Hello Readers!

I sent this to my email subscribers on March 4, and am a little late in posting it here, yet so happy to share a few reflections on im/perfection and limiting self-sabotage. So…

What a perfect weekend!
How often do you get to hear that word, perfect, in a positive context? Yet, that’s how I felt. I got to co-facilitate a conference on Saturday, then enjoy a gorgeously sunny, spring day on Sunday. And that got me thinking about perfect, perfectionism and doing well. Check out the video and resources below, including an opportunity to learn how to shift to better habits (spring cleaning our habits?), just in time for Spring rebirth. 🌱

Happy Women’s History Month!👩🏻‍🦱👩🏽‍🦱👩🏻‍🦰👱🏻‍♀️ This is a great opportunity for focused learning and broadening our perspectives. A couple suggestions:

  • check out some women-directed films (ask me and I’ll share a list, care of an impressive friend, who is a women-in-film leader),
  • read about some of the lesser known history-changers akin to “the Hidden Figures” eg The Exceptions (2023) by Kate Zernike, or From Pocahontas to Power Suits (1995) by Kay Mills

NB: If you watch the video on youtube.com, you can see the subtitles.

Sharing RP Reflections on perfection, a great weekend, and what “if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well” means.

It’s pretty obvious what makes a sunny, warm, early-spring day “perfect”.
What made the conference great? Well,…
🌟 Our goal was to make it educational and enjoyable. We created that combination of focus and fun, had great speakers, channeled being humble and curious, all of which allowed for expertise to shine and comfort in asking questions. Imperfection creates space for curiosity and changing things up, experimenting, failing, innovating, learning.
🌟 Keeping folks engaged and learning — a couple times in the day, we summarized a few key takeaways from the prior presentations and asked others to share theirs — which helped integrate and apply the learning, and kept folks engaged. We didn’t do it perfectly, but it created reflection space and an environment where folks could offer their own takeaways (whether or not they were key themes).
🌟 Our team had a sense of flexibility, psychological safety, mutual respect, and fun. We helped each other out, navigated the unpredictables (eg a presentation cancelled due to illness), and kept things flowing and fun… We were imperfect, and all those characteristics woven together, made the conference even more educational and enjoyable, for all.🌻

➡️ The best learning happens at the edge of our comfort zone, when we’re channeling “what’s worth doing, is worth doing well” but also shedding the weight of perfectionism. It takes a dose of humility, to channel both focus and fun!

➡️ Adam Grant talks about the originals of our time, the ones who create the change, being “imperfectionists” and being disciplined about when they aim for the best and when they go for good enough.

☝️There’s so much more to say, and I’ll soon do another video (or few) on psychological safety and it’s “colleagues” as the foundation for personal growth and team effectiveness, as the birth place of resilience and innovation (mentioning Brene Brown’s work and Google’s Aristotle project).

Do you know someone who would like to join a small group of leaders (confidentiality, respectful, and fun driven) to compare notes, and upgrade our interactions and management habits?

This program is not only teaching intriguing information, but guides participants through exercises to actually practice and build the better mental habits, leveraging the insights of neuroscience, performance science, and psychology.
More information about the program, can be found here and at the FAQ.

These are the people most likely to be interested (they’re all versions of me in the last 10+ years):

  • a SMB/SME leader who wants to improve his/her own effectiveness and interactions in this fast changing world, and those of her team.
  • a female founder who wants to grow, share challenges and insights in a safe environment, lay down the armor &imposter syndrome, and learn from and with her peers.
  • or a professional contemplating redirecting their career or adjusting to emerging realities (reorg, multicultural workplace, new markets), who would benefit from some coaching to gain perspective, clarify their path & priorities, and remove what’s holding them back.

NB: Newsletter subscribers and their friends always get a 15% discount with code newsletter15 (and until March 13, a 25% discount with code newsletter25). Please share this opportunity and the image above with anyone who might be interested.

Just think of how much happier and more productive you will be, when you are on the other side of shifting that bothersome habit, and with simple, mental fitness techniques to sustain it!

📖I’ve periodically shared “friend links” to some of my “simplifying the alphabet soup to corporate success” articles in these newsletters. And, as promised a few weeks ago, here is that statistics & story filled article illustrating how it furthers innovation and makes cultural, geopolitical, and financial sense to think about all stakeholders in this fast-changing world. * By the way, when you check out the article, please click “subscribe” and/or “follow”.

In the February newsletter, I discussed how difficult it can be to go through change, and the need to trust ourselves and embrace uncertainty as we shift habits and direction, toward our vision. I was building on the themes of setting our vision and dreams (from the January newsletter), and what motivates us to create positive change. This is often a point when definitions of perfection and progress come up, hence this month’s theme & perspectives.

Message summary + some resources as we head into spring

📺Video reflections on perfectionism and a good life;

🌱Consider this opportunity to move beyond internalized gaslighting and tap into your clear thinking mind; make the changes you want in your business, team, relationships and health with a small group of fellow leaders, navigating change and complexity. See what other execs have said, on the home page, and share your discount with colleagues.

🔗 links, above, to my story- and statistics-filled article on how DEI and CSR empower innovation and profitability, and to our two most recent newsletters.

➡️Check out these resources

  • 🌟One of my incredible colleagues: Irene Anggreeni helps emotionally sensitive leaders refill their cups. As a clinically trained professional with lived experience of depression, she specializes in coaching leaders with a mental health history to develop their self-care practices. Check out her free guide 21 mindful actions to uplift emotions, or connect with her over a heart2heart call!
  • 📺Check here for the videos, previously shared, on some mental fitness, leadership, and navigating this fast-changing-world concepts (and you might see some of my singing, too).
  • 📖Check here, for all the articles in my “alphabet soup of corporate citizenship — how to become what the world needs, and the market increasingly demands, so your company inspires, surfs and succeeds.”

Feel free to message me or book a call/zoom if you have any questions about the articles, their concepts, facilitation, or coaching for you and/or your group.

  • ❓Finally, do YOU have grant or sponsor suggestions (& leads)? I self-funded my 25-article series on resilient corporate culture & citizenship (the links I’ve been sharing in these newsletters), and will soon interview 40–50 CxOs and ESG/CSR professionals and create the final 5 or 6 articles. I appreciate any suggestions and introductions.

So, friends and colleagues, may you embrace and channel your impressive imperfection, and keep making progress toward your dreams — whether focused on creating some inner peace today, or making a big impact tomorrow.

I look forward to hearing your stories, sharing some of my resources, and to crossing paths.

Thanks for reading.
Rachel