Katie Watts

I attribute my success to intentional practice and mindful attention to living the work, staying connected to the practices that keep me centered and support my clients. I've nurtured collaborative relationships and have what I call my community of care- people I can reach out to and collaborate with as thinking partners. I've also learned to say yes when opportunities arise. I've had a really unconventional pathway in my work life, and I've learned so much along the way. Because I've said yes when doors have opened, rather than shrinking or being too afraid to take the risk, my professional life has been very fulfilling.

Lead from within and build community without. This means to know yourself well and show up authentically and with heart. At the same time, the best learning happens in community. Be willing to be transformed by the work and the people you lead.

I would tell all young people that a fulfilling, contented life doesn't just happen. It is cultivated through deliberate practice and ongoing vigilance, because we can easily get into habits or surround ourselves with people or situations where we end up settling. You have to curate your life. Know your worth, and don't be defined by the ways in which society typically defines worth: by socially constructed identities, what you do, who you're with, where you live, what you have, etc. You have inherent value as a living human being, as a person on this earth, and we need your unique contribution to the world. Embrace uncertainty and really lean into discomfort. So much of our society has gotten used to the idea that if something's uncomfortable, it's wrong, but I've learned that discomfort is the pathway towards growth. Growth doesn't happen if we're not embracing that discomfort and leaning into the uncertainty and complexity that life offers. Life's beauty is inseparable from its fragility (as Susan David says), and we have to be able to hold both. Connect with people everywhere and always- building relationships with people that are different from you, people that are like you, people that don't think at all like you or don't share the same culture. There's so much richness to learning and honoring each other in that process. Find ways to say yes to collaborations or ways to connect with people and build community, because we can't do it alone.

It is simply hard to be human right now. The complexities of being human are challenging. There are so many tensions and conflict and violence and so much suffering. We need to deepen and practice our human skills now more than ever. We can begin to learn to hold the tensions and be in the discomfort of the gray area rather than looking for someone to blame or to fix the problems of our time. So many leaders that I talk to are out of capacity. They feel like they have no space to pause and think. Capacity is something we can build and therefore create more space. It takes intentional practice of these human skills that many of us have gotten away from. But, they're right there, inside of us. We can cultivate our awareness and capacity for handling complexity through curiosity, compassion and courage.

Courage and integrity