Courtney VanLonkhuyzen kicked-off the 14 Under 45 Speaker Series by key-noting the event on Thursday, June 18th, at Blackfinn Ameripub. She was one of the many academic professionals to give advice on achieving success in the workforce.
VanLonkhuyzen is not only a part of Lenovo’s Mobile Business Group’s Supply Chain, but is also a part of the Asia Pacific Lead Counsel and the corporate secretary and vice president of the Motorola Mobility Foundation. Being a woman with this much experience under her belt, VanLonkhuyzen did a great job of setting the tone of the evening as the keynote.
VanLonkhuyzen shared with us her ten core strategies for success. Among some of her tips for success were finding connections and over-committing.
When it comes to making connections, VanLonkhuyzen often says to “be a person, not just a professional”. By this, VanLonkhuyzen means that one should share who they are with others and listen to who others are as well.
“You need to be authentic as you do that, as finding connections with people is a very human and compassionate thing we should do more often,” said VanLonkhuyzen.
VanLonkhuyzen spoke of other core strategies for success. For example, connecting with other people can lead to mentorship, and can help surround oneself with the better and best colleagues that will help one become a positive person. VanLonkhuyzen also in over-committing. In other words, don’t let changes and challenges scare you, but instead, embrace them.
“If you say ‘no’ too fast, you’ll miss out on seeing how that challenge may have been exactly what you needed. We also get stuck in a routine of doing what is easy and right in front of us, instead of reaching and stretching for where we want to be.”
Over-committing was the last of VanLonkhuyzen’s ten tips for success, but it was certainly not the least significant. Ending on this note was an encouraging way to tell the young girls present at this event to never let anything hold them back from their wildest dreams, no matter how difficult the road to success may seem.
