I have to let you all in on a little secret. I’ve had a serious crush on WiLS for years. I think some of you can relate.
Like many of my Wisconsin colleagues, I have been a long time WiLS member and I have watched their organizational transformation with great interest. My interaction with every WiLS staffer has been positive, energizing, and utterly engaging. In short, I’m smitten.
So finding myself in the position to lead this organization is a bit overwhelming, to say the least. I am getting better acquainted with WiLS and each day it feels like this relationship is really going places. The staff and board have been amazingly helpful as I deepen my understanding of existing projects and initiatives underway, workplace culture, and office operations. Like any new relationship, I am becoming more comfortable and the infatuation has not lost its luster. Everyone in WiLS is invested, they pick up after themselves, and I’m pretty sure someone is emptying the virtual dishwasher without even being asked. This feels a bit unreal.
My most significant discovery in these early days? This organization truly lives its values – every day.
You have probably read the WiLS values at some point in your own relationship with our organization. And like me, you have seen many of these values demonstrated in your interactions with WiLS staff. As I have spent time the past two weeks really absorbing what WiLS stands for, this statement demands our attention and unwavering commitment:
We are committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
We believe our community is stronger when people with a wide array of experiences and perspectives come together. We strive to create thoughtful and respectful environments where those interactions can take place.
In WiLS, we endeavor to bring all voices to the forefront and we recognize that we sometimes fall short of that goal. I am grateful to be in an organization that welcomes discovery, encourages reflection, and prioritizes placing values above bottom lines. It is the WiLS strong culture of continuous improvement that helps us set ego aside, identify opportunities for growth, and truly listen to what our members need from us to help everyone move forward together.
I would love to hear from you. What is it that catches your eye when you see WiLS from across a crowded room? How do our values intersect with your organizational or personal goals? Please drop me a line at jennifer@wils.org with your thoughts or comments. I look forward to continuing this conversation in the weeks and months to come, and to a time when I can meet many of you face to face. Until then, take care!