Heidi Saucier

Looking back 14 years – Part 1

On December 5, I celebrated 14 years at the company I work for. Over the next few posts, I would like to share some of the lessons that I’ve learned along the way.

  1. Introverts aren’t always quiet
    • For a time, I had a false perspective on the difference between an introvert and an extrovert. I thought that introverts had little to no interest in people, were super shy, and hardly spoke. See, I’m a people person. I love connecting with others and as I become comfortable with them I tend to be a chatterbox. As a facilitator, I also demonstrate extroverted characteristics. However, I started to realize that it was only a small portion of who I was. More dominant in me is the need to decompress after a packed day of interactions. I also thrive on smaller interactions and tend to silently observe before approaching others or speaking up in conversations. Once I embraced that reality, I knew that I was an introvert and was proud to be one. As I’ve moved into leadership, my introverted nature has helped in decision making as I often observe and reflect before responding. At the same time, I’ve had to get out of my comfort zone and speak up to ensure I am heard in certain settings. It continues to be a learning experience, but one that I am glad to walk through.
  2. Networking is necessary
    • As an introvert, I struggled for a time to want to go to networking events unless I knew several people that were going to be there. This was a big step outside of my comfort zone. As I made more of an effort to introduce myself to people and start conversations, I began new relationships with people within my company and the learning and development industry. Many of these connections have been key partners for projects where I needed insights for training and for learning new ways to approach training using tools and techniques I may not have learned about otherwise. If you’re not always comfortable meeting new people, I challenge you to go to a networking event and set a goal of meeting one new person. You will be surprised at the results!

I will continue sharing lessons in my next post. In the meantime, what are some lessons you’ve learned in your career? I’d love to see them in the comments.

Heidi Saucier

Influential leaders

I would not be where I am today in my journey had it not been for influential leaders. Several individuals have contributed as mentors, partners, and encouragers. Through each relationship I have gained insights, new perspectives, and connections that have and continue to support the path I am on to achieve my goals.  

At the top of the list is Jennifer S. She started as a peer when I was a sales trainer, then became my leader. Knowing my potential, she pushed me to go beyond what I thought I was capable of. For myself and our team, she brought new insights on goals. One of these was encouraging us to identify a “word of the year” that connected to those goals. Some of my words included realign, cultivate, and strategic. These words reflected areas of growth and improvement I wanted to focus on for that particular year and really made a difference in how I identified key objectives. Jennifer also stretched me to be better, often candid and encouraging in her feedback. I recall one instance when she had to have a crucial conversation with me. She shared a personal example of dealing with something similar, and what she learned from the experience. She also assigned me projects that not only took me out of my comfort zone, but aided in skill development with instructional design, facilitation, and professional presence. She continues to be an encourager to me in the current path of my career journey.

Another leader that stands out is Patrece, one of my current mentors. We served on a board together and I was intrigued by some details she was sharing related to our budget. I reached out to her for insights on financial acumen, as it is one of my goals for career development. As we’ve built our mentoring relationship, the conversations have gone beyond financial topics and moved to identifying connections and learning from each other. We have found that we have some amazing commonalities that inspire each other in areas where we are looking for guidance. She also holds me accountable to my personal goals, which helps me stay committed to publishing my blog posts. Connecting with Patrece has reminded me that mentoring is a two-way relationship and both the mentor and the mentee can teach each other key topics and skills that benefit each other in the end.

These are two examples of amazing leaders that have helped in my personal and professional development over the years. I’m grateful to them and others. Who are some of your influential leaders? How have they made a difference in your life? I’d love to hear about it!