Women’s leadership summit 2019 12 takeaways for emerging professionals

1 | BUILD YOUR COMMUNITY: Surround yourself with people who fill you up! Seek out people who push you forward.

2 | BE COURAGEOUS: Confidence is overrated. What is more important is courage.

3 | CONFIRMATION: “Believe you are worth it. You are not a mistake.” – Gabrielle Bullock

4 | BE CANDID: Know your weakness(es), and be honest with yourself.

5 | COLLABORATE WITH PURPOSE: When scheduling a meeting or gathering, ask yourself why you are doing this and what are the rules. Make sure all attendees know the intention before they walk into the room or commit to attending the event. (Reading recommendation: “The Art of Gathering,” by Priya Parker)

6 | CONCEPTUALIZE: Make a plan (when starting your own firm), and always reference it!

7 | CAREER FOCUS: Be proactive with your career, and be ready for the next opportunity that comes your way!

8 | CONNECT: When you reach out to someone for advice or casual conversation, always ask for the recommendation of two more people to talk to.

9 | CONTINUE ITERATING: Figure out the next thing, not the final thing. This mindset may help you take the next step without knowing your final destination.

10 | CENTER YOURSELF: Set aside time once a month to reflect and write down your career monthly milestones. As you enter a yearly review, you will be prepared with a year of specific facts. 11 | COMPLETE COMPENSATION Compensation isn’t just money. When negotiating, think about what is most important to you and what makes you whole.

12 | STAY CREATIVE: Take out your sketchbook in lieu of your cellphone. Flex your creativity by capturing the beauty of a space or landscape with a quick sketch or a detailed drawing. (Meet up with other sketchers in your area by checking out urbansketchers.org)

Author Bio:

Katelyn Chapin, AIA Chapin is a Project Architect at Svigals + Partners in New Haven, Conn. She was awarded the AIA Connecticut Emerging Architect Award in 2014 and is the 2020-21 Community Director for AIA National’s Young Architects Forum.

Over 750 women gathered in Minneapolis for the Women’s Leadership Summit September 12-14, 2019. Photos courtesy: AIA National

AIA National