“Creating a business is full of decisions both big and small…I see the moments that seemed “stressful” then were important parts of my entrepreneurial journey.” That’s Lara Merriken talking about the early years of LÄRABARs. There were plenty of twists and turns along the way, but she pushed through, eventually employing over 100 people. She personified an idea by Patty McCord, former Chief Talent Officer at Netflix who said, “You’ve gotta be an adult, moral, grounded, thoughtful leader in order to surround yourself with other people like that.”
Eventually Merriken made the decision to sell LÄRABARs to General Mills. Although stepping into a different role was bittersweet, she said, “I’m proud of the way we’ve grown the business, and equally proud that General Mills recognized the magic of LÄRABAR and, through its tremendous resources, is taking it to a higher level and a greater reach that we could have never achieved on our own.”
In the July series, Reskill, Reframe, Restart, we’ve examined professional reinvention. We’ve gone from the idea of reskilling solely as technical learning to a complete reboot, using soft skills as the backstop.
You’ve gotta be an adult to reskill, because it requires taking an honest look at your knowledge gaps and doing something about it. Let’s look back at all the big and small ways Lara reskilled:
We’re at the midpoint of the year, a perfect time to take stock. How will you use reskilling to be a better adult—a moral, grounded, thoughtful leader? You can unearth your priority for the next six months by finishing this statement: “If I could do one thing over this year, I would _______.”
For example, did you have a tough interaction at your kid’s school last year? Discover some go-to techniques by taking a Communications class or listening to a TED talk about non-violent communication tactics.
Do you keep replaying your long-winded presentation at the staff meeting? Join a Toastmasters group or work with a coach or trusted friend to increase your presentation skills confidence.
And are you worried that changes in technology might affect your job? Manage that uncertainty by finding a new area that interests you. Then use your creativity to research skills you would need to thrive.
Everyone has to reskill—reinvention is a natural part of life. So, as we move into the last, long days of Summer, take one or two wise, forward-looking actions. That’s how you can stay the soulful boss of you.