Jennifer Lauritzen

Honestly, at first, I was a little hesitant about attending the camp, thinking why do I need to go to a Women Specific Leadership Boot Camp as opposed to a Co-Ed Leadership camp. However, with Barbara Jackson as one of the camp leaders, I was motivated to go, as I knew her from my college days and through DBIA and knew she was a good instructor and facilitator. I quickly discovered this format of a small, women-only group was of great value for me personally, creating an environment where I could really understand the differences between managing as a woman vs as a man. It is hard to describe the Boot Camp experience, but at the conclusion of the camp, I had a clear sense of who I am and my purpose. Once we had established a clear sense of our purpose, we then defined some specific personal development/career goals. The boot camp helped me define where I could best contribute to the success of Swinerton and my assignments based on my own unique experiences, instincts, strengths and weaknesses. Before this camp, at many steps along the way in my career path, I have been uncertain on what it is that I want to be doing and what the next step was for me in my career. Now I am completely clear and I have started to map out how I want my future to progress, it is still a work in progress, but I get excited and energized just thinking about it. Initially, what we learned did not make me want a change my current job or responsibilities, but it did inspire a change in how I act and who I am in my current role. A year later, after starting to implement some changes in my own area of influence, I now see a bigger picture of how I can continue to help the company calling on my strengths and instincts. It really is a “Call to Action” as described in the promotional information. We created strong bonds with the group and continue to check in on one another and hold each other accountable to follow through on our goals. If you choose to send someone, be prepared for a change, they will come back with a clear sense of purpose and feel more empowered.

My Purpose is ‘To lift people up so they can be seen.

This basically means I am very passionate about helping other people be successful; hiring the right people and ensuring they receive the training and opportunities to allow them to reach their goals.