Karina Michel

mavoimages - stock.adobe.com It starts in a living room, in a café, in a classroom or in a cramped corner of a conference hall. A few people share stories. Some laugh, some wince, some frown. But as voices echo off the walls, something shifts. The conversation, relaxed and informal, plants seeds. Months, sometimes years, later a film is made, a nonprofit is founded, a band is formed. These “everyday conversations” are often dismissed as fleeting.

As women in business, we know firsthand that it can sometimes feel like an uphill battle to become what you want to be in the workplace, especially in male-dominated industries. But the truth is that there are ways to set yourself apart as a leader at work — without having to make any drastic changes or take huge risks.