Reflecting on the 2017 Women’s Leadership Panel
Whether it’s having strong representation in the upper echelons of advertising and marketing, or being the only major U.S. market with women at the helm of the top four newsrooms, there’s no shortage of fierce female leaders in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul region.
The annual Ad2 and Ad Fed Women’s Leadership Panel brings together ladies—and gents—to learn from some of the brightest minds in the business. This year, the panel included:
- Lori Yeager Davis, President, Martin Williams
- Donna Robinson, CEO, Nina Hale
- Karen Deutsch, Director of Creative Strategy & Planning, Target
- Jaylon Rosenblum, Partner, Goby Partners
We left the event in high spirits, but distilled the evening into the following five lessons.
RISK
Women often have to take more risks to achieve their goals because their path can be harder. And when you’re faced with a key decision, make sure to check and see if you’re running away from, or being pulled toward something.
EMPATHY
Balance is relative. Kids or none, women need to support each other. No one has it better, they have it different. Have empathy without judgment.
INSIGHT
Everyone needs a mentor, regardless of your career maturity. Mentoring isn’t a lifelong commitment—it can come in tiny moments of need. Make it easy for the person you’re seeking advice from to respond, and don’t limit yourself to your immediate network or industry.
PERSPECTIVE
Not everyone is going to like you, and that shouldn’t be your goal. But it’s important to regularly seek specific feedback, because every experience can and should be learned from.
IDENTITY
Be curious and own your work. And if you don’t know who you are, find out so you can let your strengths and gifts shine. There’s no obvious route to your personal success, rather seize whatever opportunities come your way.