Message from the Chair

Message from the Chair

As our board and team knows by now, I love sand volleyball. I love it in a “if I had started playing as a kid, I would probably have tried to play professionally” kind of way. But for whatever reason, my middle school self got into creative writing instead. So here I am as an adult, throwing myself around in the sand five days a week and buying progressively larger ice packs. I’ve been thinking recently about how all the lessons I’m learning in different areas of my life might be connected. Obviously, it’s pretty common for us to draw parallels between sports and leadership activities. But for me, when I’m in the middle of a growth period, I’ve found it helpful to look at one experience through the lens of another to help give me context and perspective. Two parallels have stuck out to me recently.

First, it’s so valuable to have a coach in your corner – someone who you trust, who has been in your shoes, and who gives you both feedback AND the grace to implement that feedback. In my first and second jobs, I didn’t receive constructive feedback. In my third job, I heard supervisors talking about their colleagues in really negative ways – and so I associated feedback with the message of “you’re not good enough” or “you’re incompetent.” I’ve also fallen into the trap of imposter syndrome quite a bit and have sometimes felt stuck there, thinking “well, I failed at that, so now all trust is ruined and I can never perform to the level I think my colleagues expect.” But especially over the last year, as I’ve been participating in volleyball training sessions, I’ve found that that perfectionistic mindset has bled over into my volleyball practice (meaning it’s something I'll have to manage all my life), AND that re-framing a “failure” as a chance to practice again or get another rep helps me move forward.

And second, you don’t have to take on everything yourself. In a recent tournament, I was the one getting served and in doubles sand volleyball, that meant I was the one who needed to attack the ball to then score a point. I did that well for most of the tournament, but in the final match I was getting tired and made a few errors that ultimately cost us the game. If I had paused and suggested to my teammate that I give him a high enough pass so he could attack the ball instead, I think we could have won. In the moment, it’s so hard to pause and evaluate where the pressure is coming from, how we’re doing, and where we need help. But it’s so critical, and I need to practice this with my work team too. Instead of just accepting the pressure, I can actually show ownership by evaluating the situation I’m in, and working with my team to potentially find a better solution.

Speaking of teams, at the end of the month, I'll pass the ball to the next chair of the UWHEN –  University of Utah Chapter's board, Sara Cody. She will lead this remarkable team of women, which will include a number of new board members with fresh energy and ideas. Here's to a great new year!

–Stephanie Baugh, Chair