Author: catherinewemette

Categories
Career Libby

What I Want to Be When I Grow-Up

My boss just recently told me that she is retiring after many years in teaching and over three decades in association management. We talked a bit about what she’s going to do once she doesn’t have to come to the office on a regular basis and she mentioned spending more time with family and friends, exercising, theater and the like. But the thing that sticks with me most is that she wants to live abroad in impoverished areas and teach little kids. Now, she’s got a pretty cushy deal right now: a big corner office, travel to resorts for meetings, teleworking, etc. To hear her talk about leaving it all behind and getting down in the trenches kind of threw me – I mean, that’s pretty cool. It also got me thinking, what the heck do I want to do when I grow-up?

I think this is a thought process much longer and complicated than I could (or should!) put in a blog post, but it’s definitely worth putting out there…if you could stop doing what you’re doing and do something else, what would it be? Certainly there are practical considerations – I’m never going to be a figure-skater or a whale biologist – but barring those (and a few others), there are a lot of possibilities. My boss went back to her roots as a school teacher…unfortunately, my roots are in food service and I don’t think I want to go back, but could I go forward? Could I finally work as a park ranger or red carpet security agent? Maybe, maybe not, but if I start thinking – and doing – now instead of waiting until I retire, maybe I can spend more time doing things that are closer to my heart and get closer to what Catherine talked about in “Loving What You Do.” I realize now that my boss’ plans are not just her own, but mine as well – she has created for me an opportunity for self-reflection and reshaping the direction of my own career trajectory…thanks, Anne. Now, excuse me while I search for open mic nights at my local pub…

-Libby Bingham

Categories
Book Reports

Mind Your Wake – Lessons from Uncontainable

I’m currently reading Uncontainable: How Passion, Commitment, and Conscious Capitalism Built a Business Where Everyone Thrives. Sure, it’s a long title, but I think it’s understandable, considering how much awesomeness comes out of The Container Store. (Seriously, that store is my happy place. It’s unreal how much joy those organizational opportunities bring to me!) Kip Tindell, Chairman and CEO, shares his philosophies on what’s made The Container Store so successful, as well as stories that make you think you’re reading about someone’s family rather than a large publicly traded company. While a little corny at times, there’s still a lot to be gained in what he has to say. Kip devotes most of the book to the Seven Foundation Principles, but what struck me most was the notion he shared about being mindful of our wake – what we leave behind us as we move forward.

Being mindful of our wake. It’s a powerful visual that reminds us we’re not here alone, and that like a boat, our presence and movements leave a trail behind us, whether we’re around to see it or not. It’s not uncommon to be reminded that our actions affect others, but this comparison to a boat specifically addresses what we leave behind us as we move on, which struck me as a profound reminder we perhaps need a little more often. Even once we’ve moved on – be it geography, career or relationships, or even just in our own thinking – we’ve created waves that still exist. But how big are those waves? When we’re out on the open water, we speed up, leaving great waves behind us, but as we get closer to land, we’re warned to slow down so our wake will not harm others. We don’t always have much control over reactions that happen after we’ve left, but there are certainly things we can do to affect how disruptive our presence is.

Clearly there are times in our lives when it’s acceptable and even fun to create a large wake behind us, while other times we need to move carefully, not damaging what’s around us. And it’s important to know the difference so we can be mindful of our wake. How are you mindful of what you leave behind?

Categories
Gabriel Inside My Head

Karate Choppin’ with Your Head Up

As this technological engagement continues, my passion for movies and television will become very apparent, starting now. I’ve been in sort of a rut lately about where I’m headed in this crazy thing we call life, but recently I was flipping through the channels on the tube and came across a favorite movie of mine. Before we get too far into this, I have to give a short history of my love for martial arts movies. High flying kicks, lightning fast fists, and tons of harnesses and cables couldn’t create a more beautiful picture. Who doesn’t want the strength to break stone slabs with an open hand?! I’ve always loved the greats like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan (a god amongst men). But this particular film stars the very talented Jet Li, who may be in a class of his own.

Jet Li’s Fearless tells the story of Huo Yuanjia, a martial artist who lost everything due to his aimless greed and ambition. But after this tragedy, he rises from his lowest point to become a peaceful, wise, and confident man. Through his hardships, he understands the fervor and confidence with which he fought his enemies is just what his country needed to save its identity from being washed out by British colonies. This simple moral truly spoke to me at the time. From watching one man’s journey, I learned that even in your worst moment it only takes that tiny spark of courage to pick yourself up and make a change. Hopefully you don’t have to hit rock bottom in order to realize that it only takes a bit a confidence to inspire millions or even pitch that idea you’ve been sitting on for two months. Telling yourself “just try it” can take you from zero to hero before you can turn around. With all that in mind, I hope you feel as if you can take on the world, level by level, one karate chop at a time. And remember inner strength is the strongest of all.

– Gabriel Oigbokie

Categories
Inside My Head

Beautiful Things

I did a bit of traveling last week – a few days in Austin for a meeting of leaders in the architectural community and then on to Salt Lake City for some quality friend time and the Sundance Film Festival. While this work and play seem unrelated on the surface, it was interesting to see the overlap and the similarities between architects and filmmakers who, in the most basic sense, want to leave the world better than they found it. Architects are interested in addressing client desires and challenges through practical, sustainable and beautiful design. Filmmakers are interested in sparking conversations through relatable, compelling and beautiful stories.

My favorite beautiful experience from the week had to be Dope, a comedy/crime drama/love letter to 90’s hip hop (yes, the music is as good as you’d imagine). The movie was funny and poignant, and you so badly want everything to work out for the trio of high school seniors who bring the story to life. What was more exciting than the story, however, was the energy in the small Park City theater. This was the world premiere and the writer/director, cast and their friends and family had all shown up for the debut. As the lights came down and the title screen showed up, there was cheering from the large reserved section in the back. That cheering and the loud, appreciative laughs for the first joke (the first of many well-executed and timely jokes), invited the rest of us to enjoy this experience as a group. It was an endearing and inspiring movie that took advantage of having the audience on its side to ask some big questions about race and our expectations of people in our society. Those big questions brought uncomfortable silence, cheers and a few tears. It was an incredible experience to share all that with everyone in the theater, including those who brought the story to life.

I’m so grateful to have been a part of that audience, at that theater in that moment in time, and I hope many more people will have the opportunity to experience Dope. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to more beauty, however it may appear.

Dope1
Dope director, Rick Famuyiwa, and lead actors
Categories
Inside My Head Karen

Believe and Trust

future

Every December, before the new year begins, I contemplate what the next theme will be; what journey will I embark on; what learnings will I experience; what stories will unfold.

It hit me with strength and clarity as I sat looking out over the Pacific Ocean in Vancouver:  My theme for 2015 is #Believe&Trust.

Believe:  Believe in your present and in your future with expectancy; with hope; with confidence.

Trust:  Trust with relentless surrender in the very things you long for; trust the path you are on.

Believe and Trust in the uncommon and the extraordinary.  The remarkable.

In reflecting, I think Believe and Trust are some of the hardest verbs to surrender to:

  • They are our bane and our delight.
  • They haunt us and exhilarate us.
  • They unsettle us and draw us to peace.
  • They disturb us and heal us.
  • We shame ourselves when we lack them and are content when we lavish in them.

Believe and Trust meld us into raw vulnerability.  Inviting us to surrender over and over and over again.  Not easy…

Perhaps to Believe and to Trust means to let go of control, just a little more.  Doors will open and doors will close.  And all will be well.

Is there an area in your life where this resonates with you?

Sometimes we allow our circumstances to thwart our confidence. We’ll let conversations, moments and environments infect us with doubt. Whatever is going on in your life right now doesn’t define you – it shapes you. And this is good. Valuable. Your life is a series of chapters – being woven into your story. And the reader, captivated, turns each page with wonder to see what happens next.

Believe. And trust.

-Karen Thrall

Categories
Career On the Job

StrengthsFinder

A team I’m currently working with is using Gallup’s StrengthsFinder 2.0 skills assessment and I’m lucky enough to be taking part in it. I’ve participated in a number of assessments before and used a couple with my own teams, specifically the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Enneagram personality types assessment. MBTI is probably the most well-known assessment in the circles I travel and along with that, probably the one that most people roll their eyes at as well. There is often not much time between getting the results and hearing, “Oh, that’s your ENTJ talking,” or “No kidding you’re an introvert.”

And as misunderstood as these assessments can be, I do still think there’s great value in taking the time to learn about yourself and the people you work with. If these types of assessment offer nothing else, they remind us that we all process information differently and approach the world with unique worldviews, and there is great value in those reminders. However, if you’re open to learning more, each assessment can offer more valuable insights on you and your teams.

What’s interesting to me about the StrengthsFinder is that it’s focused less on personality and more on – as the name would suggest – your skills and strengths. In our professional and personal lives, we seem to focus much more on our weaknesses and how we can improve those, and that’s often a recipe for failed New Year’s resolutions, feelings of inadequacy and plain frustration. The philosophy behind the StrengthsFinder is that if we focus on our strengths instead, we can build teams and partnerships with others who possess complementary strengths to our own, rather than looking to be all things within ourselves. It’s a fascinating concept to me, and one that makes a lot of sense. If we spent more time focusing on what we are good at rather than where we fall short, I suspect we’d open ourselves up to a lot more possibilities.

And just in case you’re curious, my top 5 themes are empathy, relator, communication, responsibility and developer, which seemed about right to me.

Categories
Karen New Friends

Introducing Karen Thrall

Karen and her pal, Mickey

When Karen came into my life in 2012, it was as if she’d always been there. This was one of those rare relationships where I felt comfortable immediately and knew from the start I could trust her. And that’s Karen. She is a force. Karen’s interest and desire to know who she is talking to is so strong, you can’t help but be pulled in, and in sharing about yourself, you get to know her, too. She creates a safe space where it’s not only okay for you to be who you are, it’s genuinely what she wants – the authentic you. While this sounds like it can be intense – and it is – it’s intensity in the very best way. In getting to know you, Karen comes to want the best for you, but it’s not a best that’s imposed by someone else. She’s most interested in what’s best for you, and someone who is cheering for you in that way is an amazing gift. And while she’s getting to know you, she graciously shares her infectious enthusiasm, her amazing laugh, her wisdom and her let’s-give-it-a-try attitude. I always feel better after talking to her (even if I was feeling pretty good already), and I’m honored to call her a friend. I know you’ll enjoy getting to know her, too.

Karen and her pal, Mickey
Karen and her pal, Mickey

“The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.”

I am addicted to learning. Anywhere, anytime, anyone. There are stories unfolding everywhere I go. I am a student. And the world is my teacher.

Whether I’m buying my Earl Grey tea from a barista, walking the city streets of Vancouver, hitting a little white ball in the green hills of a golf course, cycling through the trails and streets of urban living, choosing the best scallops at the market, walking the seawall with friends, laughing with my children, captivated by the soul of great musicians, smitten by a movie, charmed by an author, whatever it may be – people and their stories surround me.

I have the wonderful privilege of working for an extraordinary luxury footwear company, John Fluevog Shoes, directing both Retail Sales and the Culture and Community of the people who are connected with the brand. I lead a team of 19 managers and direct the growth and success of 127 employees in both Canada and the United States. I report directly to the owner/designer John Fluevog. He is an inspiration to me. One of the most creative individuals I know.

I tend to learn, what people may view as, the hard way. Throw me into deep waters and I’ll figure out how to swim. My favourite part of business is not knowing. Not knowing is the exhilarating opportunity to learn, to grow, to explore, to figure it out. Embarking on the unknown and celebrating how far we’ve come – together – this is good for the soul. We high-five our victories and develop strength through our defeats.

Stories. Your story. They are invaluable and immeasurable. The greatest wisdom I’ve gleaned always comes through stories. They impact us, challenge us, confront us, empower us.

I’m thankful to be part of this writing team and look forward to joining this blogging adventure.

Categories
Inside My Head Libby

You’re My Greatest Inspiration

So a couple weeks ago, Joey, my 6 and half year old son, climbed into bed with me in the middle of the night (we’re working on it). I was somewhat startled awake by a soft little caress on my cheek – I opened my eyes and his face was right there. Smiling at me in the dark. I smiled back (what else can you do?) and he said, “Mama, have I told you that you’re my greatest inspiration?” So I did whatever any mom would do in that lovely moment and said, “Can I inspire you to go back to sleep?”

The next morning I was in a better frame of mind to really think about the whole thing – I cried a little at the beauty and laughed at it, too. I was also impressed that he knew a word like “inspiration” (a work colleague suggested that maybe he had been listening to Peter Cetera and Chicago on the down low…). And finally, I was terrified. Me? Somebody’s “inspiration”? Come on.

People who inspire other people are GREAT people, people like Martin Luther King, Jr. (happy birthday, by the way), Ghandi and Susan B. Anthony. Inspirational people are those that change the world and have grand thoughts; guts AND glory. Not me. But then I looked up the definition; according to Merriam-Webster online it means:

something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea about what to do or create : a force or influence that inspires someone; a person, place, experience, etc., that makes someone want to do or create something; : a good idea

These definitions put inspiration into a totally different light for me – I started thinking about how Pink’s music can inspire to me to go to the gym more, how my friend – who is a mother of twins, works part-time out of the home, fights for reasonable gun control measures in her spare time, bakes and is still laid-back and funny – inspires me to be more engaged, how my husband’s small gestures of love and respect inspire me to reinvest in our relationship on a daily basis, and how an appreciative word from a member or colleague about a program or project inspires me to want to do even better.

I am Joey’s primary caretaker – I get him ready in the morning, walk him to school, pick him up, hang out with him afterwards, take him to music and hockey practice, etc. We spend a lot of time together – it’s not always fun – it can be stressful, exhausting and we are both cranky sometimes. But when I think about his ability to read chapter books on his own, use words like “inspiration”, try new activities like taekwondo and the School of Rock all on his own, tie his shoes and say something kind to his friends or the lady at the grocery store, I can kind of see how I’ve inspired him…and remember how he inspires me every day to be more than I think I am and maybe even inspire someone else. You can be inspirational, too…how cool is that?

 

-Libby Bingham

Categories
Gabriel New Friends

Introducing Gabriel Oigbokie

Gabriel Oigbokie came into my life a few years ago as I was setting up a new location for John Fluevog Shoes and I quickly became a fan. While Gabriel is younger enough than I am to officially be of a different generation, he’s a wonderfully old soul who has clearly put in the time to figure out what’s important to him and who he wants to be in life. Time and circumstances may change how we look at the world, and while Gabriel is flexible and open to new adventures, he remains solidly rooted in his values. One of the things I admire most about Gabriel is his genuine enjoyment of life. He is great about being in the moment and looking for what’s right about whatever is happening at that point in time. While we’ve never actually done improv together, Gabriel would be a partner I’d want. His positivity and ability to be in the moment means he’s all about the “yes, and…” He will hear an idea or concept and jump right in there with you to build on it and make it better, stronger or funnier. During an afternoon with one other person, we created a fictional company that specialized in security and Nicolas Cage. And while I don’t necessarily know what specializing in Nicolas Cage means, we knew it would be amazing. That’s the spirit of “yes, and…” and the spirit of Gabriel.

So without further ado, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to the wise and talented Gabriel Oigbokie.

Gabe
Graduation celebration fun with Gabriel and his lovely lady, Brae

Blogging became an interest of mine that never really took any form of physical execution. Yet when my former colleague, Catherine, approached me with the opportunity, I jumped at it. There’s always been a small part of me that believed I could be a philosopher or psychiatrist, or at least use my love of words and chatting to help others. The way I see it, a little southern swagger can always be appreciated. Growing up in Memphis, TN, I had always been ahead of the curve. Well at least slightly more than most. This posed a pretty large problem for me because there was no one I could truly look to as an example of what I wanted to be or what I could eventually become. On top of the general self-loathing that stemmed solely from this dilemma, my polar opposite immigrant father and spunky southern mother were there to make it all the easier. Such a fruitful and cultivated experience brought me to this conclusion: know yourself.

Knowing yourself is the first step to greatness. Think about this: how can you sell anything to anyone if you don’t know the product? Figuring out what you know and are capable of can only make you more valuable. And who says I’m getting it right? No one. But I know myself, what I can do, and what I want to do. For me, that’s good start.

And finally, after all the introspective mumbo jumbo, it’s time you all come to know me. I don’t even know if this was even supposed to be in this post. But hey, when I’m in the mood, there’s no stopping it. Now back to the good stuff. I’m a recent college graduate (Go GW Colonials!) whose passion for writing and people come across almost instantaneously should we ever become acquainted. I’m not as interesting as Libby just yet, with her living in Switzerland and whatnot. But I definitely have something to offer and maybe a little bit more. I thank Catherine for the platform to be heard and you all especially for listening.

Categories
Book Reports

It Is What It Is…But It Doesn’t Have To Be

I finished John Kotter’s The Heart of Change, and one of the things I ended up enjoying most about it was the way real-life stories were used to drive home the theory of what he was saying. I suppose that’s not unexpected, coming from a book that encourages storytelling as one of the most powerful tools we have. One of the stories, however, stood out to me. The story centers around the manufacturing of airplanes – a large and complex task that involves many people. For years, the plane was assembled one station at the time, and if the parts weren’t at the appropriate station at the right time, they would be added at the end. This last step in the process would require the undoing and then redoing of anything that happened after the part was originally supposed to be added, which ended up costing time and money. The rationale was that delivery of the parts was out of the plant’s control, so there was nothing the manufacturer could do.

When a new CEO came on board, one of the first changes he made was to put an end to this process. He told the employees that the plane would not move down the assembly line until it was properly finished at each station. For so long, it had been deemed impossible for such a thing to happen and the inefficiency of the process had become accepted as the only way things could actually get done. However, the visual of the plane just sitting at one of the stations was a powerful motivator to change the way things were done. As people pushed suppliers and found different ways to work, a newer and more efficient way of assembling planes emerged.

I like this story because I think far too often we accept things the way they are and come to believe change isn’t possible. In this case, it was someone who questioned the process and used a powerful visual to make an impact. In my experience, I’ve found that sometimes simply asking the right question is enough to spark change. But most of all, we need to stop accepting frustration and inefficiency as the way things happen. Most people would prefer things were easier and less complicated to get done, so it’s not as hard a sell as we think it is. What’s getting in your way and keeping you from working more efficiently? What’s slowing you down and making life harder?

p.s. In addition to finishing The Heart of Change, I’ve also continued my Gillian Flynn kick and finished Dark Places. It’s a quick read if you’re looking for a dark story that keeps you guessing. Her Sharp Objects is up next for me, along with Uncontainable by Kip Tindell, Chairman & CEO of The Container Store. Will keep you posted!