One Foot In Front of the Other

Contour Lines 021

This Contour Line is a bit more candid, and behind the scenes of building Cultivar. No editing, nothing polished, just where my thoughts are this evening.

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Salomon makes, in my opinion, the most comfortable and durable boots (this newsletter isn’t sponsored by them)

So I’m thinking I might try a bit of “build in public”, although I don’t know if “build” is the right word for me - maybe “explore” or “iterate.” I’m tired of trying to find the right word.

Regardless, I’m continuing what I’ve realized is a lifelong personal and professional journey to help people cultivate their potential as leaders, and to further empower others. I think the key to this process is a one everyone recognizes, self-awareness + a willingness to change (thank you

Grace | Kizuna

for helping me clarify the language on this), but an aspect I don’t see as often but is just as important, is perspective.

Perspective is something that time and time again has changed my life, both for better and worse. I’ve built training programs focused on cross-functional perspectives, and I’ve had anxiety attacks from judging a situation based on outdated perspectives.

You might know you need to change and be willing to do so, but not have the right vantage point to help you make a decision to move. Or in my case, I’m building a leadership advisory service from the ground up, and there are innumerable things I know I don’t know, and don’t know I don’t know.

The uncertainty can cripple you. It can immobilize you.

The need to get everything perfect can delay you so much longer than simply taking one step down the path. Yet (and I’m writing this to myself here), as we used to say in the infantry regarding ruck marching - it’s just one foot in front of the other. It’s just walking. Sure, there are mileposts, uphill slogs, downhill sprints - but the weight is variable. The pace is set by you.

That is undoubtedly true for me, I’m building a business. But you might be asking -what about the people who are in organizations, who carry the weight of the team on your back?! External conditions set the pace!

Perhaps.

Or perhaps the external conditions simply force you to be creative and thoughtful about how heavy you pack your ruck, and what path you take, what modes of travel that give you control over the pace. This is true for self-improvement or organizational culture change.

I know when I get where I am going, I don’t want to be so winded I can’t accomplish the mission. Knowing me, I’m liable to push myself too hard too quickly and need to take much longer to recover. Or, look at a map and decide on a route based on a plan that looks great on paper but not adjust for terrain as I move on through, taking 2-3 times as long (I’ve done this both in business and actual hiking).

Community and accountability have been what has kept me grounded, and my perspective liminal enough to find the right balance of weight and pace. I already have some amazing people cheering me on and supporting me at a very deep level, but here is where the build in public comes in. Here are my goals for the next 4 weeks:

• Find a good rhythm for putting out newsletters (both Contour Lines and Compass Points), as well as engage with the awesome people I’m finding online that also enjoy talking about leadership growth and organizational culture from non-traditional perspectives.

• Put together and host a free workshop relating to some aspect of leadership.

• Continue looking for opportunities to connect with people that could use my leadership guidance, in-person and online.

• Reflect and refine my service offerings and website I’m building (I don’t know coding, it’s just on Notion) to reflect my core values and voice.

I think it’s a good start, and it’s interesting looking at the list that it doesn’t even include “get 1 client.” That certainly doesn’t seem to be the standard pace - at the same time I don’t think I’m searching for perfection. I’m not frozen - but I’m getting to know the terrain before I go for that 15 minute mile pace with 75lbs on my back.

I’m making sure that when I do take on that first, second, fiftieth client - I’ll still be authentically me, and able to meet them where they are at to help them cultivate the perspective they need to get where they are going.

When I’m able to sustain that, I’m willing to bet that clients will have found me.