How to Not Waste Your Time at Women’s Empowerment Events

How to Not Waste Your Time at Women’s Empowerment Events

You left that women’s empowerment luncheon with a swag bag full of key chains, cups, business cards and likely a notebook of quotes from the speakers and panelists. You are inspired and motivated. Today was the beginning of the rest of your life. Fast forward three months later, you are using that canvas bag for groceries, you still hate your job, and you have registered for yet another women’s event. Sure, you had intentions, but did you take action? No? Don’t beat yourself up about it. As someone who’s attended countless events meant to motivate women, I have also lacked follow through. As a life coach and event host, I have discovered there are some steps you can take to ensure you’re getting the most from empowerment conferences and brunches.

1. Set One to Two Goals

Upon reading the event description, determine in advance what you desire as an outcome. Keeping it at one or two gives you a focus, more than that might become overwhelming as the day progresses. Once you determine the outcomes, create a SMART-O goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Framed with clear Outcomes with action steps. (Use my Goal Start Kit to help you.)

Next, write your goal on a post-it, or in the notebook you’ll be using that day. Keep it visible…eye on the target.

Examples: By the end of the day:

Goal: I will identify a potential mentor for my small business

Action: Connect with five women who are kicking ass in my field

Goal: I will connect with at least five potential customers

Action: Connect with one person at every breakout session and at lunch.

2. Share your goals.

If you are attending the event with someone, tell them what you are hoping to accomplish that day. This benefits you in several ways. First, accountability. By speaking it out loud you are holding yourself accountable and potentially, the person you share your goals with may help you with accountability, if you ask. Secondly, when you are honest with others about your intentions, you welcome support, which may show up as introductions to the right people. Thirdly, being authentic and direct also cuts through BS and can ultimately get you closer to your goal more quickly and effectively.

3. Break up the Follow up.

You’ve met so many people, you’ve come up with so many ideas, you don’t know where to start. This is where either the magic happens or dies, with the follow up. Just like your initial goals have to be broken down into steps, so should your follow up. One way to “break up the follow up” is to divide it into four time periods, based on your priorities. Your priorities are your original goals, anything else is secondary. What small action step can you take immediately the day of the event, what action can you put on your calendar reminder to do within 24 hours? What action step can you set a reminder to do within the next 7 days, and then the next 30 days?

4. Reflect

After 30 days, reflect on your goals. People often skip this step, which is really an opportunity to support future goal setting. Reflection isn’t just about whether you accomplished your goals, but also what you learned or unlearned in the process. What challenges or barriers did you experience? How do you feel about each milestone? What strengths did you discover about yourself in pursuing this goal? What could you have done differently? How did you grow? How can you celebrate yourself?

Don’t limit women’s empowerment experience to passing out business cards, small talk, and cliché phrases like “Do it scared” or “Just do you.” Women’s empowerment events can be fun and inspiring, but that feeling of excitement will fade without a clear focus and follow up.