Kishshana Palmer, the CEO of Managemint, Inc., brings her energy to leadership and work-life balance for nonprofits, highlighting this frothy discussion emphasizing the significance of self-care, fun, and personal growth in effective organizational leadership. Her approach to addressing common challenges in the nonprofit charitable sector and beyond offers a refreshing perspective on balancing work and life while achieving professional success.
Cohost Julia Patrick starts by praising Kishshana on how she navigates important conversations in a world that has undergone significant changes due to the global health crisis, civil unrest, economic shifts, and demographic changes. She posed the age-old question: “Is it possible to lead well and live well?”
Kishshana responds emphatically, stating, “It’s the age-old question, and I’m going to have to give a resounding yes.” She highlights the importance of self-care, drawing parallels between the feeling of well-being after self-indulgence (like a facial or deep cleaning) and the daily routines and rituals that can provide a sense of everyday luxury. She emphasized the need to prioritize oneself and treat oneself well to be an effective leader.
The cohosts add in that being busy doesn’t equate to productivity. Kishshana offers advice on breaking away from the constant grind, distractions, and deadlines that often overwhelm us, and introduces the concept of business being a trauma response, explaining that being busy can serve as a way to avoid dealing with personal issues. She stressed that slowing down and focusing on self-care is essential for effective leadership.
The conversation then shifted towards creating a thriving team, pointing to the importance of modeling behavior and fostering a work environment that encourages both productivity and fun. Kishshana shares insights on how her company values fun, making laughter an integral part of their work culture, engaging managers to reward team members for bringing their personalities and interests into the workplace.
The discussion also toucheds on the challenges of balancing work and personal life in a remote work environment. Kishshana outlines infusing creativity, fun, and play into remote team interactions, mentioning activities like book clubs, podcasts, and virtual lunch and learns, and reminding us that people have different energy needs.