When I looked around the room, nearly every seat was filled. People were lined against the walls while others found a spot cross-legged on the floor. The WomanUP! track was bulging at the seams and the energy was palpable.
The interest in WomanUP!® and momentum have been growing in the last few months and people are asking questions about the mission and wondering what the buzz is all about. It's hard to put to words, but as the women began to share their stories, there was a level of honesty, vulnerability, and strength that began to flow. It was if these women were claiming their personal power and finding their voice right before our very eyes. The stories of triumph and tribulation, of fear and courage, and everything in between was shared with an empathetic and engaged audience.
As I discussed emotional intelligence with Sue and Leslie, and how meditation and mindfulness have transformed my life and thinking, I was met with thoughtful eyes and nodding heads of assurance. Very few people were scrolling through phones, physically there, but not present, a surprising experience to the usual conference mode. What this tells me is that we are collectively ready to link arms. We're ready to gather to support and cheer and take action to assist the women in this incredible community who are stepping into their leadership roles. We can learn from each other's paths, mentor, and engage along the way - all while we create the sisterhood of leaders we so desperately crave.
The idea of emotional intelligence and the ability to accurately read other people and perceive the subtle energies that exist all around us has changed from being a soft skill to a superpower. The business world finally seems to be waking up to the knowledge that there is another way beyond how things have always been done that is not only a more fulfilling way to work but can also be more prosperous.
I am so grateful to be part of ushering in this conversation, shifting perception and sparking the possibility of what and how business can look like. When we are able to quiet ourselves and listen to the still, soft voice, we can co-create beyond our wildest imaginations. This is the power of WomanUP!®
Molly McKinley joined Sue Yannacone and Leslie Appleton-Young on stage at the 2019 Inman Connect Las Vegas convention to discuss emotional intelligence as a leadership skill as part of the WomanUP!® track.
Photo by Plan-O-Matic