Behind the Match/Dandelion
This week marks the end of National Small Business Week and the one-year anniversary of my own small business, Claire Schell Consulting (claireschell.co). When I was working with the incredibly talented Ambrose Reed on my logo, I kept going back and forth on the core image.
***A matchstick as a visual reminder of my purpose - to be a spark for change, and to instill the desire for positive changemaking, in others.
OR
***A dandelion - a beautiful example of the power of transformation (morphs from yellow bloom to white seedhead overnight) believing that our role in the ecosystem matters enough to stick through the tough stuff (they're awfully hard to uproot), and taking action to benefit others for the better (a "beneficial weed" that makes nutrients more accessible for other plants, enables pollination, gives other species a greater chance to thrive).
I'm a believer in and practitioner of "both/and" thinking. Ergo: the match AND the dandelion in my company's logo. This year has brought so many incredible spark-filled conversations, seeds planted and scattered throughout teams and organizations, and positive change - for those with whom I'm working and certainly for myself. A huge THANK YOU to all of my year one clients who trusted me to do such important work with you and your teams.
I've been reflecting a lot on adrienne maree brown's concept of "fractal responsibility" - "How do I operate in a way that is responsible to my vision, in a way that can echo out to the largest scale, that it's not just pointing fingers and asking other people to change, but recognizing the kind of change I can make in the world is directly related to the change I'm willing to make within myself?" As I roll into year two, I'm renewing my commitment to this lofty question and am so excited about what's to come.
If you find yourself thinking about refreshing your organizational culture, what to do to improve your team dynamics, how to level-up your own leadership with healthier and more inclusive behaviors…please reach out. There isn't only one way to do it, but having a partner is a wonderful place to start.
