3 Reasons I Decided to Join as the Co-host of TWWL

There are 3 major reasons I’m excited to be joining The Way We Lead as co-host:

People fascinate me:

I have a tendency to think of everyone I meet as a beautiful puzzle. When you look at a completed puzzle from a distance, it looks like a painting or picture. You can’t see the pieces that make the picture whole. But if you get closer to investigate, you begin to see the lines that make up the individual pieces.

When I first meet someone, they are like that beautiful puzzle from a distance. I can see and hear what they present to me, but I don’t yet understand the pieces that make them who they are. I’m most interested in those pieces, or life stories, that make them whole. Those stories help me understand why they do, think, believe, fear, and value the things they do.

On this podcast, I’m interested in asking questions that let me get to the root of our guest's beliefs, because I believe learning the “why” will give us the humanistic perspective that is needed to drive change in individuals.

I’m a coach at heart and believe in people's ability to learn, grow, and evolve:

I like to see the potential in people. When I see someone willing to try something new or put themselves out there, I want to reach out to give them a hand.

Speaking for myself, I remember the feeling of sheer panic when I first tried to speak out against casual derogatory remarks made by friends or co-workers. My ego and fear of being rejected caused me to second guess every word I said, and almost prevented me from speaking up in the first place. I had to work through this fear by knowing saying anything was better than saying nothing at all. But the only way I was able to do that was by recognizing I had other people in my community on my side and feeling the same way I did. Knowing I wasn’t alone gave me the courage to speak up, even if I wasn’t the most eloquent or educated. I think every person working to become a better ally goes through this process at some point, and I want to be there to lift them up when I see them trying.

I too can be a better ally

I know I need to be a better ally to those communities I’m not a part of. We’re in an era where social media rules all and clicking the “share” button can feel like we’re making a difference.

But real change happens at our fingertips. It happens by interacting with people we otherwise wouldn’t have interacted with, learning their stories, and finding out how we can be a better ally to them. It happens by using that information, educating others, and standing up for what’s right. And it happens by having real conversations with real people in the real world and being willing to be honest, vulnerable, and brave.

I’m excited to take you all on this journey with us. We are going to have some pretty incredible people on to share their stories and give their honest perspective on what makes an ally, but we can’t do this alone. Our hope is that all of you will actively participate with us.

Join the conversation!

Share your stories of bravery or failure, tell us what is holding you back, give us suggestions on topics we should discuss, hold us accountable, and even disagree with us. All of your thoughts and feelings will only add to the conversation and make the community stronger.