I am reminded of a women’s networking event I attended, what seems an age ago. But lately I’ve been feeling quite despondent. So I brought up my notes from this event and tried to make sense of it all to try and inspire me.

In life, and in careers, we don’t necessarily need a goal. Direction alone can be enough. Think about what you like, and what you want, and let people know. Direct others to help you direct your path.

Drilling down and figuring out who can be on your side or who you can become to help lift others up. I recall specifically the difference between a manager and a leader: a manager manages processes and performances, whilst a leader manages people. To become a leader is to be vulnerable, to be authentic, and to be yourself when speaking or presenting. People will have to know, like, then trust you.

You can be assertive by being authentic. And to cope with imposter syndrome you can try to connect with what you’re doing and what you want to do. Another suggestion from the event was to try not to care about what others think, but not to act aggressively. Saying something like “I hear what you’re saying but here’s what I see” wouldn’t be deemed aggressive.

And there is importance in building a network and you can have people network for you in an eco system. A mentor can help with reflection, whilst a coach can help with a specific task. A sponsor can talk you up when you’re not in the room and be a champion to give you a chance.

There is also importance in self auditing and creating self awareness. Believe that you can impact the future. And to do so you must be proactive and must know yourself. Know what your values and beliefs are. Know what your skillset is. Know what your passions are and what you really enjoy when in the moment.

I feel that lockdown life has stripped away some enjoyments, or only allowing half enjoyments so my passions have dwindled. But I will try to actively find those passions again and figure out what my skillset is to create better self awareness.