AWL Alumni Spotlight

Describe the six months you spent in the Bloombase experience for Advanced Women Leaders.
AWL provided a space and time for me to invest in my own growth and development as a leader. It was refreshing to connect with leaders outside of my own organization. Having worked for the same company for 12 years at the time, I didn’t realize how much I needed that. I left each session inspired and empowered with practical content/tools to implement with my team. I also felt the satisfaction of contributing to the growth of the women in my cohort at the same time that I was learning from and with them. 

Describe the benefits of the AWL experience.
The AWL experience provided clarity about my values, a framework to guide my leadership for the benefit of my team, and a supportive group with which to practice my leadership. I am equally driven by my head, my heart and my spirit. AWL helped me integrate all of those dimensions into my leadership, instead of thinking of them as separate from work. I better understand how the personal me affects the professional me, which affects my team. In addition, I have practical tools to use for my continued growth and my team’s growth.

What did you get out of the Executive Coaching sessions?
I had a significant career decision to make during the AWL Experience. The coaching supported me in working through that decision and having confidence in it. Sheri’s coaching also modeled for me how to be a better coach to my team. More asking less telling! It drove a key change in my leadership style.

What would you say to someone else considering this experience?
You don’t know how much you need the AWL Experience! Participating with leaders outside your company provides the benefit of experiences from other leaders, in other companies, in other industries, at various levels. It also creates a safe environment to share real world challenges in confidence. The expertise of the Bloombase team is well worth the investment. These benefits remain available to you beyond the Experience, giving the AWL relationships and framework sticking power that is missing in other experiences.

What was it about AWL that made you feel you had an ROI from the experience?
For me, the greatest return on my investment is my clarity about my values and a framework for integrating those values into my leadership practice. For my company, the greatest return on their investment is the increased engagement of my team that is the result of how I have applied this framework into my daily leadership practices.

I feel like I am fulfilling my purpose when I am… inspiring dreams and creating opportunities for others, especially those with less privilege than I have. My favorite days are the days when I am engaged with someone who discovers something important about their path or purpose. It is so energizing and satisfying! 

My favorite way to spend an afternoon by myself is... Curled up outside or on my screened in porch, reading a book, listening to relaxing music, and drinking an excellent glass of wine. There is probably chocolate, too, and I may take a nap.

Something that makes my life ridiculously fun is... my girlfriends! At every stage of my life, my tribe has been a source of strength, inspiration, joy and fun!

To me, leadership is… caring for those I have the privilege to lead and helping them discover and achieve their goals. 

How I would like to impact the world right now is… by doing my part to dismantle racism - especially in education, at work and at church. Currently I am actively learning and reflecting on what it means to be an anti-racist and seeking opportunities to put this into practice.