Celebrating the SPECTRUM: Embracing Every Hue of Identity
Pride month was off to an emphatic start with SPA hosting the ever-exciting SPECTRUM, their flagship celebration of diversity and inclusion. From panelists providing thought-provoking industry insights to special guests that were gushing with enthusiasm - there are a ton of unforgettable activities throughout this eight-hour extravaganza! Unfortunately, I can’t do all the events justice, so I’ll be highlighting some of my personal favourites. Without further ado, let’s dive into the SPECTRUM 2024 recap!
Corporate Queens: Inside the Drag Business
Spectrum Conference Attendees with Dahlia Doll and Suki Doll
The esteemed guests include: Suki Doll, also known as André Pham, a successful drag queen and entrepreneur who is most known for her time on Season 2 of Canada's Drag Race. Dahlia Doll, formerly known as Miss Shay dee, a drag queen that has branched out into music, famously won Miss El Convento Rico just last year. You can also find her on television shows such as Private Eyes, Call Me Mother, and Cash Cab Music. The Dolls stole the spotlight with their high-energy, engaging performance showcasing their talents in performance, but I think the standout performance was in the comedy. Every joke throughout the Q&A section landed to uproarious laughter from the audience. Throughout the Q&A, many fascinating details and advice regarding the drag industry arose that is so good, it’s worth repeating:
How Does One Get Into Drag?
Have a diverse skill set: You might think to be a successful drag performer you just need a makeup artist and some fancy dance moves and you have the whole drag thing figured out. At least that’s what I initially thought, but I couldn’t be further from the truth. Drag performers have to dabble in and be proficient in expressing themselves in various ways. Drag performers have to understand their audience and work to their interests whether it can be acting, dancing, or comedy. Without a vast repertoire, entertaining large audiences for an extended period of time turns into an uphill battle.
Have the passion to start: “Duh!” you might be thinking, however without passion, days preparing for the drag show can feel like a drag. Therefore, it is important to be bursting with dedication to endure the hours of preparation that go into a comparatively short performance.
Have a detailed roadmap: It is important to plan long-term as you can’t do drag forever. Just like the sports you see on TV - it is highly demanding on the body and you need to be at your physical peak (20-30s) to put on an electrifying performance. The performers mentioned how they personally plan to focus on the business-side of their career into their 40-50s with hopes to become a high-ranking executive.
Moving on, let’s talk about some of the workshops that discussed ever-so important, yet neglected traits of a thriving workplace and employee. These experiences felt personable and applicable to your own work to get the most out of it.
From Colleagues to Collaborators: How To Create Meaningful Connections
It’s common sense that you need to socialize to build knowledge and nurture relationships. It is so important that it is one of the most important necessities on Maslow's hierarchy of needs for any person. Furthermore, the term networking has become a ubiquitous buzzword that you’ll hear in any business workshop. So, what makes this experience different? Nestle’s Meagan Warrian, Talent and Development Manager and Laurel Falconi, Senior Manager for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion teamed up to answer that very question. With the use of statistics and experiences that back up the statements they make - some of which I would like to share as I found them captivating.
DID YOU KNOW?
You are SEVEN times more likely to be engaged with the work you do, if you have an office best friend. This comes with a plethora of benefits such as: getting work done in less time to reach those damn quotas, collaborating to develop innovative ideas, and most vital of all, actually having fun at work. Gone are the days of having a happy facade! I’m sure you could’ve deduced that having a friend at work would provide such benefits, but to what extent?
14% increase in productivity
66% increase in well-being
23% increase in profitability
13% increase in organizational behaviour citizenship (shoutout to 2nd year orgs, if you know you know)
THE IMPOSTER WITHIN: WHAT IMPOSTER SYNDROME DO YOU MOST CLOSELY IDENTIFY WITH?
Accenture dove into the various forms of imposter syndrome with:
Zeynep Uncu, Campus Recruiting Analyst
Louay Mneimneh, Capital Projects Consultant
Max Kwan, Senior AI Analyst
Dhiraj Hariramani, Management Consulting Senior Analyst
It is important to recognize what type of imposter syndrome you fall under to make proactive steps in overcoming them. The section below gives a quick succinct summary on each form of imposter syndrome, so that you can find the one you most identify with. As the faster you can identify where you fall, the earlier you can start coming up with action steps towards a solution.
the perfectionist
The most common type of imposter syndrome is the perfectionist that sets the highest of standards for themselves at the expense of their mental health. Behaviours that are common with being a perfectionist are: burnout, procrastination, and anxiety.
the superhero
Despite the cool name, the meaning behind the title is a lot less cool. The superhero is someone that puts immeasurable pressure on them to excel in every role. This leads to working longer hours and taking on more responsibilities. Much like the perfectionist, it can manifest into a destructive cycle of overworking to prove their competence that ultimately burns out both your brain and your body.
the soloist
As you can probably guess from the name, the soloist much like Narcissus' downfall comes from obsession with oneself. Soloists work alone and avoid asking for help believing it is a sign of weakness. They are proud of the work they do, however this independence leads to inefficiencies and missed opportunities to collaborate to learn, share, and create innovative pieces of work.
the expert
The expert is relentless in their pursuit for knowledge. They need to know everything before starting any project and will go to any means to get the desired information. Experts seek out certifications, licenses, courses, anything that will provide them more knowledge for a sense of accomplishment. This can hinder taking action as there is a constant pursuit of knowledge and generates feelings of self-doubt
the natural genius
Often associated with the Dunning-Kruger effect - the natural genius greatly overestimates their intelligence and believe they should be able to master any skill with ease. This perpetuates a fixed mindset that avoids challenges and causes the underdevelopment of core traits like perseverance and growth.
SPECTRUM was an unforgettable start to pride month bringing together revered guests from various industries to celebrate diversity, acceptance, and inclusion. From the nail-biting case competitions showcasing student's academic prowess to the lively, dynamic drag show that was a lively introduction to the ever-popular drag industry for many guests. SPECTRUM had a little bit of everything that appealed to anything. These sessions revealed the significant impact that self-belief and inclusion can have on one’s personal and professional life.
