May Brings Substance, Sensing, and Seeing Growth & Development.
As I get older, I wonder where does the time go? One moment the day seems to be moving so slow and the next moment the week is over. Thanks to iPEC, I have a much better idea of how my energy level plays into how I experience the passage of time. Besides the obvious, May was full of opportunities to stretch outside of my comfort zone to grow, develop and break new ground. I was approaching the final module of my coaching training which was now virtual. I went into it with this in mind: “it is what it is”, not the best energy level to focus on opportunities and learning. May brought my big “dive” into social media and those who know me well, may remember I said it would never happen. Well it did happen, and I am no worse for wear. I wish I would have made the plunge sooner; it is a great way to stay connected as you sift through the “other stuff”. May created the opportunity to put myself out there, starting with my free coaching sessions required for my certification followed by connecting with two companies whose values, and culture were in alignment with my own. It’s like cooking a great meal, you gather the ingredients, do your prep work, mix it all together and practice your patience as it cooks. A good friend shared this with me once about opening the grill to early- “if you’re looking, you ain’t cooking”. Patience, persistence and perseverance with “don’t touch that handle”.
May started with the tables turned a bit, the professor becomes the student. I started my coaching certification journey in November and the final in-person module was scheduled for May 1-3. You caught that right? An in-person module, that’s not happening. Instead there will be 3 – 9 1/2 hours days of Zoom. You read that right, 28 ½ hours of training on Zoom packed into Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. When I thought of spending this amount of time on Zoom over the weekend, I imagined a root canal or passing a kidney stone both as better alternatives. Let’s just say the lead trainers knocked it out of the park. Giving praise where praise is due, there were so many people at iPEC that worked behind the scenes to challenge the limiting beliefs that virtual sessions would not be impactful. Hogwash, it was an amazing experience and I have nothing but heartfelt praise for your ingenuity, curiosity, and determination to break the status quo. Was it the same as the in-person experience? Of course not, but there were advantages in the virtual space that overcame some of the challenges of the in-person sessions. Physical space, distractions, comfort (conference room chairs leave a lot to be desired after a few hours) and break-out rooms created a more private space to coach on sensitive subjects. Kudos to the entire iPEC team and my cohort of peer coaches from the May 1 – May 3 Module 3. Well done! What I take away: calling out our limiting beliefs and knocking them out of the way allows us to break new ground. Another tool to place in our leadership toolbox.
With the exception of LinkedIn, I have stayed away from social media in the past decade. When I started my coaching and leadership development business, I soon learned I needed a Facebook page to gain access to some of the content I wanted to delve into further. No problem, I will create a company Facebook page, and everything will be fine. Not so fast, that didn’t work out so well as I found I needed both a personal page and a company page. So here I go again, breaking new ground, dispelling some limiting beliefs, and finding the difference between true and truth. Shout out to my niece, Ally, who helped me get the ball rolling. All the while she was learning a little at the same time I was, when her response to my question was: “What the heck, I don’t even know how someone would do that?”. I went from “I will never be on Facebook”, to enjoying staying connecting with my family, friends, and colleagues. Shout out to all the Valecce’s who befriended me in a New York minute. I realized I needed to set boundaries, so not to lose track of time. It’s been 4 months now and I continue to honor my personal commitments on content and my intentions on how I wanted to utilize it. What did I learn? When you are open to explore, test boundaries or change your perspective with a view from a kaleidoscope, you can identify other possibilities that exist in every situation or experience. Another tool to place in our leadership toolbox. One more stone to leave along the side of the road to mark my journey and lighten the weight in my rucksack.
A year ago, when I made the decision to start a new journey, it mainly focused on trying to find a new employer and not a new role. I come with 30+ years of finance and operational experience, sprinkled with coaching, leadership training and development. Who wouldn’t hire me? I filled out countless applications that went into the dark abyss of the digital shredder, where the large majority of my applications never made it through the screening algorithms and software. I had a handful of interviews with some amazing companies, but never seem to make it past the final round. What the heck is wrong with me? Nothing was wrong with me; I just wasn’t listening to what the universe was telling me. I didn’t belong in these roles, as they couldn’t fulfill my purpose anymore. If I took the time to follow Zac Brown’s lyrics (rearranged a bit) “quiet your mind….soak it all in….you're not busy listenin'…to hear what the land has to say”. More importantly, I should have listened to my wife sooner, she had been trying to tell me this for years- “follow your passion”. That passion, persistence and perseverance led me to partner with some amazing companies. First, Willow Partner Coaches, LLC, which focuses on financially empowering women throughout their life’s journeys. Second, PI Midlantic LLC, which focuses on breaking the cycle of disengagement in the workplace by hiring the right people for the right jobs, igniting enthusiasm, and then unleashing their productivity for talent optimization. Both organizations align with my values and passion, making them a perfect fit. My entire journey reminded me of this Willy Wonka quote: “Invention, my dear friends, is 93% perspiration, 6% electricity, 4% evaporation, and 2% butterscotch ripple”. In my case, it was the re-invention of my path forward. Another stone to leave along the side of the road to mark my journey and lighten the load.
As my journey continues, I will leave you here for now and pick up next time.