On Sunday, September 4, 2022 ETK Leadership Solutions, hosted its first “Brunch for Thought” experience at Zanzibar Lounge in Geneva.
Founded in 2018 by Swiss trained sociologist Dr. Eleanor T. Khonje as a practical hub, ETK Leadership Solutions provides leadership solutions to tackle gendered personal and professional challenges. The company, which offers training curriculums, leadership coaching, workshops and motivational keynotes, also hosts fun but structured social “experiences”, designed as safe spaces where individual needs can find community support.
Dr. Khonje conceived of Brunch for Thought as a way to carve out a safe space where women could engage in candid conversations about their experiences, in a world still rife with systemic gendered biases. For this first-of-its-kind event in Geneva, she chose the theme “Unearthing and Unleashing the Power of You”, encouraging attendees to dig deep to uncover and unleash their unique strengths. This theme was equally appropriate for the Geneva based firm, which after almost five years in existence, operating beyond the limelight of a now ubiquitous global wellness movement, finally had its big public début. Brunch for Thought was a veritable “unleashing moment” for Dr. Khonje and her team.
The event brought together over fifty women of all walks of life, from Geneva and beyond. In their midst were a few brave men too, earnestly engaged in learning about what it means to unearth and unleash the power of who they are. Dr. Khonje ably led Brunch for Thought attendees through a series of expertly curated activities, which while fun and engaging served the purpose of meeting specific personal and professional development learning objectives. Journaling exercises encouraged the women and men to reflect on the ways in which the expression of their individuality had been influenced by societal forces, decks of “Conversation Prompts Cards” facilitated meaningful exchanges at each table, and an original Q&A segment entitled “Questions in a Jar” allowed participants to ask pithy, personal questions anonymously. With every minute of the brunch carefully planned, there was never a dull moment.
The culmination of the event saw Dr. Khonje take the floor to lead an “Empowerment Moment”, in which she shared practical tools that attendees could use to unearth and unleash their “superpower” – their authenticity. Peppered with anecdotes and concrete examples from her own personal experiences, the practices emphasized self-awareness, self-examination and self-evaluation, while encouraging accountability, a life-long commitment to learning and gratitude. Echoing the company’s call to arms, Dr. Khonje’s stirring closing remarks challenged those present to begin the difficult task of walking authentically in the totality of whom they were meant and dare to be.
