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Strategic Influence for Human-Centered Leaders
Tue, Oct 20, 10:00 PM**Tuesday, October 20th, 6:00-8:00 PM EDT** **Presentation & Discussion** **Strategic Influence for Human-Centered Leaders** Presented by Misha Energí **Event Description** As service designers mature into senior leadership, our mandate shifts from advising on customer experience to defending headcount, budget, and bottom-line impact. This transition can feel jarring: leadership politics often seem counter to our core values like empathy and collaboration, while our classic defense, “the work speaks for itself,” no longer holds. To keep growing, we need to evolve how we position our work and our roles, and mastering peer advocacy is a key driver in this shift. But winning support doesn't require a ruthless posture. Nor do we need to abandon our human-centric values. In fact, as service designers, we already hold the tools for strategic leadership; we simply need to redirect our empathy, systems thinking, and co-design methods toward internal dynamics. This interactive session introduces **Strategic Influence for Human-Centered Leaders**: a practical advocacy framework to align user-centric goals, complex stakeholder interests, and our own aspirations. Aimed at senior contributors and team leads who are thinking about “what’s next” in their careers, the session will unpack four leadership personas: **Visionary, Driver, Partner, and Diplomat**. Interactive exercises will show how inspiration, persuasion, collaboration, and consultation come together to reposition service design seniors as valuable business partners. **About Our Speaker** **Misha Energí** Misha Energí is an executive coach, facilitator, and founder of Speak Human Studio. They partner with professionals in tech and media to transform high potential talent into impactful leadership. With almost two decades of advisory experience in organizations like Google, Deloitte, and Cognizant, Misha’s coaching empowers under-represented talent to navigate corporate politics, claim authority, and prevent burnout. Misha’s "full-stack" coaching method combines advanced degrees in psychology with trainings in applied emotional intelligence, and evidence-based adult learning. Beyond their coaching practice, Misha runs The Queens Well (a wellness studio in Ridgewood, Queens), is a professor at Parsons School of Design, and serves as Donor Relations Lead for QARAVAN, an NGO supporting LGBTQ+ refugees. **Agenda** * 6:00-6:30PM Meet & mingle over food and drink * 6:30-7:30PM Presentation * 7:30-8:00PM Discussion & Networking * 8:00PM - ? After-Party **Address** Intuit 51 Astor Place New York, NY 10003 **After-Party**: Cuna Bar The Standard 25 Cooper Sq **Financial Transparency & Scholarships** As a non-profit, we do our best to strike a balance between making our events available to all and ensuring we keep the lights on. For this event, we are charging $10. * If this amount is prohibitive for you to attend this event, please email [Barr](https://www.meetup.com/sdnnyc/members/267573171/)y at sdn.newyorkchapter@gmail.com as we may miss messages on this platform. * If you’d like to **provide** scholarships, please message [Barry](https://www.meetup.com/sdnnyc/members/267573171/) at at sdn.newyorkchapter@gmail.com and he will follow up with you. See you there :) David, Francesco, Yasmin, Lynn, Nicholas, & Barry
Monthly Non-Monogamy Roundtable: Autonomy and Interdependence
Thu, Oct 22, 11:00 PM
Moving Forward NYC: AI & Tech Small Business Relaunch Mixer
Thu, Oct 15, 10:00 PM*Connect with local SMB owners, marketers, and founders to kick off Q3/Q4, share practical ideas, and build high-value connections.* Kick off Q3/Q4 with New Connections, Practical Strategy, and Community! Welcome to the official in-person relaunch of the Moving Forward with AI & Tech: Small Business Community! Whether you’ve been a member of this group for years or you’re joining us for the first time, this is our flagship gathering to meet in person, build meaningful business relationships, and share ideas on how AI and modern technology are helping local businesses scale. Hosted and sponsored by [Moving Forward Small Business](https://movingforwardsmallbusiness.com), this high-energy networking mixer brings together small business owners across all verticals, founders, operators, and marketing professionals in the NYC metro area. **What to Expect** * **High-Impact Networking**: Skip the awkward small talk. We’ll have structured icebreakers and industry-focused nametags so you can meet the right contacts fast. * **The New Community Roadmap**: Get a quick 15-minute look at what’s coming for our community, including upcoming virtual workshops, expert trainings, and tools. * **Call for Member Speakers**: Want to present at one of our future events? We are officially opening up stage spots for members to showcase their expertise, tech hacks, and business success stories. * **Q4 Momentum**: Connect with potential clients, referral partners, and collaborators as everyone gets back to business post-summer. **Event Agenda:** * **6:00 PM – 6:30 PM** \| Arrival & Open Networking Grab your badge, check in, and connect with fellow attendees. * **6:30 PM – 6:45 PM** \| State of the Community & Speaker Announcement A quick welcome from our leadership team, our vision for the group, and how you can apply to present at upcoming events. * **6:45 PM – 7:15 PM** \| Fast\-Track Connections A quick, fun, structured 2-minute rotation game to make sure you meet at least 5 new business owners in the room. * **7:15 PM – 8:00 PM** \| Open Mingling & Wrap\-Up Deepen the conversations you started, take group photos, and exchange contacts. **Who Should Attend?** * Small Business Owners & Founders looking to optimize operations, sales, finance, and marketing using technology. * Marketing Professionals & Consultants serving SMB clients. * Entrepreneurs & Operators hungry for practical strategies and high-value local networking. **RSVP Note:** Space is limited by venue capacity. Please RSVP early to secure your spot on the guest list!

High Performance Leadership Business Breakthrough Experience
Sat, Oct 17, 2:00 PMJoin John Mark Shaw for an impactful, in-person seminar, lunch, and networking event where you will learn the 4 Proven Strategies to Scale Your Business, Your Impact, and Your Income in the Current Economy and finish 2026 strong and launch into 2027 on a whole new trajectory! **[GET YOUR TICKET HERE!](https://www.johnmarkshawcoach.com/business-breakthrough-experience)** **In this live seminar, you will:** * **Learn the proven 8+ Figure CEO Playbook** that generates a repeating cycle of business breakthroughs, compounding confidence and exponential growth * **Define your bold 10X vision and strategic action plan** so you can finish 2026 strong and launch into 2027 on a whole new trajectory * **Replace fear, self-doubt, uncertainty and anxiety** with **clear vision, calm confidence and the courage to take bold action** * **Learn** **the 10X Formula the 8+ Figure Strategic Scale Up System and the Rapid Revenue Growth Formula** to collapse time and move your needle right away * **Generate breakthrough ideas by masterminding with like-minded entrepreneurs and leaders** to solve your most pressing business challenges * **Unleash your full potential** by learning to lead with an infinite mindset, strategic focus, and higher awareness **And So Much More...**

Public Speaking Workshop: Hands-on Training for Professionals
Sat, Oct 10, 8:00 PM### Overview Stop just **talking** about soft skills and start **doing** them! This fun, activity-based workshop focuses on practical skills for assertive communication, active listening, negotiation, and navigating the social landscape of the modern workplace. Ideal for engineers, product managers, and other tech professionals. ### Details Join a lively, hands-on communication workshop designed for software engineers, product managers, and other tech professionals who want to build real-time communication fluency and confidence in a low-pressure setting. ### What this event is This is a peer-to-peer, activity-based learning night where you won't just *hear* about best practices—you will immediately *practice* them in a variety of fast-paced games and guided role-playing scenarios. The focus is on building confidence, developing muscle memory for tough conversations, and supporting each other as a community while having a good time. ### How it works You will participate in a rotating series of structured, interactive activities focused on key workplace communication challenges. You will work in pairs and small groups, taking turns as the 'communicator' and the 'listener/feedback giver' in short, focused rounds. **We will be playing games and running scenarios to practice:** * **Assertive Communication:** Expressing ideas clearly and standing up for yourself without being aggressive. * **Active Listening:** Understanding and responding effectively to a colleague's needs or concerns. * **Negotiation & Compromise:** Finding mutually beneficial solutions in decision-making and project debates. * **Workplace Navigation:** Handling office politics, giving constructive feedback, and advocating for your team/ideas. After each activity, you and your partners will give each other specific, actionable feedback to help refine your technique, clarity, and overall presence. ### Who should attend This workshop is ideal for: * **Engineers and Technical Experts** who want to translate complex ideas into clear, compelling workplace communication. * **Product Managers and Tech Leads** needing to improve negotiation and difficult conversation skills. * **Professionals** feeling out of practice or intimidated by presenting, advocating, or workplace dynamics. All experience levels are welcome; the only requirement is a willingness to practice, give feedback, and treat others with respect. **This is a workshop for developing skills, not a lecture.** ### About the facilitator (Nick Cernek) The session will be facilitated by Nick Cernek, a seasoned **Tech Lead and Manager** who has successfully led high-performing engineering teams. Nick’s experience is rooted in understanding how to move projects forward and secure resources by **effectively navigating the political and social realities of a large organization.** Nick will share proven strategies for managing challenging stakeholders, advocating for team needs, and using **strategic communication** to drive professional and organizational success. ### Vibe and expectations Expect a **highly interactive, lighthearted, and encouraging atmosphere** where making mistakes is the best way to learn and feedback is always constructive. The goal is to walk away with more confidence, a toolkit of practical communication strategies, and the muscle memory to use them when it counts—while meeting other local tech folks working to enhance their soft skills.

Parade grounds soccer game
Sat, Oct 10, 7:00 PMThe game starts at 3:15 so please be on time if you’re coming. Only RSVP if you plan to actually show up. This isn’t a beginner friendly game, intermediate and advanced players welcome. If your plans change, please cancel by Friday 8:00 PM so we can adjust.
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