What led you to become a DO GOOD X mentor, and why is mentorship important to you?
I was encouraged by a ministry colleague to make a connection to FTE. When I learned that DO GOOD X (innovated by FTE) is a group of change-makers with a community of peers, mentors, and investors that pledge support, resources, and connections needed to accelerate business ideas for good, I felt like this was my tribe. I applied immediately! By nature, I am a mentor. It is in my DNA. I know the blessings I have received are not just for me to hold on to. I am to pass them along and share them with others. I aim to be a vessel of faith, hope, and love.
What excites you most about joining the DO GOOD X community? And what do you hope to gain from your experience as a mentor?
What excites me is the opportunity to work with dynamic young visionaries who are moral leaders wanting to fulfill their divine calls. I love to hear God-size visions. My call to ministry is to work with leaders in the marketplace and the church, making sure leaders “do not faint before they finish.” This is an excellent opportunity to live out my call and be in community with an innovative, diverse community of faith leaders. I am a lifelong learner and see this as an experience of sharing, exchanging, and growing for all.
How would you describe your coaching/mentoring style?
I am, first and foremost, a midwife and “hope dealer.” As an entrepreneurial enthusiast and accelerator, I share my experiences, knowledge, and resources to help the vision materialize with excellence and efficiency. My style is based on gracious accountability. Clients often report that my style is spirit-filled, practical, fun, and challenging.
In addition to being an experienced leadership and business coach, you also facilitate a workshop on Cultural Intelligence. What inspired you to start this workshop, and how have leaders benefited from it?
A friend from church invited me to co-facilitate with her. She was aware of my human resource, training, and executive hospitality experience working across the U.S. and Canada. Cultural Intelligence measures your capability to relate and work effectively in culturally diverse situations, and I believe this is a key leadership skill to develop continuously. I share my lived experiences in our workshops and how Cultural Intelligence competencies can be applied in the marketplace, ministry, and church settings.
Like many people of color, I have been impacted negatively by institutional racism and find facilitating leaders learning Cultural Intelligence is a healthy way to continue to heal and help others to lead with a justice mindset. We have found our white siblings are willing to embrace this approach to understand diversity, inclusion, and equity. I believe we all must be trained to navigate diverse environments and have opportunities to connect, learn, and grow.
Relationship building is such an important part of building or growing a business. Now that we are in a pandemic, what advice would you give to entrepreneurs who might be struggling to make connections during this time?
Relationship building is vital in all businesses and ministries. The good news is that because more people are working at home, there is a time-saving factor that allows us to make more connections. I would suggest making connections a fun part of your workday. Make a hit list, pick a time of day when you are at your best and go for it! People are hungry for personal connections since we are still social distancing. Make a point of making your contacts personal. Find a connection point. Share the challenges of homeschooling kids, share a picture of fury co-workers, new workout routines, etc. Handwritten notes and cards stand out, so when you’re exhausted and just can’t talk to another person, write a card, send a text, or a message on social media just to let them know they’re on your mind. We can turn a challenge into a blessing. Remember, compassionate leaders, stand out!
Want to get connected?
You can keep up with Elaine at elainerobinsonbeattie.com.