I'm not doing too much... I'm just a badass jefa... get over it

Yesterday I got another one of those comments. The "OMG, how can you do so much?". Sometimes it's "why don't you focus on one thing" or the perpetual "I could never do what you do." You know who doesn't get that sh*t... yup, you guessed it... men. So I'm here to call you on your bs and write a love letter to the multi-passionate jefas and líderes in my circle. The ones that embrace their ideas live their purpose and create an impact beyond what others believe they can.

My mami got me tested. Relax.

Ok it wasn't my mami, but I did get tested. In addition to all this jefa power, I'm also diagnosed with ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). After 10+ years of testing over 25 medications for depression, OCD, and bipolar disorder II my clinician realized that the ongoing sense of overwhelm I struggle with is ADHD.?It's common for adults to get misdiagnosed ?as both disorders can manifest in similar ways. Research also shows that?1 out 13 adults with ADHD also have Bipolar Disorder. ?No wonder getting here took such a long time.

After working with a therapist and psychiatrist consistently for 2 years, I'm finally in a space where I can discern what I can and cannot control without the guilt and shame of simply feeling emotions. Creating a schedule, building my routine, and taking the proper medication haven't changed who I genuinely am; someone that can easily see patterns in things and find opportunities that most people miss.

The Gallup StrengthsFinder results said it best. My strengths are Connectedness, Maximizer, Context, Individualization, and Intellection. There's nothing you can say to deny me the right to love finding links among things and maximize the strengths in others to foster collaboration. I'm passionate about gathering information and resources and sharing them with folks that need them. Don't believe me??Sign up to receive my weekly e-mail ?with all things leadership and joy.

To you, it might look like I'm doing a lot. Still, in my brain (and strategic growth plan), those initiatives fall into two categories:

• Guide Latina CEOs to harness their strengths, amplify their voice, and live their purpose, so they become unstoppable.
• Advance the mission of social impact organizations to close the leadership and opportunity gap for all.

When I lead from my superpoderes, I'm energized, motivated, and creative ideas flow easily. Then I brainstorm the next steps with my Chief Financial Officer, my dog Boris, and create a plan of action. To you, it might feel like it's too much, but I'm clear on my vision and purpose. Are you clear? No, really, I can help you with that.?Let's work together.

If you are lucky Boris, Unstoppable Latina's CFO might interrupt our virtual meeting. Ok, he will interrupt... it's called insubordination. He's currently on a Performance Improvement Plan for that.

I don't f*cking care about my weaknesses. Welcome to the superpoder zone.

Ay pero que mal hablada la ni?a. Sorry abuela, but you know como me pongo.

I spent most of my early career years in "development mode" creating learning plans and spending too much money on classes and workshops to get better at everything. If you've?heard me speak, ?you know my disdain for Excel and pivot tables. Or my struggles with talking to folks on the phone all day. It takes me hours to be emotionally prepared to make a phone call, and 35 years hasn't been enough for me to learn how to create a pivot table.

[Apologies to all the peer mentors and former managers who spent countless hours trying to teach me how to do these damned tables. I'll gladly offer you a complimentary coaching session to repay your patience and love for the craft. Keep doing you boo!]

Instead of focusing on my weaknesses or?zones of incompetence , I embrace my superpoderes and their impact on my comunidad. And if you are asking yourself what are my superpoderes, you guessed it; they are the two categories I mentioned before:

• Guide Latina CEOs to harness their strengths, amplify their voice, and live their purpose, so they become unstoppable.
• Advance the mission of social impact organizations to close the leadership and opportunity gap for all.

That's why my business Unstoppable Latina offers Anti-Racist Business Development and Equity-Centered Leadership Development to Latinas and leaders of color in the growth stage. Leading from your superpoder gives you the opportunity to spend your time on what matters most and embrace all of you. Rather than telling you to stop code-switching, this framework allows you to show up as a leader and decision maker in everything that you do so you can identify the tasks are areas you want to maximize, build a team that complements your strengths, and find the gente that can elevate your superpoder.

I am your Latina Leadership Coach, after all, so here's a coaching exercise to guide you to find your superpoder:

When you double down on your superpoder and are clear on the areas or tasks that you suck at you live a more fulfilling life with a clear vision for the future.

Tu network es tu networth.

I barely do anything alone these days. Whether that is leaning on my familia to figure sh*t out, running ideas with my business besties (that Jefas WhatsApp chat es fuego), or collaborating with badass líderes living your purpose also means you get to decide what gets you closer to your goals.

Here's a little secret: most of my clients earn more than me, which doesn't make me a failure. I've already done the #hustlelife , and having dinero means something completely different to me. I don't take on more projects than I can handle, and I spend a lot of time with my kids, volunteering, and taking naps in my hamaca. Paulette season is also Uncolonized season, and my definition of success at this moment of my life is about generational and historical wealth. My relationship with money is aligned with my relationship with my network, and sharing opportunities with other jefas and líderes fills my wealth bucket even if it's not always reflected in my bank account.

The intentionality I put into connecting with folks and amplifying others opens the types of doors I'm looking for. We are here to create our own mesas and bring our own sillas. Disrupting the status quo also means disrupting our thoughts around finance and generational trauma, so both my bank account and heart account (ugh que cheesy) get full at the same time.

Failure is your bestie asi que ponte las pilas.

What you might see as an immediate failure is a success in disguise. Working in business development and managing programs for 16+ years taught me how to decide to keep, scratch, or adapt very fast. For my non-profit líderes, this means "f*ck we are losing a funder or grant, que carajo hago?" type of framework. Leadership and failure are like peanut butter and jelly or arroz con gandules y pernil, they go together, and it just makes sense.

I'm constantly trying new things, talking to clients about their changing needs, and pivoting to a model than honors me and my neurodiversidad. When companies stopped hiring in 2020 I refocused on 1:1 coaching. When líderes wanted to spend all their savings in 2021's #HotGirlSummer I relaunched my consulting services and secured non-profit partnerships. And when in 2022 folks kept asking me to prove the Return on Investment (ROI) on their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, I screamed at the top of my lungs, asked my husband to put the hamaca next to my office door so I could run away, and completely rebranded my company to detract executives that call me "caliente" or "too expensive".

Your failure is a reminder that you are getting closer to your definition of success. It's ok to cry, feel hurt, and take a (small) pause. When you fail take a moment to gather information, analyze what happened, and get a new perspective. Lean on your success team (mentor, coach, and champion/sponsor) and keep moving forward. Again, I can help you with that. Let's work together.

It's not called multi-passionate. It's called unstoppable leadership.

So the next time you see a Latina CEO with a "mom bun", lavender blazer, sharing content on social media about overcoming the roadblocks you are facing in your leadership as a CEO remember that she is following her dreams and living her purpose, one superpoder at a time.

Ok, weirdly specific, pero tu me entiendes.

Ahora sí, here's how you can support this dual-passionate jefa:

• Sign-up to join the Very Important Gente (VIG) mailing list .
• Get actionable tools and leadership content en arroz y habichuelas on TikTok and BeLatina ( BELatina ).
• Connect my Unstoppable clients and me with speaking and feature opportunities .
• Apply to work with me this Fall.

Yeah, four calls to action, y qué paso?

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Paulette Pi?ero is an award-winning social entrepreneur, Latina leadership coach, writer, and speaker dedicated to closing the leadership gap for Latinas and Women of Color.?

Through her company Unstoppable Latina LLC, Paulette guides Latina CEOs to harness their strengths, amplify their voice, and live their purpose to become unstoppable. Using an equity and justice-focused approach, her business consulting and leadership coaching services strive to create a world where leadership is diverse, purpose-driven, and joyful. Connect with Paulette on?LinkedIn ?or access more líder development content on her?TikTok ?@unstoppable_latina.