PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
By Shannon Frederick, ABC, IABC/Tulsa President
October has been such a busy month that it’s downright spooky.
And while I probably shouldn’t write another President’s Column about another presentation from yet another conference, I think you’re going to appreciate this tidbit of information.
Last week, the Network of Executive Women (NEW) held its annual leadership summit in Dallas. If you’re not familiar with NEW, it is a professional organization committed to attracting, retaining and advancing women in the retail and consumer products industry through education, leadership and business development. That’s a mouthful, yes, but it’s a worthy mission.
The keynote speaker at the NEW summit was Dr. Bertice Berry, a sociologist, author, lecturer and educator. From the podium, she shared her beliefs that each of us is the sum of our experiences – and we need to maximize these experiences to be the best we can be. She captivated the audience with her wit, humor and life stories. Several times, I tried to be discreet while wiping the tears from my eyes, only to realize everyone sitting around me was doing the same thing!
Dr. Berry’s presentation was not about communication. It was about leadership. And there were several key takeaways that benefit us all. Consider these points:
- When you walk with purpose, you collide with destiny.
- Clean your filter so that you can learn every day.
- The gap between knowledge and wisdom is your ability to teach others.
- Ask yourself daily “Why me here now?” and “What is my purpose?”
- When you do well, we all do well.
- Profit from your life experiences.
- Stop and evaluate the lessons of your life.
- Don’t forget the tough moments, but don’t wallow in them either.
- Don’t let the little things stop you from doing the big things.
- Chains on your wrist are not as strong as the chains on your mind.
If these few pieces of wisdom inspired you to learn more about Dr. Berry – and hopefully they did, you can check out her blog “The Art of Transformation.” In fact, she even wrote a post about the NEW conference.
What I can tell you is this: Walking out of Dr. Berry’s presentation in Dallas, I felt like I could conquer the world. And I wasn’t alone. For days after NEW, most of the women who were in attendance talked about Dr. Berry and how she inspired them to be better leaders, mothers, wives, colleagues and friends.
And, for just 60 minutes, we were all allowed to forget just how busy life can be. That, in itself, was a gift!