The word leadership means different things to different people. Can leadership skills be learned?
Our guest, Lynn Elliott, a certified coach and consultant, supports leaders to improve their confidence, energy, and alignment with their values. Lynn explains some leadership essentials and how to be “curious, not furious with others.”
Porschia and Lynn discuss how leaders can avoid creating a negative, threatening state or environment in the workplace. Lynn also shares the importance of clarity, communication, and working with a coach for leaders. Get an EDGE in your career by learning leadership skills and tips for being a better leader!
As a thank you for listening to this episode of the Career 101 Podcast, we are sharing our FREE master class – Career 911: Solving the Top 5 Challenges Executives and Professionals Have! It’s a training based on solving the common problems our clients have experienced to reach their goals. You can get access to the master class here!
Porschia: [00:00:00] All right. Hello. Today we are talking about leadership 101 and how it impacts your career with Lynn Elliott. Lynn Elliott is a leadership coach and consultant with her partner, Dr. Patty Fay at Fay Consulting. Lynn facilitates leader development programs for physicians and healthcare professionals focused on increasing self awareness, communication, performance management, selection, and change.
When coaching, Lynn is often helping a client prepare for a new role or career transition. She supports leaders to improve their confidence, energy, and alignment with their values. She helps people tap into their leadership genius. Lynn [00:01:00] is a certified professional coach with the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching, and a professional certified coach with the International Coaching Federation.
She has a daily meditation practice and loves to travel with her family. Hi Lynn, how are you
Lynn: today? Hi, Portia. I am doing just great and I’m so happy to be here. Thank you for inviting me.
Porschia: Absolutely. Absolutely. I am excited to have you with us to discuss leadership. Uh, leadership is a big topic, uh, and, uh, you know, source of, uh, confusion for some of our clients.
Um, and then also just a strong motivator I’d say for other clients. Um, so I’m really, really excited to get into this, uh, but first we want to know a little more about you. So tell me about seven year old
Lynn: Lynn. [00:02:00] Well, Portia, I thought that was an interesting question to really think about seven years old.
And I’d love to know why you did choose that. But for me, seven years old was. An important year. My family moved that year from, uh, living in different apartments and duplexes into our first home, and we had our first home in Bismarck, North Dakota, and our home was in the country, and it was the first time I’d lived in a rural area and, uh, changing schools at seven years old was kind of hard, but really the beauty and the adventure of The countryside in North Dakota was fantastic, so it was, uh, full of a lot of adventure and, uh, and connection with nature.
Porschia: Yeah, yeah, well, it sounds like, uh, seven year old Lynn was traveling around and seeing new things. Um, I picked that, [00:03:00] Lynn, because… One, I wanted to ask guests a little bit about their childhood, but, um, from a psychological perspective, seven years old is a really important time, as you probably know, uh, when you think about, um, personality development and all of that for a person, a lot of times, um, many psychologists think that by about seven, um, Personality traits and, uh, behaviors and whatnot are kind of set for a lot of people.
So, um, that’s a little bit about why I, uh, wanted to know about seven at, um, childhood, I guess I’d say. Um, so what did you want to be when you grew up Lynn?
Lynn: Well, I think that At that time, I wanted to be an attorney, I wanted to grow up and be a lawyer, but I think that over time, [00:04:00] I felt like it was more combative.
I thought law was quite competitive and combative, and that did not align with my personality at all. So, I think that then, I mean, I wasn’t thinking about it again much until High school and then college really what I wanted to do, but I always wanted to work with people in sort of a helping profession So, what was your first job?
Well, yeah, my first job was babysitting for kids in the neighborhood, I think and then my first paycheck came when I was Uh cleaning business offices and bathrooms for a solar energy company in golden, colorado That’s where we were when I was in high school
Porschia: Okay. So from North Dakota to Colorado, you were definitely in the, uh, the Rocky mountain States, I guess, um, and, and cleaning and all of that.
I [00:05:00] mean, it sounds like a lot of service, right? So babysitting and then cleaning, um, you’ve been helping in different ways. Uh, it sounds like since early on. Yes, I suppose so. Yes, I hope so. So Lynn, tell us about, uh, some highlights or pivotal moments in your career so we can fast forward from the first job to maybe, you know, after, you know, high school and college when you got into the working world.
Lynn: Right. Well, I think pivot is such a great way of thinking about career milestones, and I did have some important pivots, and I think that those occurred when I no longer felt aligned with my role. Uh, and that happened at different times in my career for different reasons, but sometimes it was a change in leadership.
Sometimes the job changed. [00:06:00] Sometimes, um, the culture of the organization was changing. And so those pivots for me were hard because I, I had to really be self reflective and realize I was out of alignment. It wasn’t working for me anymore. And, uh, and they usually involved then a leap. Uh, a big risk of some kind, but I, it was always worthwhile to do.
And so I think in those moments when I then could recognize, wow, you know, I’m, I think it’s time to make a change. Uh, I had some, some trust that it would be okay. Yeah. So
Porschia: cool. I guess to kind of follow along with that, what have been some of your biggest career challenges so far?
Lynn: Yeah, I think that, uh, change leadership is something that I grew [00:07:00] to, um, gain some expertise in over time and ultimately, uh, acquired some skills in order to teach it and lead other people through change.
But I think that, uh, change in, uh, In organizational, like, restructuring, redesign, my, my career was in healthcare, and you can imagine, over the last 30 years, healthcare has changed so much, and I started out in, uh, healthcare, though I was writing standard procedures, and And, uh, writing was a good fit for me, but it was more of a tech and IT sort of function.
And that was one of my pivots when I thought, you know, I didn’t want to stay on that course. And at that time, an opportunity in human resources opened up for me. And it was, uh, it was really running recognition programs for a large healthcare organization, which was [00:08:00] fantastic. I loved it. And, uh. Again, it opened up a whole new world in human resources.
I must say I found myself much more. And I then had opportunities to get involved in customer service training and I did orientation programs. So it gave me a lot more public speaking, uh, uh, exposure and experience and, um, and then working with teams. And so I’m not sure if I took the thread all the way through as you intended, but I think that those changes also…
spoke to, you know, building new relationships, developing new partnerships, and, uh, you know, that, that is, um, it was always a lot of fun for me and it was, um, a lot of work too.
Porschia: Yeah. That’s great. That’s great. So tell us, I guess, about some of your accomplishments when you were Um, maybe working [00:09:00] in HR, doing some of those recognition programs or anything like that, that really stuck out to you, um, in your career.
Lynn: Well, I think that it, it was more of the development of the career. How, how. exposure and experience in one area led to my next step. So actually, some good advice I got early in my career was from one of the vice presidents who said, you know, Lynn, sometimes you have to leave the organization and then come back in a different role.
And it did take me Uh, by surprise a little bit, but that is ultimately what I ended up doing with one of those roles, uh, where I felt like I had really run, run the course with, with a job and I left and I did some consulting work outside and then an [00:10:00] opportunity came up for me to come back in, but it wasn’t, it was, uh, Project management, which was really what I wanted to do at the time, but it was in human resources, uh, and it was for a physician group and that opened up all, all kinds of new doors.
I had excellent leaders. I was working with the executive team. I mean, I had the opportunity to work with executive teams quite a bit and, uh, And so that, that was a great way of reentering the workplace with a whole new identity, really, and just accessing different skills.
Porschia: Yeah. Yeah. And that was great advice from your VP.
And a lot of our clients actually see that Lynn, that they might have to leave an organization and then come back. A lot of times we see it when they’re trying to progress. To a higher role, um, within the organization. And sometimes the organization just [00:11:00] doesn’t feel as though they have enough of the right experience or, um, some, something else, right.
The right knowledge it could be. And then they do come back. So, um, it was great that, that you heard that from someone early on as well. Um, so Lynn, what was the defining moment that made you want to become a
Lynn: coach? So when I, uh, was decide, I’d hit another moment for a pivot, and I wanted to leave the organization, uh, where I was, and I let a few friends know I was planning an exit strategy.
And, uh, a really good, uh, friend heard about that and, and that was Dr. Patti Faye and she asked me to join her small company. So we really were just the two of us at the time, a partnership. But one of the things both of us wanted to do was more coaching. Both of us had done [00:12:00] coaching, but we wanted to.
build up our skills and make it more of a centerpiece of our organization. So both of us at that time went out and got certified into different programs. That was great because then we could compare and contrast what we were learning and it certainly gave us more skills, more confidence to continue our coaching practices.
And I, and I think it was, it, it was, it seemed to me a very natural progression from all of the leadership development that I had done, um, so I, I just wanted to have more of a toolbox, I guess, if you will, for, for the
Porschia: coaching. Yeah. Yeah. Um, what’s really interesting there, Lynn, a lot is really, but one thing that I wanted to touch on, uh, was when you mentioned how you were planning your exit strategy, that is so important.
Um, when we work with clients, uh, it could be career coaching clients or even business coaching clients. One of the [00:13:00] exercises that, uh, we take them through is creating their exit strategy and working on that with one of our coaches. So I’m so glad that, you know, you. Have done that. And I’m sure you’ve probably seen other clients that you’ve had kind of go through that same process.
Lynn: Yes. Yes. And what you said, Portia, made me think about what something else that I did at the time is I went and met with a coach through the EAP in my organization and had several coaching sessions with her, which really did help me, uh, formulate more of a plan and get more clear, I guess, get clear on what What I wanted to move toward, uh, because it wasn’t just about wanting to leave something.
I really wanted to move toward something. So working with the coach helped me a ton.
Porschia: Wow. It sounds like you were very intentional in just even in wording that right. Very intentional, great, great awareness [00:14:00] that you had. Um, so with you and your partner, uh, in Fay consulting, it seems like leadership is a focus.
Why did you both decide to focus on leadership?
Lynn: Well, leaders are the people who change the organization. Leaders are the people who create the culture. And I think Patty and I saw ourselves as a culture change experts. And so we wanted to, we wanted to work with, uh, the leaders who were setting the culture and, and, um, making those decisions.
I’d say too that we saw a need that we were working with physicians. Patti is a physician, uh, we were both working together in a physician group, uh, for several years. Um, before I left the organization, uh, she left first. And… Physicians [00:15:00] are typically leading things, you know, from childhood, uh, physicians hold leadership positions through their training and, and all through their career, but they don’t necessarily get much leadership training.
And, uh, so. So that was a niche that we felt was really important to address. So
Porschia: what is your definition of leadership, Lynn?
Lynn: Well, I’d say that we’re all leading our own lives, that we all are leaders of our own lives. And leadership, I mean, much is, is expected of leaders. So even in our life, we can be kind of unconscious with our leadership and not very purposeful.
But I think that Good leaders really have self awareness and an interest in [00:16:00] their impact on other people. And at least that’s the angle that I’m coming at it from. You know, I’m really encouraging leaders to make change in their department. in their organization. And, and also, I mean, in their life that aligns with their values and, and does serve, serve others, you know, that term servant leader, Portia, you used.
That term, yes. And I think that was also, I worked with servant leaders and they talked about servant leadership and being the first to, um, pick up chairs at the end of a meeting or, um, be sure to welcome someone new who walks into the room. Those are servant leaders. It’s small things and large things, but I think, uh, leaders are of service.
Good leaders are of service.
Porschia: [00:17:00] So Lynn, do you think leadership skills can be learned?
Lynn: Oh, definitely. Definitely. Um, so, so that is a lot of what we teach.
Porschia: Yeah. So that’s a question that comes up a lot because sometimes people just think, well, you’re either born a leader or you’re not right. And so they kind of take that attitude.
And sometimes we’ve seen clients who just think, well, hey, I’m, I’m not a leader at all. And. to your point that you mentioned a little bit earlier, they don’t realize that they’re leading their own lives. They’re leading their families. Um, and a lot of times they are leading at work, even though they just might not see it that way.
Um, so how do you and your partner, um, help people to learn those leadership skills?
Lynn: Right. Well, I think that we always start with some self awareness, some assessments that help people understand a little bit more about themselves. [00:18:00] Um, and if you understand yourself better, I think it puts you in a better position to manage other people or lead other people.
And, and we always try to bring that out in, in our work as, as developing, um, versatility. Portia, would you remind me of your question again? Well,
Porschia: it was, um, I started with kind of can leadership skills be learned and then how you and your partner work to help people learn leadership skills. Right.
Lynn: Okay. So, in addition to developing their own personal awareness and, and, um, and being able to extrapolate that to others, we focus on some foundational skills, really communication [00:19:00] skills, leading meetings, the.
For Patty and I, leading a good meeting is one of the most underrated skills in leadership and so important, and it affects your culture, your team so very much. So we teach those basic skills, and we spend a lot of time on performance management skills, and that starts right with being clear about what you expect from people.
giving feedback and course correction so people can get better and are aware and in having difficult conversations We do a lot of work with people who just have a lot of limiting beliefs of what will happen if they address something difficult with a colleague or, or a direct report. Uh, so a lot of us really shy away from those, uh, [00:20:00] challenging conversations and to be effective in your leadership role, you just have to be willing to have them.
But it’s, it’s a skill. We use a lot of models and we practice and people resist practicing, but really you find to that. If you’ve given a hard conversation, just a couple quick role plays with a trusted friend, you get the words out of your mouth a few times, and it just can go so much better. Or you realize maybe, wow, I’m, I have a bias that’s coming through when I…
When I stated my question that way, I don’t want, I don’t want it to be that way. So you can, that practice can really help. So I think that’s the nice environment in leadership development work when you’re in a classroom, you’re with some peers, whether you know them or not, you’re, you’re in a safe space to practice and learn and ask questions.
Yeah. Yeah.
Porschia: [00:21:00] Um, practicing leadership skills is so important. I love what you mentioned about that role play and being in a safe environment. When, um, we see a lot that to your point, meeting facilitation, um, having those conversations, maybe if it’s staring like a performance review, uh, you know, a conversation that someone might think could be difficult just Going through that ahead of time can really help someone be prepared.
So it’s great that you all kind of take your clients through that. Um, how do you think being a leader can impact someone’s career?
Lynn: Well, I think that a lot of people have limiting beliefs about their leadership ability, and you mentioned that a little bit that people maybe don’t see themselves as a leader, but I think that.
So I think that we have to overcome, we have to overcome those doubts about our ability to [00:22:00] lead. And I think it absolutely can bolster your career, open new doors. So, um. Taking any opportunity to help facilitate a meeting or to speak on a particular topic that is a way to begin to show some of your leadership skills to offer to do something with a partner or to to Yeah, to ask to be to join something where maybe you are in a support role, but you’re working alongside a leader gives you access to their thinking and certainly can open up an opportunity for you to stand in for that leader or, or support that leader.
In a new way. Did those examples
Porschia: make? Yeah. Yeah. Those were great. Those were great examples. And I asked because many of the professionals in our community are interested [00:23:00] in becoming better leaders. Um, so what are some of the biggest mistakes that you might see professionals and executives making when it comes to their leadership?
Lynn: Well, I think I think that, um, we’re so pressed for time, right? Everyone’s so pressed for time, but I think a mistake people will make is taking some information on face value and being upset about something or having a concern and wanting to go in and address it as a problem without bringing in… a real curiosity about how the other person, uh, sees this, how they size things up.
So we used to, when we talk about change management, we often say, be curious, not furious. And, uh, so I think that that’s, and that can be vulnerable. Uh, it [00:24:00] can look vulnerable, feel vulnerable. To ask questions and show your curiosity, I think leaders sometimes carry around sort of this burden that they have to understand everything, know everything, have already figured everything out, certainly have the answer or solution, and man, you know, why do we hire great people if we’re not going to tap into them and use them and include them?
So I think You know, that’s, that’s a typical thing that I see and, and it takes so much pressure off a leader if they can just open up more to, um, with that curiosity.
Porschia: Yeah. Yeah. Be curious and not furious. I love that one. I love that. Um, so can you tell us about the neuroscience of threat and how it applies to leaders?
Lynn: Yes. Well, there’s so much work being done now on the human brain [00:25:00] and the neuroplasticity, the ability for us to change our brains. But when you really look at the human brain, it, it has not evolved. Like so many things in our society have changed and, uh, our brains are wired for threat and that’s protected us over.
The millennia, right? Our ability to detect threat and, um, fight, flee or freeze to avoid threat. So that physical threat that the way our brains are wired has served us in that way. But our brains are also wired for the interpersonal and the emotional threat as well. So something like unpredictable behavior or an insult is, is a threat in the brain and triggers [00:26:00] a flood of chemicals just like Someone, you know, an attacker jumping around from behind a corner, the same kind of flood of chemicals happen.
The same responses in your body happen. And so when we work with leaders, we really want them to understand the way they might inadvertently be creating a threat state in their team. You know, leaders have so much positional power. Um, they don’t necessarily appreciate who how they might be creating threat and what we want to do.
So when we create threat, you know, your brain is flooded with chemicals. You can’t use the prefrontal cortex where your best thinking, deciding, rational decision making happens. So if we keep people out of a threat state, In more of a [00:27:00] reward state or a safety place, we can access the best part of their mind.
So we break down just to make it easier to understand these threats. We break them down into four areas, and we call this CARB, so it’s easy to remember, CARB is Clarity, Autonomy, Respect, and Belonging. And so we break down, uh, what that looks like, what being clear, uh, can look like and how a leader can do more.
To provide excellent clarity to people and even if we don’t have all the answers or know, maybe when a decision is coming down the pike, we can still provide some clarity around when we might know or when we do find out this is what we’re going to do with the information or this is how we’re going to communicate it to you.
So [00:28:00] I mentioned one of my pivots was at a time when I really, there was Such a lack of clarity in the job. I felt like I was in a threat state all the time, you know, three managers and two years changing job descriptions, changing, uh, organizational structure. So, um, I mean, it’s a real thing and I, and I think listeners.
Could probably, hopefully identify with a lack of clarity. Autonomy, the next one is so important too, Portia. Our ability to make even the smallest decisions about how our work day is going to be structured or how much time we’re going to spend on one project versus another. Being able to choose projects we work on.
That kind of autonomy can just make us so much more satisfied and feel so much more comfortable. Um, respect. The most basic things, you know, so again, leaders sometimes don’t realize how they [00:29:00] might disrespect someone in a meeting by, um, overlooking a comment that they made or not acknowledging a hand that’s raised and simple things like respect, like introducing someone new.
Um, or introducing themselves or asking questions, you know, all of that can create more respect, put people in more of a safety place. And the last one is belonging. And that’s really because we’re still tribal animals. We want to be with the group, you know, being ostracized or excluded is super threatening.
And so we emphasize creating a sense of belonging.
Porschia: Wow. Uh, there, there was a lot of, uh, wisdom in, in what you just said there, Lynn, a few things that kind of came to mind for me when you talked about, uh, not creating that kind of threatening environment as a [00:30:00] leader. I thought of, and I’m sure everyone has had, you know, a boss or a manager who you felt like you had to walk on eggshells around, uh, because perhaps they might have kind of cultivated that kind of threatening environment, uh, in some way, maybe, maybe, uh, Consciously or subconsciously, they might’ve created that.
Um, and then, you know, to your point about the change going on and to have clarity, um, when you mentioned one of your previous roles and your pivot, you know, with the pandemic, most of our clients. Tell us that, you know, their company has gone through some kind of reorganization or layoff or, uh, their job description has changed or, you know, other people that were supposed to help them got laid off and now they’re doing more work and all of those sorts of things.
And so, uh, it sounds like, you know, that can add to that threatening environment that you were talking about as well.
Lynn: [00:31:00] Absolutely. And I think it’s, it’s a really important thing to look at if we are operating in that threat state much of the time. I mean, that can have health effects for us. It can trigger all kinds of mental health issues, panic attacks, depression, certainly anxiety, and so any little thing that a leader if That a team, I mean, so we, I mean, you can talk about this with a whole team.
Uh, we’ve, we’ve got a free download on our website that, oh, I think it’s the four interpersonal motivators, how to work with the team in turbulent times, which is, you know, now. And, uh, so there’s, It’s just so important to do what you can to manage things so that you’re not really putting your people at risk.
Porschia: Absolutely. And, um, thank you for sharing that Lynn, [00:32:00] because you’re giving us these tools. We are going to, uh, in our show notes. Provide a link so that people can get that free download on the four interpersonal motivators. Um, and then also what you shared about CARB, right? We can all try to remember that acronym when we’re, you know, being leaders, you know, in our own lives and in our own careers.
Um, so can you tell me a little bit more about your podcast, Licensed to Lead?
Lynn: Sure, uh, Licensed to Lead was really started a couple of years ago, um, As something that my partner, Patty, wanted to, wanted to do to put, oops. So it’s something that, um, my partner, Dr. Patty Faye really wanted to do to set a foundation out there.
Some, some guidance around physician leadership and the [00:33:00] importance of physicians to take. More leadership roles in health care and so she began by analyzing and really reporting on a lot of data that exists and and myths about how health care is run and people assume physicians are running all of health care when in fact they’re not most health care organizations are run by You business people.
And so she started by setting out a lot of data and then bringing guests on great physician leaders and other business leaders to talk about how we can make things better in health care, how we can get Physicians more involved in leadership and and she it’s been so fun. She’s brought on so many interesting colorful guests and uh, and we have a lot of listeners who are [00:34:00] not physicians and not even in health care, but from a leadership perspective, they they tell us they listen because they always get something useful out of the out of the episodes.
So yeah, it was really born out of that desire to share information.
Porschia: Great. Great. Well, we’ll link to your podcast as well. So what is the best way for someone to get in touch with you, Lynn?
Lynn: Well, I think go to our website. That’s Fayconsulting. com. Fay is F like in Frank A H Y. consulting. com and you can download the information there, see more about what we do and our coaching, and you can contact us there.
Uh, both Patty and I, and, um, an email is welcome too. You can contact me at lynn. elliott at feyconsulting. com. It’s two N’s. Two L’s and two T’s. [00:35:00] Perfect.
Porschia: Perfect. Uh, so Lynn, what is your definition of career success?
Lynn: Yeah, so career success I think is all about alignment with your values. And when we work with um, leadership, um, when we work with People in our leadership development programs.
And when we work in one on one coaching settings, we almost always work with values. And I’m talking about personal values. Organizations will sit down and write values for the organization, but it’s. So I think we’re all going to be successful if we really know what our own values are, and we feel like we’re able to live those values, and I think that values can change.
So it’s a good idea. I mean, my values were might have been a little different when I was in [00:36:00] my 20s and 30s. And then today, and I would say earlier in my career, I probably wasn’t as aligned with my values as I am now, uh, and that comes with experience and, and the demands of being younger and, uh, and maybe not having as much autonomy and having a family and those things.
But I, so I think that it’s. It’s important to sit down and really reflect on what are your top five values and, uh, I think your career success somehow has to be aligned with those. Yeah,
Porschia: absolutely. Absolutely. I love that way of thinking about success and alignment with your values. Um, so Lynn, how do you think executives or professionals can get a positive edge in their career?
Lynn: Yes, well, I think, I [00:37:00] think to know thyself as Socrates said, you know, is so important and I’ve mentioned it previously, but I think We have to do the inner work. We have to take advantage of assessments and, um, anything really that tells us a little bit more about ourselves and and that can include getting feedback.
So I think that leaders really do need to solicit feedback and, and then figure out what part of that is useful to them. It’s not always that all of it is something that you would use, but to be open to feedback and, uh, and figure out how you can use that feedback is going to, uh, help, help you as a leader and help you in your career.
And I do think working with a coach is so important [00:38:00] or taking advantage of a leadership program. I, I know so many people who have come and asked about coaching or, or a program and And they think they have to pay for it out of pocket, but I really encourage people to ask their or go to your organization and find out if there are funds for this or their educational dollars or maybe they have some in house programs or maybe they’d be happy to pay for that certificate program that you found online.
So I think, um, to continue to learn and, and grow is, is also really important. Gives you the edge. I
Porschia: completely agree. Lynn, uh, seeking that feedback and really receiving it to your point earlier about self awareness, I think, um, is, is so important and then coaching as well. Um, and. having a coaching relationship can definitely help to [00:39:00] transform people’s careers.
And I love your point about asking, uh, your organization, if you know, there are funds for coaching. I just had a client a couple of weeks ago and her. Company completely sponsored her coaching program with us. So you’re absolutely right there. And we see that too, but people just don’t know to ask. So thank you for mentioning that.
Um, so Lynn, what are your thoughts on work life balance?
Lynn: Yeah, I think work life balance is, is a hard thing to pin down. I think that, uh, it’s, I, I would say that it really depends on what success and your values look like, you know, so work life balance, thinking about it, I’d say that it’s It’s helpful to think about boundaries with work life balance and, uh, [00:40:00] Nedra Tawwab is an expert on boundaries.
If you haven’t seen or heard her, she’s a, an author, a speaker, and she’s on Instagram and she posts the most valuable content. On on instagram and very accessible. But I think this point of having boundaries is what can help you have work life balance because we need to have boundaries with our families.
We need to have boundaries with our coworkers. We need to have boundaries with our boss and and our neighbors. And if we can navigate. Are boundaries well in those ways, I think, or in those relationships, I think then you, you can feel a lot more balanced in your work and your life.
Porschia: Yeah, absolutely. I’m going to check Nedra out.
I have not heard of her. So I’m going to learn a little bit more [00:41:00] about boundaries, Lynn, per your recommendation. So to kind of wrap up now, Lynn, I want to know what have been two of the biggest lessons or the most important pieces of advice that you’ve received in your career this far?
Lynn: Well, I think that, uh, working with a coach helped me really overcome limiting beliefs. So, I think that can be very hard to do, know what, what is my limiting belief in this situation. But, I think that, uh, that kind of work, questioning if something’s really true or not. Am I really… stuck here or not. Um, and what is the cause of this overwhelm?
I think so many people come to coaching and even [00:42:00] show up in leadership programs feeling overwhelmed. And I think that, um, There are often limiting beliefs in their way, and when you can overcome that, uh, things open up, you know, possibilities and solutions become apparent. So, I think that the coach helped me with limiting beliefs, and I think I mentioned it earlier that, that to, to, uh, know if it’s time to leave.
Sometimes you have to pursue some more education or you might pursue some sort of certificate program in order to come back into an organization or apply for a role in a different organization. But some way to overcome that stuck feeling, uh, if, if you’re ready to grow and do something, you know, [00:43:00] fine, find some way to get that extra training or, uh, go out and come back in, um, And, uh, people just see you in a different light.
I think you can, sometimes you can just rewrite your resume. I know you do that work with your clients. And that can be such a fascinating exercise, can’t it? To just rewrite who you are and what are your talents.
Porschia: Yeah, I, I completely agree, Lynn. Um, you know, when you mentioned working with a coach and the limiting beliefs, uh, I think just about all coaches have worked with other coaches, especially when they’re, uh, you know, getting certified and growing and, and really crafting their skills.
And so we get to, uh, come face to face with our limiting beliefs and clients. You know, do that as well. I think definitely on career journeys and leadership journeys to your point. Um, and I [00:44:00] also thought about knowing when it’s time to leave, because I think. that can lead to career growth and career development in different ways by perhaps pursuing, you know, some new opportunities or experiences.
So, uh, you’ve really shared a lot of wisdom and insights with us today. I’m sure that our listeners can use it, uh, to be confident in their leadership skills. And in their careers, uh, we appreciate you for being with us today, Lynn.
Lynn: Well, thank you so much for having me, Portia. It’s so fun to talk with you.
And I would say you and I were partners in a professional association, ICF of North Florida, and you were a great partner to me. And I think that. I’ve worked with lots of great partners, and if you want a good partner, you need to be a good partner. And I [00:45:00] think so many people are working in partnership, uh, today, that it’s just so important to be generous and, um, be open, and give each other feedback and, um, and maximize those opportunities and friendships.
Yes.
Porschia: Yes. Well, thank you, Lynn. And you were a great partner as well. I loved, uh, the time that we had on the board, um, and look forward to more fun times with you, Lynn. Thanks so much, Portia. Absolutely.
