The one phrase I come back to when doubt creeps in

I need to remind myself of this phrase every time I go out on a limb to promote my services:

“Thank you soooo much.”

That’s what a new client recently said, emphatically, to the person who referred me. On multiple occasions. 

What leaders are up against

This client is a CEO. Overwhelmed. Carrying a lot. Working hard to grow a collaborative, high-performing team while also managing…everything else.

She’s smart and she cares deeply. She wanted to invest in her people. But she wasn’t looking for another check-the-box training.

She needed someone who could hold the nuance.Parse the complexity.Create a meaningful experience that actually catalyzed a shift in how people are working together.

Sound familiar? 

That’s the moment people call me

But it’s not always obvious who to turn to in those situations. Those times where you know you need help but don’t know who to trust. Where conversations are going sideways or aren’t happening at all and you’re tired of being stuck in the spin cycle.

Or maybe you’ve been burned before, invested a lot in training or coaching that led to more disappointment than traction. Like eating a low sodium canned soup that promises robust flavors but is blander than lettuce - opps, the manufacturers forgot they could include other seasoning! 

This work - facilitation, coaching, culture shaping - is hard to describe unless you’ve experienced it. There are a lot of loud voices and shiny promises out there. That makes it easy to hesitate.

I know I do.I carry a lot of angst about marketing.But when it comes to doing the work itself?

That I trust deeply.

Coming back to gratitude

So when doubt creeps in...When I start to second-guess reaching out…When I don’t want to “bother” anyone...

I come back to that phrase:

“Thank you soooo much.”

Because helping a leader find the right support at the right time is something to be grateful for. It’s the gift of a good night's sleep after many restless nights. It’s the ability to give your time and attention to other important matters rather than getting lost in rabbit holes researching dead-ends. 

There’s no shortage of people and companies vying for your attention. Dangling promises. Tantalizing with escapism. Offering quick fixes akin to duct taping the fender back onto your car after accidentally bumping into a light pole (it won’t last).

And yet, how will anyone know what gifts any of us have to offer if we let doubt lead the way and stay silent. 

It’s extremely gratifying to have a need met with ease. That’s part of the reason why I’ve enjoyed the benefits of working with repeat clients over the years - because they know they can count on me! And if I can’t meet their needs, I’ll help find someone who can. 

Who comes to mind?

If you know someone wrestling with a team challenge, trying to lead a collaborative initiative, or feeling stuck and uncertain about how to move forward… send them my way.

You don’t need to explain everything I do. You can simply say: “I know someone who’s really good at helping people move through this kind of thing.”

And if you’ve been in that swirl yourself - what kind of support would feel like a relief right now? What’s one small thing that would make your next step easier to take?

If you’ve found value in what I wrote here and you want to support me in continuing to create, guide, write, and make space for deeper transformation, I invite you to buy me a tea.

Buy Me a Tea