Meet Linda Brandt

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Linda Brandt. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Linda, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I grew up with my mom taking care of ten daycare children, my two brothers and myself in our family home daycare. Thus, from a young age I was constantly thinking about the group around me.

When I eventually found my way to public health, my epidemiology study group had two other members who grew up in daycare homes. Until then, I hadn’t met anyone else with that aspect of my background.

Since thinking about groups comes naturally to me, I started a Lean In Network 12 years ago. I focus my energy on addressing gender bias through Lean In because bias prevented my mom from being a mechanic or other tradesperson. In a similar way, my dad would have been a great daycare provider rather than an employment counselor.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

After 17 years promoting healthy workplaces in my local community, last year I took a leap and left my public job in order to seek new challenges and grow my skills and network.

While I make this career pivot, I continue to organize the global Lean In Together Minneapolis-St. Paul Network. In April we will train new peer coaching circle facilitators and then launch new groups. These free mastermind groups meet for 2 hours monthly for 8 months. We also host free bimonthly Career Explorers gatherings and various pop-events. You can find out more more about our group on LinkedIn. We’re always eager to have new people join.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I had the good fortune to have a mentor, Gary Hollander, who taught me psychologist Robert Sternberg’s definition of love. Sternberg defines love as a combination of passion, vulnerability, and commitment. I have used those three elements, passion, vulnerability and commitment, to build my network and my life.

In terms of passion, I call myself an Ambassador of Good Ideas because I’m passionate a wide range of topics. I encourage everyone I have contact with to know what they care about and share this knowledge widely. If you don’t know what you’re passionate about, check out Alexandra Franzen’s “The Great I AM Worksheet.” This free worksheet is my favorite thing on the internet.

The vulnerability element comes in when we answer questions like, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” or “What would do if you knew you could not fail?” Stepping out onto uncomfortable ledges is important because that is where the magic happens. Embrace your bold and wild ideas. Blunder big. Be big. Take up space. Risk showing how much you care. I promise it’s worth it.

Of the three elements, commitment is the easiest for me. I stick with things that work. I am so good at commitment, in fact, that I had to set up a contract whereby my enemies would get big checks if I didn’t leave my safe job.

Kim Scott, author of “Radical Candor,” talks about superstars and rockstars. To grow as people and leaders, I’d love to see more of us embrace being being solidly committed rockstars in some parts of our lives and passionate, ambitious superstars in other parts.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

I am currently in my tenth Lean In peer coaching circle. These groups typically last for 8 months, but my current group is so inspiring that we’ve stuck together for three years now. We are leaders from across the US, so I was thrilled that we held our first in-person retreat this last August.

On a tactical level, at each peer coaching circle we offer each other FIRE – feedback, inquiry (questions), resources and emotional support. We do our best not to offer unsolicited advice – or at least just put it in the Zoom chat.

There is something about being with other leaders who I admire that is grounding and bolsters my own self-trust. From this base I’m able to keep moving toward building the life I want for myself. I want this solid support for every person.

I love that I the Lean In community has provided with this opportunity to lead with passion, vulnerability and commitment as we help our members actualize their ambitions.

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All photos were taken by me and have the permission of those photographed.

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