[More details from Michelle J.]

Tell us all a bit about yourself! What do you do for work?

I consider myself an analytical problem solver who is keenly interested in people development, different perspectives and challenging the status quo.

When you were considering joining LWGAD, what problems were you looking to solve? What were you thinking about most in your life/leadership at that point?

Over the past few years navigating colleagues with mental health issues has become more common for me in the workplace. With business adaptability and access to information supercharged, supporting a wide variety of personalities through constant change can become tiring. I felt it was time to reset and review my toolkit.

What other things had you tried to address the same challenges?

Research, forums & papers online.

What thoughts were going through your head as you considered joining?

I am always looking out for opportunities for growth and seeking out different perspectives.

What excited you about the idea of the course? what scared/intimidated you about it?

Scared / intimidated are not words that apply to me when seeking out learning paths – keeping on top of new ideas / different mindsets is a way to continue evolving and ensure your skillset is relevant.

So you ultimately decided to join! (Which really made our day!) What did you experience in the program?

Being present is something that hit home to me. First you must take care of yourself so that you can support others with laser focus. There were other nuggets, like the activity handouts that made me take pause and reflect with honesty on how I contribute in my role.

What is different about you and your life now that you know-how to be a leader who gives a damn?

More reflection and consideration of dealing with my own challenges alongside external ones.

Any closing thoughts for someone who may be in the same situation that you were before LWGAD and is considering the program but is not quite sure?

Get in there and do it!