Last month I launched my consulting company Grounded_LGB LLC. A year ago I announced my departure from NC Theatre without a clear plan of where I would land. What has taken place during this one-year journey is my story of personal and professional growth and discovery and grounding. At its core, it’s a fairly basic tale of decision-making: after nearly fourteen years at the Theatre, I knew it was time for a career change for me and that modeling healthy transition would be good for the company. Who knew it would turn into so much more?
My professional sabbatical officially launched in January, and I began to turn more of my attention to myself and my family: laying my father to rest; traveling with my husband to commemorate our anniversary; celebrating my younger son’s graduation; supporting my elder son’s artistic career; exercising my political inclinations; digging into creative acts of dancing and gardening and writing. As I was cultivating my own leadership well-being, I was laying the groundwork for my company’s mission and the entrepreneurial work that I was craving. Three words define my quest:
Cultivating – This word has such potent meaning for me. It speaks to a consistent and dedicated approach to life, whether it’s tending a garden or nurturing a relationship. It requires diligence and patience and healthy doses of love and care. It’s another fairly basic concept, but one that sometimes gets overlooked as people and companies lose focus and leap to new ideas and projects rather than paying closer attention to longstanding programs or projects or policies that may be right in front of them.
Leadership – Is. Everything. It sets the tone and culture for moving strategy forward. It inspires or it limits. It binds groups together or tears them apart. Contemplating, discussing and influencing healthy leadership and governance is my passion during these highly charged times. Supporting leaders and providing them with the professional tools and the personal space they need to perform should be a high priority. I believe that how we respond to and address leadership challenges is one of our highest callings.
Well-being – It starts and ends with the individual, with you. This is what I have come to firmly believe and it springs from a place of empowerment. How we take care of ourselves, how we show up with enough sleep, with more creative energy to expend, with more patience to tackle tough problems, with equanimity to inspire others. Taking the time to fuel our well-being ensures that we can make the kind of incremental, lasting impact that our families and companies and communities deserve.
Launching my company was an intentional act of getting personally grounded. My vision is a community more grounded in healthy leadership and governance. I’m looking for collaborators who share my passion and are ready to start a conversation – connect with me!