When You’re in the Room With Greatness….

When You’re in the Room With Greatness…DON’T WASTE IT!!!

Happy Wednesday beautiful readers!  Today’s blog will be a bit different than what I usually write.  Today, I am a little disappointed and will be giving a bit of chastisement, knowledge, instruction, and lastly, hopefully inspiration.

Last night, I attended an event full of executives, one of those gatherings where brilliant minds meet bright futures.  The goal was simple, connect accomplished business leaders with students, sharing real-world insight, mentorship, and wisdom that no classroom can teach.   But some of what I saw last night wasn’t what this event was designed for.  A lot of attendees were unprepared before they even walked in the room.  When you’re in the room with greatness, you cannot treat it like a job fair, if you do, you have caused the main purpose to become lost, and have wasted everyone’s time.

If you get the opportunity to be in the room with greatness, executives who have spent years giving up their personal lives and time with family, climbing ladders, building companies, and learning from their mistakes; your first job is not to impress them, it is to learn from them.  When you walk into a room where people are offering their time and expertise, be prepared to receive what’s being offered!  These executives came ready to give. They brought decades of experience, stories of failure and triumph, and lessons learned the hard way.  Yet so many attendees arrived with empty questions. Some didn’t know who they were meeting, what companies were represented, or even what they wanted to learn.

If you’re lucky enough to be in the room with greatness, don’t wing it.  Research who will be there. Know their work, their story, their impact.  When you shake their hand, say something that shows effort, that you value their time enough to do your homework.  When you show up prepared, you don’t just impress them, you invite connection, mentorship, and opportunity.

Don’t Waste Their Time, Respect It

Let me say this with all the love I can give. These executives aren’t there to read your résumé like it’s a golden ticket.  They are there to talk, teach, and share what they’ve learned so you can learn.  Yet, too many people mistake access for entitlement, every “um, what do you do again?” moment chips away at your credibility.

Remember, preparation is free, and powerful!  Google the executives before you arrive, read their bio’s, learn everything you can about them; what company they are representing, what challenges their field is currently facing.

Start with curiosity.

Ask them what they wish they’d known when they were your age, what they look for in great leaders, or about their biggest failure, and what it taught them.  Ask questions that make them pause and say, “Wow, that’s a great point.”

Remember: they already have a job. You’re there to gain wisdom, not employment.

Some of the most powerful lessons don’t come from speaking, they come from silence.  Every executive, every mentor, every leader carries invisible scars from mistakes you can avoid if you just stop talking long enough to listen.  Listening is an art and it separates those who grow from those who don’t.  When you listen with intention, you’ll catch insights that others miss. The subtle cues, the lessons between the lines.

The next time you’re in a room full of this much wisdom treat it like a live mentorship.

Absorb. Reflect. Take notes.

Their words might just be the blueprint you need for your next big move.

Be INSPIRED!

Being in the room of greatness should ignite your curiosity and inspire you. Leaders remember curiosity more than credentials.

Take what you hear and apply it.  If they spoke about resilience, start building yours.  If they shared a story about failure, examine your own and reframe it.

Let their greatness remind you that they started somewhere too, probably just as uncertain and underprepared as you are now.

If they gave you contact information, they expect you to use it.  After the event, thank them.  A simple email or LinkedIn message goes further than you think.  Mention something specific you learned from talking with them, this detail tells them you were listening, and you respect their time.

The big take away…..don’t ask for a job!  Build a relationship first.  Relationships open doors that jobs can’t.

It’s also important to remember, no matter where you are, you never know who’s watching you.  Every meeting, every coffee line conversation could be the start of something life-changing.

You should treat every room like it is full of opportunity, because it is!

Being in the room with greatness is a privilege, but it’s also a test.
It reveals who’s serious about their growth and who just wants to look the part.
Preparation, presence, respect, humility, and action are what separate dreamers from doers.

So next time you find yourself in the room with greatness, show up like you belong there.
Ask thoughtful questions. Listen deeply. Take notes. Then go out and build something that makes you the greatness in the next room.

I do want to end today with positivity.  There were a select few that showed up with notes on the executives they wanted to speak with.  They had detailed questions written down and engaged with meaningful conversation.  As I watched them, they showed genuine interest, had good conversations with no awkward silences.  These select few were prepared, and they left with knowledge!  To those few, I say thank you!  Thank you for understanding the meaning of the night and thank you for respecting the time of the executives and those that worked hard to bring the event together.  Finally, thank you for taking it seriously and taking your future seriously!  I am proud of you!

SmartrWomen + Leadership = Greatness

SmartrWomen exists to remind women that leadership begins with preparation, confidence, and the willingness to learn from those who’ve paved the way before you.  It’s a movement built on mentorship, collaboration, and bold self-development.  If you’re a woman ready to rise, to lead, and to walk into every room knowing you belong there, this is your space.  Because at SmartrWomen, we don’t just show up for opportunity — we create it.

Join the Conversation

We’d love to hear from you! Have you ever found yourself in a room full of greatness? What did you learn, and how did it change the way you show up? Drop your thoughts in the comments, your story might be the spark that inspires another woman to rise.

Raw. Rooted. Rising = Unstoppable Legacy.