Carrie Majewski is the founder and CEO of the Women in Leadership Nexus, a networking group to empower women as leaders in both the workplace and the community. Majewski also serves as the principal of marketing at Trilix, an information technology consulting and software firm based in Warwick.
Majewski spoke with Providence Business News about the Oct. 12 panel discussion co-hosted by WIL Nexus and Tech Collective to examine the topic of “Redefining Leadership” for the modern workplace.
PBN: How did the concept of “Redefining Leadership” go from a Q&A series on the WIL Nexus blog to a panel event co-hosted with Tech Collective?
MAJEWSKI: Though we’ve seen great advancements in school of thought surrounding leadership – from the erosion of hierarchy at a number of forward-facing companies to a greater awareness that leadership moves up, down, diagonals and sideways – we still have a way to go. For the past year, the WIL Nexus has been bringing attention to why we need to redefine leadership through a recurring blog series that profiles local, trailblazing women with their own unique stories and definitions of leadership. But I knew it was imperative to continue this dialogue in person, too.
WIL Nexus and Tech Collective partnered to co-host a panel discussion on this topic, inviting women who embody the characteristics of a next-gen leader to sit on the panel. I am incredibly humbled and inspired by the more than 50 local women who came out. It shows that we are creating the right forums to unite women around this topic.
PBN: Why is it important to challenge the definition of “leadership” in the workplace?
MAJEWSKI: Leadership comes in many colors, shapes and sizes, and we need to start celebrating the beauty in that. Every day leadership manifests itself differently. It could mean two work colleagues exploring and celebrating the power of healthy, creative dissonance when working together on their next team project. Or it could mean an entry-level employee choosing one meaningful thing to say at his or her next team meeting to move the conversation forward. When we start identifying and drawing attention to both the quiet – and loud – moments, our definition of what it means to be a leader starts to shift. Leadership and hierarchy stop being juxtaposed with one another and, instead, leadership and positive impact fuse together.
PBN: What does a “next-gen leader” look like?
MAJEWSKI: A next-gen leader is someone who recognizes that she can actively choose to lead and effect change regardless of the title on her business card. It is someone who understands and fiercely supports the ideals surrounding empowerment, women helping women, authenticity, self-conviction and spirited collaboration. She does not wait for hierarchy and organizational charts to grant her “permission” to start living these principles. Rather she chooses to lead daily and, in so doing, helps reshape traditional definitions.
PBN: How did your own experience with leadership inspire you to found the WIL Nexus?
MAJEWSKI: I remember vividly the first time I received the “title” and, with it, what I believed to be inherent “power.” At the time, leadership to me was about setting and defending the vision alone. Inevitably this led to the micromanagement of my team and a lack of collaboration. My definition of leadership started to evolve once I met some extraordinary next-gen leaders – both women and men – who helped me recognize that leadership has nothing to do with title.
Alternatively, it’s about holding certain tenets sacred and exhibiting fierce, unwavering commitment to do better and be better. I wanted to create a safe space for other women to experience this shift in mindset, especially those who may not have the opportunity otherwise. When you give yourself the title of a “leader,” you give yourself the green light to start influencing change and redefining your own standards of excellence.
PBN: You first launched WIL Nexus one year ago. What are some highlights from your first year, and what do you have planned for the future?
MAJEWSKI: 2017 has very much been “the year of awareness for Nexus.” Some of the highlights have been: conceptualizing and holding quarterly events that attract everyone from our state’s biggest influencers to up-and-coming professional powerhouses, and assembling a robust blogging platform featuring commentary from more than 15 leaders. But to me, the biggest accomplishment has been meeting other women who share the belief that title and hierarchy do not define a leader.
The fact that so many women were either already living this way or were inspired to integrate these principles into their lives was the purest form of validation I could have received. In 2018, I plan to connect with an even larger group of women by officially opening up Rhode Island chapter and online memberships. I feel we all have a responsibility and a privilege to lead – sometimes it just means we have to evolve our definition of leadership to start taking action.
Galen Auer is a PBN contributing writer. Email galen.auer@gmail.com or follow on Twitter at @PBNAuer.
