Leadership Advice for Women and Emerging Leaders in the Electrical Industry
On the second day of NECA 2022, which is taking place in Austin, Texas, an energetic room of more than 100 people participated in an event called “Women in NECA Roundtable.” With approximately 75% of attendees being women, this roundtable featured an engaging keynote speaker, Danelle Whiteside, vice president of legal affairs at Austin-Peay State University. She gave an interactive presentation on leadership tools for women and emerging leaders in the male-dominated electrical industry to an audience of electrical contractors/professionals, business owners, emerging leaders, and industry veterans. Here are her steps for harnessing your power to lead:
- Care for yourself. Whiteside encourages doing activities that will recharge your power, such as taking a walk, doing breathing exercises, or making time for friends. “You can’t pour from an empty cup,” she said.
- Own your story. Know who you are and where you come from, Whiteside shared, adding, “You deserve to be in every room you walk into.” Also, be vulnerable enough to share your story with others to inspire openness.
- Know your “why.” Take time to understand why you do what you do. Whiteside said doing so will fuel your leadership capabilities.
- Give new ideas a chance. Whiteside advises women and emerging leaders to stay up to date on the latest technology, grow their technical knowledge, and amplify innovative voices around them. Most importantly, let those new ideas challenge you and help you grow as a leader.
- Use your voice to inspire change. She shares that it’s not enough to simply take up space in the room; leaders are responsible for opening doors for others and making others’ experiences better.
In an electrical industry that is predominately male with many on the verge of retirement, Whiteside said this roadmap can help women and emerging leaders gain confidence in their leadership/ideas – and most importantly, inspire others.
“When you harness the power to lead, you become like a power line and substation,” she said. “A person can just stand next to you or work with you and be empowered. You were the trailblazer that created that spark in them.”
