MAPS-Chicago: Mentoring Circles Program Closing & Executive Presence Workshop

The WIB-Chicago 2025 Mentoring Circles Program closed out with an executive presence workshop on December 10 at Grove Biopharma, bringing together over 20 mentors, mentees, MAPS alumni, and members of the broader WIB community.

Guest speaker Janine Maclachlan spoke on executive presence, emphasizing practical, approachable strategies anyone can apply. She introduced the “power of threes,” encouraging participants to keep communication focused on three key points to improve clarity, recall, and impact, and walked through the core elements of executive presence—communication, appearance, and gravitas. Discussions around clear messaging, good posture, and maintaining a calm, confident demeanor sparked lively participation, with attendees openly sharing examples from their own professional experiences. Janine reinforced that executive presence is a skill anyone can cultivate, not something reserved for a select few. She provided a worksheet to help participants continue developing these skills beyond the session.

The evening wrapped up with refreshments and continued networking, offering a fitting close to the Mentoring Circles program while leaving attendees with practical tools to build respect, influence, and authenticity at work.

Submitted by Samia Tasmim