Switzerland and other Updates!
Hi all! This is Switzerland and the incredible group of leaders who joined me there in September!!
How did this come about?
Cancer, that’s how.
Let me start with some excellent news… for those of you who do not already know, I’m cancer free!
I’ve been writing a lot, as of late, about what cancer took from me and what it gave me. One of the things cancer gave me was greater courage and clarity. While suffering from a medication-induced bout of depression, at the end of my cancer journey, I did a little experiment. Mostly out of pure necessity, since I couldn’t seem to muster the energy to do much of anything for a while there. So, I eventually decided to just go with it. My experiment had just one rule: Do only what I want to do and nothing that I don’t (on a day to day and minute to minute basis).
Let’s be clear. I am not independently wealthy. In fact, I am the breadwinner of my family. So this experiment came with risk. The risk of being broke. The risk of not being able to manage the anxiety that came along with saying no (to almost everything for a while). The risk of losing clients and friends.
The experiment meant putting many of my clients in the hands of other capable coaches and consultants, while I got myself back to good health. It meant trusting and believing that spring (new growth and vibrant energy) would eventually return, after my quiet and lonely winter hibernation.
During my experiment I noticed three things that I still felt motivated to do, even on my darkest days. Coaching my favorite leadership clients (all of whom were doing meaningful work in the world, and many of whom were women). Travel planning (escaping into the wide world of possibilities). And, time outside (walking in the woods and mountains around the PNW, albeit very slowly, as I often felt like holy hell).
When I emerged healthier, a few months later, I’d learned a lot about what lights me up. And, I couldn’t bear the thought of going back into “regular work mode” which, since Covid, had entailed a lot of virtual meetings–on Zoom or other platforms. It no longer felt juicy or meaningful enough. Having gone from 21 days at a time in the wilderness with groups (20+ years ago) to having 80% of my work (20 years later) being via phone and zoom, was slowly killing my soul. It took cancer and my impromptu “winter hibernation” to figure this out.
But I knew I was back to good health–back to myself–when my sentences began to start with “What if…” again.
What if I could combine these great loves (leadership coaching, outdoors, and travel) into something that had a deep and meaningful impact (for others and for me)?
What if there was a way to DO inclusive leadership– not just talk and teach about it — in new and powerful ways?
What if I could integrate my greatest passions and career-loves-of-my-life (leading wilderness expeditions, coaching leaders, world travel/global citizenship, and moving the dial on equity & inclusion)?
I knew one thing for sure: nothing on earth sounded like more fun!
So I went for it. What was “IT”? A 9-month leadership & personal development program that kicked off with a renewal retreat in the Swiss alps (hiking hut to hut/town to town) and followed with 1:1 executive coaching and group coaching, to keep the group connected, learning together, and growing together.
I pulled together a dream team (Nally Berg and and Stacy Parson) to help me create it and lead it. I raised money for my LDEF (Leadership Development Equity Fund) so I could offer scholarships to supplement those leaders who work for companies that may not be able or willing to invest in such a program. And I went to my network to see who might be interested in being part of our inaugural trip.
I’d sketched out a one page vision for a program of this nature, some 20 years earlier, on the heels of retiring from Outward Bound and finishing a grad program in Applied Behavioral Science. But it wasn’t until February 2023 (when cancer lit a fire) that I set the wheels in motion. I called one of my favorite exec clients to test the idea “Hey, I’m thinking about bringing a group of leaders together for a retreat in the…”. Before I could even finish my sentence, she shouted enthusiastically, “I’m in! I need this so badly!” I got a similar response from the next two leaders I spoke to.
But then…
Then, the fear came, as it often does. My fear also typically begins with “what if’s…”
What if women of color won’t feel as safe or comfortable or excited about retreating in a Germanic country like Switzerland, that’s awfully white? I knew the experience and learning would be richer for everyone if I could pull together a truly diverse group. But I worried, “What if I can’t?”
What if companies won’t support women leaders to go through a program like this?
What if I look foolish and out of touch with current market & economic conditions?
I spoke with many women leaders (from different backgrounds, races, and ethnicities) about my concerns, and received the reassurance needed to give it a go. I didn’t need everyone to want to go. I only needed a wonderfully diverse group of 8 leaders who wanted to go.
And that…I found!
Fast forward 9 months…
We did it! We went to Switzerland! We hiked in some of the most gorgeous terrain in the world. We did yoga with stunning mountain backdrops. We reflected and journaled. We belly laughed. We cried. By day three I warned each waiter and waitress as we sat down for dinner, “If you see people crying at dinner, it’s all good.” We stayed up late sharing our stories. It was fabulous! Everywhere we went, people would stop us and ask who we were and what we were all about. Clearly there was some palpable energy coming from our group that evoked curiosity. Or perhaps it was the sight of powerful & brilliant women hanging out together–from different companies, industries, backgrounds, races, ethnicities, geographies, and ages– that evoked their curiosity?
I knew it would be a recipe for magic, and it was!
The goal of the retreat–and the 9 months of follow up coaching–was to stretch these leaders in new ways (to push themselves and learn through the discomfort of hard hikes, for example) broaden our networks, build a tight knit community, and to support leaders in turning their own “What if’s” into reality. To build awareness of their limiting beliefs and turn them into breakthrough beliefs (and results). We are now 3 months into the program and breakthroughs are happening. It’s been nothing short of beautiful to watch.
This group has lit up my life. And, they have lit up each other’s lives. They are supporting each other to dream & think big, refine their edges, leverage their authentic strengths, break through their perceived limitations, take action in the direction of their goals, and operate from their zones of genius.
Stacy, Nally, and I have decided to continue the retreat model.
This means that in the coming months (and years) we will be offering retreats for leaders who are poised for bigger roles, bigger influence, bigger impact, and big breakthroughs. We will host retreats designed for Change Makers & Catalysts, Mothers & Daughters, leaders Managing Transitions, NGO leaders of foundations helping women and girls, Under-represented startup founders (BIPOC and white women), and of course some just for the fun & adventure in it all!
I will continue to curate diverse experts & partners to lead retreats with me, and diverse groups to attend them, because I am committed to DOING inclusion, not just teaching it. I will continue to create spaces for leaders to broaden their networks and have life changing adventures. I am committed to creating profound learning experiences with people from different backgrounds and lived experiences, who bring different perspectives.
Our next program kicks off with a weeklong retreat in stunning Cinque Terre Italy, April 14–20. The next retreat is for leaders who identify as an “only” or a “one of few” around the influential tables they sit (in their companies). It often takes extra energy to navigate and stay confident in your voice and expertise when you are the only one who looks like or thinks like YOU. So these are the leaders we will be investing in, this next time around! I can’t wait!
Future retreats will range in length and location (some national and some international). Reach out if you or someone you know would appreciate this opportunity.
Mitch Shepard is an Author, Applied Behavioral Scientist, Chief Truth-Teller & CEO of HUMiN, a passionate world traveler & adventure seeker, a trusted coach & adviser to some of the worlds top leader’s, a proud mother & wife, and an ass-kicker of cancer!
