We recently connected with LaVonna Roth and have shared our conversation below.
LaVonna, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
Even though confidence is never at a point where we can say, “Ta da! I have arrived and am forever confident”, there are things we can do to be more confident overall.
I came from a background that as a child created moments of high uncertainty and self-doubt. I didn’t feel good enough nor smart enough. It was easy for me to compare myself to others. It was easy to expect perfection of myself. And, it was easy to be an overachiever.
What has helped me, primarily, are the following 2 shifts:
1. I focus on my strengths. At my company, Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E.®, Inc., we shift the focus to strengths over deficits. According to Gallup research, our weaknesses will never get to a level of strength. So, let’s focus on what we are good at doing and complement each other to create an unstoppable approach.
2. I lean into my experiences. Lessons and strengths have come from every hiccup and every challenge faced. I have also walked away knowing I made it through those lessons having experiences that have made me who I am today.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Reflecting upon my experiences, all the ups and downs, I know that I started my company to help create a shift in thinking that we often have around circumstances. When we have a curveball thrown at us, such as loss of a job, buying a house falls through, or a dream we had is shattered, a choice has to be made. Sometimes we fall into the trap of, “Oh woah is me,” and believe we don’t have a choice. We always do. We have a choice in listening to others and adopting their words as truth. We have a choice in choosing to believe someone had bad intentions when in reality they have their reasons from past experiences. Just like us. Let’s choose differently and let’s raise our confidence and belief in others!
Through all that the world has been through and continues to go through, we are finding that morale is lower, frustrations are higher, employee engagement is down and that people are just in a different space. At Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E.®, Inc., we help others create a Human-Focused Culture where we support companies, schools & organizations to shift their thinking so that they embrace individuality. Once this is done, then you can elevate together because there is an understanding of how each person’s strengths complement rather than compete. There is an understanding that by doing so you free yourselves to be more creative, productive and engaged. People are wanting to come to work because it’s a culture where all want to be.
We are actually going through a rebranding where we have changed the logo and our new mascot is a firefly. Shhh… not revealed yet. It’s a firefly, or depending upon where you are from you might call them lightning bugs, because fireflies bring their own light, but when they light up together, their chance of survival skyrockets! At Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E., this reminds us how we all have our own strengths and individuality, but when we S.H.I.N.E. together, we help others to S.H.I.N.E.!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three skills that were most impactful for me have been empathy, stay curious, and remember that every behavior has a story. As a matter of fact, these are the three pillars by which we practice at Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E.®, Inc., so maybe they will help you as you look to be better and do better!
Empathy allows us to connect to others to create an understanding of how they feel. As humans we feel. Honoring and valuing that is a must. Recognizing this and allowing space for that is important. It allows the other person, and ourself, to feel seen and heard.
Stay curious. Your story is not someone else’s story. Our beliefs and opinions come from where we have been and what has happened to us. When someone feels different or acts different, stay curious as to why and invite them into a non-judgmental conversation to learn more and see from their perspective.
Every behavior has a story. This is connected to staying curious and having empathy. Pending what has happened to someone or what they have been through… matters. We all bring that with us and it makes us who we are. Stepping back to learn more about someone can give such great insight when we remember that their story is not our story,
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
Our ideal client is a school, company or organization that seeks to be different in their culture. They want to rise up in who they are and what they do, by focusing on their own individuality and how those coming together creates a stronger workplace internally and in the services or products they provide externally.
We have all experienced a place where you can feel the tension in the room. You can tell they show up, clock in, and walk out. It is evident in their interactions, how they talk to each other, and how what they accomplish is far less than how things could be.
Imagine people walking into work with smiles and excitement. They are confident in taking risks and making mistakes, because they know how valuable those moments actually are! They have a belief in who they are because they recognize their worth. They understand that the benefits to such moments create a workplace that will likely far exceed their goals and competition.
Those are the kinds of clients we want to work alongside. Ones who want a change bad enough they will play all in.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.igniteyourSHINE.com
- Twitter: @lavonnaroth
Image Credits
I took each of these photos myself.
