And the CEO Walls came crashing down …

Driving change and taking on change internally are two vastly different things.

Reflecting on beginnings and endings, I was struck by an interesting revelation: Being a long-standing ‘Change Agent’ can keep you comfortably safe! Huh??

For the last number of  years, I was brought in to companies to restructure, reshape, remodel, ‘right’ size, grow, rebrand, sustain. This work is taxing –  seeing countless people lose their jobs is not for the faint hearted. Doing this with integrity and care comes at a personal cost – ensuring the remaining team members renew their trust and commit to the new leadership takes an extraordinary amount of guts and discernment.  I see now that in order to do the necessary, I unconsciously built walls of protection and hardiness around myself… CEO walls?

Unexpectedly, being coached and then trained as a Coach over the last 3 years turned out to be a catalyst to my own inner growth, a ‘coming home’ as it were, to the depths of our humanness. And yes, at last out of my walled safe house, into real personal change!

I have changed my career direction, studied and qualified in a new role, joined the ranks of the self-employed, entered into a life partnership, committed to buying and sharing a home, left salaries and benefits behind, gone where angels fear to tread, stood my ground against the school system , to name but a few. My personal growth has sky rocketed. I guess you could say that this past year I really took CHANGE by the horns, this time very personally. What a ride!

I guess that answers where my Women-in-Leadership passion comes from. I have wandered along that path and  having a cheer leader, confidante, conscience, challenger in a Coach made all the difference …  rewarding indeed