Gloria Feldt, co-founder and president of Take The Lead, addressing the crowd at the Power Up Conference, “Lead Your Intention.”

“Fear is an opportunity. Challenges are part of every life journey—in work, business, relationships, challenges are opportunities for growth,” says Homaira Kabir, founder of The Goodbye Perfect Project and a women’s leadership coach.

““Challenges are part of every life journey—in work, business, relationships, challenges are opportunities for #growth,” says @HomairaKabir, founder of The Goodbye Perfect Project and a women’s leadership coach. ”

Speaking at the recent Power Up Conference and Concert, Kabir reminded virtual participants, “Emotions, thoughts and behaviors are connected.” She adds with each emotional reaction it is important to check in with yourself and ask, “Are these even true and are they helpful?’

Felicia Davis, founder of The Black Women’s Collective, and ambassador to Take The Lead, organized the 20 roundtables featuring leadership and entrepreneurship experts from around the country speaking on creativity, AI, design, leadership and more.

To enhance your success on your career journey, Kabir suggests you challenge yourself with, “What are thoughts that will help you or serve you?” She suggests, “Try to come up with thoughts that are more helpful and see what actions to take. At the end of the day, a lot is not in our control.”

In the session, “Nurturing Creativity: Leading The Way in The Age of AI,” panel moderator Sharelle Jones, founder of Share Our Style Studios as well as National Play Day With Dad, suggests that in any work, when you have an accountability partner, “You can buoy each other.” She adds, “Showing up is the biggest part of what you can do.”

““Showing up is the biggest part of what you can do.” - Sharelle Jones, founder of Share Our Style Studios. #accountability #lifeadvice”

Dr. Tanushree Ghosh, director at Intel, founder and board chair of Her Rights, Inc., says, “I started using AI in small chunks.” Diving into the use of AI in any work function can be done at your own pace.

In a quick group feedback of all the leaders present at the conference at UCLA, Davis asked each facilitation leader for key takeaways of their roundtables.

Dr. Randee Sanders, founder of Design for Default Academy, says, “The ways we leap into our greatness is to take ownership of our voice and power and be intentional so you can definitely jump off that mountaintop, and grow the wings on the way down.”

These directives align with the Intenioning tools designed by Gloria Feldt, co-founder and president of Take The Lead, and author of Intentioning: Sex, Power, Pandemics, and How Women Will Take the Lead for (Everyone's) Good.

Listen to the “Intentioning This” podcast in Take The Lead

This also aligns with the 9 original Power Tools Feldt developed and particularly No. 9: “Tell your story: Your story is your truth; your truth is your power. Telling your story authentically helps you lead (not follow) your dreams and have an unlimited life.”

Pat Gillum, founder of Sisterhood Extravaganza, agrees that clarity, focus and intentioning comprise a “mindset for success.” Gillum says, “Ask yourself on a 1-10, where are you? In order to have success in any area of our lives, you have to be clear about what you want.” She adds, “Clarity is the catalyst for change.”

“@Patthelifecoach, founder of Sisterhood Extravaganza, agrees that clarity, focus and #intentioning comprise a “mindset for #success.” ”

Marisa Hambleton, chief delivery officer of MH2X, says accountability to self is key. “You are the project manager of your life,” she says.

In what she calls Harmonic Leadership, Lori Severson, owner and leadership coach at InspirAction Ink, says, “You have to be in tune because you are the instrument. Discord is when you don’t have alignment. When you’ve done all the inside work, you get to harmony.”

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Gabriella Borrero, founder of No Plan B: the Next Generation Network, advised on the keen and strategic use of mentorship and networking. “Who do you need as your co-pilot?” she asks.

Sustaining good relationships with co-pilots are key, but so are your goals. “Where is your destination and are people helping you get there?”

Erin Lebacqz, founder of High Value Writing, discusses confidence in presentation and attitude as key. “Make sure you are not using hedging language. You do not need to self-dismiss.”

“Erin Lebacqz, founder of High Value Writing, discusses #confidence in presentation and #attitude as key. “Make sure you are not using hedging language. You do not need to self-dismiss.””

In dealing with clients, colleagues and coworkers, Lebacqz says, “Get to actions sooner because it makes us sound more confident. Be intentional about how you describe what you do.” Specifically she advises, “Get to action with a verb,” without obtuse language and lofty verbiage.

The founder of Action For Access, Haley Lickstein agrees and tells the crowd, “Have a clear and easy call to action. Make sure you are centering in your message and emphasize the impact of your work,” Lickstein says.

In her summary of her roundtable, Lisa Mae Brunson, founder and chief visionary of Wonder Woman Tech, says, “Write a list of things that bring you joy.” She adds, ‘Give yourself ways to accomplish joy and challenge the status quo.”

In her roundtable discussion, “Reclaiming Selfish,” Giovanna Rossi, producer and host of “Well Woman Show” on NPR, says it important for mental physical health to “challenge burnout as an assumption of our life.”

Rossi adds, “We are valued for how we look, how we nurture and how we work.” Ending the status quo and ending apologies are key steps to reclaim selfish.

“Make sure you upscale your network,” says Shirelle Francis, of Ileap Group. “Unleashing your career potential in tech,” means remembering to assign key roles to women and that the “youth know we can do it.”

Identifying your desire, breaking down your fear and working through your fear are keys to success, says Tara Haslip, founder of Grounded Energy111. It is also crucial to “have self-awareness of your next step,” she says.

“Identifying your desire, breaking down your fear and working through your fear are keys to #success, says Tara Haslip, founder of Grounded Energy111. #selfadvocacy”

“We learned we shouldn’t let fear stop our self-advocacy,” says Trineka Greer, a senior director in education and non-profit work. “We have to understand risk. It’s important to pull others to the center” of the work, she says.

At the close of the conference, Feldt relayed a call to action to all participants in person and online. “Rigid gender roles are the source of so much trouble.”

In a more lighthearted and timely tribute to Barbie, Feldt awarded “President Barbie,” the 2023 Leading Woman Award of The Year surrounded by local high school students.

“Barbie became the author of her own story,” Feldt says of the box-office hit movie, Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig. “And Ken was released from the box he was put in.”

““#Barbie became the author of her own story,” @GloriaFeldt says of the box-office hit movie, Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig. “And Ken was released from the box he was put in.” ”

Leadership Takeaway of The Week

“Clarity is the catalyst for change.”

Pat Gillum, founder of Sisterhood Extravaganza

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About the Author

Michele Weldon is editorial director of Take The Lead, an award-winning author, journalist, emerita faculty in journalism at Northwestern University and a senior leader with The OpEd Project. @micheleweldon www.micheleweldon.com