Upcoming Events

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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.

Sep30

Gender Parity Panel Discussion
September 30, 2020, 6:00 - 8:00 PM EDT

On September 30, 2020, the community of Women in the Enterprise of Science & Technology (WEST) will be featuring those who have championed the advancement of women throughout Massachusetts. We will also reflect on ways we can challenge ourselves to expand and build on these accomplishments. The panel will include leaders from the industry and academic sectors, who have advocated for gender parity in science and technology.

Panelists include:

Anisha Asundi, Research Fellow and Gender Specialist at Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School
Caroline Breitbach, VP R&D Programs and Strategy at Turnstone Biologics
Lucy Perez, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company
Alicja Januszewicz, Head of People & Culture at Allena Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

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

OCT6

Making better decisions: Pre-mortem analysis and other cognitive tools for better outcomes in life, love, and work
October 6, 2020, 12:00 - 1:00 PM EDT

Rationality is bounded by previous experiences and numerous mental short-cuts wired on us by biology. To escape its limitations, we can purposely use a series of tools developed by cognitive scientists to help people make better decisions. Dr. Stammberger will be sharing some of the tools that have helped her clients achieve better outcomes and offer the participants on this webinar a set of steps to follow to implement the tools that lead better decision-making. She will share examples of faulty decision-making and how these tools help.

Location: Zoom
Cost: $5 for members; $15 for non-members

OCT7

Book Club - The Likeability Trap
October 7, 2020, 4:00 - 5:30 PM EDT

WEST is offering a book club series where you can pick and choose the books/sessions you want to join. We will have a facilitator for each discussion who will have read the book, so even if you don't finish the whole book you should still attend and enjoy the conversation. The book we will be discussing on 10/7 is The Likeability Trap: How to Break Free and Succeed as You Are by Alicia Menendez. The discussion will be facilitated by Aliyah Weinstein, Marketing and Communications Manager, Addgene.

Location: Zoom
Cost: $5 for members; $10 for non-members

OCT14

Building Trust in Your Team
October 14, 2020, 12:00 - 1:00 PM EDT

There are so many conversations we can have about trust. How can teams increase effectiveness through building trust? What skills are needed to build trust? What about virtual teams? During this session with Laurie Bohn, you will engage in an interactive, virtual dialogue about building trust within your team and across your network.

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

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

NOV17

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

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 EDT

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

JAN25

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

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, establish 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