Last week at the 2016 PRSA Southeast District Conference, I had the pleasure of meeting some amazing professionals. Amongst some of the women who simply inspired me were Alice Chapman, Mary Beth West, Lauren Thompson, Meaghan Chitwood and Lauren Reed.
Alice Chapman is partner at Mcneely Pigott & Fox and has led award-winning public relations campaigns within her agency. Mary Beth West opened one of the top communications firms in Knoxville in 2003 and has lead as a communications specialist in the area. Lauren Thompson has helped multinational companies such as Coca-Cola incorporate global ideas to reach each target audience accordingly. Meaghan Chitwood stands out because of her amazing communication skills within different fields such as engineering and human resources. Lauren Reed is not afraid to adapt to new markets and keep bringing success to her Nashville-based agency.
Even though I met these women briefly during the conference, their strength and accomplishments made me immediately admire them from a professional standpoint. The reason? They all have qualities that I constantly strive to pursue as I build my career in public relations.
So, to help me and all my readers (hey, mom and dad!) achieve these qualities and become better at everything we do, I made a list of the common denominators that women who inspire me possess:
1. They empower each other
Long gone are the times where women had to compete with each other in order to achieve their goals. Today, inspirational women are those who want to work together for a similar target. Those who want to selflessly help each other succeed and those who build their own career based on team accomplishments. After talking to all these women, I realized that they are part of a team, and they are not afraid to recognize each other’s efforts.
2. They aren’t afraid to be afraid
Fear of change and the possibility of failing are some of the thoughts that every young professional has had at some point. However, women who inspire aren’t afraid to be afraid. If we let our fears prevent us from trying and giving our best, we will never get to where we want to be.
3. They CAN do it all
During the conference Dr. Julie Lellis recommended the book Refuse to Choose by Barbara Sher. In today’s corporate world it is easy to get discouraged when we have plenty of projects and ideas going on. However, these inspirational women are proof that you don’t have to just stick to one thing. If you ask me, success comes in all shapes and forms and refusing to choose is the secret to finding your niche.
4. They are proud of who they are
When you work so hard to accomplish your goals, there is no reason to be shy. If these women hadn’t been proud of their projects and positive outcomes, I would have never felt inspired by them. It is important to share our successes and failures and learn how to serve as an inspiration to others while we learn from them at the same time.
“In a society that profits from your self-doubt, liking yourself is a rebellious act.”
These and so many more fantastic professionals are what keep me going every day. I am not where I want to be, and I am not even sure where I want to be. I do know that we must keep finding inspiration in those who have succeeded around us. Let’s empower each other and keep growing together!
