On Friday, November 15, engaged community members, Circle leaders, and influencers from across the country convened in Chicago for the 4th Policy Circle Leadership Summit. More than 350 women and men participated in conversations and workshops that encouraged them to think about the broad implications of living and leading in a connected world while honing their leadership and engagement skills. The following is a recap from the Strategic Planning Workshops presented at the Summit.
Speakers:
Leigh Teece, World Mentor
Catherine Burnett, Phillips Foundation
Lorraine Gavican-Kerr, TD Ameritrade
When it comes to women advancing their own careers, what’s the best strategy? Former Campbell Soup President and CEO Denise Morrison has a simple but effective strategy: Take charge. That goal-driven approach has served Morrison well as she has successfully navigated an impressive career. She encourages women to set specific career goals as a destination; without goals or a passion, women fall behind on being promoted or jumping into the c-suite.
When thinking through your own strategic plan, where do you begin? Here’s a recap of the presentation that Denise Morrison delivered at The Policy Circle 2019 Summit
Some of the key points that Denise Morrison made:
Advice on Building a Strategic Plan for a Career
- Set a Destination. Think of it as a journey where every stop build the foundation for the next leading towards a destination. The Policy Circle conversations are a great way to discover new destinations in the private and public sector – you may target a CEO role, become an entrepreneur, or leading a federal government agency, or become a governor, senator, representative, mayor.
- Building Your Brand. Develop a career track in which you can build skills that become part of your brand.
- Gain experience in the “line” i.e. in a revenue generating role. This may mean becoming entrepreneurial, and taking some risks.
- Be ambitious and set a realistic time tables. You need platforms to find opportunities to have an impact — should be part of the plan.
- Have a good sense of personal mission. Know who you are, what you stand for, and what your values are. If you don’t know, then you can’t lead others.
- Networking is working: Hard work, setting goals, and establishing a strategic life plan is important. But no one can achieve those goals independently. When it comes to advancing their careers, women have to recognize that they can’t get there by themselves. They’re going to need mentors, sponsors, and relationships that will help them get to where they want to be, and they have to give back to those relationships as well. Networking is working in all directions, it is connecting people to help them solve their problems.
- Work-life integration. When you are passionate, the concept of work-life balance doesn’t make sense. It may be more effective to look at it as work-life integration. It will look different for each of us based on our support system, our energy level, our personal priorities. Don’t balance: juggle and integrate to move forward.
- Ask for help. Maybe you need a mentor, a coach, or an external perspective to grow and succeed.
What’s your goal in 2020?
About The Policy Circle
Founded in 2015, The Policy Circle provides a fact-based, nonpartisan framework that inspires women living in the same community to connect, learn about and discuss public policies that impact every American. The Policy Circle’s vision is that women across the nation are connected and engaged in their communities, openly sharing their views and taking a leadership role in public policy dialogue on what human creativity can accomplish in a free market economy.
In just four years, The Policy Circle has grown to over 3,500 members in more than 296 Circles in 40 states and 3 continents. Based on organic networks of women, it is one of the fastest growing national organizations empowering women to gain the knowledge and confidence to become policy leaders.
