Working Parents' Guide To Surviving The School Year's End

At the end of last May, a meteor came crashing down from the sky with a laser-focused target—my Google Calendar. I was as shocked by it's arrival as I had been each of the 6 years my kids have been attending school. Why do I continue to be caught off guard EACH year by the flurry of end of school events? The endless picnics, parties, dance recitals, yoga performances (What? Ok—it's Brooklyn), last field trips and random days off (I'm sorry—Clerical Day?). For working parents who are constantly battling the image of their kid being the only one "without a grownup" at these events—it's enough to make you want to give up altogether. And beyond the made-up (but realistic and dramatic) image brewing in your head, there are the actual tears. The tears that are part of the meltdown your child has when she finds out you can't make it to her recorder recital scheduled for TOMORROW that you learned about TODAY and you are leading a talk that's been on the calendar for a month. Those tears, followed by your tears because this whole thing is just not going well. 

After dealing with the fallout of the meteor—yet again—I vowed to make it my last year of walking into the fire unprepared. Here are the steps I took to restore sanity when it seemed like the odds were not in my favor. 

1. Get organized!
This year, I put a planning date on the calendar with my husband about six weeks before the meteor hit. We walked through all of the dates where we would need extra childcare coverage by tapping family and additional sitters, as well as scheduling a day or two off work for each of us. All end of year activities that we knew about (which were not many at this point) went on the Google Calendar. The planning gave us the feeling that we were in control—and that we could coordinate our work obligations AND give our girls a fun end of year experience. 

2. Build in buffer
You know that guy with whom you've been trying to meet, but you've rescheduled 3 times already? Don't schedule that meeting right now. Don't schedule that lunch or that coffee or those drinks. Don't make this the time you're going to take your business to the next level or take on that senior level presentation. You're not doing those things right now. You're creating buffer in your schedule so when last minute things come up—as they might—you have more flexibility to work from home or to cancel meetings that will be lower stakes. If you don't have the kind of role, job or business you can tone down in this way—you can reach out to more flexible family members or friends who may be able to be on standby during this time and/or commit to be your child's grownup at one or two of the events. 

3. Be proactive with teachers
You're going to need to be "that parent"—the one that emails the teachers to find out what the end of school events will be IN ADVANCE. Explain to them why you're asking. Appeal to them by saying you're trying to get more organized around year-end events so as a working parent—there can be fewer tears and less guilt! 

4. Get the kids' buy-in
Once you have a handle on the 80% of events that are planned, call a family meeting. Explain to your kids that it's VERY important to you to go to some of these events and that because you work—you won't be able to attend them all. Work together to choose which events are the most important to each child and do your best to attend those. Explain that there may be some events that come up last minute and you probably won't be able to make it to those. If you've lined up flexible family members on standby for last-minute events, you can choose to either mention that or play it by ear as those opportunities present themselves. 

5. Give yourself a break
Remember, no plan is perfect and Google Calendar can't protect you from the meteor. You're doing your best to orchestrate a plan where you continue to make your kids feel heard—and at the same time—do your job, run your business—save the world (or keep trying!). If the river of tears is unavoidable, remember—the guilt is a choice. You're not going to get it all right and that's part of being human. In the face of the tears, remind yourself that you're doing your best, you're learning and you're getting it right a lot of the time—which in the end is what you want your kids to learn for themselves. Who better to teach them than you? 

This is a work in progress. Learn from your experience this year and opportunities to optimize could be right around the corner. Back to school meteor prep, anyone? 

The Importance Of Anniversaries

May 16, 1986 is the day that broke my life into two discrete parts—before my parents died in a car accident and after. The time I was a kid who only thought about singing my heart out and making my friends laugh—and when I was no longer that kid. When I lived in lightness versus a reality of emotions beyond my readiness. When I appeared just like everyone else and when even the cute clothes and gifts people bought to make me feel better could not hide my difference. 

Thirty-one years later—after a lifetime of support and love and embracing this moment as part of my life story, I continue to seek something special to remember my parents, my people and how far I've come on this day. Some may say it's just like any other day. I disagree because I've tried that approach. I've shown up for a regular workday, only to feel empty and disconnected. Instead, I recognize and accept this is part of my life by doing something that is meaningful to me--and that has made a tremendous difference in my healing. 

Over the years on May 16th…

I took a day off from school and went to a good crying movie. 

I walked in Washington Square Park in the rain in my bright purple cap and gown—thinking of how proud my mom and dad would have been. 

I planted flowers with my Aunt Marilyn so we could bring something new and beautiful into the world. 

I recounted memories with close friend, Dave Adox, in the Grand Central StoryCorp booth on the 20-year mark. 

And for the past few years, I've shared photos and feelings with my community of people who knew them and knew me then, with friends and neighbors I've met in recent years who were surprised to learn this part of my history. This has become the ritual that feels the most right for me—and it's what prompted me to write this piece now. 

For those of you who may be deciding whether or not to create a ritual or way to honor anniversaries in your life, here are the reasons why this approach works for me: 

1. Move beyond busy-ness to reconnect with the loss
No matter how together you are and how long ago you experienced this loss, it was a great loss and will always be there in some way. It's ok and in fact, necessary to find some time to fall apart, to feel the emotion and acknowledge the depth of the pain. When we're in our day to day busy-ness, we don't have the time to do just that. Clearing the decks and allowing yourself that space to be that person you were when you first felt the hurt can help you continue to move through it, wherever you are in the process. When I think about being that 11-year-old girl, who dragged her best friend away from the crowds and into the bathroom to say, "Who's going to take care of me?"—I'm back. And sometimes that's exactly where I need to be. 

2. Honor how far you've come
You're that person who experienced the loss PLUS years of growth and processing and support. I use the anniversary as a moment to look back on those early days with pride to say, "I was there. And I didn't know if I would make it out of there. It was hard to see any light. But now I'm here and there's so much to love about where I am—and I created that." To build from there—if you have the power to get out of that unthinkable place and create a beautiful life, what other incredible things are you capable of doing? 

3. Time to be grateful for your people
A wise friend once commented about my childhood, "It sounds like you had a community of people gathered around you who held hands and said, 'This girl will succeed.' And they did all they could to make it so." This image continues to be my answer to that little girl's question, "Who will take care of me?" "Everyone.", I tell her, "Everyone." From friends and neighbors in my hometown who flooded our home with love, laughter and piles of babka, to new friends who email and text to say—"I'm thinking of you today." The people in my life are what make it the life I want to live and I'm reminded of this every time I share thoughts and feelings on this day. 

4. Teach our kids it's ok to grieve and to be sad
When my kids were small, I often would try to put on a brave face instead of showing whatever hard thing I was going through. While I still don't share it all—I've let more emotion shine through so that my girls can see that we can go through hard things and come out the other end. I want them to know that crying and expressing emotion can actually be a sign of strength and a necessary part of life. My older daughter hugged me while I teared-up reading a poem at my grandma's grave and my little one held my hand when I was missing my friend Dave who passed last year. We talk about my parents often throughout the year. I also bring them into whatever ritual I choose on the anniversary so they can be a part of it and understand what it means to our family. In our culture, we're not great at teaching children that death is part of life, but because of my experience—I think my kids are developing a language and empathy around grieving and loss that I hope will help them cope later in their years. 

Part of my ritual is to accept how each May 16th evolves—whether it's hard, beautiful, powerful or just fine. No matter what it is, on that day, I build a bridge to connect these two parts of my life and that bridge is the knowing that I was and am deeply loved. Even though my life is split in two, I am whole. 
 

The Power Of The Inspired No

As my business grows, I continue to meet fascinating people experimenting with interesting ideas, events and opportunities. Whether it’s apps to help working moms feel like they don’t have to do it all, coaching programs with frameworks for women to define flexible careers, or career transition workshops guiding senior level women toward their next step—there are hundreds of people who share my mission and I’m hungry to meet them all. Because I’m a connector-type, this is one of my favorite parts of the job. Where it can get sticky is the next step—deciding which of these dynamic people or companies to move forward with in a collaboration and knowing which of these opportunities, committees or projects is going to make the biggest impact on my business—and be the wisest use of my most scarce resource—my time. 

In order to figure out how to move forward, I walk through the following line of questioning…

1. Does this align with my top three business priorities? 
2. Am I excited about this or does it feel like a “should?” 
3. Would I regret not doing this? 

Often after asking myself these questions—the opportunity falls into the “no” camp and I feel an instant sense of obligation to my new favorite person who will be receiving my “no.” I recall our dynamic conversation—our mind melding, our shared vision—and then I feel guilty, as if I am letting that person down. I have two choices—ignore follow-up emails that leave me with the stomach pit OR say no. 

In order to turn these feelings around, I ask myself, “If I say no to this project, what other exciting project can I say yes to?” 

And from this place of possibility, I’m reminded that “no” can be “no for now” and not “have a nice life!” 

Next comes the creative part. It is possible to say “no” and simultaneously make someone feel valued and supported and admired. I call it, The Inspired No. 

How To Write The Inspired No
1. Be upfront and honest that now is not the right time for this project. 
2. DON’T give excuses or reasons as to why. These feel empty and they are unnecessary. 
3. DO be open and detailed about how much you enjoyed the conversation you had and respect their mission and their work. 
4. Be clear that you’d love to keep in touch so that you can potentially collaborate down the line. 

The beauty of The Inspired No is that it communicates that you are authentically in awe of what the person is doing AND that you don’t need to be a part of it to be a fan. I’ve been amazed at the encouraging and gracious notes I’ve received back from my Inspired No’s—and the relationships that have been built when that door was left open to simply see what could happen. Most importantly, The Inspired No gives me another opportunity to celebrate the boundaries I set to build the business and life that’s right for me—while building a world of future co-conspirators in the process. 

Employers: Here's How To Support Women

Photo Credit: Anthony Quintano

One day before International Women's Day and a planned women's strike, a bronze statue of a Fearless Girl appeared daring Wall Street's famous Charging Bull. She was fierce. She was bold. She was in charge. I shared her photo with my two daughters who instantly fell in love and kinship with this bronze girl who represented hope for them and their futures. The statue was perfectly placed in its temporary home by State Street Global Advisers to raise awareness of gender inequity on corporate boards. "Today, we are calling on companies to take concrete steps to increase gender diversity on their boards, and have issued clear guidance to help them begin to take action," State Street Global Advisors CEO Ron O'Hanley said in a statement. 

While this beautifully executed awareness campaign is one step in a larger movement to support women moving into senior leadership roles across the workforce, in my work on the ground with women leaders individually and within organizations, I continue to see a disconnect between words and actions. Employers want to help. They're putting new policies in place, but they're stuck in cultures that are slow to understand the levers that can make an impact and deliver on changes once they're understood. 

Based on the trends I see in my work with women, what makes them consciously choose to stay in junior and mid-level roles and what drives them to opt-out of the workforce altogether, I've highlighted five focus areas where employers can further support their female workforce and create cultures that are amenable to women rising to leadership roles within organizations. 

1. Support self-promotion and the development of personal brands
The high achieving women I see aced their academic lives. They graduated with honors from prestigious schools. In essence, they followed the rules. As many of us have learned, following the rules and doing good work is not what drives success in the workplace. It's part of it, sure, but there's something else that generally speaking—men do naturally and women loathe: self-promotion. Self-promotion has become my anthem when I speak of women in leadership. See my 5 Commandments Of Self-Promotion. It is imperative to plant the seeds of your great work early and often if you want to build a personal brand within and outside of your organization. In order to do this, employers can provide and support opportunities for emerging women leaders to attend conferences, speak on panels and present their work within the organization. Public speaking is a key component to most senior roles. Gaining practice and comfort with it early in a career, as well as leveraging the exposure of presenting as an expert, can become a solid infrastructure for success. 

2. Focus on long-term professional development
Many of the women I coach are hungry to learn new skills and are ready for new opportunities, but they fear having long-term growth conversations with their leaders. This leaves them to either stay too long in a role or begin to look elsewhere, which can be daunting when they have some flexibility in a company after a long tenure. Often times when they do have these conversations, they feel as if they've hit a brick wall. Many employers are focused on the needs of the here and now, the business goals of the current role—which makes sense given the intensive demands placed on organizations and leaders to perform. But—this approach produces creative stagnation and drives employee engagement to plummet. It does not prompt employees to want to grow within their organizations and it negates any vision they may have to rise to senior ranks. While I work with my clients to become leaders and drivers of their own careers, the culture of their companies plays a critical role in supporting this kind of thinking and growth mentality. People evolve and want to focus on their strengths and interests. Skilled leaders open the door to ongoing growth conversations and they think outside of their own project needs to include what's best for the employee overall. 

3. Take Unconscious Bias seriously
This one keeps me up at night. Often when women begin to advocate for themselves, speak up in meetings, provide feedback, act with the authority their titles should command, [insert any leadership quality here]—they are met with resistance, stereotypes and a backlash that would not be received by male leaders at their level. Women can build up their inner strength and confidence with a coach like me, but if they continue to hit walls within their companies, change will not be possible. Organizations like Google and Facebook are leading the way with "Unconscious Bias" trainings that are not only available to their organizations, but also publicly available so that other organizations can learn and implement a similar approach. As with any corporate culture shift, there must be senior leadership awareness and buy-in that bias is currently an issue and that it must be addressed with training and accountability for every employee. 

4. Create open communication about work-life balance
Find out what's important to your employee. Maybe it's being home for a family dinner and getting back online when the kids go to bed. Perhaps it's a no 9 am meetings rule. (Most working mom's have moved mountains at home and then added a commute on top of it to make a 9 am meeting). Or maybe it's the ability to completely go offline over the weekend. It's different for everyone, so it's important for employees to feel safe enough to discuss what makes life manageable and dare I say meaningful with their leaders so that they can come up with a plan that works for both parties. 

5. Build cultures where mistakes are possible
One of the biggest trends I see holding my clients back is perfectionism. The need to double, triple and quadruple check every minute detail can be the killer of both creativity and productivity. While I'm a proponent of high quality work, I see many women setting unattainable expectations for not only themselves but also their direct reports. These out of reach standards can lead to a hesitance in delegating tasks, keeping women leaders handling more junior level assignments instead of focusing on strategic initiatives that will keep them on the rising track. When employers create cultures that allow humans to be humans, flaws and all—employees have the space to move beyond the pressure and the perfectionism that keeps them running in place. 

While I work alongside many other coaches, organizational development professionals, writers, women's networking organizations and leadership institutes (and the list goes on…) in this march toward gender equality, there's a world of difference employers can make even beyond the longer Parental Leave policies they're beginning to implement. Parental leave is important, but it can't and it shouldn't be the only topic of conversation when it comes to a gender disparity in leadership. In kick-starting discussion around the above five points, you can make a difference. It may take a permanent installation of a fierce little girl challenging a bull that is five times her size to continue to make the point, but that's where we're at right now. So hands on hips, ladies, and let's do this thing.