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Reflecting on a Busy 2024

As you read this, I’m in Las Vegas for the Ascend Convention. I’m so excited to speak to this group that supports and develops leaders from the AAPI community. I’m also feeling gratitude for all of the milestones and memorable moments so far in 2024.  

If you’re a regular reader here, you know that I always advocate taking a moment to slow down, reflect and celebrate your successes. So that’s what I want to do today. I hope you’ll also consider sharing your big moments of 2024 in our LinkedIn community. Let’s share some virtual high fives!

Image by Annette Meyer from Pixabay

New Lens® Updates

Our New Lens learning platform continues to evolve. We just released some new features in response to client suggestions and we’ve totally updated the content for the Build Leadership Courage and Resilience core strategy. We’re getting consistently positive feedback from our client companies about how New Lens is making an impact for them — and nothing makes us happier! If your organization needs a scalable and affordable leadership development solution, you can set up a demo to learn more about New Lens.

Our Contributions to Forbes and Fast Company

A big part of our mission is expanding access to the leadership development strategies that have helped 75% of our clients get promoted. One way we do that is through regular contributions to Forbes and Fast Company. If you’ve missed any of our 2024 articles, here’s a quick roundup:

If you missed my interview for the “Negotiate Anything” podcast with Kwame Christian, check it out. Listen for some advice on authentic self-advocacy as a strategy for getting promoted, or read highlights of our conversation in Kwame’s article for Forbes.

Thought Leadership

  • We’ve been busy here creating resources to better serve your needs. Our white paper "3 Key Challenges for Managers" was inspired by a clear trend we’ve seen emerge: Managers are more important than ever to organizations. But they’re also at high risk of burnout and disengagement.

Honors and Recognition

  • We are still basking in the glow of burnt orange! Newberry Solutions was honored with the #67 spot on The Longhorn 100, which recognizes the top 100 fastest-growing The University of Texas at Austin Longhorn-led companies in the world.

 Speaking Engagements

  • As an advocate for women, I loved speaking again at the D CEO Women's Leadership Symposium. There was such incredible energy in the room as we talked about topics like ambition, networking and career transitions. I spoke during the opening panel discussion, “Empowering Women: Overcoming Obstacles and Adapting to a New Era of Opportunity.” 

  • I was also part of a panel discussion presented by ICF North Texas Charter Chapter. The topic was “Inquiring Minds Want to Know: Insights from Master Certified Coaches.”

  •  For International Women’s Day, I delivered a keynote for the India Association of North Texas. Top takeaway: Notice the value of your own experiences and own and amplify what makes you unique.

Interested in having me speak? You can learn more on my website.

Other Notable Updates

  • I’m excited to be admitted as a new member of The Dallas Assembly, which has a powerful mission and impressive members (business, civic, nonprofit) that align with it. 

  • Parlez-vous français? My French improved after an incredible trip to Paris with 40 fellow members of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Tocqueville Society — philanthropists, leaders and changemakers. We were hosted by descendants of the Tocqueville family, and the trip included carefully curated experiences to foster relationships, learn from each other, share ideas on how to amplify philanthropy, and discuss challenges to democracy.

  • I’m also proud to be on the board of Texas Women’s Foundation, which hosted a Leadership Forum & Award Celebration featuring journalist Deborah Roberts as keynote.

  • I’m also joining the board of Big Thought, which is making a huge difference for youth in our community.

  • As always, serving as a mentor for the Dallas Business Journal's Mentoring Monday was a blast. It’s amazing how much advice you can pack into seven-minute sessions. And it’s always fun to see women in the community that I admire who are taking time out of their busy schedules to mentor others. 

  • I was excited to be back at Deloitte for the Ascend North Texas ERG Forum and a discussion on the Power of Allyship. Thanks to all the speakers for investing your time for and to Deloitte for hosting the event.

What’s Coming Up

Our schedule is just as exciting for the second half of 2024:

  • I’m moving my son to college in a couple of weeks, and am so proud of him!

  • Keep an eye out for our next webinar on September 13, 2024 and white paper.

  • I have an upcoming major media appearance I can’t wait to tell you more about!

Amid all the busyness, I’m keeping in mind my theme word for 2024: Joy. I feel joy when I look back on these milestones, think about our incredible team, and dedicated people coming together to make a difference for others. 

Here’s to more joy and success in the rest of 2024!

Tap into the Power of Gratitude

As Thanksgiving draws near, it's a wonderful time to pause and reflect on this year's journey. 

Sometimes in the rush toward our next objectives, we might overlook the importance of celebrating our successes. This season, I encourage us all to take a step back and appreciate important milestones and positive experiences.

Image by Deborah Hudson from Pixabay

Acknowledging and being thankful for what is going well in our lives isn't just a feel-good exercise; it's a powerful catalyst for continuous growth and success. In this spirit, at Newberry Solutions, we've taken a moment to pause and reflect. Here are some things we are particularly thankful for:

Our clients. Their passion for and dedication to leadership development inspires us daily. We deeply value their trust and partnership — and their feedback, which led to us being recognized as an Inc. Power Partner this year.

Our support network. The people who have consistently supported us over the years have been the key to this company’s 15 years of success. We’re so fortunate to have them in our corner as a constant source of inspiration.

Our community. We're grateful that this year has brought us many opportunities to join with others through nonprofit organizations and other initiatives to make a real difference in the community in which we live and work.

Our platform. We have made great strides in our commitment to democratizing access to leadership development:

Time and space. Personally, I am so thankful for the moments that have allowed me to recharge and reconnect with what truly matters. That has included hiking in Sedona and Whistler, adventures in Turks & Caicos, and celebrating several college admissions with my son.

As Thanksgiving approaches, I invite you to join me in reflecting. 

  • What are you grateful for right now, personally and professionally?  

  • What experiences have enriched your year, even if they were challenging ones? 

  • Who do you want to express gratitude to as Thanksgiving approaches?

At Newberry Solutions, we're committed to your success through New Lens and other resources, and always in your corner cheering you on. Let's embrace this season of thanksgiving with a heart full of appreciation and commitment to make a positive impact.

What’s New from Newberry Solutions

In this environment of constant change, we’re passionate about providing organizations the tools and resources they need to respond to the latest challenges. Besides our blog and social channels, we’ve also been sharing our insights and strategies through some top media outlets and in a new white paper. We want to make it easy for you to tap into our expertise, so today I’m rounding up our 2023 publications so that you can catch up on any you might have missed.

Forbes Coaches Council: Retention, Growth and Development

The Great Resignation may have faded from the headlines, but employee retention is still a big issue. That’s why I wrote the article “To Retain Employees, Help Them Grow And Develop” for  Forbes Coaches Council. In it, I shared ideas on how to prioritize growth and development even when schedules and budgets are tight.

As a Council member, I also contribute to roundup articles alongside other inspiring coaches. We’ve tackled a variety of topics so far this year:

Fast Company: Stress Management

One of the major themes we’re seeing this year is the importance of managing stress (both your own and your team’s) to prevent burnout. I talked about this topic in the article “4 ways managers can take care of themselves through stressful situations” for Fast Company. As I wrote in the article, “before you can be there for your team, you have to first take care of yourself.”

White Paper: Managers Under Pressure

In addition to those media publications, we also launched a new white paper this year, “Managers Under Pressure.” We created this research report because we saw how important managers are in helping organizations navigate key issues like remote work, layoffs and resignations. But, at the same time, managers are more likely to suffer from burnout than either higher-level leaders or individual contributors are. “Managers Under Pressure” will enhance your understanding of today’s unprecedented challenges, how those challenges affect your organization’s managers and how to help your managers become more resilient, effective and engaged.

Share the Learning

I hope that these resources will help you meet your goals at work and that you will also consider sharing them with your team members and peers who are also navigating these issues. To go deeper with our learning and development resources, check out our award-winning New Lens® app. Schedule your demo today. 

Newberry Solutions in the News

In case you missed it, I’ve recently been featured in several top media outlets about pressing workplace issues, and we have published a new white paper. Read on for a roundup of our recent publications.

Fast Company: Starting a New Job

Are you one of the many people who have changed jobs during the Great Resignation? I wrote the article “6 simple but crucial things you must do in your first 3 months on the job” for Fast Company to help you hit the ground running in your new role. The article covers topics including building your brand as a leader, defining success and building relationships.

Forbes: Burnout, Conflict and Micromanaging

In addition to my collaboration with Fast Company, I’m excited to be a member of the Forbes Coaches Council. As part of the council, I’ve been featured with other inspiring coaches to provide strategies to address challenges that leaders are facing:

Wall Street Journal: Asking for a Raise

What are the most important things to remember when you are asking for a raise? In the Wall Street Journal’s Women In newsletter, I shared the tactics that work for my coaching clients when they seek a pay increase. 

White Paper: Leadership Development for a Changing World

Over the past couple of years, Newberry Solutions has helped organizations develop their leaders in a business environment that’s full of upheaval and uncertainty. Through it all, we’ve seen how leadership development must evolve to keep up with these challenges. We distilled everything we learned into the white paper “Leadership Development for a Changing World.” In this free download, we explore today’s rapid changes, how they affect your organization’s leaders, and how to provide the training that your leaders need now.

I hope that these resources will support your own work as a leader. I’d love to hear your feedback and questions, and I invite you to join the conversation on LinkedIn.