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Ahlia Kitwana, PMP
CEO & Founder | Authentic Leadership + Career Development | Gallup-Certified Strengths | ID + Integrate Strengths💪🏽 & Superpowers🦸🏽♀️ | Co-Creating alternative pathways AND on-ramps to Career Building👷🏽♀️⚒️
Who is Ahlia Kitwana, PMP?
Ahlia Kitwana is the CEO and Founder of Career Pathways, a company focused on authentic leadership and career development. She is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach who helps individuals identify and integrate their strengths to build alternative career paths.123
Some key facts about Ahlia Kitwana:
- She has over 500+ connections on LinkedIn1
- She helps young people find their strengths and superpowers to create unique career paths1
- She offers "Mini AND Mighty" strengths workshops to help people discover their strengths4
- She recently took a cross-country trip with her family5
- She is part of the CAPN (Career Pathways Network) team that organized an amazing networking event6
Ahlia Kitwana is passionate about helping others unlock their potential and build fulfilling careers that align with their authentic selves. Through her company Career Pathways, she provides coaching, workshops, and resources to support individuals in their professional development journey.
Highlights
Our CAPN team pulled off a amazing networking event last week at Tapas. All who came, enjoyed --- good conversation, food and prizes. Thank you Nikia Washington, Davanique Collier, Shannan Smith and Terrence McElduff for all the work you put in AND being a delight to work with. I can't wait for the next event!!!
Can you make your own luck?
Surprisingly, what we consider or think of as luck in others, isn’t as random as it appears. There are behaviors and ways of being that go into being lucky that can serve you well when the opportunity presents itself. One big thing to pay attention to is being open, and aware enough to realize and know that an opportunity is presenting itself.
I use the Big 5 personality assessment in my Strengths & Superpowers workshop. One of the attributes that is measured is Openness.
People who are high in openness tend to have a broad range of interests. They are curious about the world and other people and are eager to learn new things and enjoy new experiences. People who are high in this personality trait also tend to be more adventurous and creative.
So how do you make your own luck? From what I can gather, these are the tangible “ways of being” that can facilitate luck:
Be grateful (and optimistic) - Being grateful for small and big things actually makes a difference. Practicing gratitude can help you see the good in an otherwise crappy situation. It can also help you build resilience, and be willing to “try again” opening you up to other possibilities and opportunities in the future.
Take risks - get out of your comfort zone and talk to strangers, go to new places, try some new experiences. This will position you for opportunities you would not otherwise encounter in your normal life and routine.
Embrace the “Yes, AND _______” - this is an improv tool that helps you accept what is and think beyond the current situation to see what else is possible.
I heard Oprah Winfrey say, “Luck is just preparation intersecting with an opportunity that has presented itself.” I am paraphrasing that quote, but the sentiment is there, to make your own luck, prepare, AND position yourself in places and situations where new opportunities can arise.
Luck also involves a sense of agency and responsibility in that you own the choice of being in the right place at the right time. 'We are limited only by our imagination and our will to act.' - Ron Garan
Pictured above, me and my family kayaking in the Atlantic (or taking a break from)
— My name is Ahlia, I facilitate Strengths & Superpower workshops for youth and leadership teams. When working with youth, I aim to align their strengths with possible career paths (both degreed and non-degreed). I also work to build job readiness and future-ready programs in the workforce development space. Let’s talk!
