How did SHE come to be?
Photo Cred: Brian Kelly
THE SELFISH PART
Failure Lab - SHE is a passion project. It is the collaborative culmination of a fantastic community of women trainers, facilitators, creatives, and executives. Failure Lab - SHE exists because it is what the women around us, including ourselves, needed, but couldn’t find.
You can’t talk about failure without talking about identity. Every human, not just women, experiences the world through the lens of their identity. The truth is that this curriculum, programming, and approach can be applied to any person - not just women. We would encourage all people to commit to a lifetime of self-reflection.
But as a group of women that have spent their careers in leadership development and experienced, both directly and indirectly, the specific challenges that women face navigating the professional world….here we are….. Hello! Welcome to SHE.
WHO IS SHE FOR?
SHE was created for the women who by all objective measures are - crushing life and living the dream.
SHE is for all of us who are grinding in the existing system and succeeding, but still feel……tired, lost, alone, overwhelmed, burned out, and disconnected from ourselves.
SHE is for those of us who want to reach our highest potential and do NOT believe that it should require being MORE LIKE A MAN.
SHE is for the women who have dedicated themselves to growth. They have read the books. Listened to the podcasts. Given themselves (and others) the pep talks. Are actively DO-ing the work…….and are still seeking more….not because there is a magic bullet, but because there is always more.
SHE is for all of the women that have a feeling somewhere deep inside of them that whispers, “You are more than this.”
THE EXTERNAL VOICE & THE INTERNAL VOICE
Truth time. The systems in which we operate are rooted in patriarchy, and that creates very real challenges for women in leadership. To have a conversation and not talk about the underlying infrastructure of sexism, racism, and other-isms that underlie every atom of the space around us is….frankly foolish and ultimately unproductive.
The progressive voices of the world tell women that we can “be anything.” We can be caretakers and boss-ass-bitches. We can be CEOs, mothers, partners, community servants, parental caregivers, artists, engineers, etc. You name it we can be it. This is true. This is wonderful. This is progress.
BUT…..
There is a sneaky and insidious undercurrent to the “you can have it all” narrative that is consistently fed to women (by society AND by ourselves.)
You can and should do it all.
You can and should do it all at an exceptionally high level.
You can and should do it all with little to no systemic and cultural support.
You can and should do it all and be happy and grateful about it.
You can and should do it all whilst maintaining a pleasant, non-threatening, polite, and attractive outfacing persona.
You can and should do all of the things without being or making anyone else uncomfortable.
In the paraphrased brilliance of something we heard once….but now can’t appropriately cite…
When are we going to stop SHOULD-ING all over ourselves?!?!
The world tells us we should do all the things and WE tell ourselves we should do all the things.
The reality is that no matter what your gender identity, race, socioeconomic class, religion, etc……we are all swimming in and impacted by the existing systems, norms, and values of our culture and experience.
Patriarchy is not men vs. women. Patriarchy hurts both men and women. Patriarchy is internalized, impacts, and molds both men and women. It impacts our values, frames of reference, and expectations for ourselves and others.
THE POINT
Each one of us is a unique individual with individual lived experiences, needs, ambitions, and dreams. The beginning of really understanding the “why” and the “how” for how each of us wants to move through the world is first understanding how “the world” has impacted our “whys,” “hows”, and even….the “WHATs.”
The truth is that the “External Voice” greatly impacts the “Internal Voice.” Committing time to questioning, dissecting, and sitting with yourself is some of the most important and foundational work that you can do in your leadership (and life) journey.
Why do you want what you want?
Why do you value what you value?
How have you come to this place, with these goals, and this vision for your future?
How have your environment and lived experience shaped you, both the lens by which you see the world and the ideas and things that you value?
SHAMELESS PLUG
Sound interesting? Reach out. Ask questions. Join us!
Program details can be found HERE.
Upcoming cohorts can be found HERE.