The Power of Three Women’s Networking Group holds spring event

The Power of Three

Women’s Networking Group Holds Spring Kickoff Event

Nina A. Koziol

Why did the chicken cross the desk? To get to Kristina Jauch’s lap as she kicked off the first Women’s Networking Group (WNG) event this spring as “mistress of ceremonies.” “Popcorn,” one of her many chickens, clucked away while nearly 90 participants—women and a few men—tuned in to the online event. From the guest speaker’s inspiring program and several breakout sessions, to the happy hour (complete with Cherry Blossom cocktail demo), and trivia games with $600 in prizes, there was something for everyone. Even the chicken.

“It was the largest spring event attendance and we were happy with the turnout for this virtual event,” said Marissa Stubler, ILCA’s Membership and Marketing Manager. “Women should participate in these events because they are always fun and inspiring.”

Denise Hansard, life architect, mindset coach and motivational speaker, (how’s THAT for a title!), presented, “Keeping Your Cup Full—Managing Your Energy in the Busy Season.”

“You can’t give what you don’t have,” Hansard said. “This often happens to us when life becomes extremely busy or you have a year like 2020. Self-care is a top priority and there is so much more.” If you don’t focus on your own physical and emotional well-being, you’re not going to be your best with your family, friends or your career.

“I’m habit-oriented,” said Brenda Ward of Beary Landscape Management. “Before the pandemic I was in a good flow and then everything just stopped and I felt sad about it.” She joined the WNG committee in 2016 shortly after attending her first event. “I’ve met several women in the industry and it makes me feel that I’m not alone dealing with challenges that come from being in a male-dominated field. I’ve made many great connections for recruiting and purchasing.”

Hansard’s talk focused on the Power of Three—three things to do to stay in the moment, three behaviors to adopt for long-term energy, and three ways to shift from a state of anxiety to calm. “The power of three is used many times, for example—past, present and future; birth, life and death, and mind, body and spirit.” She posed interesting questions, such as ‘Is your cup overflowing, or broken?’ and ‘Are you tired and exhausted, but putting on a good face and saying you’re ok when you’re not?’

Noel Street of McGinty Bros., joined the WNG last fall. “At my first meeting, we all discussed peaks and valleys that we were going through,” she said. “All of the women gave me advice and encouragement and it was very comforting to hear some of them talk about their experiences and how they handle things.”

When things are crazy-busy during the spring/summer season, it’s easy to become frustrated, overwhelmed or experience “brain fog.” There are things Hansard suggested to help stay in the moment and remain focused on the tasks at hand without unnecessary stress. “Hit the pause button and take three deep breaths—slowly in and out.” she said. “It helps you become present in the moment.” And, it refocuses your attention to your body and helps momentarily release some stress. Try doing it throughout the day. At the very least, you’ll be feeding more oxygen to your brain.

Start Your Engines

Everyone has weird dreams or stressful sleepless nights. Close the door on those thoughts before you get out of bed. “Begin your day in a way that makes you ready to go. It’s about daily intention setting.” She often has fun tunes in her head, especially, “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” from the film, Oklahoma. “Or, I breathe and think, ‘thank you’ while I’m still in bed.”

“Second, feel all the emotions. Make a mental note when you start to feel out of control. Trust your body and pay attention to it.” She also recommends women let their hair down.

“It’s ok to be childlike—and put some fun in your life—sing, dance, whatever makes you feel good.”

Shift into Calm

Do you have drama queens or kings in your circle? “You don’t want to get caught up in other people’s dramas and chaos. Start being comfortable with saying, ‘no’ to some things. I want you to say no to five different things in a week. You can say no to your boss.” (There was a lot of chuckling over her last comment.)

“I’d like to talk to Denise every morning to help start my day,” said Carrie Hancock of Landscape Concepts Management. “And, I need to learn to say no sometimes.” Hancock created the Cherry Blossom cocktail (recipe below).

In situations where co-workers from all sides are coming to your desk saying, “I need X as soon as possible,” Brenda Ward’s suggestion was to have a white board with a list of your projects in a visible place. Ask those coworkers (or bosses) to help prioritize what is truly an ASAP project and what can be done after.

Learn to let things go. “Accept that you’re not in control. We sometimes have the perception of control, but the only thing we control is our emotions, behaviors and actions.” That’s where effective communication tools come in handy. “You can’t control others, but you can control yourself. It’s about pausing, breathing and being in the present moment instead of immediately reacting to comments.”

Women’s Intuition?

Trust your gut feelings. “Put trust in those inner feelings,” Hansard said. According to Psychology Today, “Research on nonverbal communication skills has clearly shown that women are, as a group, better at reading facial expressions of emotions than men. As a result, women are more likely to pick up on the subtle emotional messages being sent by others.”

This was the first event for Karen Olah, regional sales manager for Coldspring/Midwest Division. “I’ve been

attending, presenting and volunteering with the iLandscape show and other events for about seven years. This group has provided many contacts who became friends, clients and colleagues. It was nice to compare notes with others on the state of things and how we are adjusting and planning for whatever is next.” Hansard also talked about using hindsight and foresight to one’s advantage. “We spend time looking back at what’s happened in the past.” (There’s a saying, Don’t look back, that’s not the path you’re on.) “Use the past in a way to ask what you learned (rather than dwelling on the negative).” Looking forward, Hansard encouraged attendees to think about what they want to create in life, no matter what their age. Have a positive plan and positive life goals going forward. Even though the event was virtual, the feedback was uplifting and the laughter was non-stop during happy hour. “I enjoy being surrounded by other professional women in the green industry,” said Dani Hall, Midwest Groundcovers. “It’s a good way to make connections— this group has helped with my job by giving me an avenue to network with other women. I really enjoyed Denise’s portion of the event and learning about the Power of Three. The biggest takeaway for me was to make sure my ‘cup is full.’” To stay focused, energized and mindful of where she wants to be in the coming years, Hansard said she takes meditative walks in nature and occasionally writes down her thoughts in a journal. “I enjoyed learning about the Power of Three from Denise,” Stubler said “Attendees will always walk away with a few new tips and connections.” This was the first WNG event for Megan Dunning, manager of adult learning programs, at The Morton Arboretum. “I appreciated the sense of fun and the company and commiseration of other women who are all about the business of plants.” There were even opportunities to learn about chickens. Kristen Kinsella discovered that egg size is proportionate to a chicken’s age. “Essentially, (continued on page 42) The Landscape Contractor May 2021

Sponsors