AWL Alumni Spotlight

When did you realize that your AWL experience was impacting you?
During the first few sessions I was thinking, “Where is this really going? Why are we doing all this emotional stuff?” It wasn’t until probably session four that it really clicked for me. I had been trying what I was learning at work and I had gotten feedback from people that I seemed more free, open, happier, or more relaxed. I was actually hearing people say that to me.

What was different about your AWL experience versus other leadership experiences you’ve been through before?
I've been through a lot of training classes where you go for the day, or even for the week, and you leave at the end of it with these "I will" statements - I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that. And then Monday you get to the office and it kind of just falls to the side and you think to yourself, “oh, I need to be doing that,” but you never get to it. Three weeks later you've totally forgotten about the classes you were in. And this one, it really changed me. It was the stopping and reflecting and being intentional piece of the experience. Anytime I remember to do that, I find that I get a little bit better each time. And, it's also giving myself permission to be myself. It's liberating. And when you are yourself, people respond to you in a different way and they feel more connected to you. And if you think about it, in business, it's all about relationships and relationships are all about connections.

What are the benefits post-AWL to you and to others in the AWL alumni community?
Staying connected with this group of women is something that I greatly value personally, let alone professionally. I value being in a room with these women. I always feel like I'm lucky to be with them. When I went through the AWL experience, only three or four people had been in ahead of us (from Rolls-Royce) and now there are 31 Rolls-Royce alumni. So, while I didn't go through this experience with all of these women, I know what they've all gone through. As soon as they're sitting in a room as AWL alumni, I feel safe and comfortable talking to them because I know what they've learned and what they've been through in the journey they've been on.

What was most surprising for you to learn about yourself during AWL?
I kept fighting the concept that I was emotionally intelligent or that I could connect with people because I had convinced myself that I couldn’t do that. I'm one of those who engages in negative self-talk. But, I still get feedback today - when I say to people that emotional intelligence and personal connection is something that I've been growing in - people say, “oh, I think you're very natural at it. I think you're very good at it.”