Becky Robinson's Blog, page 55

Featured On Friday: The #LeadershipGenius of Julius Caesar @pabarlag

Though I studied writing and literature in college, I have never been the biggest fan of fiction. I much prefer poetry, non-fiction, news, almost anything to a novel. I like practicality—I would call myself a “realistic” person. One exception is historical fiction. I love how well some gifted writers are able to bring history to life with relatable characters and gripping plot lines.

Phillip Barlag, author of The Leadership Genius of Julius Caesar, is able to do something I have rarely seen in business/leadership books, but absolutely love. His book is what I would call “historical nonfiction” and, as Doris Kearns Goodwin writes, is “brilliantly crafted to draw leadership lessons from history.” This may be my new favorite genre!

And so, I am pleased to present the new microsite for Phillip Barlag—an interactive platform for engaging with the author and the book. We enjoyed working with Phillip to develop this beautiful new site.

The Book

The Leadership Genius of Julius Caesar emphasizes how history is littered with leaders hopelessly out of touch with their people and ruthlessly pursuing their own ambitions. But Caesar had an amazing ability to generate loyalty, to turn enemies into allies and allies into devoted followers.

Central to Barlag’s argument is the distinction between force and power. His supporters followed him because they wanted to, not because they were compelled to. Over 2,000 years after Caesar’s death, this is still the kind of loyalty every leader wants to inspire.

The Author

Phillip Barlag is an executive director at World 50, which initiates and facilitates the most interesting and influential business conversations in the world. He has the enormous privilege of serving remarkable leaders from some of the most well-respected companies around the globe.

More from the Author

Of course, visit his new site.

Read Phillip’s articles on Fast Co.Exist.

Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google +.

The Power of Patience

I have laughingly said to fellow 5K participants, repeatedly, “Yeah, I’ve finished last many times. What matters is that you’re here.”

While it is true that I have finished last many times and that what does matter is the fact they’re there, at the race I participated in on Independence Day this year what mattered most as I closed out the race, brought up the rear, played the caboose (pick your term of choice), was the fact that someone else was there with me.

How Things Used To Be

There was a time when my son, who is now 17, participated in running and multi-sports events routinely. As the draw of online gaming took over, his running shoes got nudged to the back of his closet and I resigned myself to the fact that he was no longer interested.

Over the past year or so, Wayne has asked to walk 5Ks with me. Even though we were walking instead of running, I was ecstatic to have him on the pavement instead of the keyboard, so I registered us for 5Ks whenever I could. He rarely wanted to run, which I accepted, again being grateful that we were even on a race course. I have to admit I harbored a secret hope that these outings would evolve into a desire on his part to run again. Having been a pushy running parent in his earlier childhood, though, I knew I could not force him.

The Independence Day Running Moment

He and I got into such a groove of walking 5Ks that I started changing my routines. I didn’t worry so much about wearing some of the running-specific gear I usually wore. I didn’t take the beta-blocker I have to take before running a half hour before a race to keep my tachycardia in check. It was just a walk, right?

This past Saturday he announced, “Maybe I’ll run a little bit.” He announced this in time for me to gulp down my beta blocker. I was secretly thrilled!

At about the 1.5 mile mark of the race, he said, “Let’s run.” He took off and I couldn’t keep up. Pretty rapidly, my tachycardia issues started kicking in. He stopped running after a bit, but remained ahead of me as he finished the race, which was fine. I was just disappointed that my body was failing me at a time I wanted to share a special moment with my son.

After trying to keep walking and deal with the tachycardia in the usual ways, I decided I had to sit down for a few minutes. This was when I lost a few minutes and began working my way to my eventual designation as “last finisher.”

Once my heart rate went down, I started walking again. Everything was fine, health-wise.

I had the finish line in sight when things started going awry again. I am not sure why … I think finish line adrenaline is always there for me whether I am sprinting, running slowly, walking, or crawling … but all of a sudden my heart rate spiked precipitously.

I could see the finish line, staffed by a crew of my best running community buddies.

A volunteer standing there started conversing with me.

He was a gentle and kind young man.

I expected to hear what I usually do from the volunteer who gets stuck with the last finisher, things like:

A report by walkie-talkie to the race organizers saying something like “yep, the last one’s with me.”
An admonition to “give it all you’ve got — you’re almost there!”
A worried-sounding query like “ma’am, are you okay?”

The Finish Line Could Wait

It turns out the young man was named Rigel (I don’t know if I’ve spelled it right, but it was like “Nigel” with an “R”). I explained that I was having HR problems and did something I have never done before in decades of running: conceded to my health and sat down within sight of the finish line, taking care of myself instead of stressing about what everyone was thinking.

Rather than any of the things I feared Rigel would say, we discussed:

How to get involved with TeamRWB, which is an organization that helps veterans (I was wearing a Team RWB jersey).
The fact that he doesn’t race because he has so much anxiety (I laughed and said you never have that kind of anxiety about keeping up/the frenetic start when you’re a back of the packer).
The fact that he does like running, when it’s just for fun.

The biggest thing running through my mind was the parallel with how I deal with my elderly father-in-law, who has a condition which results in him being very shaky when he stands up too fast (and which always seems to manifest itself when we are in a hurry [I am one of his primary caregivers]). I’l be honest: even though I know he can’t help it, I feel frustrated, wonder why we can’t just get. where. we. need. to. be, and ask if he’s ready to walk yet, probably not in the kindest of tones.

At a time when I’ve read so much about the self-centeredness of the younger generations and seen plenty of it with my own eyes, this moment humbled me and reminded me there are times when we all need someone to help us discard worries about others’ expectations, take life on at our own pace, and share pieces of our souls.

The printed finish time on the results did not tell the whole story of this race.

I am happy for my friends who excelled in the race, but when I see the winners’ names, I’ll also acknowledge another winner on this race day: Rigel’s Patience.

 

Featured on Friday: #LeadersReadyNow Co-Author Matt Paese @mattpaese

One of the most challenging classes I took in college was also the most rewarding. It was an upper-level Greek class, and our professor pushed us hard. I remember dreading that 8 AM hour more than any other in my college career — and yet, I learned more in that one class than I did in most of my other classes.

Learning fast in a career isn’t much different: you dive in headfirst and just pray you can keep your head above water. It’s exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. And your ultimate success (or failure) usually comes down to one major factor — not amount of resources or tools, not the skill levels or size of the team, but the energy you put into learning.

The fastest, most powerful learning experiences convert fear and uncertainty into pride and wisdom.

According to Matt Paese, co-author of the inspiring new book Leaders Ready Now, that energy is the thing we need to keep growing strong and moving forward, not just learning more quickly but taking carefully-calculated risks that ignite a spark of enthusiasm in those we are leading.

Meet Matt Paese

Matthew J. Paese, Ph.D., is Vice President of Succession and C-Suite Services for Development Dimensions International (DDI). Matt’s work has centered on the application of succession, assessment, and development approaches as they apply to boards, CEOs, senior management teams, and leaders across the pipeline. He consults, coaches, speaks, and conducts research around all those topics and more. He is coauthor of Leaders Ready Now and Grow Your Own Leaders, as well as many other articles and research papers.

Matt lives in St. Louis, MO, with his wife and children. He currently is attempting to accelerate his growth as a husband, father, fly fisherman, pianist, and barista. He hopes to one day be “ready now” in one or more of those areas.

Connect with Matt on Social

Follow Matt on Twitter @mattpaese.
Connect with him on LinkedIn.
Visit the DDI website.

Learn more about building Ready Now leaders in the webinar!

Discover Leaders Ready Now:

“Growing the pipeline of future leaders is key to economic competitiveness. Based on DDI’s work with over 1000 organizations, Leaders Ready Now provides a road map for companies who want to accelerate that growth. Any business leader seeking a competitive advantage in today’s complex global economy would do well to heed this compelling call for acceleration and initiate the types of learning journey opportunities for their future leaders described by the authors.”

—John McKernan, Former Governor of Maine and Senior Advisor, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

From Amazon:

Better leaders, ready now. It’s what successful businesses need to stay viable and what most are unable to achieve. The problem is not the absence of tools, technology, or processes. The problem is a lack of energy.

Growing leaders at the speed of business should be exhilarating, and even scary at times. Some organizations have figured this out, and are showing how more aggressive approaches rally business performance. It doesn’t take slick new technology or a clever tool. It takes boldness.

Leaders Ready Now challenges CEOs and Talent Management leaders to rethink lackluster approaches to accelerating leadership growth and to change the equation so that tools and processes don’t rob energy from the organization but, instead, create it. The authors take a fundamentally different angle and clearly illustrate how to transform your existing succession and development systems and grow the leaders your business needs fast and fully enough to gain the advantage in a complex world.

Check out what some of our Buzz Builders have to say about Leaders Ready Now…

“Once you pick up this book you won’t be able to put it down. From the feel of the cover and pages as you first leaf through this book, you’ll sense the flow of knowledge.” {Read the rest of Paul McConaghey‘s review on Amazon}
“If you have a hand in selecting, growing, and mentoring leaders in your business you will gain insight and an increased appetite for accelerating the growth of upcoming leaders in your business and coaching them to be ready by reading Leaders Ready Now.” {Lisa Kosak shares more of what she learned in her review on Green Thumb Leadership}
“Are you taking responsibility for your team’s leadership development or leaving it to some off the shelf product or leaving it to someone else to do for you? I would suggest to you to take responsibility yourself and get the thrill and inspiration of this important leadership responsibility. Leaders Ready Now will prepare you for this journey with your team. {See what else Byron Ernest has to share in his Amazon review}
“A fantastic and practical guide to help leaders be more nimble and effective in leading their organizations … A book you will want to read and refer to many times, packed with great information, advice, and strategies to transform your organization.” {Read the rest of Paul LaRue‘s review on Amazon}

Support the Launch

First of all – if you haven’t already – buy the book! (Amazon: US | Canada | UK | Australia)
Then leave a review – we love reviews, and can never see enough of them show up on Amazon!
Write about it on your blog and send us the link so we can share it.
Share the graphics & send the tweets from DDI’s website through your social channels.
Add it to your Goodreads shelf for others to find.

What Live Video Can Do for Your Thought Leadership

Live video has been available on social media for just over a year now, and it’s only becoming more powerful. Case in point: the House of Representatives sit-in, staged by Democrats, wasn’t broadcast live on television. C-Span’s cameras were forced off. So members and attendees took to their smartphones and streamed the speeches on Periscope and Facebook Live.

It was a seminal moment for social streaming.

Just days afterwards, YouTube made live video available on its mobile app. Facebook believes so strongly in live video that it gives those streams expanded reach and presence in the newsfeed. Periscope, one of the early options, is stumbling a bit, but still draws thousands of viewers per day.

Are you sold yet? Maybe these numbers will help. In its first year, Periscope hosted more than 200 million live streams, and had 10 million users in its first 3 months. Facebook Live hasn’t released user stats but it’s quickly overtaking Periscope in popularity, if that offers some perspective. Millions of people are using and watching live video streams. If you want to connect with these people, you might want to consider live video too.

The fun thing about social video is you can go live anywhere, anytime. If you’re giving a motivating talk, stream it, and bring your fans along. Share a few moments of your day, some thoughts you had on a current event, or schedule a Q&A session. Connecting in this very personal way with your social tribes builds community and brand loyalty, and can even help deepen thought leadership.

If you want to give live social video a try, keep these best practices in mind:

Use a tripod, if at all possible. Nothing is harder to watch than shaky video.
Lighting is everything. Check your lighting first before hitting the ‘live’ button. You want to be clearly visible: no harsh shadows, glare, or back-lighting.
Be your authentic self.
Keep the videos on the shorter side. No longer than 15 minutes unless you’re sharing very compelling material—a live news event or something along those lines.
Promote your stream in advance, but don’t be afraid to launch a spur-of-the-moment stream either.
Check your hair, make-up, and teeth first. You want to look your best.
Respond to people posting questions and comments. Be as interactive as possible.
Remember, viewers watch because they benefit. It’s not about you–it’s about them.
Have fun. If you have a great time (and great content), your viewers will come back!

Just like any tool or platform, don’t give it a try because everyone else is–try live video if it makes sense for your brand, and as a way to connect with your audience. Choose your live platform the same way. Go where you can reach the most people in the most comfortable way. Right now, I think Facebook Live is the best option for most thought leaders and brands, but I’m eager to see how YouTube streaming performs.

Tell me something! Are you ready to go live with your thought leadership?

 

Image credit: weedezign / 123RF Stock Photo

Featured on Friday: Meet Team Member John Marcello

Weaving Influence is a diverse team from diverse places! On a daily basis, I will connect with people in Michigan, California, Washington, D.C., Texas, Florida, and more. Though I am currently the only team member living abroad (in Jerusalem), that was not always the case. Today’s featured team member, web developer John Marcello, currently resides in Florida, but was living in Bogota, Columbia when we first connected about a year ago. Often, John and I would discuss a new web project with a mixture of Spanish and Hebrew conversations going on in the background.

Let’s learn a little about John and what makes him tick.

Tell us a bit about your personal life and interests. I was born in Akron, Ohio and lived in Cuyahoga Falls for many years. I moved and later grew up between the my Mom’s horse farm in Newbury, Massachusetts and the sun and surf of Boca Raton, Florida. Because of this I spent every day of my summers riding horses and training animals. This would come in handy as I would later raise 4 dogs to become Guide Dogs For The Blind. My favorite things to do outside of work are hiking, skiing and snorkeling.

Tell us about how you connected with Weaving Influence. In 2008, as the real estate market crashed (my current field), I moved to Bogota, Colombia to meet my wife (we have now been happily married 6.5 years). It was at this time that I started by freelance web development part of my career.  A chance introduction to Becky Robinson through our mutual colleague Susan Mazza, led to my current relationship with Weaving Influence. This phase of my life has truly been one of the most satisfying times in my career. Not only do I get to do something love, but I get to do it with an amazing group of talented, caring individuals. I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world.

What is your favorite part of working remotely? I have worked remotely from two continents and too many cities to count. That is one of the things that I love that most about having a virtual work opportunity – being able to travel freely. This means I get to spend a lot of quality time with my family, because they are always near by, and this adds a lot of value to my daily life.

What is one of your favorite websites you have done for WI and why?  One piece of work I am particularly proud of is a site we recently completed for Bill Treasurer’s Giant Leap Consulting. For me I think it is a good representation for where we are at currently in the web development and branding space.

How can people get in touch with you? Admittedly, I am probably not as social as I should be so you most likely won’t find me on the traditional channels, like Facebook or Twitter.  If you’d like to contact me, I have an open door and can be reached directly at john.marcello@yahoo.com. To to find out about hiring the Weaving Influence web team, click here or email Margy Kerr-Jarrett, our web team development director. It would be great to hear from you!

A Look Back at Some of Our Favorite Books

Over the past four years, we have had the honor of launching over 65 incredible books. As part of our anniversary celebration this month, we thought we’d look back at some of our team’s favorites. As you can imagine, it was hard to narrow down the list! Our clients have written fantastic books on business, leadership, and more. After much debate, here are five that stood out – one for each year.

2012 – Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go – Beverly Kaye and Julie Winkle Giulioni

Carrie Koens, a long time member of the WI team, shared her thoughts on one of the first books Weaving Influence launched:

“Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go by Beverly Kaye and Julie Winkle Giulioni was the first book launch I worked on from start to finish, and the second client book I read from cover to cover. Four years later, the takeaway that STILL comes to mind when I’m faced with disappointments and frustrations, in work or in life, comes from a Help Them Grow quote: “Onward and Upward has been replaced by Forward and Toward.” Forward and Toward reminds me that I need to take action in my own life, always looking forward, and always working toward something. I’ll never forget it.”

2013 – Managers as Mentors – Chip Bell and Marshall Goldsmith

When Managers as Mentors launched, Paula Kiger was a member of Team Buzz Builder, but not yet a part of the WI contractor team. Even so, this book stands out to her for its practicality and applicability to her life. She shared a blog post that she wrote then and finds it is still very true today. In the post, she examined a time in her life when a mentor could have made a difference in her career trajectory. The book encourages avoiding “the easy way out” and explains why “don’t make it complicated; just get in front of it” is an approach that pays off in huge dividends over the long term.

2014 – Why Motivating People Doesn’t Work and What Does – Susan Fowler

WI Team member Kylah Frazier shares: I enjoyed and appreciated Susan Fowler’s book, Why Motivating People Doesn’t Work…And What Does, because she touches on something that in retrospect should be obvious, but often gets ignored, that something being that people are already motivated. Once we realize this we can shift the focus from if they are motivated to why they are motivated, because not all motivation is created equal. Getting a person to a place where they carry out an action because it fulfills them vs. doing it because of outside pressure or stress means empowering them to see the value in what they do and ultimately be happier and find it more meaningful. It’s a business book, but it applies to life outside of the office too.

2015 – Disrupt Yourself – Whitney Johnson

Our Founder and CEO Becky Robinson shares her thoughts on why Disrupt Yourself by Whitney Johnson was a favorite from 2015:

One of the reasons I enjoyed launching Disrupt Yourself is that it gave me the chance to work with Whitney Johnson again. Whitney was one of our very first clients. Another reason I enjoyed it is that it’s a really, really good book and it very clearly communicates Whitney’s thought leadership and point of view on a topic she’s created, and one that can potentially influence the trajectory of a person’s life and career in a tremendous way. Anyone who is not sure they’re living up to their potential or enjoying how they spend their work days should read this book and think through the concepts.

2016 – Under New Management – David Burkus

I was excited when I found out I’d be working with David Burkus on the launch of Under New Management as I was already a fan of his first book, Myths of Creativity. Under New Management did not disappoint. This book challenged so many standard business practices such as email, performance reviews, limited vacation time and more. I loved reading about companies that are challenging the status quo – and succeeding!

Note: David will be talking about why performance reviews don’t work in a free webinar on July 14. Click here to learn more and to register.

With over 65 launches, it was hard to narrow down to just five so this list is by no means exhaustive!

What about you? What is your favorite book that Weaving Influence launched? What stands out to you?

Image credit: 123rf/alekswolff

Featured on Friday {fanfare}: Dr. Alan G. Robinson, PH.D

Weaving Influence has been working with Dr. Alan G. Robinson for some time now, and I am so pleased to announce that we have just completed a new website highlighting his work as an author (we launched his recent book co-authored with Dean Schroeder, The Idea-Driven Organization, in April 2014).

Author. Professor. Speaker. Consultant.

Dr. Robinson, who serves on the faculty at the University of Massachusetts,  specializes in managing high-performing organizations, creativity, ideas, innovation, and lean production. He is the co-author of ten books, many of which have been translated into more than twenty-five languages.

As the Web Projects Manager, I had the opportunity to work closely with Alan on his new site. In addition to learning about the important and effective work he does as a professor, speaker, and consultant, I was amazed to hear how much Alan gets around the world! While his site was in-progress, I heard from that he had been in Brazil, Taiwan, and the UK (and I am sure there were more places I didn’t hear about).

Recognize any of these names? I do!

Alan has consulted with some of the world’s top companies and organizations (you may be familiar with a few) including the Federal Reserve Bank, General Electric, Kraft, the Government of Singapore, Lucent Technologies, Interbrew, IKEA, Mass Mutual, NBTY, the U.S. Navy, UBS, Alcan, Volkswagen, Standard and Poors, The Veterans Administration, Massachusetts General Hospital, The Washington Post, Wyeth, Heineken, Bose and many more.

Check out Alan’s new site to learn more:

About Alan
Speaking
Consulting
Books

The best way to connect with Alan online is on LinkedIn. Additionally, you can send him an email at alan@alanrobinson.com.

Make Hay While the Sun Shines!

This post is part of our 2016 Team Buzz Builder Guest Blogger series. Today we are pleased to introduce you to Dr. Ralph K. Hawkins, Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Averett University.

Many of us have a tendency to think of summer as a time to mentally “check out” from our jobs. The kids are out of school, everyone is going on vacation, and even the education programs at the church or synagogue may have shut down for the summer. Although we may not literally have the summer off from our job, maybe to some extent we have shelved it mentally.

My grandfather, who grew up on a hog farm in the hill country of North Alabama, knew, however, that summer is for work. The reason for this, he explained, was that summer days were longer than those of any other season during the year. This made summer particularly conducive to working. And he was serious about this. He helped me get my first summer job when I was fifteen. I worked in the warehouse of a plastics manufacturer, stacking boxes of plastic products on pallets and loading them onto eighteen wheelers when they arrived to pick up shipments. And the warehouse didn’t have any air-conditioning!

This really taught me the value of work and, from that point on, I always looked forward to the school bell that would announce the beginning of summer, because it meant that I could get a summer job and begin producing and earning. I’ll never forget the way my grandfather urged us to make the most of the summer. I can still hear him repeating the old farmers’ saying, “Make hay while the sun shines!”

I always admired my grandfather for his work ethic, and I think he was right about the value of summertime. Here are some tips for making the most of your summer:

Revisit your dreams and goals. Do they still inspire you? Could it be time for a mid-course correction? Or do you just need to break those larger goals down into smaller, incremental goals and get serious about pursuing them? Summer is a terrific time to reevaluate the vision you have for your life and work. I love the timeless wisdom of ancient Israel’s sages, who taught that “where there is no vision, the people perish” (Prov 29:18).
Carpe Diem ! This Latin phrase, usually translated as “seize the day,” could be paraphrased “Make hay while the sun shines.” Don’t let opportunity pass you by. Strike while the iron is hot. Once you’ve identified your dreams and goals, seize every opportunity to make them happen.
Turn off the television. According to data from the Nielsen Company, adults aged 35-49 watch more than 33 hours of TV per week, which works out to nearly 1,600 hours per year. That’s more than two months spent gazing into a screen. How much time does that work out to over the course of a lifetime? And do those hours watching actors and actresses live their dreams get you any closer to yours? In 1,600 hours per year, you could take up a new hobby, earn a technical degree or an advanced degree, change careers, or start a business. You could get involved in your community, join a civic organization, or renew relationships with friends and family. Time’s the most precious thing you have in life; don’t squander it in front of the tube!
Refuel. While the summer is ideal for working hard, it is also important to recognize that hard work takes it out of us. And so it’s vital to take some time during the summer months for physical and mental renewal. Take a break. Get away to the mountains or to the seashore. Start a journal. Get back on a program of healthy diet and exercise. Maintain regular spiritual practices. And renew your relationships with your family.

Summer is not for “checking out,” but for checking in. It’s not for dozing, but for doing. It’s not for watching, but for working. It’s for making hay while the sun shines!

Dr. Ralph K. Hawkins is Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Averett University, in Danville, Virginia. He completed a Doctor of Ministry degree at the School of Theology at the University of the South, in Sewanee, TN, and a Ph.D. in Old Testament at Andrews University. In addition to a number of publications in the history and archaeology of the Old Testament, Hawkins is also the co-author of Leadership Lessons: Avoiding the Pitfalls of King Saul (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2013).

 

Image credit: 123rf/wlad74

Why Our Social Accounts Went Dark

The number one rule in social media marketing is “post consistently.” We normally advise our company channels and clients to follow this rule without exception, but on Sunday and again Monday, we took all the channels we manage dark. We shared one piece of content: a beautiful graphic calling for more love in the world and expressing deep sympathy.

We aren’t the only ones. Brands and thought leaders around the world were dark Sunday, after the tragic shooting in Orlando, Florida. Buffer, a content management system, made pausing content easy for social media managers within minutes of the shooting rampage in Paris in November, and this past weekend, we used the tool’s “pause” feature to modify our posting schedules.

At times of tragedy, we modify our schedules for many reasons. We want to honor those who died. Messages selling something, even if it’s just an idea, aren’t appropriate in the grieving space. We want to honor the families grappling with heartbreak. We want to take space to process our own grief.

While those of us who work in social media like to think of it as a forum for ideas, it’s also very true that social media helps foment the type of ignorance and hatred that sparks shootings like the one in Orlando. Anonymous people, hiding behind Twitter handles and Facebook pages, spew hate, filth, and garbage daily. They attack strangers. Social media has become an incubator for the worst in us.

Taking branded pages dark won’t change that. The responsibility for change rests with each of us. That means, instead of unleashing vitriol about guns, politics, religion, or sexual orientation, we enter into conversations to try to truly understand each other and our differences. It means when someone is being abusive on social channels, we report them. It means no longer tolerating hate language of any kind. It means using the power of connecting with people across the globe for the greater good, for deeper knowledge and understanding, to expand our worlds, and not to find festering haters who will feed our anger and fear.

It means being better than we have been. It means spreading more love and less hate. Every day. With every post and tweet.

Feature Image Credit: 123rf/Captain Vector

Featured On Friday: Carrie Koens @CGkoens

After years of highlighting amazing Weaving Influence clients, sharing about upcoming events, meeting & greeting with our team members, and more, our very own Carrie Koens has stepped down from her role as resident Featured on Friday writer and book launch director to attend to some (growing) family affairs.

We are so grateful for the amazing work Carrie has done for us and our clients and for the insight and energy she brought to every task at hand.

Our entire team wishes Carrie and her husband well as they embark on a new amazing journey to adopt a sibling group of five from Costa Rica.

Do these look like great parents or what?

From Carrie to YOU

Dear Online Friends,

Over the last 4+ years, I have discovered strengths I didn’t know I had, faced challenges that caused me to draw on those strengths, and developed skills that will serve me as I move forward into this next phase of life.

When my husband and I made the decision to adopt five siblings, we knew that the world would call us crazy, and that life as we knew it, would change forever. However, it’s not the first time we’ve been called crazy or turned our world upside down. When I left my steady job at the pharmacy to work for a woman I’d only met on Twitter, I was also called crazy – and over 4 years later, I’d say it also changed my life forever.

#iamthankful for the people I’ve met through my work with Weaving Influence – clients, bloggers, and co-workers. I’m excited (and nervous) about my future role as “mom,” but can already see how some of the skills and strengths discovered and acquired during my time with Weaving Influence will be called upon once again as I go forward in this next phase of life.

Grateful for the memories, the experiences, and the friendships formed. It’s not farewell, just “see you later!”

All the best,

Carrie

How You Can Help

You can learn more and help out financially at their YouCaring site or send them something from their Amazon registry. Prayers are always welcome, too.

FoF Lives On

Don’t worry–Featured on Friday posts are here to stay! I (Margy) and my co-worker Elizabeth will be taking over from here on out. Have any suggestions? Let us know here in the comments.

Happy Friday!