WLiT Recap - Bridging the Gap: Moving from Stuck to Success with Jaime Taets » MnTech

WLiT Recap – Bridging the Gap: Moving from Stuck to Success with Jaime Taets

Jaime Taets; Author, public speaker, podcast host, and CEO of Keystone Group International

American workers are in a unique position at the moment. On paper, many have a good job and a good salary, but we are seeing workers who are dissatisfied, burnt out, and feeling stuck. To help address this growing problem, the Women Leading in Technology group brought in Jaime Taets, the CEO of Keystone Group International, to share advice on moving from stuck to success.

Just how big is this problem? During her keynote speech, Jaime cited research from the Society of Human Resource Management, which found that one in four Americans dread going to work. This is causing millions of Americans to mentally check out or leave their role with no other opportunities lined up, and it especially affects women in the workforce.

According to Jaime, this dissatisfaction is due to a gap between organizations that are striving for innovation with limited resources, and employees who are often overworked and striving for meaningful connections.

Jaime’s goal is to help others bridge this gap, get themselves unstuck, and launch their career and personal lives forward despite obstacles in the way. During her keynote, Jaime identified five main factors that keep us stuck and offered insights on how to combat them.

1. Fear

Fear is ubiquitous and keeps us from pursuing our goals. Jaime challenged the audience to consider what their goals might be if fear weren’t an option, which for her, are climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and appearing on the Today Show. Not only will this shift in mindset help you, but it can also influence those around you to pursue opportunities fearlessly as well.

1. Voices

Who do you let influence you? Jaime challenged the audience to be mindful of which voices you listen to and which you respectfully ignore. A well-meaning family member or friend may have a different risk profile than you and their fear over your decision may influence you. Jaime recommends listening to the people who are in the arena with you.

1. Comparison

Every day, we are inundated with reminders of others who seem to be more accomplished or successful than we are. Jaime challenged the audience to view these people as inspiration rather than someone to be beaten.

1. Perfectionism

As a self-proclaimed recovering perfectionist, Jaime reminded the audience that there will never be a right time to do something. Choosing progress over perfection is a key step in becoming unstuck.

1. Finish Line Syndrome

Your end goal may be so far away that it can seem impossible to reach from where you are now. Jaime advised the audience to figure out the milestones and small steps that will get you to your goal and celebrate the small wins when they come.

Knowing what is holding you back is a critical piece to moving forward. In the second half of her presentation, Jaime offered tips and tactics that the audience can implement in their every day life.

Reframe Your Perspective

When you are facing an obstacle, reframing your perspective can help you figure out how to move past it. Jaime suggests physically shifting your perspective by going for a walk, attending different events than you normally would, and pursuing discomfort to help you find answers you normally wouldn’t see.

Embrace Obstacles

Additionally, shifting your perspective to embrace obstacles as part of your journey, rather than being in the way of your journey can make you more resilient. Lastly, recognize that being stuck may be the catalyst you need to become unstuck. The challenge you are going through might be necessary to push you in to your next period of growth.

Jaime’s speech comes at a critical time in the technology workforce. The technology sector is facing serious talent shortages and the COVID-19 pandemic caused many women to leave the workforce. Women Leading in Technology (WLiT) and its Board of Directors are grateful for Jaime lending her time and sharing her timely knowledge with this group. Her advice and goal of helping others succeed aligns with the goals of WLiT, which are to connect, educate, and reach back to women in technology. Learn more about this community on the MnTech site and keep an eye out for the 2023 event series.

Jayshree Seth
Corporate Scientist, 3M

Jayshree Seth is a Corporate Scientist at 3M and currently holds 77 patents for a variety of innovations, with several additional pending. She joined 3M in 1993 after an MS and PhD in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University, New York. She is a Distinguished Alumni Award recipient from her alma mater REC Trichy India, now NIIT Trichy, where she earned a B. Tech. in Chemical Engineering.

Jayshree was appointed 3M’s first ever Chief Science Advocate in 2018 and is using her scientific knowledge, technical expertise and professional experience to advance science and communicate the benefits of science and the importance of diversity in STEM fields. She is also a member of Carlton Society which is the 3M Science and Engineering “Hall of Fame.” Jayshree is the fourth woman and first female engineer to be inducted. In 2020, she was awarded Society of Women Engineers (SWE) highest Achievement Award. She is also the first-ever winner of a Gold Stevie® Award in the new Female Thought Leaders of the Year – category in the 18th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business in 2021. Jayshree was featured in a docuseries titled Not the Science Type that premiered during the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival and accepted for Brand Storytelling Showcase, a sanctioned event at Sundance Film Festival. She is the author of the books, The Heart of Science – Engineering Footprints, Fingerprints, & Imprints, and The Heart of Science – Engineering Fine Print published by the Society of Women Engineers, and all sales proceeds go to a scholarship for underrepresented minority women in STEM. She is a sought-after speaker, globally, on a multitude of topics such as innovation, leadership and STEM advocacy and has featured in local, national and international media.

Jayshree has served on the CEOs Inclusion Council, chaired the 3M Asian Employee Resource Group A3CTION and serves on the Steering Committee for 3M Technical Women’s Leadership Forum (WLF). She also serves on the Board of the Science Museum of Minnesota, Engineering Advisory Council for Clarkson University, AAAS Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy (COSEPP), Advisory Board for Innovation – The Conference Board, and Advisory Group of Aspen Institute Our Future is Science program.

Jayshree has two adult kids, and her husband also works at 3M.