For this month’s share the mic guest column, we asked Christina McLemore, Board Chair of Dress for Success Columbus, to share her tips for navigating change, building relationships, and developing a winning attitude.
In her role as Dress for Success’ board chair, Christina helps provide strategic direction to help women develop tools for success through workforce readiness and employment retention programs. The women served are stepping out of their comfort zones every day to achieve their personal and professional dreams.
Thank you, Christina, for sharing your insight. Here’s to getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.
— Mollard Consulting
When opportunities present themselves that most impact our lives, we often get anxious and uneasy.
Should I or shouldn’t I?
In John Maxwell’s book, “The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth,” he describes this feeling as The Law of the Rubber Band…” life begins at the end of our comfort zone.”
Change is not easy, but necessary. There are people who want you to win and, quite frankly, there are those that want you to lose. It is our responsibility to know who those people are.
Personally, what has helped me through periods of change are those that I refer to as my personal “board of directors” — my network of peers, friends, family, and mentors whose input I value. Over the years, I have realized that my network is critically important and valuable in both my personal and professional growth.
It is those trusted individuals that have helped me to weigh the pros and cons, provided a listening ear, and spoke the truth when it was hard for me to hear. But more importantly, they encouraged me. They genuinely wanted to see me succeed.
Their support continues, and I am grateful for it. Throughout my career, I have learned that the most important thing you can do is to do what others have done for you for someone else.
In that spirit, I provide this list of my lessons learned:
- Embrace Change. It won’t be easy, but invest in yourself and put the work in. Remember what comes easy won’t last long and what lasts long won’t come easy.
- Every Connection Matters. Don’t only invest in yourself but invest time in building and nurturing your network and maintaining those relationships that matter most.
- Expect to Win. Don’t settle or become complacent — show up and bring your best every day. Adopt a winning attitude! One of my favorite quotes is by Zig Ziglar: “You were born to win but to be a winner you must plan to win, prepare to win and expect to win.”
Mahatma Gandhi said that “The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems.” John Maxwell refers to this as a gap between good and great. We can close that gap when we are willing to stretch.
I have been stretched in my professional life through my service as Board President of Dress for Success Columbus, and my personal “board of directors” stretches me constantly. It’s not always easy, but I am grateful for the learning that has come from closing the gap.
I challenge you to stretch and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I believe that doing so will change your life for the better as well as others.
Article by: Christina McLemore, Board Chair, Dress for Success Columbus
