The other day I received one of many event notices from Constant Contact. My mailbox is always filled with them. This one stuck out, entitled Blind Spots, Business and Breakfast. It was from Karyn Pettigrew a name that scratched at the back of my addled brain. So I opened it, and thus opened a new chapter for my blog.
I decided right then and there to start profiling people for my blogs. No particular category, rhyme or reason… But it’s something I feel compelled to do, or rather I should say I felt compelled to do after reading Karyn’s invitation. Call it intuition, I knew there was something special to be found in this event. SO I reached out to Karyn and asked her if she would share some time with me so that I could create this inaugural profile post. And guess what…she agreed. This is Part 1 of my two part profile on this amazing woman.
Karyn Pettigrew is an intuitive business and professional consultant, author, motivational speaker, and teacher. Karyn received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Wellesley College and her Masters of Business Administration degree from Harvard University. She was named a 2007 Growth Guru by the Women?s Leadership Exchange and sits on the Board of Directors for the Chicago Chapter of NAWBO. For over 12 years she has led organizations such as Peoples Energy, the Illinois State Lottery, and Quaker Oats through myriad marketing, communication and corporate strategy initiatives. Karyn is the author of 2 insightful books, Quit and Choose Work that Aligns with My Soul and The Invitation- The secret to creating your best life. But most important of all Karyn is the mother of two beautiful children ages 12 and 14, and resides in Chicago.
Karyn and I hit the ground running right at “hello” on the phone the other day. My first question to her was about how she manages her busy life filled with a demanding career and home life.
Karyn~To manage? I think that part of it is I kind of take an ongoing look at lives, everybody?s life; to keep those milestones in front of me. I try to create enough margin, constantly checking in with myself; what?s true, what?s uncomfortable. It?s more important to me to have adequate margins in my life. When I am feeling backed into a corner from a time perspective I get nippy, so I have to control that. The environment that we are moving into today will leave us with less time so we have to develop our own velvet rope and anything that doesn?t make the cut stays behind it.
I asked her about the state of our society and how the development of technology is influencing our manner of communication and personal decision making.
Karyn~I think that for people who are willing to control the technology itself, not letting the technology control them, it works. (Life is) fluid and it is only going to become more fluid. I was just chatting with Gerrard McClendon about the direction that our context is flowing. Life is now moving faster, (it possesses) more than we can possibly synthesize at one time. So, if we haven?t decided for ourselves what is important and what we are looking for, we run the risk of becoming paralyzed.
Given her strong thoughts about balance and internal understanding, I asked Karyn what she feels her own mission is.
Karyn~I?d like to say that I see my mission is to help people live happier, healthier lives by expressing themselves; really tapping into their strengths, into what is authentic for them. (I hope) to really touch millions of people and to help them experience happier lives. I see that unfolding in a really interesting interactive community, shifting the paradigm, letting the technology facilitate on my behalf. I see a mutli-media venue allowing for people to exchange ideas and generate opportunities; really blending what has historically been a huge divide between work-life and personal-life, because we are the same person.
Finally I got to my original reason for this interview, her “Blind Spot Breakfast” that is being held on June 18th, at 7:30am at Ina’s on Randolph. I asked Karyn what exactly is a Blind Spot, and what is the breakfast about?
Karyn~ The things we label as problems are really symptoms of misalignment. Often we try to fix the problems without accurately understanding what caused it in the first place. These hidden causes are our Blind Spots.
The blind spot breakfast on June 18 will be the first one. I decided to do it because I feel like my clients, and people around me, need practical strategies and ways to use the tools that I am talking about. It is hard for people to make long term commitments, (to a class that will run 6 weeks long or so). We have to meet people where they are. They just need a safe place to play with these practical tools with a goal in mind…(thus the breakfast).
It?s fascinating to see if your peers can help you see what you may not see on your own. I am a firm believer in no coincidences. (I believe) that the people that show up are meant to help each other in some way. (I ask the question), what does intuition look like, in a practical useful way. It’s not just a gut feeling, but (a practical tool).
My goal is to do this once a month, (the next will be July 16). (Doing so) does two things; it helps me deal with my own mission to get these tools out there and meet new people, and it gives other people a forum to get some quick hit information.
I have to agree with Karyn there are no coincidences people and events occur in our lives for a reason, and it is up to as to take a moment of introspection to discover the connection and maximize the opportunity. You just never where that Constant Contact invitation may lead you.
My original questions all answered Karyn Pettigrew and I kept talking on and on about her visit to the White House, what she hopes to teach her own children and what she sees as the most important lessons we can internalize as business people. You can find part two of my conversation on my blog tomorrow.
You can find Miss Lori “Musing from her Minivan” at her new blogsite MissLori.TV, as well as on ChicagoMomsBlog, facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Myspace and her own performance website, Miss Lori’s CAMPUS.
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