I came to LeaderSpring as a freshly minted executive director after 28 years in corporate telecommunications sales. Candidly, I was hesitant to join this diverse cohort of executive directors where I was expected to be vulnerable, share my insecurities and participate in circle time on the regular! A few months in, I was vulnerable, shared my insecurities and looked forward to our circle time. LeaderSpring is not your typical professional development experience. Of course, we discussed the dynamics of board-ED relations, financial stewardship, personnel management and all the things for which the executive of a CBO is responsible. What was so special about LeaderSpring is we examined these topics while discovering our superpowers. You have all heard it. The CBO executive is a lonely job. You feel like you cannot be fully open and vulnerable with your staff or your board, so it is easy to get caught up in your own head, doubt and question your abilities and gut.
At LeaderSpring we learned to trust our gut, own that vulnerability is strength and lead with confidence, even when we were navigating unknown or uncharted waters. I’m with a different organization than when I was in LeaderSpring, and I know without a doubt that my experience with LeaderSpring prepared me to be my best self and more effective leader.
I am the CEO of BANANAS, a 48-year-old Oakland organization that supports families in their parenting journey. We help families secure early care and education, provide parenting workshops, and support the educators that teach our youngest learners.
The pandemic tested the mettle of many CBO leaders as it did for me. The pandemic were the uncharted waters we all had to navigate. There was no playbook to reference. We led with our hearts and our brains. We addressed the needs of our clients even if it meant adjusting our regular programming. We took care of our staff balancing their needs and fears and our organizations’ need to deliver services. This was my experience as well. I leveraged the muscle memory I learned and practiced from my LeaderSpring experience. Doubling the size of my organization in my five-year tenure, expanding our programming to serve our highest need community members, and emerging from the pandemic with an appreciative staff and clients is proof to me that LeaderSpring works.
What I also learned from my experience with LeaderSpring is the permanence of its impact. Many alumni of LeaderSpring have moved from the organization they were with during the fellowship and have gone on to other organizations and continue to thrive, grow organizations and be amazing leaders.
I am forever grateful for my experience as a LeaderSpring Fellow.