One Eleven Leadership

Last week, I had the privilege of serving as a mentor observer for Georgetown SCS Institute for Transformational Leadership’s Facilitation Certificate Program, and it was such an energizing experience! Being part of Cohort 1 back in 2016 was transformative for me, and it’s incredible to see how the program has grown and evolved—they’re now on Cohort 15! So much has changed over the years, but the program’s thoughtful, creative, and holistic approach to group facilitation remains steadfast, thanks to the inspiring leadership of Rae Ringel and @Maya Bernstein. It was such a joy to witness and support the next generation of facilitators stepping into their power. I'm so grateful to be part of this special community. PS - Let me know if you're interested in learning more about this program! https://lnkd.in/dhZ9_Jan #FeelGoodFriday #Facilitation #Faciltator #ProfessionalDevelopment #PersonalGrowth Cc: The Georgetown ITL Network

?? "The single biggest failure of leadership is to treat adaptive challenges like technical problems." Leadership isn't just about solving problems—it’s about identifying the type of problem you’re facing and addressing it accordingly. ?? Technical challenges are often straightforward (although not necessarily easy). Scenarios like migrating data into a new CRM or meeting a fundraising goal might fall into this category. There’s a known solution and existing expertise to apply. ?? Adaptive challenges require deeper shifts in beliefs, behaviors, or culture. Scenarios like building an inclusive workplace or navigating organizational change don’t don’t come with quick fixes— they demand curiosity, collaboration, and experimentation. In our increasingly complex world, it’s tempting to treat every problem as technical (because quick fixes feel darn satisfying!), but real growth and transformation often happen when we lean into the messy, uncertain work of adaptive leadership. ?? What challenges have you faced recently—technical or adaptive? How did you approach them? #MakeYouThinkThursday #Leadership #Management #Growth The graphic below was adapted from Ronald A. Heifetz & Donald L. Laurie, “The Work of Leadership,” Harvard Business Review, January-February 1997; and Ronald A. Heifetz & Marty Linsky, Leadership on the Line, Harvard Business School Press, 2002

I am a die-hard member of the aisle seat fan club. The aisle allows me to stretch my legs out a bit, access items from my backpack more easily, and get up to use the bathroom without interrupting others. Even when my husband and I travel together, we reserve aisle seats across from each other. However, I missed the opening of the check-in window for my recent Southwest flight (I had set an alarm for 5 minutes ahead of time and then got caught up talking with a friend and completely forgot about it until a few hours later ??♀?). As I walked onto the plane, I panicked when I saw that all of the aisle seats, even the ones all the way in the back near the bathroom, were occupied. Deflated, I reluctantly squeezed into a window seat and fastened my seatbelt for takeoff. And then something surprising happened. I felt completely awestruck as we broke through the blanket of clouds covering every inch of the sky for as far as I could see. It felt so calming to watch the world slip away as we ascended higher and higher. Although I am a frequent flier, I realized it had been years - years! - since I had really looked out the window and appreciated this technological miracle. I'm not going to trade in my aisle seat fan club card anytime soon, but if moving just two seats over could provide me with such a drastic change in perspective, what else might be possible when I push past the initial discomfort, open myself up to new experiences, and expand my horizons? https://eepurl.com/i3Fy56 #OneElevenWednesday #Blog #Coaching #Perspective #ComfortZone

?????????? #TipTuesday: Today is the last day of Transgender Awareness Week—a time to uplift, celebrate, and support our transgender and non-binary friends, family, and community members. It’s also an opportunity to educate ourselves and reflect on how we can contribute to a more inclusive and equitable world. Being an ally means: ? Listening and learning: Respect people's identities and pronouns. If you're unsure, just ask respectfully and apologize if you make a mistake. ? Challenging biases: Speak up against transphobia, whether it’s in conversations, policies, or media. Silence can be harmful. ? Supporting visibility: Amplify trans voices by following and sharing content from trans creators, activists, and organizations. ? Donating or volunteering: Many organizations provide critical support to trans individuals, from healthcare access to advocacy. If you’re able, consider contributing your time or resources. With the incoming administration, it’s more critical than ever to stand against potential rollbacks in trans rights and protections. Let’s do what we can this week (and every week!) to show up, speak out, and stand together. https://lnkd.in/ek943SCg #TransAwarenessWeek #TransRightsAreHumanRights #Allyship #DEI #Inclusion #LGBTQ #LGBTQIA

#MondayMotivation #InspirationalQuotes #SelfCare #Boundaries

I had the opportunity to serve as the Coach-in-Residence at The Paradigm Project’s conference earlier this week, and I left feeling so inspired. ?? It was amazing to connect with thoughtful, creative, and passionate early childhood educators from across North America who all share a commitment to nurturing young minds. ???????? The theme of the conference was "kindle" ?? and I definitely felt like being in community with others during a challenging week gave me a spark of hope. Also, idyllic camp setting + "cozy" conference dress code = ?????????? It makes such a difference when you’re connecting, sharing ideas, and learning in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. ?? #FeelGoodFriday #ECE #Values #Coaching #LeadershipCoach #NextGeneration #MakeShiftHappen #ParadigmShifters

I read “Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle” in 2020 (remember anything stressful that happened that year?? ????) and there are gems from that book that I still refer to at least weekly. I was thinking about one lesson in particular in the aftermath of the election: headwinds and tailwinds. Most women would probably say that they have faced challenges and discrimination at some point in their lives that were a direct result of their gender: wage inequality, sexual harassment, no paid maternity leave...the list goes on. Given that we live in a deeply patriarchal society, just living as a woman day-to-day can feel like you're riding a bike up a steep hill. One big difference between white women and Black women, however, is that white women are riding the bike uphill with a tailwind at their backs helping to make the ride a tad bit easier. Black women are riding the bike uphill into a headwind making the climb more strenuous and requiring them to work even harder to perhaps not even have the opportunity to get to the same destination as their white counterparts. This is a special kind of exhaustion—one that goes far beyond physical effort. It’s the emotional and psychological toll of fighting through systemic, oppressive barriers, day in and day out. As we reflect on the recent election results, it’s a reminder to recognize our own tailwinds and to stand in solidarity with those who are perpetually facing headwinds. For those of us who benefit from privilege in some dimension (race, socioeconomic, gender identity, sexual orientation, citizenship status, etc.), it’s a call to speak up and advocate for change that removes obstacles and improves the road conditions for others rather than simply making the climb a little easier for ourselves. https://lnkd.in/eXvZmWVe #MakeYouThinkThursday #Burnout #Privilege

“I feel like I’m in a season of shedding,” I said to my coach during a recent session. “I’m not really sure what that means," I continued, "but it's not like an active release or letting go. It feels more like a subtle sloughing off." She paused (note: such a good coaching move). “Do you know why trees lose their leaves as the weather gets colder?” she asked. As I peered out my large bedroom window which overlooks a wooded area behind my house, I realized I actually had no idea why trees lose their leaves as the weather gets colder. I just knew that it happened like clockwork every autumn and meant a lot of time spent raking the yard. “Trees shed leaves to conserve their energy to get through the winter. Through spring, summer, and fall, they have been giving nutrients to the leaves and sharing their resources with all of the creatures that depend on them for food and shelter, but they shift to prioritize self-preservation to get through the colder months. They instinctively know that they will be getting less sunlight so they focus on strategic and intentional conservation of nutrients and water.” And, then she said something that took my breath away. “The leaves fall because the trees take back their power.” Now it was my turn to pause. The flood of emotions it evoked had rendered me momentarily speechless. ?????? ???????????? ???????? ?????????????? ?????? ?????????? ???????? ???????? ?????????? ??????????. No guilt. No anxiety. No sentimentality. The trees don't worry about hurting the leaves’ feelings or disappointing the birds, who must look elsewhere for food. The trees unapologetically put their own needs first and trust that this shift will facilitate not only their own survival in the short term, but benefit the entire ecosystem in the long run. It's almost like the trees are modeling for us that healthy #boundaries are essential for #growth and #resilience. https://lnkd.in/eak5aHYD #OneElevenWednesday #Blog

#TipTuesday: November is Native American Heritage Month, making it a perfect time to check out an organization like the First Nations Development Institute. In addition to learning about their initiatives making an impact across Indian Country, take a look at their recommendations for books, recipes, and videos to honor the traditions, languages, and stories of Native Americans past, present, and future. https://lnkd.in/e5k8aBTC #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth #NativeAmerican #FirstNations #NAHM

I'm so inspired by everyone who is just doing what they have to do to put one foot in front of the other right now. I see you. ?? credit: Sweatpants & Coffee #MondayMotivation #Inspiration #Motivation