2022 In Review - Lessons in the Silence

A year would not be complete without reflection. I have found that sometimes, the most significant growth opportunities are discovered when we take the time to examine the past.

I want to start this reflection with a thank you. Thank you to all my vendors, sponsors, clients, and partners. Thank you to my tribe of monthly accelerators (you know who you are) who meet with me and share thoughts and ideas to help me grow! Thank you to my family and personal tribes, who have supported me and given me quiet and space when needed. 

In 2021 my word was freedom, and my learning was to remember that true freedom is found when we release ourselves from the need to do it all.  

When we truly rely on and relax into the things that matter most - faith, family, and our tribes - only then do we experience true freedom.  

So let's get started; here's a recap of my 2022 in Review:  

2022 TOP 5 GOALS RECAP

• The Tribe Advantage 2022
• Release the Assemble the Tribe audiobook 
• Launch my first Strategic Planning Workshop
• Take a MEcation (vacation/strategic planning/writing retreat)
• Make an impact 

Read below for more details about what went well and what could have gone better in 2022.

WHAT WENT WELL?

• The Tribe Advantage: The Tribe Advantage launched for the first time in June of 2021. In 2022, we launched the second cohort and welcomed clients from Bermuda, the US, Zimbabwe, and the UK. I could not be more grateful and thankful to my corporate partners and the ladies of the Tribe Advantage. 2023 is going to be even more exciting! Stay tuned!

• Writing - In 2022, my goal was to write more. In my mind, that meant releasing a blog and a newsletter every month. We released nine newsletters and nine blogs this year, and I am so grateful for our monthly readers. Keep the feedback coming. But here's the BIG news! I wrote a book! A whole book! I consider it a work of divine inspiration, and I look forward to sharing more with you in the future. 

• Speaking - 2022 has been a year full of surprises. Before the first quarter closed, I had the opportunity to speak to over 1000 women about tribes and building strong networks. In the spring, I conducted my first program for Future Leaders, customized for an international corporate client in the technology space.  As the year moved on, we saw a shift to hybrid events (virtual and in-person), and I was honored to share with the Indian School of Business, WiRe Bermuda, and the women clergy of Columbia Union. I am very grateful for these opportunities to encourage others to live & lead as their authentic selves with the support of their tribes. 

• Professional Development - For over seven years, I have been an advocate of strengths-based training and leadership development. In the spring of this year, I completed my certification. I am thrilled to be able to offer strengths assessments to my coaching clients, members of the Tribe Advantage, and organizations who want to encourage their employees and leaders to live and lead with their strengths. 
• Health & Wellness - Batteries that can't be recharged eventually run out. I stepped into 2022 with a goal to make meaningful strides in my overall health and wellness. While society tends to appreciate and even applaud the grind, sometimes our best work and thinking are found in the silence. Every quarter I have taken time to recharge, which has reaped many benefits in my overall health. I look forward to continuing to encourage women and leaders to do the same as a path to more productivity. To that end, I am adding some wellness events to my programming in 2023. Join me in January for walking, networking, and goal-setting at our New Year's Tribe Walk. Click here to learn more. I will also host my first Wellness Retreat at a luxury villa in Florida next July. I would love to see you there. Click here to learn more! 
• Pay It Forward - Giving back and pouring unexpected moments of kindness into the lives of others are at the very foundation of my values. In 2022 Conduit International Ltd. gave over $20,000 in services, scholarships, bursaries, and donations to local and international charities. One of my favorite quotes about kindness is Even the little things we do have impact. We can always find ways to give back regardless of who we are - an organization or an individual. 
• MEcation - (vacation/strategic planning/writing retreat) - One of my goals this year was to take vacation/strategic planning/and writing retreat. Not only did I take it, but I also did it with my tribe! It was such a beautiful moment to recharge and reconnect with a dear friend. I have decided that I am going to carve out time, even if it's just a weekend, every quarter next year. These moments of thinking and quiet reflection are so critical. While they may seem indulgent, these moments in these silence are actually critical catalysts of clarity. It is in these spaces that we can find opportunities to serve our tribes - in our lives and leadership in more meaningful ways. 

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER?

We plan, and then life happens. A big part of leadership is learning how to be vulnerable and fail forward. This paves the way for others to see that even in success, there are setbacks, and when there are setbacks, we can still move forward. 

• Business Results: During 2022, due to a few unforeseen circumstances, I canceled several of the planned programs and events and had to revise our 2022 projections. The good news is that we exceeded our revised plan. I am grateful for the time, space, and flexibility of entrepreneurship to concentrate on what matters most while delivering outstanding service to our clients. 
• Strategy Workshop - One of my goals for 2022 was to launch the Planning for Success Strategy workshop. While I was unable to launch the program to my entire tribe as planned, we did pilot the seminar for a full day inside the Tribe Advantage. Sometimes the win is in the pivot.  
• Assemble The Tribe: The good news! Assemble the Tribe turned two, and I completed the audiobook recording! The sad news, the technical editing has forced us to push the launch date into 2023. I look forward to sharing the book with more people with this new medium. 

FAVORITE QUOTES

When I am in a writing flow, I enjoy writing original quotes. Here are a few of my favorites from 2022, which I hope you will enjoy as well: 

1. Hope is the oxygen of possibility. 
2. You do not have to DO something important to BE important. 
3. Nothing in the world is new. You are the only thing that makes it different. Just be you. 
4. Most of us want something more in our lives. But sometimes, change is only unlocked when we stop hiding from what lies inside.
5. You can walk the walk or talk the talk, but your results will have the final say. 
6. They say people need to hear seven times to absorb it. Keep going. You just might be someone's number 7. 
7. Their actions should never define your reactions. 
8. You might have seen it as a loss. God saw it as an opportunity to protect you from a fall. 
9. You were designed to be free. God is committed to your freedom. Are you?
10. To be human is to be complex, imperfect, and still need connection anyway. Find your tribe. 

TOP 5 GOALS FOR 2023

1. The Tribe Advantage 2023 with new features to serve more women leaders and future leaders
2. Release the Assemble the Tribe audiobook & finalize publishing for book 2
3. 4 Parts of Me Retreat
4. Collaborate creatively with my clients and tribe
5. Take a quarterly MEcation (vacation/strategic planning/writing retreat).

Thank you for sharing 2022 with me, and I look forward to continuing to connect and support you as you grow and transform your tribes in life and leadership.

Meet The Author

Leah JM Dean is a leadership strategist, tribe formation expert, certified strengths coach, best-selling author, facilitator, speaker, and founder of the women’s leadership program, the Tribe Advantage. She is on a mission to help women and organizations all across the globe transform their tribes in life and leadership. To learn more about Leah's work, her best-selling book Assemble the Tribe, or join The Tribe Advantage Leadership Program, visit www.leahjmdean.com. Leah lives in Bermuda with her husband and two children.