There’s something slightly funny about getting ready to chair a leadership conference by putting on lipstick in your own family room. There’s no green room and no stage lights. Just a mirror, decent WiFi, and the quiet confidence that yes, this counts as preparation now.
I hit record on a reel because the moment felt worth capturing. Me listening. Me learning. And, of course, me snacking. Me pretending that tea is a legitimate performance enhancer, too. Ah, the glamorous life of modern leadership.
The Leadership for Women in Healthcare conference always reminds me how much happens in the in-between moments (this was our second annual event, over at SoMeDocs, and yes, we are even now preparing for a third!): the pauses between sessions. The notes scribbled on the side of a notebook. The way one comment sparks a new way of thinking that you didn’t expect when you logged on that morning. Chairing the event means keeping things moving, creating space for strong ideas, making sure conversations stay grounded and generous. It also means staying open enough to keep learning while you’re facilitating.
Which, honestly, is one of my favorite parts.
Somewhere between muting and unmuting myself, refilling my mug, and realizing my snack choices said more about my stress level than I cared to admit, I found myself smiling at the depth of the conversations unfolding on screen. Leadership isn’t a costume you put on for the camera. It’s the way you listen. The way you respond when ideas challenge you. The way you hold room for perspectives that stretch your own.
And the speakers brought exactly that kind of energy.
You can take a look at all of the names who were involved in creating an event of four otherwise regular weeknights, on our SoMeDocs landing page, right here.
What I love most about building these conferences is that they never feel transactional. They feel alive. People show up ready to contribute rather than perform. Questions get better as the sessions go on. Ideas connect in unexpected ways. The room becomes smarter collectively than any one person could be alone.
That’s the kind of leadership environment I care about creating.
The reel itself is intentionally simple. No big production or overthinking. Just small slices of what the day actually looked like. I listened closely, thought deeply, and took sips of tea like it was somehow fueling wisdom.
It’s easy to forget, in the middle of scaling platforms, publishing content, launching initiatives, and building infrastructure, that leadership still happens in very human moments. It happens when you slow down enough to absorb what someone else is offering. It happens when you let yourself stay curious instead of rushing toward certainty. And it happens when you create spaces where people feel safe to think out loud and evolve their ideas.
That’s what this conference continues to represent for me. Momentum. Perspective. A reminder that growth simply requires attention.
And also snacks. Let’s be honest with ourselves.
If you’ve ever wondered what it actually looks like to chair an online conference, this is probably closer to the truth than any polished highlight reel. A laptop. A cup of tea. A few quiet moments of reflection between sessions. A steady appreciation for the people who bring their full selves into the conversation.
And yes, a swipe of lipstick before going live, because sometimes leadership is equal parts presence and practicality.
I’m grateful for the community that continues to show up with thoughtfulness, intelligence, and generosity. I’m grateful for the speakers who raise the bar every time. And I’m grateful that even after all these years of building SoMeDocs, I still find myself learning something new when I sit down to listen.
Which feels like exactly the right place to be.
I’m already setting the stage for a 3rd annual event and this time, we’ll be bringing the men along. The next event will be called “Leadership, Strategy & Career Expansion,” and we might dedicate a section of the conference to the woman leader, given it’s such a popular niche.
