On June 2
nd, CREW Boston hosted our 40
th annual meeting and luncheon, where keynote speaker, leadership expert, and author Betsy Myers inspired us all to step into our true authentic selves.
CREW Boston President Kerry Hawkins of Greystar kicked off the event by thanking our sponsors, welcoming our three new board members - Kelly Kurlbaum of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Sarah McGilliicuddy of BR+A, and Elisabeth Nyman of CBRE - and bidding farewell to our two outgoing board members - Tracey Hartford of Windover Construction, and past president Laura Gregoriadis of DGC. Kerry also highlighted some of our brightest moments during her presidency. We had a record year of sponsorships (70); a record year of new members (100+); and a record year for programming, both virtual and in person.
Next, incoming CREW Boston President for 2022-2023 Tricia Pinto of Sanborn Head & Associates took the stage to talk about the year ahead. Moving from a working board to a strategic board, Tricia emphasized that while our mission will remain the same - to promote the advancement and parity of women in the commercial real estate industry - the ways we go about it will change. The world is a lot different than it was five years ago; while the pandemic opened new doors to flexibility, it also created mental health issues and burnout. It is imperative now, more than ever, that we show up and support each other. After reflecting on past accomplishments and what’s to come in the year ahead, Tricia introduced our guest speaker, Betsy Myers, leadership expert, advocate, and author of “Take the Lead: Motivate, Inspire, and Bring Out the Best in Yourself and Everyone Around you.”
After sharing a bit about her background, Betsy dove into the topic of leadership and what it looks like today. She explained that true leadership must integrate the head (the strength – the data, the finances, the strategy) with the heart (the empathy, the transparency, the vulnerability). Gone are the days where women are trying to assimilate and “fit in;” now it’s all about stepping into your true authentic self. As Betsy said, “Leadership works when people are their true authentic selves and feel like they belong.” Now more than ever, women are a business imperative and strategic advantage.
Betsy stressed the importance of training managers to become relational leaders versus transactional ones. More and more, people are proving that they don’t leave a company, they leave a supervisor. As Betsy explained, when there is true leadership, “people feel valued, included, and part of something bigger than themselves. They connect and are their best selves.”
Betsy’s best advice and the three biggest take aways from her speech were:
1. Drive Your Own Car – what gives your energy, what gets you going, ignites your passion, and makes your heart sing?
2. What Gets You to You – who are you, step into your true authentic self.
3. Sticky Floor – what are the things that get in your way, what are the behaviors that are holding you back from being your true authentic self?
When we “uncover” ourselves, step into our own authenticity, and lead with empathy, that’s where the magic happens.
