenacity drove her to accomplish her duties regardless of the situation. In all the tasks she has undertaken, Olga demonstrated her strong motivation to achieve results that would deliver positive impacts and inspire others.

Session Discussion

The following are key questions to guide discussion about this session.

1. What are some of the ways you have had to persevere in spite of challenges?

3. What does women helping other women mean to you? How can that be manifested more fully on your team, in your work or in our organizational culture?

Learning in Action

2. How have you come through to the other side of those challenges and gained valuable insights?

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES ALLOWING LEARNERS TO ACTIVATE THE TOPICS DISCUSSED.

As you attend meetings in the next few weeks, notice the women in the room.

What can you do to actively support the women in the room?

RENEWAL AND INNOVATION SIMMONS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2023

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Lynn Perry Wooten and Erika H. James: The Prepared Leader Time

34 minutes

Themes/ Keywords

crisis leadership, resilience, innovation

Learning Objective

When you leave this session, you should have learned what the 5 phases of experiencing a crisis are and how to promote resilience as one of the supporting skills. You should also have learned how to foster innovation in your organization

Session Summary

The next crisis might be here now or it might be around the corner. In this discussion exploring their book, The Prepared Leader: Emerge from Any Crisis More Resilient Than Before, two history-making experts in crisis leadership, Erika H. James and Lynn Perry Wooten, argue that the time to prepare is always.

Lynn and Erika share the 5 phases of experiencing a crisis and the 9 supporting skills that leaders need to navigate through a crisis. They focus on promoting resilience, which supports recovery, and how to bring innovation into your life and organization.

Additional Resoruces

https://jamesandwooten.com/ Brene Brown Podcast: https://brenebrown.com/podcast/the-prepared-leader-part-1-of-2/ https://brenebrown.com/podcast/the-prepared-leader-part-2-of-2/

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Session Discussion

The following are key questions to guide discussion about this session.

1. How do we react to change and how can we embrace change more fully?

2. What do we need to learn in order to be resilient together?

3. What ways can we broaden our networks?

4. What can we do to bring even more diverse voices into our innovation conversation?

5. How can we effectively scan the environment to see opportunities for innovation and anticipate crises?

6. If we are in a crisis, which phase are we in? And what skills do we need to develop to be more effective?

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Signature Panel: Renewal and Innovation as a Leader

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Time

45 minutes

Themes/ Keywords

leadership story and timeline; career narrative; vulnerability; personal board of advisors; risk taking; covering; imposter phenomenon

Learning Objective

When you leave this session, you should have learned that the collection of events, both positive and challenging, are what create their full leadership story.

Session Summary

As we begin to break free from the pandemic and gain momentum for a brighter, stronger, more inclusive future, this moderated discussion will bring to the stage top women business leaders. Sharing their personal stories in this rich, dynamic conversation, you will hear women leaders share their personal leadership story and highlight what has shaped their leadership identity and career narrative.

Session Discussion

The following are key questions to guide discussion about this session.

1. What are your reflections on the positive and challenging events that make your leadership story?

2. Who is your “hype team” / village and what has the impact of this group had on your journey?

4. What is your career / brand narrative?

How has it evolved?

5. What brings you energy? How can your organization support your pursuit of these activities/projects?

Learning in Action

3. What risks have you taken that played an instrumental role in where you are right now?

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES ALLOWING LEARNERS TO ACTIVATE THE TOPICS DISCUSSED.

Using the examples provided in this session, map your own leadership journey.

What do you notice?

What milestones stand out that have shaped the leader you are today?

RENEWAL AND INNOVATION SIMMONS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2023

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Gloria Estefan: Renewal and Innovation - A Fireside Chat Time

33 minutes

Themes/ Keywords

allyship, commitment to women, renewal, innovation, visualization, perseverance, education, lifelong learning, inclusion

Learning Objective

When you leave this session, you should have learned that if you can imagine something, you can do it. It takes perseverance, breaking your long-term goal into achievable steps, being passionate about learning everything about your field, and being willing to pivot.

Session Summary

Gloria shares how her upbringing shaped her thinking that women can do it all and helped her become an active ally for women. She emphasizes finding your passion in life and then honing your skills and becoming an active lifelong learner. Gloria advocates leading from a place of strength, kindness, and inclusion and reminds everyone that “ego is a waste of time.” She recounts that she overcame incredible challenges by imagining her desired outcome, focusing on small achievable goals, and constantly reassessing what is necessary to achieve the goals.

Additional Resources

PODCAST: RED TABLE TALK - THE ESTEFANS Ted Talk featuring Gloria Estefan: Forgiveness and Reconciliation Book Collection:

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– Bianca Mattera from Raytheon Technologies; Conference Attendee 2023

Session Discussion

The following are key questions to guide discussion about this session.

1. What long-term goals can you visualize as a group for our organization?

2. How can you break those goals into small achievable steps?

3. Where is ego blocking progress towards your goals?

4. How can you better lead from a place of strength, kindness, and inclusion?

Learning in Action

“

Feeling empowered and energized this morning as I virtually attend the 2023 Simmons Leadership Conference... I am inspired and grateful to hear these remarkable women share their journey and experiences.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES ALLOWING LEARNERS TO ACTIVATE THE TOPICS DISCUSSED.

Learn something new about your field in the next two weeks.

Read a book, listen to a podcast, attend a webinar, take an online course, or find another learning resource to advance your knowledge in your field.

Reflect on your personal longterm goals and choose one goal.

Plot out the next three small steps needed to reach your overarching goal.

5. How can our organization make space for team members to become active learners in their field?

6.

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Dorie Clark: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World Time

31 minutes

Themes/ Keywords

optimize for interesting, embrace long-term goals, focus on the right thing, pay attention to small gains, look for the raindrops, be bad at something

Learning Objective

When you leave this session, you should have learned that it is ok and necessary to be bad at something while you focus on achieving your long-term goal.

Session Summary

There are times when circumstances push us to adapt, and we emerge doing amazing things. As humans, we tend to get into habits. One is short-term thinking. We need to step back and ask ourselves if we’re prioritizing for the long term. Dorie shares five strategies to help you embrace long-term thinking, set goals, and achieve your long-term goals.

Additional Resoruces

https://dorieclark.com/longgame/ Better Understanding Podcast with Susan Brady A Conversation with Dorie Clark Book Collection:

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Session Discussion

The following are key questions to guide discussion about this session.

1. What is it that our organization wants to be truly great at?

3. Think about one of your long-term goals, what are the small signs, “the rain drops,” that indicate you’re making progress?

4. As you focus on meeting your short-term goals and obligations, can you carve out a percent of time to focus on innovative goals?

Learning in Action

2. And what are you willing to “be bad at” in order to focus time, energy, and money on your overarching goal?

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES ALLOWING LEARNERS TO ACTIVATE THE TOPICS DISCUSSED.

Choose something to study, learn, or accomplish simply because it interests you and set aside a consistent set of time to do that thing for one month.

How will you set time aside for this?

RENEWAL AND INNOVATION SIMMONS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2023

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Masih Alinejad with Juju Chang: Ending the Gender Apartheid Regime Time

35 minutes

Themes/ Keywords

compulsory hijab, headscarves, gender apartheid, anti-Asian violence, agency, gender equity, racial equity, protests in Iran, women’s rights, my body my choice, Taliban, Islamic Republic, gender-based violence, women’s marches, sisterhood

Learning Objective

When you leave this session, you should have gained a broader understanding of the extent to which women and girls in Iran and Afghanistan lack rights and agency and the urgent need for people in democratic countries to take action to end such gender apartheid regimes.

Session Summary

Masih and Juju discussed the current climate in Iran and Afghanistan where women and girls are protesting against the compulsory hijab — and paying a price for their defiance, sometimes with their life. Masih calls on women all over the world to take to the streets in a day of protest to show solidarity with women in Iran and Afghanistan and to call on leaders of democratic countries to take action to end the gender apartheid regimes in Iran and Afghanistan.

Additional Resoruces

Better Understanding Podcast with Susan Brady Arriving and Thriving with Masih Alinejad My Stealthy Freedom https://www.mystealthyfreedom.org/ https://www.facebook.com/StealthyFreedom/

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Session Discussion

The following are key questions to guide discussion about this session.

1. Imagine you live in Iran and your daughter told you she planned to remove her hijab and protest the compulsory hijab. How would you respond? Would you support her decision? Why or why not?

2. Think about a time when you and a colleague disagreed on a highly political issue. How did you navigate the situation? Did you feel comfortable expressing your views?

3. Masih calls on political leaders to take action to enact change in Iran and Afghanistan. Is it the place for other leaders, such as CEOs, to take a stand? If you think they should, what can they do?

4. Discuss a situation in which you put yourself at risk over your convictions.

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Sheryl Lee Ralph and Quinta Brunson: Renewal and Innovation Time

64 minutes

Themes/ Keywords

change, renewal, bravery, collaboration, communication, sexism, racism, education

Learning Objective

When you leave this session, you should have learned that kindness, collaboration, and communication will always trump confrontation.

Session Summary

Sheryl emphasizes that as individuals we must believe in ourselves and have confidence in our potential. She notes that while change can be intimidating, it’s necessary for renewal and innovation. Quinta credits her success to maintaining relationships with people she respects, and she underscores that collaboration and communication are far more effective than fighting. She shares that women like Sheryl have paved the way for a new generation of Black women in the entertainment industry and acknowledges that racism and sexism remain as barriers.

Additional Resoruces

Redefining Diva: Life Lessons from the Original Dreamgirl by Sherly Lee Ralph Diva 2.0: 12 Life Lessons from Me to You by Sherly Lee Ralph She Memes Well by Quinta Brunson

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Session Discussion

The following are key questions to guide discussion about this session.

1. As a mentor, what is the most important, impactful piece of advice you’ve shared with your mentee?

2. What do you do to renew yourself?

How often do you practice selfcare?

3. How do you handle situations when a colleague or client’s preferred approach is confrontation over collaboration?

4. What processes in our organization can we adapt so we’re not reinventing the wheel?

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SLC44: Video On Demand Details VOD Access Dates

To Access Already Registered

MARCH 22 - JUNE 20, 2023 Video on Demand for the Simmons Leadership Conference 2023 is now open! All sessions from the event are on VOD and available for viewing for 90 days. https://simmonsleadershipconference.cventevents.com/

VIDEO ON DEMAND

event/e0262b14-bd24-4ee7-a894-92fd0b576621/summary

Access the link above and follow these steps:

1.

Click Already registered?

2. Log in with your credentials: *Email Address: the email used to register for the conference *Confirmation Number: conference registration code number 3. This will open a conference confirmation registration summary page.

4. At the top of the page, click the Post Registration dropdown arrow and select Video On Demand.

NOT Already Registered

Access the link above and follow these steps:

1.

Click to Register for Video on Demand or click Register Now at the top.

2. Fill out the Video on Demand Registration form. Be sure use your company email address.

3. This will open a Registration Summary page. Confirm your details and click Submit.

4. This will process your registration and provide a confirmation number.

5.

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At the top of the page, click the Post Registration dropdown arrow and select Video On Demand.

Setting Ground Rules When presenting your material, it is imperative that you introduce a few simple ground rules, open quickly, and follow up. Ground rules will set the tone of the meeting. They also lay out clear expectations for participants. Ground rules should cover education, behavior, and communication. Establish them before the session begins and explain them before the presentation begins.

Common Ground Rule Topics • Respectful communication • Transitions • Parking lot items • Cell phone use or lack thereof • Use of equipment/props/technology

No matter how well you run a session, you must be flexible. The ability to adjust quickly can determine if your session is a success and failure.

RENEWAL AND INNOVATION SIMMONS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2023 RENEWAL AND INNOVATION SIMMONS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2023

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Lunch and Learn: Prep Checklist Provide an agenda / what to expect ahead of time.

Keep time for informal and open discussion.

Offer food and beverages / Heed dietary restrictions.

Schedule appropriately.

Offer an outstanding presenter.

Create a learning objective.

Provide a post-event space for ongoing dialog.

Keep it bite-sized - sessions should be under 90 min.

Deliver actionable takeaways.

Ask for feedback.

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