WOMEN BENEFIT FROM CONFERENCES THAT CONNECT THEM WITH OTHER WOMEN

February 14, 20181 minute read

An article in Harvard Business Review, written by Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage, details how women can benefit from participating in an event focused on leadership, fairness and success. The results of his study “astounded” him.

The author decided to study the impact after being asked by a fellow passenger on an airplane if such events actually “move the needle on equality.”

He found that compared to a control group of women who signed up for a conference but had not yet attended, those who had participated received double the number of promotions and triple the number of pay increases, as well as coming away with a more positive outlook and a feeling of greater connectedness.

Based on his research and experience, the key elements of an event where women experience those benefits are “(1) a sense of social connection felt by the attendees, (2) engaging sessions, (3) leaders who role model and exemplify the qualities that the conference is attempting to instill, (4) a memorable moment, and (5) a realistic assessment of the present with an optimistic look to the future.”