Adding Value to Our Work-Life: Tips from the CSB Business Symposium

By Natalie Baker—I had the honor to attend CSB’s first annual business symposium in November. One of the memorable sessions that I attended was Kathy Kest’s “Imagine” presentation. She is a Distinguished Toastmaster and an Associate IT Project Manager at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Her session offered symposium attendees a heartfelt view on scientific management by covering several management styles and relating each style to what it means to our individual self-worth. Styles covered throughout Ms. Kest’s presentation included Taylorism, Carrot and Stick Approach, and Results Only Work Environment (ROWE) Method.

Making Moments Count

Ms. Kest opened up her speech by singing a snippet of “The Sound of Music” as sang by Mary Martin in the 1959 movie of the same title. As Martin pulls herself from constraint (in the movie) and “breaks out of her glass tomb,” as Kathy put it, she frees herself from societal pressures and biases to find her true calling, which leads to complete happiness. This, Ms. Kest believes, is something that is attainable for every person who identifies what he or she wants his or her life to be, and forces his or her mind to go in a different direction, which fosters innovation. According to Ms. Kest, one of the simplest things we can do to release our capabilities is “make our moments count” by taking the time to think, which is sometimes made easier in our working lives by specific types of work environments, like those that incorporate the 80-20 Rule.

Making an Impact
There was crowd participation and the topic became a discussion on what really matters. Ms. Kest pointed out that she was able to move forward past biases, negativity, and constraint when she asked herself “What value have I added to the world, and how can I impact others?” This one question has and continues to shape Ms. Kest’s life by allowing her to engender innovative ideas on technological advances that have benefited patients, employees, and family members of MD Anderson. The question also provided Ms. Kest with the opportunity to share information on Toastmasters International and how the organization has impacted her and has allowed her to positively impact others’ lives.

Conclusion
With relevant and exciting references to movies like “The Fault in our Stars” and “The Hunger Games,” Ms. Kest was able to transform serious subject matter into a mindful and provoking discussion. By considering the type of work environment that we create, and how we can work towards or work in identifying our purpose and what we want our lives to be, we can achieve whatever it is that makes us happy.

Natalie Baker
University of St. Thomas–Master of Science in Accounting (candidate)