Positivity - Thirsty Thursday with CEO, Jesslyn Rollins

Dear LYTERS 

“It was so unlike me, but yet, it was me.

Something was unfurling within me from behind the fear of societal expectation. Something true and deep. A part of my soul I’d always known was there but never acknowledged. I knew I’d never completely stop playing the role assigned to me in this life, but I would never, ever, let it compromise me .” - The Indigo Girl by Natasha Boyd (page 174)

My favorite bookshop in the world is G.J. Ford Bookshop on St. Simons Island. I’ll plan entire days around going to sit and read snippets of books  then haul off with a fat stack of paperbacks in my bike basket.

“Siri, play Perfect Day by Hoku.” 

My selection has included biographies on the founding fathers, deep dives into interior design, bird watchers review, and my FAVORITE: historical fictions.

I’m currently enjoying the The Indigo Girl which is about a young woman whose father puts her in charge of his plantations while he is away at war. Her entire goal is to find a crop that gets the family out of debt  . It’s completely unheard of for a young woman to have such a massive responsibility - that was ALWAYS handled by a man - and it royally pisses just about everyone off.

The above quote from The Indigo Girl resonates with me so much.

I understand that my greatest gift in life is being a magnetic force of positivity. Without any problem at all, I will always see failure as lessons to be learned, and even in the darkest of times, I’ll always see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I’m not only excellent at being positive, I know that people expect this behavior of me. But as I’ve grown as a leader, I’ve learned that being a force of positivity all of the time can dull its impact. Rather, using this gift strategically and purposefully makes me a more effective communicator and leader.

I’ve told a few team members that they need to hold their teams to the same standard that they hold themselves. Being someone’s cheerleader  all the time, especially when they don’t deserve it, waters down the message. If we’re in the business of trying to grow ourselves alongside our company, this isn’t what anybody wants.

I have grown to admire a tough conversation. I have grown to enjoy digging to the root of an issue and solving it.

Just as the main character in The Indigo Girl says, “It was so unlike me, but yet, it was me.”

When have you acted in a way that was so unlike you - but it was you? I would LOVE to hear your story.