Guest Blog: Turning The Page; Living, Loving and Leading Out Loud by Kathleen McLean

Each Tuesday we turn over the blog to a successful woman who will share her special message.  Last week Kierra Jones inspired us to shine with her special story of success found after she questioned all the milestones in her life. If you want to share your story email me at JoDeeKenney@gmail.com for more information.

Today Business Owner Kathleen McLean inspires us with her message of faith, love and perseverance.  

Every dream can come true with faith, forward thinking combined with purpose, passion and persistence.  My early training consisted of me obtaining  a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Social Work. I worked with individuals  who were addicted to mind/mood altering chemicals, the mentally ill, the mentally ill/chemical abusing, runaway homeless youth, domestic violence survivors, and adolescents. It was a tough field and I started to experience burnout from the work. I thought it was the population and decided to become a school social worker. In the beginning my heart leaped for joy each time I walked into school to greet my colleagues and spend time counseling and playing games such as go fish and chutes and ladders with my students, while I sat on the floor of my office. As the days, the weeks, then months passed by my energy started to drain and what once made my heart jump made me feel drained and unfulfilled and I needed intellectual stimulation . I knew if I said go fish one more time, I would SCREAM!!! 

One of the Turning Page moments for me is when I decided to attend Mega-Fest – it is a yearly Christian conference that is led by one of the most inspirational speakers I have ever heard – his name is Bishop TD Jakes. I attended with two of my children; Danielle was 12, Christopher was 10 – it was a conference that included activities to meet the needs of the entire family.  The woman’s conference included 70,000 women; I can still sense the electricity in the room with all those women singing songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. I recall during that time, a still small voice whispered, “Kathleen, you need to quit the Social Worker job and start your own business”.  I ruminated over those words during the entire remainder of the conference. 

I returned home to Latham NY and was sitting in my kitchen and heard the still small voice again, “Kathleen, you need to call Unity House in Troy NY because there is a job opening  for a night cleaning person”.  I followed the voice and called. I am totally aww struck as I hear the woman on the other line state, “You’re timing is impeccable – the person just left a couple of days ago, you’re hired!  My job duties included cleaning 6 bathrooms, the kitchen and distributing medication to the clients every morning.  I decided to capitalize on my time and when I wasn’t cleaning, I spent my time learning about as much as I could on diversity/inclusion/leadership etc.  I might as well, since I was up all night. It was a humbling experience to clean up after adults. By night cleaning and by day I was attending networking events. Usually,  I would take a quick wash up and throw on a suit for my last task of the day before I would be heading to an am networking event . 

One day one of the clients came up to me while I was mopping the floor, and said, “Hi Cinderella”.  At first I was so tired that it just passed by me. I realized Cinderella s’ story changed and so would mine. Six months later as I was walking out of Walmart – I received a call from a contact person at SUNY Albany and I was offered a job. I worked with a non-profit /SUNY for two years while maintaining my business on a part-time basis. Then I had the most outstanding amazing job for 5 years providing consulting, coaching and training  for a NYS funded initiative.  While working I decided to pursue a second master’s degree. I was living my dream as I traveled and developed teams and it brought me such joy and great fulfillment.  

In 2013, I finished my MBA the same month I was laid off and my employer paid for 50% of my tuition.   I was heartbroken and somewhat devastated from the layoff as my daughter graduated from high school and off to college she was going and college is not free.  I honestly believe there is never a good time to be laid off from any job for anyone.  Initially I looked for a job and not one full-time door opened. The only doors that opened were contracts. I have been working as the CEO of The McLean Group – executive coaching, consulting and training firm that specializes in diversity , team building and leadership since 2006 and have been full time since 2013. I have two other paid individuals on my team. I have several clients and doors are opening consistently. I have learned the following: 

1. Even when you think nothing is happening , something is happening – Keep moving and keep motivated. 
2. Self talk is key to survival. My self talk is , “I dare you not to give me this contract or proposal”!!! 
3. Serve. Serve. Serve. If it’s in your power to do good. Do good. It is not cliché at all – what you sow is what you reap. Be willing to reach out and help.
4. Work hard. Play hard. Serve hard. 
5. Live ! Love! And Lead out Loud! 
6. Send thank you notes regularly and be kind! 
7. Your network is your net worth. Net work. Net work. Net work. 
8. In pain you find your purpose, persistence and passion

My Compass

My children are my compass. I honestly can say since their arrival into this world all of my decisions have been based on providing or at least thinking I'm providing, all I can for them. Lately, I've been doing a lot of thinking about being more deliberate in my decisions. I want to be less impulsive, even if I know the decision I am making is the right one to make. Want to know something? Despite thinking about going to grad school for well over 10 years, I actually made the decision to go in one day. A week later I applied. Three or four weeks later I was in classes. It the right decision, but I've spent a lot of time in front of a computer for the past two years and I will for one more while I work on my thesis. It's been tough on all of them. My husband clearly didn't know what he was getting into by showing unflinching support. I'm sure he's more than overwhelmed cooking, cleaning and carrying the load while I study. My kids have been so supportive, but when they ask me to go watch a movie or do something and I can't... I see the disappointment in their eyes. Still, I see the light at the end of the tunnel. The school will be done soon and mom will have her masters. Continuing education is important for people as we age in the workforce. It just is. So, I hope my family realizes that even though all the work I'm putting in school has taken away from some of their time, they are the reason why I am doing it. I appreciate their support and love... and believe they are the compass that is leading me in the right direction.

Guest Blog: 7 Lessons I've Learned About Success by Shameka Andrews

Time for our weekly guest blog!

Last week you heard from Eileen Doyon about the lessons she learned from the loss of her dad. The loss was so profound, yet she found inspiration from the sadness and is now helping share their message through a series of books.  If you're a successful woman who wants to share her story email me at jodeekenney@gmail.com for more information on submitting.

 This week you're going to hear a message of perseverance from Shameka Andrews. Shameka provides workshops for people with disabilities, their families and organizations that support them. She is the state coordinator for the Ms. Wheelchair NY competition.  She posts inspirational videos and is truly a motivating force. I know you will enjoy hearing about her 7 lessons she has learned about Success! Enjoy.

What I have learned about Success
1.Define success for yourself. We often associate success with money and getting stuff. We chase someone elses definition of success only to find out we never wanted any of that stuff anyway.

2.You can always get back on track. As the saying goes it is not about how many times you get knocked down that matters what matters is how many times you get back up. Every minute of every day is a new opportunity get back on track. And we don’t have to do it alone. Nobody does it alone. We all need a support system.
     We just need to be open to letting others help us.

3.Be Grateful for where you are on the way to where you want to be. Gratitude has played a big part in the life the last few years. Two years ago, I started doing what I call Todays Favs. At the end of the day I list five things I really liked about that day and share it on social media. This practice has helped me to look at each day differently. People that follow me online often say that this is helped to them as well and some say they have started their own favs list.

4.You don’t have to do it alone. Growing up I believed that if I was not able to do something on my own that I should not do it. But the fact of the matter is nobody does everything all by themselves. We are need a support system and there is anything wrong with that.

5.Step out on Faith. Nobody has a blueprint of their entire life. Sometimes you need to move forward in the dark and know that you are going to get where you are supposed to be even if you may not know where that is right now.

6.When you are feeling helpless that is often the best time to help someone else. When challenges become up in our lives helping someone else maybe in that same situation or facing another type of challenge is usually the last thing we are thinking about but it is often that one thing that makes the biggest difference.

7.Celebrate what you have been able to accomplish. Give yourself credit for what you have been able to do in your life and don’t pay so much attention to what you have not done. I know this is easier said than done. But I will share with you one more thing that helps me to focus it is one of my favorite quote that I begin every presentation with. It is a quote from Edward Everett Hale. The Quote says I am only one, But still I am one I can’t do everything but I can do something and I will not let what I can’t do interfere with what I can.  

Drowning in a Sea of Paperwork

This is 1/10th of the end of school year mess I still have going on in my house. PAPER is EVERYWHERE! At the end of the school year the teachers send EVERYTHING home. I mean E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!!!! Every little scrap of paper. Every little workbook. Every ratty notebook. EVERYTHING.

I guess there are some parents out there who want to go through every piece of paper their child wrote on to inspect it for some brilliance--- I'm not one of them! I feel a little guilty saying that- but it's true. I only want to see what's important--- good or bad. The problem is- BECAUSE the teachers sent it home--- I feel the need and obligation to look at every stinkin' thing.... just in case I'm missing something important!!! Is this by design? Is this some cruel test by the teachers to see if I'm paying attention and really care about my children?? Paranoia sets in. What if the teacher sent home a specific list of books to read that apply to my child and my child alone? PRESSURE TO BE A GOOD PARENT IS IMMENSE THESE DAYS FOLKS!

It really is a vicious cycle for me. I gather it up into a neat pile, the kids bring me more "stuff", then the mail comes and I create a second pile for that... and just when I think I'm getting to the bottom of the stack--- I find more... and I keep that to go through at a later date! Then- once it's all gone through- I have the "save pile"--- which basically never gets put away!

You think I would have sorted through everything by now. It has been a few weeks since the kids got out of school for the summer. The fact is- I haven't. It's truly overwhelming. I can say this- I feel the "purge urge" coming on--- and good things come from that.  I just hope and pray I don't throw anything important away!