The path to greatness

             Women in Leadership
                     A speaker series
            @ Concordia University



Today was the monthly Speaker Series at Concordia with guests Ms. Michelle Krejci, Executive Director Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders Foundation and Ms. Sylvia Acevedo, CEO and Founder CommuniCard LLC.  Once the public presentation was done, I was invited to attend lunch with these wonderful women and some of Concordia's undergraduate business students.

I was really intreagued by many things these women shared, and we got to dialogue about the balance of a career's expectations, the expected roles in families, and how in many families there is even an active role reversal.  (I have to give props to a recent ABJ article that said just as women should be respected in the board room, men should have respect if choosing to stay with the family).  Anyways...

One thing Michelle said, and something I heard from Mr. Arpey (AA President) was that they went into their work without a final goal.  Mr. Arpey shared about how he just did the best he could with what he was given.  Michelle focused on the relational side of this, talking about the importance of a valued network.

I do development work.  Those who make the field feel sleezy are manipulative and make relationships based on a donor's capacity.  (FYI-I've never looked at my work this way, and I assign the same value to all who cross my path).   Anywho... I was thinking about the relational nature of my job, and how I, also, am not driven with a be all end all job at the end of this MBA experience.  More, I just want the environment that encourages me to grow, learn, and impact the most people with the most good. 

So I was thinking about how often in business there is a transactional nature to relationships.  Given the philosophies I have now shared, I think you know I don't buy into that.  Sometimes that makes the nature of my job challenging... its about time I really start impacting that bottom line.  But then, when you are transactional in your profession or career- its like you play and use that card, and then its gone.  Sure you got the sale, but did you treat the person with respect- did you leave the door open to other potential possibilities of what that person means to you or to your organization further down the road.

As a woman I know there are still those times I actually hit those glass ceilings.  Its real.  And even though I don't have an end goal, I know there is a strong purpose.  (I feel a bit like I'm rambling, and that's because I'm trying to finish before I have to be somewhere).  I just wanted to share the perspective that in a career, we are no longer about the accomplishments.  We aren't even about the money, the prestige or accolades.  We are about relationship.  We are about the journey.  We strengthen our impact as we walk alongside our friends, colleagues and fellow professionals.  Knowing that I could not do fundraising alone.  This is a partnership of missions, as I assume all jobs are.  And it is important to remember that it isn't necessarily a driven end, but its the people we come in contact with, the relationships we develop, paired with honest hard work are really what help us, Mr. Arpey, Ms.Krejci, and Ms. Acevedo to all achieve greatness.