On Friday we had our 3rd Game Changers Women’s Leadership Summit at the House of Commons. It was an incredible celebration of 80 female leaders ‘in the thick of their Game Changing journeys’ who want to use their influence and experience to make a positive difference to their companies, industries and beyond.
In a day that we insist on making practical, lessons were captured, connections were forged and promises made about taking tangible actions to do work that’s meaningful and effects change.
But what happens on Monday morning when you get back to the day job, away from the inspiration, energy and peer resolve from Game Changers, or an event like it?
As so many of us know, it’s easy to make promises to yourself and others that quickly disappear when we leave an event. Yet if that happens, we fail to capitalise on our change-making momentum.
So, here are my top tips for my Game Changing female leaders for a Monday morning, but they also apply to anyone who’s ever been at an inspiring event.
- Make a small space to reflect. Even if you just spend 5 minutes reflecting on what you learned and what you promised to do differently, this will make a huge difference. Monday morning is your ‘fork in the road’ moment and you can either dash blindly down the usual pathway, or spend a few minutes at least looking at the other pathway. Even if you can’t take the other pathway just yet, reflection time will help you come back to the fork in the road later.
- Connect with the people you promised to. It’s easy to say you’ll help or connect with someone when you meet them in person, but we must take responsibility for doing as we promised. So, connect up as soon as possible and further the connection. Don’t wait days, do it today.
- Act on your own revelations. If the event planted a seed that something has to change about the way you live or work, today is the best day to start tending that seed. You might have a dramatic change to make straight away, but it’s more likely that an incremental change will be what’s needed. Start small, but start today. And what you can’t do today, schedule into your diary as an immovable commitment.
- Keep connected. Any network is only as strong as people’s willingness to participate. When you’ve found people who you resonate with, make it your priority to stay in touch with them and contribute to them, even if infrequently.
- Share with others what you’ve learned and what you’re going to do. You are the bridge between an inspirational event like Game Changers and real life. While you still feel the buzz, talk to others about the passions that you’ve uncovered and the ‘WhatIfs’ you’ve started to whisper into life. You’ll be surprised at how many others will understand, resonate and offer their support.
- Get Brave. Game Changers may have felt like a safe space in which to play, but you carry us (and our love, encouragement and friendly kick-in-the-bum) with you in your daily life. Let this affect how you speak up in new situations, how you ask for what you need and how you prioritise actions that further YOUR mission rather than someone else’s.
Remember – you have everything you need to bring change into action. Now it’s time to get cracking.
Sarah Lloyd-Hughes
The UK’s leading inspiring speaking expert & best-selling author. Sarah Lloyd-Hughes is a multiple-award winning public speaking coach, founder of Ginger and author of “How to be Brilliant at Public Speaking” (Pearson).
