Upcoming Events

If you are in need of an event scholarship or would like to donate to our scholarship program, please visit our scholarship page.

2020-2021 Annual Theme: Building Community, Resilience, and Impact

2020 has been a year full of unprecedented events, and WEST’s 2020-2021
annual theme of Building Community, Resilience, and Impact will help you
navigate these times. WEST is committed to supporting the community by
organizing events that bring members together to tackle challenges in the
workplace that impact personal growth, career development and beyond. Through virtual workshops, panel discussions, networking events, and more,
you will be empowered to overcome obstacles and rise to the occasion.

OCT22

Coaching Circles - SOLD OUT
October 22, 2020, 4:00 - 6:30 PM EDT

Coaching circles adapt the principles and methods of individual coaching and apply them to small, intentional groups. They set the stage for peer to peer coaching facilitated by trained and qualified professional coaches offering women a supportive and motivating environment to connect through meaningful conversations. Participants develop a set of peer coaching skills in addition to benefiting from professional coaching, and are often preferred by people who learn well in small groups. Join us for three 30 minute sessions, to establish new relationships, enhance leadership skills and talents, and develop in an area that is a current challenge.

Location: Zoom
Cost: $10 for Members, $20 for non-members, 0$ for Bluebird employees

NOV05

Author Chat - Reinvesting in Your Rhetoric with Jill Slye
November 5, 2020, 4:00 - 5:00 PM EST

Reinvesting in Your Rhetoric is your guide to becoming confident, communicating clearly, and delivering the best speech of your career. By defining and understanding your communication baseline, the OCD Presentation MethodTM will allow you to become a better communicator and speaker, all while establishing a meaningful connection with your audience. Its memorable three-part application is designed to help you organize your message, develop audience-centered content, and deliver your message through your natural strengths and authentic delivery style. Author Jill Slye has both utilized and coached others through the OCD Presentation MethodTM and relishes in the success of her clients and students. She is dedicated to her vision of changing the world one speech at a time.

Location: Zoom
Cost: $5 for Members, $10 for non-members

NOV17

Empathy Works!
November 17, 2020, 4:00 - 5:00 PM EST

Empathy is an important relationship skill, no matter what the circumstances. In crisis situations, such as living through a pandemic, it becomes even more critical. Within the current COVID-19 context, people are experiencing lots of emotions related to the uncertainty and loss of control in so many aspects of their lives. Empathy works to help people manage the stressors of this moment. Beyond the pandemic context, empathic listening improves your ability to tune into others and build relationships. And it is through relationships that everything happens. Empathy is the pathway to connection and influence. In this webinar conducted by Carol Salloway, you will learn:

what empathy, as a skill, really means;
what is looks like and doesn’t look like in action;
the steps for empathetic communication, including an opportunity to practice;
what gets in the way of expressing empathy.

Location: Zoom
Cost: $5 for Members, $15 for non-members

DEC01

How to Captivate Your Virtual Audience
December 1, 2020, 12:05 - 12:55 PM EST

This is a mini-master class with extremely practical tools, insights, and tips you can start using immediately to be more effective at presenting online using tools like Zoom, GoToMeeting, Webex, and Skype. Now that more and more of us are moving to online communications, being more effective at using this medium is a must! This webinar is useful to anyone who presents 1:1 or 1:Many online, especially people who want to use a webcam more effectively. Guided by Nathan Gold, in this webinar, you will learn:

The secret to being able to start on time
How to present to your webcam with confidence
The little-known presentation hack you can only use online
How to make the best use of your voice online
The main keys to presenting your best self on camera
How to leverage a 1:1 vs. 1:Many video presentation
How to more effectively engage your online attendees using powerful tools

Location: Zoom
Cost: $5 for Members, $15 for non-members

JAN12

Demonstrating Business Impact
January 12, 2021 12:00 - 1:15 PM EST

Are you looking to take the next step in your career? Have you always wanted to transition to a more challenging role, but struggled to communicate your expertise? How do you demonstrate impact to executives, managers, and other stakeholders in and outside your organization? Join this workshop to identify and articulate your business impact. Noël Theodosiou of Luminous will lead participants in an overview of what you need to create and deliver your individual impact story. Hear the experience and stories of other WEST members and get the tools & inspiration to construct your own. Examples include:

Transitioning from a scientific /R&D role to a commercial one – create an impact story that shows how your skills and experience will translate into commercial success
Articulating success on a large project for a promotion or raise – craft a concise story that shows how you delivered, how you helped your organization reduce costs or win customers that will gain upper management attention and help you reach your goals

Location: Zoom

Cost: $5 for Members, $15 for non-members

JAN25

Everyone Communicates, Few Connect: Communicating for Impact and Results
January 25, 2021 4:00 - 5:30 PM EST

One of the biggest problems faced by professionals, even though they are great at what they do and have great ideas, is the inability to get the attention of customers, clients, and colleagues due to not being able to communicate effectively. But the problem is not really a communication problem, it’s a connection problem. Everyone communicates, but few connect. If you can connect with others: one-on-one, in groups, and with an audience – your sense of community improves your ability to create teamwork increases, and your influence skyrockets. People who connect with others have better relationships, experience less conflict, and get more things done than those who cannot connect. Leaders who have learned the art of connection are able to communicate their ideas persuasively, establishing buy-in, and attract followers. In this webinar, Kemi Sorinmade will guide you on how to succeed as a professional, manager, or business leader, through the art of connection.

Location: Zoom

Cost: $5 for Members, $15 for non-members, 0$ for Bluebird employees

Click here to learn more about our workshop leaders