Thursday, February 25, 2010

Keeping it real

Even though we're a relatively small company, we are already fighting against "corporate speak" adn not having real conversations. So it's SO exciting when, as we did in yesterday's Support Center meeting, it happens - and people talk about what they are really concerned about - because then we can address it!

Finding my authentic real voice as a leader as taken a lot of time, as has finding my authentic, real voice as a mom.

In both contexts, I can't spout everything I am feeling at any particular moment, and I have to be mindful of the responsibility of the impact of my words on others.

BUT I strive to have some part of the real me shine through. For everyone who works at Julep who reads this blog - please help me with this at Julep! We are too small and it is too important for anyone to be concerned about appearances. We're not playing the role of building Julep - we are actually doing it!

Thanks Erica, Rebecca, Tamara and Monique. I'm so proud of all your work and am excited for everything we'll accomplish in 2010.

Jane

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Yoonacarns

My kindergartener brought home a list of her top 10 favorite things today, and my husband and I didn't make the list.

#9 is "yoonacarns" and "ders" come in at #10. (Maybe we were right behind nonexistent deformed hooved creatures and bambis - surely the carnations of the animal kingdom. We could have been #11 but there was just no more room left on the paper. . .).

But I'm thrilled that she is so exhuberant and excited about her writing. Before she knew letters she pretended to write them, and now she gives David Letterman a run for her money with her endless lists.

And "yoonicarns" is pretty darn good, if you ask me. It communicates the point, has internal consistency - and is a correct application of the double "o" after all. She's able to express herself in written language - how incredible. Even though millions of other children her age (and much younger) do the same thing, it's still a wonder to me.

I think we might be at the "yoonacarns" stage at Julep too. We've developed our culture and our language, and are operating with internal consistency. We are starting to figure out what we are about and are authentically yearning to connect with the world and share our ideas. How incredible. Even though millions of other companies our stage (and much earlier) do the same thing, it is still a wonder to me.

If our spelling isn't quite perfect yet, just you wait. We're on our way to capturing winged hoofed creatures with astonishingly elegant spelling.

And we installed Microsoft BPOS (affectionately called "Microsoft four-paws" by AF) today - which felt like a very grown-up thing to do.

I wonder if I will ever stop being in awe of our potential.