Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Kristen Strom, Executive Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County. We hope you enjoy Kristen’s wisdom and perspective!
With the Boys & Girls Club recently moving through a period of transition, I’ve taken some time to reflect a bit on my leadership journey. In the short time I’ve been in the Executive Director role, my leadership acumen has been tested more times than I can count. However, each challenge or hurdle has come with a significant opportunity to learn and grow.
One of the leadership areas where I have seen personal growth is with the decision-making process. As a leader, I make dozens of decisions each day. Some of these are more challenging than others, and some have greater consequences than others. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned when it comes to decision-making as a leader is to trust my gut – to listen to the inner voice or feeling that comes from within when contemplating a decision. When I do this, I tend to make better decisions, and when I ignore it, I have made some pretty poor decisions.
When thinking about the decision-making process, it seems so easy, right? When a decision has to be made, you simply ask yourself what you should do, listen to that inner voice, make the decision, and confidently move forward. Although this comes naturally to some, it is something I have had to spend time working on with intention over the years.
In the past it was extremely difficult for me to make decisions without exerting a decent amount of time and energy, regardless of how significant the decision. I often felt frustrated with myself because the decision-making process was exhausting. When faced with a challenge, I would typically ask several people around me for their opinion. I would then weigh all options while thinking of the potential benefits and consequences of each. Once I made a decision, the self-doubt and anxiety about the impact of my decision continued and often distracted me from moving forward. Not only was this process pretty unhealthy for me, both personally and professionally, but it was not good for those around me.
Over the past year, I’ve been more purposeful in reflecting on decisions I’ve made and how I’ve handled challenges. Now, when I am faced with a challenge and have to make a decision, instead of relying mostly on the opinions of others and exerting a lot of emotional energy waffling back and forth, I take time to myself to reflect and listen to that inner voice.
It’s not that I don’t value other opinions. In fact, I still seek them out. The difference now is appreciating that my “gut” feelings are built on the input of trusted relationships and the experiences of my past challenges. I have gained the confidence to think about my options and know that the “right” decision will be the one I make while trusting my gut.
What’s the Risk?
Not trusting your gut can lead to prolonged angst and self-doubt, as well as missed opportunities. Trusting your inner voice can be scary because the “right” choice might not be the easy or safe choice to make and you now own it. However, the process of working through the challenges that arise from making the “right” (or “wrong”) decision only serve to grow your leadership skills. Continue to listen to yourself and trust that inner voice, it will not lead you astray.
This content was written and shared by guest blogger, Kristen Strom.
Kristen Strom is the Executive Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County. Kristen is a native of South Bend, with a BS in Education from IU Bloomington and a M.Ed. from The Citadel. Before coming to the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County, Kristen taught high school social studies in Charleston, South Carolina.
As the Director of Program Impact for the past three years, Kristen has been responsible for overseeing all five of the Boys & Girls Clubs afterschool program sites and the Compass Club Program, providing before and after school programming to seven schools in School City of Mishawaka. Outside of her new position, Kristen was a graduate of Class 41 of the Leadership South Bend/Mishawaka Signature Program. She also served her community as a coach for Girls on the Run Michiana, a mentor for South Bend Education Foundation, and as a member of the South Bend Tribune’s editorial advisory board.
Connect with Kristen on LinkedIn and Twitter. Connect with the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County via their website, Facebook, and Twitter.
