You’re next! Inspire Your Inner leader: Leadership Summit
On October 18, 2018, Dr. Sibrina Collins, Harper West, Renee Rashid-Merem, Dr. Darienne Driver and Jocelyn Allen came together at Lawrence Technology University to speak about leadership. Professionals spoke upon personal experiences on how to become a better leader for your team.
Collins is Executive Director of Marburger STEM Center and faculty member of Lawrence Technology University. Collins spoke on coalitions and their importance.
“Coalitions are safe zones,” said Collins. “We can talk about things and we won’t feel like we are being judged.”
Collins also touched on feeling under pressure and how being on the job can be hard when worrying if colleagues are judging you. From this discussion, I took away that finding your coalition is important and professionals will support you and encourage you at the peaks of your career. The best way to create a coalition is by networking. As young professionals, it is important to network at events and have effective communication skills. Doing this will help you create a team that you need.
West is a psychotherapist, author and IABC Detroit former president. West spoke on self-acceptance. She talked about unhealthy mechanisms like rejecting yourself or having low self-worth. “If we are kind to ourselves and one another, we will not fear failure,” West said.
“Self-acceptance is critical,” West said. “If you don’t meet yourself with self-compassion in the future when you have failures, you are going to learn unhealthy coping mechanisms.”
Rashid -Merem is the director of global manufacturing and labor communications for General Motors Co. She spoke on the path to leadership and the best way to get there, as well as giving some insightful tips on how to become a better leader:
• Show up to the job
• Embrace challenges
• It is not just a title
• Be true to yourself
• Invest time
Allen, co-founder and CEO of The Allen Lewis Agency, spoke on teamwork and collaboration and how important inclusion and integrity are. She encourages everyone to stand for something.
Driver is president and CEO of United Way for Southeastern Michigan. Driver talked about how to be your best type of leader. Leaders need trust, consistency and self-awareness. Leaders should know core values- what you stand for. We have to ask ourselves, what are your core values? How do you show up?
All in all, it is important to create your own coalition that will support and encourage you in the workplace. Many people need to have self-acceptance. Do not be so hard on yourself; it will get better. When you get a new job or internship show up and embrace challenges. It is important to have integrity and know your core values.
In this photo Renee Rashid-Merem spoke on the path to leadership
Bianca Kashat is a senior at Wayne State University majoring in public relations. She is an intern at the Scleroderma Foundation Michigan Chapter. She is also the internship coordinator for WSU’s PRSSA Executive Board. In her free time she likes to read and write. Connect with her on Linkedin! http://www.linkedin.com/in/bianca-kashat-35135b123
Wayne State University PRSSA 