The Open Line

Real stories. Honest questions. For people ready to use their voice for good.

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My heart was pounding as I opened up the laptop.

I was getting ready to talk about my work in a recording that would be used to promote an event.

I tried to settle into my designated spot for video calls, but my brain was swirling with doubts.

The irony? This recording would be about my upcoming workshop: How to talk about your work.

And yet here I was wrestling with a million doubts about my own work: Who was I to be teaching anyone about this topic? My own work has shifted more times than a 6-speed racer on a road track. I still get tongue-tied at networking events. Get blank stares from family when work comes up. Why would anyone listen to me for how to talk about your work when talking about my own work was giving me such anxiety?

And then, in an instant, my doubts lifted. My heart settled. My brain kicked into gear. The screen in front of me became a window instead of a mirror. There was Becky, the host for the call.

I suddenly found my smile - my voice - as I asked how she was doing.

She shared she was a bit nervous about this recording, so we commiserated and laughed about it, then with lighter hearts began the interview.

There have been other calls this past week.

A credit union CEO who’s navigating succession planning.
A product marketing director who’s recently been promoted.
A close friend going through big career and life transitions.

And what I noticed is a thread running through them all: doubt

Not about their decisions, but about their value.

All of these conversations involved smart people with years of experience, high-level skills, specific certifications as well as well-rounded education.

And as they boldly set out into new territory, they’re leaving behind the comfort of their resume.

The CEO with four degrees, board certifications and decades of experience running an organization wonders how he’ll be able to navigate what’s next, how he can explore creative writing as well as consulting. Will people take his new work seriously?

The product marketing director has run countless campaigns, spoken at industry events, yet finds herself feeling small as she navigates new rooms of high-level leadership.

My friend with awards and accomplishments in a dying field, scrambling to find one that’s growing, that welcomes those ‘transferrable skills’.

And yes, also me. 30 years of collaborating with creatives, persuading executives to adopt new campaigns, still wondering why anyone would take me seriously as a communications coach.

So when I felt doubt drop away as Becky got on the call, I pinned that moment. I took a deeper look at it later that day.

What was it that shifted my brain? How did my nerves settle so quickly? Why did my challenges now feel like opportunities?

And I felt these same questions pop up after the other conversations.

For the CEO, he lit up when he started talking about his creative process and then again when he described the type of people he wants to work with as a consultant.

For the newly promoted director, she found confidence in her curiosity. She was nervous about answering questions, but when she’s asking questions her doubts decrease. She’s leaning into the beginner’s mindset, the confident humility Adam Grant highlights in Think Again.

And my friend totally geeks out when talking about her new field of study.

For me, I felt it as soon as curiosity kicked in.

And perhaps that’s how it works.

Curiosity turns our mirrors into windows.

Truly,
Jackie

Quiet Signal

If any of this is stirring something for you - about your own work, your own voice, what you bring to the rooms you're in - I'd love to think it through with you. I'm offering a handful of complimentary 45-minute thinking-partner conversations this month for people in my circle who are sitting with exactly these questions. No agenda. Just a real conversation. Reply to this email if you'd like one.

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Want to explore more? Check out these resources:

What's On My Radar

I've been experimenting with different watercolor techniques for those big thunderclouds that pop up around here in the summer. Very humbling and a great reminder to stay curious about the process - the results will come (although sometimes I wish they came sooner rather than later - ha ha!)

Hi there! I'm Jackie. I help thoughtful people influence outcomes without having to become someone they’re not. ​LinkedIn Website​

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