By Kendra Prospero, CEO

When I first opened my business, countless things would wake me up at 2:00 in the morning.

Sometimes, it was because I felt so drained at end of each day—that feeling of being tired beyond exhaustion. At work, I wanted to focus more on strategy and vision. But, I couldn’t seem to get there because I spent so much time on the small, day-to-day responsibilities.

Other times, I was haunted by the issues I struggled with repeatedly and couldn’t figure out how to get past. And at times, I felt that my team members were not sharing their real opinions or asking me what they thought might be embarrassing questions—and that worried me! One nightmare was that my communication style was too harsh, or on the opposite end, that I was doing too much sugar coating.

There were countless things—it was continuous and exhausting. All this is what today I call “head trash.”

I now know that all leaders have head trash.

Head trash is the fear, uncertainty, and doubt we bring upon ourselves with our thoughts, emotions, and eventually our actions. Many times, the reason that woke me up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat was actually legitimate; but other times, it was just a silly thought that later on I couldn’t believe earned a place in my nightmares.

For me, it has been a constant companion since I’ve been a CEO. But recently, I took a class that led me to understand—and reduce— my own head trash.

The class gave me many tools to elevate my thoughts and emotions so that I could find an opportunity at hand, even when it seems like there isn’t one. I also found more confidence in myself by receiving 360-degree feedback. Some of my personal insights involved learning that I default to feeling like a victim when I am stressed. I also learned that my team sees me much differently than how I perceive myself (they like me a lot more than I like myself). Truthfully, some of these things are hard to admit, but it’s been a fantastic journey for me, and I truly feel like a new person.

The effects have stretched to both work and home—even my family has noticed the growth I’ve experienced. They say that I am more playful, a little less likely to holler at my 8-year-old, and also look for the good more than worrying about details. Admittedly, I never thought I would say this, but my almost 14-year-old daughter is the coolest kid, and we’re actually having the most insightful and meaningful conversations right now!

I have discovered that most of my former worries were rooted in my mindset more than in any truth, which didn’t help me. While I still wake up in the middle of the night, don’t get me wrong, it’s so less frequent. And all of this resulted from this amazing six-month program I went through.

As a fellow CEO and leader, I want to ensure you feel the same relief I now feel. That’s why we’ve decided to offer this program as a part of our training opportunities at TTC. It’s called Leadership Lab, and it’s taught by one of the most incredible coaches I’ve ever met. We know firsthand how powerful the results are; this is a mission-maker, and we want you there.

Our next class starts on August 24, 2022, and you’ll meet for two hours every other week—a format our management training program participants have loved. However, this program also includes access to coaching, a 360-degree feedback questionnaire, and other assessments that will give us specific insight into how we can best support you.

If you’re interested or want to chat about it, especially about the impact Leadership Lab has had on my life and my own leadership, please let me know. I’d love to speak with you and hope to see you in class!

 

At Turning the Corner, we believe that meaningful work that we enjoy is one of life’s greatest rewards—it’s why we do what we do! Our mission is to end suffering in the workplace and empower businesses to thrive through various HR services and training opportunities.