Fellow entrepreneurs told me that it takes 3-5 years to grow your business to where you want it to be. It looks like my third year in business will be when I accomplish this (the number 3 has always been my lucky number)!
As I reflect back on 2017, it was a year of constant change for me personally and professionally. Those of you who know me, know that I LOVE CHANGE! Personally, I sold my large house earlier than expected to purchase my small dream condo in Historic Downtown Frederick. My condo is 1100 sq ft, compared to my 3300 sq ft house, and I love the simplicity and proximity to downtown restaurants and events! Simplifying my personal life has enabled me to enjoy life more and grow my business. I formed Rogers Consulting LLC this month!
Fortunately, my business has grown to where I have to turn down jobs due to lack of time, not interest! After MANY certification classes this year, I now contract to facilitate / instruct / lead the following:
1 - AMA professional training classes in Sales, Customer Service and Emotional Intelligence
2 - NFA Executive Leadership Skills Series and Leadership in Supervision courses
3 - Hood College marketing & Frederick Community College real estate classes
4 - RightPath "Teaming for Success" and Leadership Development training
5 - Pryor Learning Solutions professional development seminars in Leadership, Business Coaching and Emotional Intelligence (certification in January 2018)
But that isn't enough for me, I am applying for a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership program next Spring!
Lastly, this week has proven to me that I am on my right path -- not just doing what I love, but loved for what I do. I received feedback from my contract employers and students that I am "a masterful instructor...and we are lucky to have you," "I want to take whatever classes you are teaching" and "I didn't think that I would learn anything in this class that I could use in my job and I want to thank you for giving me many concepts and practices that I have already applied to help me in my job."
I wish you all well and I am looking forward to a great 2018! Please contact me with any topics that you would like to read about and if I can help you find your right path.
Last week, I completed an instructor certification class for the National Fire Academy (NFA) to facilitate leadership development classes to newly-appointed supervisors in the fire service nationwide, beginning in 2018.
While it is inspirational to learn new methods of adult learning and facilitation from talented NFA instructors, this class reminded me that mastering soft skills is not easy, especially when your vocational focus is on mastering hard or technical skills, such as those in the fire service. It is usually because one masters hard skills proficiently that one is promoted to supervise and lead others toward that technical mastery. Mastering soft skills in Leadership in Supervision must be accomplished for success in a new leadership role.
Soft skills are defined by Wikipedia as "a combination of people skills, social skills, communication skills, character traits, attitudes, career attributes, social intelligence and emotional intelligence...that enable people to effectively navigate their environment, work well with others, perform well, and achieve their goals with complementing hard skills."
The key to successful learning and implementation of soft skills is understanding yourself, your teammates and your environment to create an environment of growth and effective communication. I am honored to have the opportunity to facilitate this valuable learning to our nation's fire service personnel!
I haven't thought much about experiencing sexual harassment since the early 90's, I had repressed the memories, but last week's volume of online posts of #MeToo made me think about it and process it all over again. I was particularly moved after I saw a post from my cousin, who lives and works as a lawyer in California and is a wonderful man/father/husband, saying that these posts made him reflect on how he has said/done nothing when witnessing words and actions that should have been questioned, that he will now be more mindful of "being better." Then I remembered in detail what had happened to me...
In the early 1990's, my first job out of college was as an Executive Assistant in an international business/education initiative in Washington, D.C. My work was praised often and I worked days and evenings at networking events with my (male) boss to gain corporate and political support to grow the initiative. One evening after a networking event, my boss insisted on driving me to my car for my own safety and made an unwelcome advance. I asked him to stop and I felt fortunate that he did. The next day, everything I did at work was not good enough, I could see that he was punishing me. I asked if we could put it behind us and he agreed, but his negativity continued and I decided that I had to leave a job that I loved. I went to tell my co-workers that I had to leave, even though I enjoyed working with them, but I did not tell them what had happened, I was too embarrassed. One male co-worker asked me to speak privately with him and asked if my boss had done anything to cause me leaving, reassuring me that he was a lawyer and would keep my comments confidential. I told him what had happened and he told me that he had suspected it and told me that my boss would only hire young females for my position and they ALL left within a very short time of starting -- none of them would say why. My co-worker asked me to file a complaint with the District of Columbia, offering to help me, attending the deposition and helping me find another job immediately. With so much support, I did file a sexual harassment claim.
Within a few months after I left, I was relieved to find out that my former boss was found guilty of his predatory behavior and was fired from his job. I was proud that I had stopped the cycle so that no one else could be his victim, but when I communicated this to people that I knew well and respected, they advised me to not speak of it so that I would not be viewed as "a victim." I had the support and courage to face my aggressor to save others, but society would still look down upon me?
This experience affected me profoundly -- I have focused in my career of over 25 years to change negative societal norms. I am running my own business to help others "be better" by encouraging individuals to grow as positive team members and change leaders. I witnessed first-hand that it only takes one person to start change for the positive.