3rd Annual Conference
April 19, 2013Gustavus Women in Leadership
"Are You For Real? The Importance of Authenticity"
American Swedish Institute
Registration closes April 12, 2013
Regular rate: $100
Early bird rate (before 4/1/13): $75
Student rate: $25
Please consider helping to defray the cost for a Gustavus student when purchasing your conference ticket. Tickets can be purchased online at gustavustickets.com. Dress is business attire.
Keynote Speakers
Marcia Page '82 - Founder and Managing Partner Värde Partners, Inc.
"What’s Your Brand?"
Drawing on a view that we need a brand of leaders that bring authenticity to their work, Marcia will share her own personal story. The values and support of her parents, family, friends, and mentors together with her years at Gustavus formed the bedrock of her own “brand.” Staying grounded in that sense of purpose has provided the energy and resilience required to build an investing business and tackle obstacles as they arise. Her observations reinforce a more sustainable leadership framework based on integrity, excellence, collegiality, humility, and paying it forward.
Joan Steffend - Inner Peace Activist/Author, And She Sparkled
"Be Yourself, or You'll Miss Your Life"
It asks the audience to consider being their most powerful and authentic self, as a means to redefining success and changing the world.
Breakout Sessions
Michelle Stimpson '91 - Positive Change Expert and Mentor, Lifeshine
"Work/Life Balance & The Importance of Joy"
In her years of research with clients - and throughout her own personal journey - Michelle Stimpson has found that minimizing stress, prioritizing what’s most important, and feeling a sense of balance and fulfillment all boil down to one simple idea: The power and importance of following the things in life that make you come alive and bring you joy. The more you follow and embrace your joy, the more life opens up and you are richly rewarded with amazing life experiences.
Michelle will engage you, inspire you, and help you take the first step toward positive change. Leave the session with a commitment to doing ‘one thing’ differently - in order to bring more aliveness, richness, and balance into your life.
Dana Halberg '76 - Chairman, BNY Mellon Wealth Management in Atlanta, GA
"Whole Brained Thinking: Creating a Paradigm Shift to Achieve Sustainable and Balanced Business Practices."
Why do women opt out of business and other male-dominated working environments? Why are MBA schools finding it difficult to attract more women? Why does the stock of a business that has 3 or more woman on the board and women in management perform better than those that don't?
How do we shift the focus of the current business environment (arguably the antithesis of capitalism) from the short term, linear focus that is costly and destructive to society to long term sustainable solutions? Whole brained thinking, which is dominant in woman is part of the solution. In a society where women and men use the same tool for the first time in history – the computer – this shift is possible.
Trish Wheaton '72 - Managing Partner, Global New Business Community at Y & R Advertising
"Doing Well by Doing Good . . . or How I Rationalize My Life in Advertising"
This highly acclaimed talk is of particular interest to audiences who place a high value on Authenticity and Sustainability in the brands and products they buy. Trish will set the stage for the Sustainability marketplace sharing the surprising depth of commitment some of the world’s largest brands have made to Sustainability; how they have changed their operations, their manufacturing processes (and supply chain) and in many cases their products, built around Sustainability best practices. She will share new proprietary research on sustainable purchase behavior and attitudes as well as surprising consumer insights into the Sustainable consumer. We’ll also look at outstanding examples of advertising that have successfully taken this once niche topic to a more general audience.
The session will also examine sustainability’s impact on hiring high caliber talent as more and more millennials – perhaps the most socially-conscious crop yet – enter the work force and how it impacts their choice of employers. Trish will also talk about her experience in aligning her values and expertise to transform one of the world’s largest advertising agencies – Young & Rubicam Group – into a more sustainable organization.
Nancy Weidenfeller - Principal Consultant and Executive Coach, MDA Leadership Consulting
"Exercising Influence: Building Relationships and Getting Results"
"Regardless of intellect, experience, and the ability to deliver results, many individuals fall short of their leadership potential and limit their career growth because they lack 'leadership presence.' It’s an important quality that gives others confidence and helps followers feel well led. At the very core, leadership presence is about credibility. But what makes some leaders more credible than others?
This session focuses on the Six Elements of Leadership Presence™ – first impressions, strategic positioning, communication, interpersonal awareness, physical presence, and formal presentation skills. This session will give you tools to help you have the presence and impact required to be an authentic high performance leader. You will also learn an effective influence mapping strategy that will help you understand your audiences, their communication styles, and the most effective ways to frame issues to build partnerships that lead to results."
Conference Schedule 8:30-9:00 am
Check In & Registration
9:00-9:15 am
Welcome & Opening Remarks
9:15-10:00 am
Keynote: Marcia Page
10:10-11:00 am
Break out session #1
11:10-12:00 pm
Break out session #2
12:10-12:50 pm
Lunch & Networking
12:50-1:35 pm
Keynote: Joan Steffend
1:35-2:30 pm
Closing Remarks