The power of belonging, one year later
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Dear Reader, It’s been quite a month. High school graduation, the ups and downs of selling the house, inspections, and the seemingly never-ending process of moving. In the middle of it all, I left the country for a trip to Corfu, Greece and Edinburgh, Scotland. I have just returned and am slowly but surely reintegrating into “normal,” although this summer I don’t think that word has a clear definition. The first part of the trip was a deep writing and reflection retreat with my coach and colleagues in the Samita Lab Mastermind, which will culminate in November with all of us in the Mastermind taking the stage at TEDx Yorkville. We stayed at a stunning historic villa on the Ionian Sea. We talked, wrote, reflected, and started to craft the direction of our talks. Although all seven of us are from very different industries and have different messages to share, being in community with these women was inspiring. We learned from one another, challenged each other, and celebrated our collective journeys. As I departed Corfu for the second part of my trip, I was reminded of a piece that I wrote exactly one year ago about the power of belonging. This is where I first shared the emerging idea of mid-career leadership cohorts. A year later, two cohorts down, this idea is currently evolving into something really special. And who knows–maybe there will be an in person retreat in the future of these cohorts? Stay tuned for more information on the evolution of the Mid-Career Leadership Cohort. In the meantime, read below to see where it all started. Stay cool this week! Wishing you a peaceful and purpose-filled week, Beth The power of belonging (June 25, 2024)When I was a Chief of Staff, I was new to the role and to the organization. I spent a lot of time and energy navigating the newness of the situation, and even without the element of learning it would have been a challenging job. I loved the role itself – but it’s probably the most complex role I’ve ever had. It can be a lonely job – you are rarely a part of a “team” in a traditional sense and you are often tasked with figuring out messy and/or complex situations that involve people and teams who aren’t working well together. About a year and a half into my time there, I had the opportunity to attend an in-person gathering of Chiefs of Staff and other strategy leaders from Charter Management Organizations around the country. It was there that I was reminded of the power of belonging. Suddenly I was surrounded by 30+ colleagues who were facing many of the same challenges I was facing. That knowledge in and of itself – that I was not alone – was enough to make the trip worth it. We shared ideas, commiserated about the challenges we each were facing, and learned from others successes. And much to my surprise, despite my newness, I was able to provide ideas and support to others based on some of the work I had done. Belonging to this group reminded me that I wasn’t failing at the job – I was in the same boat as all of these other leaders AND I had something meaningful to contribute to the conversation. I can think of other times when belonging to a group outside of my day-to-day team has been helpful to my ongoing learning and my general approach to my work. I went to graduate school while working full time from 2020 – 2022. The program was completely online due to the pandemic, which is what afforded me (and many students from around the world) the opportunity to attend. The format of some of the classes really allowed students to develop relationships and form this kind of cross-industry support group. I remember going through some hard times with my then current job resulting in a major career transition, and my peers in those classes were incredibly helpful to me as impartial listeners and supportive problem solvers. I am working with a book coach right now, and access to her services includes access to a group of other women who are also writing a book with her support. Even though we all have our own independent projects, and mine is very different from all of the others, I have already benefited from the support of the other members. Going through something challenging together makes the whole process more enjoyable! As I venture into consulting, I have been a part of two helpful groups: one an informal group of “former colleagues turned consultants” and the other a more formal consulting group which I joined after training in a fantastic strategic leadership framework. That group provides an option to meet weekly via Zoom and is composed of independent consultants who all use the framework somehow in their work. The informal group meets every ~8 weeks or so in person. Both structures make me feel less alone and provide me with a given set of people who I know are willing to provide feedback or “two cents” when I need it. What groups have been helpful for you? What groups WOULD be helpful for something you are working on right now? Share your thoughts below! As I think about the work I want to do to empower emerging women leaders, this “support group” mentality has taken hold. One day I thought, “What if I created the space to bring women together across industries to support one another, to do some intentional learning, and to build community as we all navigate this thing we call work-life balance?” I imagine groups of women going through a job transition, women just starting out on their professional journey, new and experienced people managers… The options are endless! So who’s in?! Drop a note below if you’re interested in learning more!
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