CCW Las Vegas came and went in a blur, especially for our team—and in favor of keeping up the momentum, Ingrit and I made our way to Chicago to host our fourth Leadership Forum.
While our summits generally draw diverse crowds, our smaller gatherings let us focus on individual networking and more targeted development. In August, we explored leadership identity development and how women could sharpen their executive presence through effective communication, tech literacy, and resilience, especially amid the many changes currently happening in customer contact.
Leading with legacy in mind
Cheryl China, CCW Ad Board Member and keynote speaker, started our conversation by reflecting on her decades-long career as a woman in finance.
“I walk into rooms hoping to leave them better than I found them,” said Cheryl, “My perspective comes from my beginnings as a frontline agent, and my eventual growth into an SVP who stayed curious, showed up again and again, and tried to be the kind of person I’d want in my corner.”
Anchored in kindness, Cheryl shared how she sharpened her leadership language without compromising confidence, unlearning unconscious practices that minimized her voice. She grounded us in the truth that women can be as powerful as they’re calm, and impactful as they’re compassionate. It was an important reminder for us to hold onto as we continued our day, tackling common leadership struggles and providing new perspectives to carry long after the forum was over.
Learning from and with community
Next, Tanisha Parker led a workshop on navigating high-stakes conversations through emotional regulation and relationship-building. Drawing from real-world examples, she taught us practical tools to gauge emotional labor and set practical boundaries while preserving or rebuilding positive rapport.
Heather Donnelly artfully illustrated her future-forward career roadmap, one that prioritized her growth and highlighted continuous team advocacy. Her core values helped her redesign her professional goals to be more resilient and strengthen an accessible and inclusive network, so in the face of sudden pivots, she—and her people—could adapt accordingly and take unprecedented times in stride.
Similar to Heather, Luz María Vargas emphasized that leaders must be transparent and action-oriented rather than exhibit false certainty. With unpredictability being a looming expectation, it’s those who express a willingness to trudge through the mess that’ll maintain trust.
To conclude our program, Megan Backman brought her QA expertise to the table and reviewed numerous AI use cases to show how to balance innovation with ethos. As doubts and questions surrounding AI continue to increase, it’s vital more than ever to communicate how businesses plan to use their tech stack to empower, and not replace, their employees.
Closing the forum with Operation Backpack
CCWomen partnered with VOA Illinois, a non-profit dedicated to serving the Illinois community, to prepare backpacks for students and their upcoming school year. As a former educator, I was especially touched to witness the tangible joy that emanated in our room as our women stuffed pencil cases, prepared calculators, and organized folders and notebooks that children would need to thrive in the classroom.
Our day felt full: we began with Cheryl who embodies a form of leadership that nurtures legacy, continued our afternoon learning from our very own network, and ended by giving back to the local community. If I had to explain what makes CCWomen successful, it would be our women’s unwavering commitment to self-growth and generosity.
We owe it to ourselves to pursue excellence, but we must also invest in those around us for a future of work—and greater society—defined by a care for all people and their stories. There’s endless knowledge and resources we can share with one another; let us close the distance.
Don’t miss our next leadership event. Become a CCWomen+ member now to stay up to date!
