Home Leadership Bryant summit’s Leslie: ‘Be the person who shows up’ for others

Bryant summit’s Leslie: ‘Be the person who shows up’ for others

Updated at 4:15 p.m.

By

Katie Castellani

-

03/14/2024

Leslie — LISA LESLIE, four-time Olympic gold medalist and former WNBA star, accepts the Kati C. Machtley Businesswoman of the Year Award during Bryant University's 27th annual Women's Summit. PBN PHOTO/ JACQUELYN VOGHEL

SMITHFIELD – In the ninth grade, Lisa Leslie started writing down her goals – what college she would attend, for instance, or, what she described as her “far-fetched” target: becoming an Olympian. But an achievement that Leslie once considered lofty eventually became her reality. Leslie went on to play on the U.S. basketball team in

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SMITHFIELD – In the ninth grade, Lisa Leslie started writing down her goals – what college she would attend, for instance, or, what she described as her "far-fetched” target: becoming an Olympian. But an achievement that Leslie once considered lofty eventually became her reality. Leslie went on to play on the U.S. basketball team in four Olympics, and in 2008, became the first athlete in a team sport to win four consecutive Olympic medals. Writing down her goals and placing the notes somewhere she would see them every day, helped remind her of the work she needed to stick to, Leslie said. “I didn’t meet every single goal that I’ve written down, but I’ve ended up pretty much close to the stars because that’s what I strived for … the top,” Leslie said. Leslie was one of three keynote speakers to address attendees at Bryant University’s 27th annual Women’s Summit on Thursday. Also delivering keynote speeches were Meridith Webster, executive vice president of global communications and public affairs at the Estée Lauder Cos., and Susan Packard, co-founder and former chief operating officer of HGTV. Throughout the event speakers and attendees focused on the theme of “passion, purpose, power, possibility.” Along with keynote addresses, attendees participated in networking opportunities and 16 educational breakout sessions focused on imagining what’s possible, pursuing passions and embracing their power and purpose. Leslie said her success as an athlete easily translates to success in business, particularly when it comes to leadership skills. To foster a strong team, Leslie said she took the time to get to know her teammates and earn their trust, which went on to serve the team well during difficult games and crunch time. "In tough times, I want to be the person who shows up for my teammates," Leslie said. Sometimes, that could mean breaking down daunting tasks into smaller, manageable goals – rallying her teammates to focus on scoring 10 points at a time, rather than the 20 points that would eventually be needed to bridge a deficit, for instance. "That's all about mindset," Leslie said. "My mindset is always going to be positive." And even in situations where the team didn't win, Leslie said, there were opportunities to learn, build trust and grow. During her keynote speech earlier in the afternoon, Webster advised the audience to focus on excelling in their own job responsibilities, instead of taking on outside tasks. "Do what you were hired to do extraordinarily well, and work super hard at it," she said. While Webster acknowledged she’s had some lucky breaks throughout her career, none of her accomplishments would be possible without strong efforts. "If you don't put the work in, it doesn't matter," said Webster, executive vice president of global communications and public affairs at the Estee Lauder companies. “I was a hard worker … you have to pull that ingredient.” Leslie also accepted the Kati C. Machtley Businesswoman of the Year Award. The award has been a tradition since 1999 with former winners including CEOs and other women leaders in a variety of industries, according to Bryant’s website. Staying true to the event’s theme, Inge-Lise Ameer, executive director of the Women’s Summit and Bryant’s vice president of student affairs, dean of students and chief diversity officer, announced during the summit that Bryant will create the Ellen Wilson Leadership Center. The center is funded by a $5 million donation from the Braynt Board of Trustees Chair D. Ellen Wilson and will launch this fall with the Women’s Leadership Institute as an anchor at the new Business Entrepreneurship Leadership Center. “Bryant students show up ready to solve big problems with creative ideas, and they have the drive to turn those ideas into action,” Wilson said. “The Ellen Wilson Leadership Center will expand on the university’s top-tier academic and co-curricular offerings to propel our students to the next level, solidifying Bryant as a premier institution for educating the next generation of leaders.” Ameer and other Bryant leaders thanked Wilson for her donation that supports the center, which is meant to serve as a hub for research in leadership and management topics. It will also feature events such as an undergraduate leadership summit and programming including a lecture series and leaders in residence. Along with their regular degree program, students can also get credentialed in leadership by pursuing a leadership certificate through the center. The Ellen Wilson Leadership Fellows program will also launch this fall and all incoming first-year students will be eligible. Beginning with the class of 2028, 20 first-year students will be selected each year as Wilson Fellows and receive a $5,000 stipend to use throughout their four years at Bryant. The stipend can be used to help fund leadership opportunities such as academic research, unpaid internships and study abroad programs. Fellows will also be alumni mentors who will advise them during their time at Bryant. The Women’s Summit was established by Kati Machtley in 1997 and is the largest and longest-running event of its kind in Rhode Island and the region, according to Bryant. “The Women’s Summit is one of the most exciting events held at Bryant and for good reason. Lively, engaged and change-making conversations happen in every corner of our campus,” Ameer said. “Bryant takes pride in the exceptional outcomes achieved by our women graduates, but the work is not done until we reach full gender parity. Bryant remains committed to this goal, and the Women’s Summit continues to be a key forum for women to learn, find support and inspire change.” Providence Business News is a media sponsor of the event. (Updated throughout at 4:15 p.m. on March 14.) Katie Castellani is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Castellani@PBN.com. PBN staff writer Jacquelyn Voghel contributed to this story.