I so appreciate the work on holding brave spaces that Heather Plett has done. Thank you Heather for being one of the people in our industry to break the silence. I love this:

“In the university classroom, where I stood alone as the expert at the front of the room, my ego was much more easily activated. I was more defended against criticism, I projected a cockier exterior to ensure people I was worthy of the “expert” moniker, and I deflected more when I felt that people were burdening me with too many expectations.

When I co-facilitated, especially in a circle format, I rarely got defended, felt little need to protect my ego, and was much more comfortable admitting what I didn’t know. Responsibility was shared, so I didn’t need to carry the burden on my own shoulders.

What I learned, during that time, was the importance of not standing alone but instead surrounding oneself with the kind of community that stands together in both weakness and in strength and isn’t afraid to hold each other accountable when repairs need to be made. Especially for those with increasing influence and power, doing work that results in people layering expectations and projections onto them, this community support is essential. It’s hard to stay in integrity otherwise.“