Page 12 - BusinessWest October 31, 2022

Editorial
ICelebrating Women of Impact
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n 2018, BusinessWest launched a new recognition program, Mass. She is an innovator, a motivator, and a true leader;
one what would recognize the outstanding accomplish- • Anika Lopes, an internationally recognized milliner (or hat ments of women across this region and tell stories that maker) who returned to her ancestral home of Amherst three years
might otherwise go untold.
This new program, this new honor, needed a name. After many
options were considered, ‘Woman of Impact’ was chosen because, while success in business is certainly a consideration, there are many other ways to make a difference in this community, and we wanted to show that.
Over the first four years of this program, we have done that just, and this pattern continues with the class of 2022 — a very diverse group of eight women who have given back, and changed lives, in many different ways: by taking their business or nonprofit to new levels of success; by serving as a role model to others, but espe- cially women and girls; by mentoring others and helping them find direction and purpose in their lives; by persevering through adver- sity; by doing, well ... all of the above.
As the stories that begin on page 18 show, these are indeed, Women of Impact. They are:
• Latoya Bosworth, who, through her work with MassHuman- ities, her coaching of professionals, her mentoring of young people, her efforts to promote breast health and the importance of mam- mograms, and much, much more, helps others “transcend limits and transform lives,” as she likes to say;
• Sister Mary Caritas, the 99-year-old leader and inspiration to generations of residents of this region. She has led hospitals, served on countless boards, and even led the effort to end the odor prob- lems at Bondi’s Island. But mostly, she has shown others the value of getting involved and the power of perseverance;
• Jodi Falk, who has been on public assistance for a short time in her life and knows what food insecurity is all about. And that’s one of many chapters in her life that has enabled her to take the reins of the nonprofit Rachel’s Table, broaden its mission, create new programs, and meet the needs of more people in Western
Opinion
ago and set about bringing its neglected history — particularly the history of the Black and indigenous people who shaped it — into the light, and lauched a foundation to help provide today’s BIPOC communities with opportunities for success;
• Laurie Raymaakers, who knows that success in business does not come easy, but through hard work, sacrifice, and finding ways to make it through the difficult days that inevitably come. Her story brings all this home in a compelling way while also showing that there are many ways to touch people’s lives and impact the com- munity we call home;
• Hilda Roqué, who came to Holyoke from Puerto Rico at age 14, far from home and with no sense of belonging. Her role as exec- utive director of Nuestras Raíces comes with many responsibili- ties, including its mission to connect people to their roots through agriculture. But beyond that, she is committed to seeing that those arriving today, and in the years to come, are not made to feel as she was;
• Ashley Sullivan, who, even as she succeeded in college and in her early career in engineering, often felt inadequate for the task. Her achievements, capped by earning the presidency of her firm after two decades, has instilled in her a desire to inspire and support young engineers, especially young women, with not just opportunity, but confidence; and
• Aelan Tierney, who told BusinessWest that “architecture impacts every aspect of our life. If you’re in a good space, you do and feel good, and if you’re in a bad space, it can make your life dif- ficult. I like how architecture makes an impact on people.” She has indeed made an impact with more than her architecture. She’s also a leader in her business and in the community, and she’s a true role model. v
Active Listening and Leadership
IBy Valerie Boudreau
t seems like people are talking at each other more than
listening to each other these days. Think about how many
emails, text messages, voice mails, and other interruptive, one-way communications we send and receive — there’s a lot more talking than active listening going on.
The ability to listen effectively is not only a critical communica- tion skill, but also a strong leadership skill. Active listening allows employees, customers, and co-workers to feel that their ideas, thoughts and perspectives are heard, accepted, and understood.
To become a better listener, you need to understand what is involved in effective communication and develop the techniques to sit quietly and listen — a feat of true discipline and self-control! You must ignore your own needs and focus solely on the person speaking. Here are a few keys to active listening:
• Focus on the person and the message. Focus your entire atten- tion on the speaker, and listen without judging or trying to come back with a response before they’re halfway through speaking. Look at the speaker’s body language in addition to their words.
• Communicate your attention. Use your body language and gestures to let the speaker know you are locked into what they’re saying. Face them directly and make eye contact. Sit or stand in an open position. Smile and nod occasionally.
• Acknowledge what the person is saying. From time to time, use “uh-huh” or “I see” to indicate you are following what the person is saying. This indicates that you are actively listening and following
them, not necessarily that you agree with them.
• Don’t interrupt. Interrupting shows impatience and disrespect,
especially if you interrupt with an argument rather than a ques- tion. It frustrates the speaker and limits your understanding of the message. Allow the speaker to finish each point before asking questions.
• Build rapport. Engage with the speaker by asking questions or reflecting back what you have heard. For example, say, “what I’m hearing you say is...” or “I’m not sure I understand...” This dem- onstrates that you are paying attention and will allow you to gain more information.
• Be authentic in your response. Your job as the listener is to gain information, perspective, and understanding. Be candid, open, and honest when responding to the speaker, but do so in a respectful manner. If there is conflict or disagreement, focus your response on the issue rather than the person.
As leaders, to make the best decisions for our organizations, we need as much information and as many different perspectives as possible. Active listening encourages people to proactively share information, ideas, thoughts, and perspectives because they know they will be heard and respected. v
Valerie Boudreau leads the Learning & Development team at the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast. This article first appeared on the EANE blog.
12 OCTOBER 31, 2022
OPINION
BusinessWest