The day my house was scheduled to go to Auction, was the day Jacinda locked down Aotearoa, the 24th of March… Neat!
Like many of us who run our own businesses, or are self-employed, we all watched our mahi disappear out of our calendars. And, sadly for some of those in “employed status,” job became uncertain with some even losing their jobs entirely. I was left juggling two homes and two mortgages, alongside significant personal loss. But as grief and financial stress started to pull on my well-being and resilience, along came Jacinda, who promptly put schemes in place to help us during this difficult time including mortgage breaks and wage subsidies. Go Jacinda! Millennial women, Mum, Prime Minister and Leader! #RoleModel.
Image sourced from Bing Images.
During 2020, I watched clients go through the pain of losing their Mothers and Fathers and attending funerals or Tangihanga via Zoom. Weddings, celebrations, and concerts cancelled. There were women who suffered increased domestic violence and harm at the hands of those they love. People whose mental health suffered, including students rising level of anxiety about their future. The level of loss worldwide felt unprecedented, and people remain locked down in many countries abroad. While some of us have been hit harder than others, we can safely assume that every Whanau has experienced some form of hurt, loss or hardship during these tough times.
Fortunately for all of us, resilience is a skill that can be learned, and so I will start the year by demonstrating a key resilience strategy. By simply exercising gratitude, we can gradually start to feel more positive. In a turbulent year, it is exceedingly crucial that we celebrate the wins we did have – no matter their size or importance. So, to start 2021 with the headspace of stepping forward, here are some of Women Step Forward’s highlights from 2020.
Celebrating our wins in 2020
Empowering the women I coach to ask for what they are worth. Whether this was coaching women through negotiating salary increases even during a salary freeze, or women obtaining more significant leadership roles, the power of empowerment to transform and encourage more wahine to step forward for what they deserve and into leadership roles is encouraging.
The Ministry for Women requesting my services in relation to the Mana Wahine Kaupapa Inquiry, to help design and facilitate cross-government agency workshops in readiness for the outcomes of the Tuapapa Hearings. And wow, a pivotal moment in history is taking place. Good luck to those Māori Wahine embarking on a huge journey of acknowledgement and justice for alleged claims into wrong doings. Stay informed on progress here.
Designing and running an online session for the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment Women in Leadership network with up to 150 participants to help prepare and empower women to step forward and negotiate. Not only is “women succeeding in negotiations” an area of my expertise, but I am now also a seasoned Zoom professional ?
Leading a Focus Group of women with cultural and ethnically diverse backgrounds to explore their leadership experiences (doubts, challenges, obstacles), how their customs, and traditions shape how their voice is heard at work, and what can be done to empower and strengthen their ability to continue to create impact as women of colour in the workplace. Amazing learnings and more to come on those insights through our ongoing mahi.
Working with the Leadership Development Centre to transfer their “in-person” New People Leaders (NPL) programme to “online” and continue to facilitate leaders’ growth in critical development priorities for those new to managing people.
Awarded on the Leadership Development Centre’s 2021 facilitator list to continue to take leadership cohorts through the NPL programme and commence a new programme for Leaders of Leaders. Providing people with access to best practice and evidence-based leadership principals, practice and development in order to create a better public service is an exciting and privileged opportunity.
A significant focus by new and existing clients on team-based strengths development – such a positive and enjoyable way to work with leaders in order to build an engaged, productive and strengths-based team.
Continued focus on Te Reo and Tikanga in my leadership practice. All leaders have a role to help revitalise this beautiful language and develop a workplace willing to embrace Māori tikanga.
Recruiting Sophie MacIntyre to the team as our part-time Social Media Coordinator and Admin guru already helping to level up Women Step Forward’s reach and impact. Go Gen Z’s ?
Finally, a shout out to teachers! While, I learnt how resilient my children are, and how we worked hard to be the best wee team when the rest of the Aotearoa was locked out of our lives, attempting to home school during lockdown was perhaps a step too far. ? Coaching and empowering women to experience great transformation or take on more significant leadership roles, is a much more natural and enjoyable role for this Wahine! So, bless my children AND bless their teachers who are much more equipped and skilled in doing the mahi of schooling than this entrepreneurial mother. And bless 2021, ongoing gratitude, and positivity, as Women Step Forward rises alongside the rest of Aotearoa, and we shall put the spotlight on the next generation of women leaders.
Lastly, I am proud of our Women Step Forward community for strengthening our resilience during lockdown.
Ngā mihi nui
Mel Boyle
Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu (with feathers a bird can fly)
Strengthening Our Resilience During Lockdown – my girls and I focusing on others/our whanau to feed the happy hormones ?
