In this monthly column, Step Up CEO Jenni Luke shares her take on mentorship through role modeling.
Between the end of January and the end of June, I went on seven business trips and relocated across the country from Los Angeles to NYC. All positive things but I was tired and felt a bit scattered as you can imagine. The last trip was to Denver at the end of June for the Clinton Global Initiative America. While I was really looking forward to it, I was also looking forward to communing with my new couch in my new apartment in my new city. I felt like I needed a break. What I got instead was inspiration that refueled my tank and made me ready to hit the ground running in the second half of the year.
This conference is special because it brings together leaders from the government, business, nonprofit and philanthropy sectors to collaborate and find solutions to jumpstart the American economy.
All one thousand of those invited to attend are decision makers within their organizations so that if an idea sparks, everyone is able to commit to moving it forward right then and there. It is nerd heaven for me because I’m learning about policy issues and points of view that impact the work we do at Step Up but also issues we don’t deal with directly but that our work touches. The spirit of collaboration and recognition of our interconnectedness was palpable and energizing.
I share this to encourage you to find whatever you need to refuel yourself at this midpoint in the year. Our NYC staff did an office retreat this week and after a daylong working session took a harbor cruise to see the sights. Refresh your perspective in whatever way works for you. Then bring that energy back to your life and focus in on the areas where you have renewed vigor and clarity. I know that by December I’ll likely be tired again, but everyday between now and then will have more impact because of the inspiration I received.
