Empowerment is a lifelong journey. And when one leader taps into her power, she creates a ripple effect that spreads like wildfire—leaving behind a trail that others can follow when lost in uncertainty.
Community allows us to recognize greatness in ourselves and in others. Whether it’s an accomplishment that deserves recognition or a skill set we need to improve, our mentors and colleagues can be our greatest champions. When reflecting on our progress, it’s likely we didn’t get where we are as lone wolves.
This month, we had the pleasure of hearing from two impactful leaders, Sallie Freas and Jamie Swider, as they shared on how they leaned on their networks to grow while also becoming sources of inspiration for others.
Let’s roll back the tape and explore their top takeaways for relying on community-fueled empowerment and paying it forward.
We thrive when we know we have access to support. There’s a fine balance that leaders have to maintain when nurturing their team, from providing needed guidance to allowing teams to take risks, and sometimes even fail.
“My managers created space for me to be empowered. I say that in terms of giving me a challenge or a problem to solve, but they’ve never been overly-prescriptive,” explained Swider. “ I knew where the guardrails were and how far and fast I could run with their support without having to check in daily. They gave me the opportunity to be creative.”
Freas added:
“It can be a coaching session, or it can sometimes just be watching and learning to see the behaviors, characteristics, and qualities you want to apply to yourself. Sometimes, it’s a crucial conversation that may be difficult, but needs to happen to help you grow. Guidance and candid feedback from mentors and colleagues is crucial to empowerment. We can’t always hear, ‘You’re fantastic! You’re the greatest!’ Sometimes, you have to hear some things that aren’t as fun—but feeling safe in that space to receive information from a trusted connection gives us room to grow, even if we stumble.”
For better or for worse, leaders can transform their team culture from the ground up. Community empowerment doesn’t come out of the blue. It evolves and inspires because people make a conscious effort to sustain their connections.
“You set the tone for your team. I don’t think anybody can step into their power if they’re not being true to themselves,” noted Swider. “So, I’ve been thankful I’ve had leaders who encouraged me to bring my whole self. I’m passionate, committed, strategic, and goofy. I like to have fun.”
“People react to how they’re led. As a leader, if we’re not inspiring and empowering others to do more, they become stagnant,” said Freas. “It’s important to encourage each other and not only those who report to us, but also our peers—and people we don’t even have a lot of interaction with.”
The occasional road bump in our careers is inevitable, and we can be prone to fall into the traps of imposter syndrome if we’re not too cautious. However, our moments of supposed failure don’t define us—it’s our course of action that makes all the difference.
Swider emphasized the importance of taking risks, even when faced with the possibility of rejection:
“Don’t be afraid to raise your hand. I’ve learned to raise my hand over the years, even when it was about another career opportunity to say, ‘Hey, I have capacity,’ or ‘I’m interested.’ It took me a while, but now I’m really comfortable with the worst thing that they can say, which is no—and that’s okay. I’ll never know if I don’t ask or put myself out there. I would encourage others to be brave and willing to step into uncomfortable situations.”
Freas concluded with an encouraging reminder for those still stuck in the weeds of their doubts:
“The road is not always going to be paved. It’s not always going to be lined with beautiful landscapes. You’ll run into potholes, road hazards, obstacles, and storms. You’ll run into traffic jams. You’re not always going to have a clear path. But don’t give up on yourself and others around you. There’s a room and a place for all of us to be great.”
We learned how to tap into our greatness through various forms of empowerment, but we’re not done just yet. At CCWomen, a community platform for women and allies, we continue to uplift stories of remarkable leaders who’ve learned how to embrace their potential.
Stay tuned for more of our webinar summaries—or, better yet, join us live for our next one.
Watch the webinar: