Here’s the meme of the day:
Setting aside the domestic terrorism (like we even can??), my work week was also heavy. Still, I want to take a moment to express gratitude for one part of my job today. On a wall-to-wall meeting day, I led a half-day planning meeting for our marketing team. Though I’ve been people managing the marketing team for a year, I haven’t been the strategic leader/head of that team at the executive level. But as my coworker who held that role is exiting the company, I’m transitioning to officially lead that team.
I’ve been going to quarterly offsite planning meetings with the leadership team for five years now, so I’ve soaked some information in about how to have an “offsite” (even if ours was onsite in our homes). But I’ve never facilitated one before and I wanted to make sure the team found it valuable (we blocked five hours, with healthy breaks) while letting their voices lead the show.
I’m happy to report that it went well. I’m sure there are things I can improve on, but as we went through the agenda (icebreaker > reviewing our company’s detailed vision > lessons learned on 2020 > SWOT Analysis > identifying 2021 themes/initiatives > then closing planning for a team social event) I was happy to see people engaging, contributing great ideas, and asking good questions. That’s what you get when you work with an incredibly smart and motivated team with a great work ethic. The team rated the meeting 10/10 all around (we always rate our meetings at the end so we can learn how to improve). I am very lucky.
Today was busy. That five-hour planning meeting was bookended by HR-related meetings and then the day ended with an hour-long company meeting reviewing 2020 and setting the tone for 2021 where I also had to speak and present. I’m ready to close the chapter on this week and reset over the weekend.
But through all the swirling emotions of this week, I wanted to end on gratitude. That’s what it means to be rooted for me today.
Now excuse me while I get in bed, read Percy Jackson books, and stop thinking for a while.
With Love,
Natalie