AWL Alumni Spotlight

Describe the six months you spent in the Bloombase experience for Advanced Women Leaders.
The time in AWL was a lovely respite from the demands of daily life, with time spent focusing on my own wellbeing and development. At times it was challenging, hard work to be brutally honest with yourself and at other times it was fun and inspirational to hear the stories in the women’s community. It was always an opportunity for growth.

Describe the benefits of the AWL Experience.
AWL provides connections – externally networking with other women, broadening to learn from other’s experiences and deepening connection to your inner self. Strengthening all of these connections not only makes me a better leader, but a better, healthier person.
 
Describe the benefits of being a part of the post AWL community.
Being part of the AWL Alumni community gives you a ‘got your back’ pack of unwavering support with women you can continue to lean on for objective advice and guidance. It’s an extension of the safe space in the AWL Experience where you can both give and receive feedback for growth, which is crucial in leadership development.

What did you get out of the Executive Coaching sessions?
The executive coaching sessions were often probing into areas where I keep the walls of privacy up, forcing me to look internally and expose realities that I needed to face in order to make a positive change. This was sometimes uncomfortable but always rewarding and I appreciate the strength of coaching that pushed me to do the hard work.

What would you say to someone else considering this experience?
Do it! It is time well invested in yourself which will pay dividends for years to come. Everyone’s experience is different, just as we are all unique, and it can truly accelerate your self-awareness and personal growth which impacts all areas of your life. The more you invest, the more you’ll gain.

What is the greatest ROI for this investment you made in yourself?
For me, one of the greatest outcomes was learning how to observe and describe my feelings so I could understand my first reaction impulse.  Taking the time to pause before reacting so that I can be intentional about my response has brought huge value to my personal and team interactions.

I feel like I am fulfilling my purpose when I am… helping others to succeed.

My favorite way to spend an afternoon by myself is… reading a book, preferably in a hammock in the shade on a sunny day with a glass of iced tea.

To me, leadership is… a servant role, working to both build up the individuals on a team and to provide the direction and vision to move forward together.

One of my favorite role models is Jane Goodall becuase she is a trailblazer who persevered in the face of overwhelming adversity, brought new learning into the human knowledge base through her expertise, and remains a delightfully relevant and interesting person as she turns 90.

How I would like to impact the world right now is… to calm and bridge the divisiveness in this country, re-learn how to respectfully co-exist and honor each other as human beings.

Something that makes my life ridiculously fun is… judging FIRST Robotics competitions, especially Indy RAGE, the all-girls event every fall.