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Conversations with the Inspiring Jean Marie DiGiovanna

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Jean Marie DiGiovanna.

Jean Marie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
After graduating with a degree in Computer Science and landing a position as one of the founding partners in a high-tech startup called Cambridge Technology Partners, I had no idea how that company and the people I worked with would help shape and influence my own business today. As I moved up the technical career ladder, I began to notice that I cared more about people than technology. It was then that an opportunity came up to run a service line where I trained project teams on methodology and team effectiveness. That’s when I discovered my passion for learning and development. From there, my career took off and I became the internal facilitator leading executive off-sites, team interventions and presenting to clients. I was surprised at how much I loved speaking and training even though I was the shyest kid growing up. Helping others grow and experience aha’s is what made me come alive.

While traveling around the world opening up offices and training staff was rewarding, it began to take a toll on me. Work-life balance was non-existent and it began to impact my personal life. I had always wondered if I could do what I love but on my own terms. After taking on a position as Regional Business Operations manager in Stockholm, Sweden for a year and accomplishing one of my life’s goals of working and living overseas, I came back to the states and decided to leave the company. I wanted to see if I could make this independent consulting thing work. So in 1998, I started my own training, speaking and coaching business. Over twenty years later, it’s still going strong.

The business has shifted and evolved as I have, but I am still committed to helping organizations and their leaders increase employee engagement, foster healthy and open communication and create a culture of curiosity. Helping people think and lead differently is at the core of what I do. The most powerful tool I teach to accomplish that is the tool of asking questions. It was what got me here today and continues to keep me open to learning every single day.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
When I started my business, I set a goal of working half the time and making the same salary as when I worked in Corporate. I reached that goal in the 2nd year of business. Life was great. Then, several months later, the high tech bubble burst. All my clients were in high tech. I went from 6 figures to no figures overnight. It was devastating and I could have done what most would and go back to get a corporate job, but I knew deep down inside, my soul could not do it. So, I took a home equity line of credit out on my condo and got trained and certified as a coach and started coaching every one I knew. That wasn’t enough to support me, so I started running public workshops and seminars in topics I knew people needed. I took the training skills I had and found a way to generate revenue. I grew that public seminar business and several years later, my corporate clients came back for business. While it was not easy losing everything I had, I stayed true to my heart. When you know what is truly important, saying YES and NO to opportunities becomes much easier. I have turned down opportunities that were big money when no other business was coming in because I knew the work was not aligned with my core values. As soon as I said NO inevitably, another opportunity that was more aligned with even greater benefits would come in. Sometimes we have to make the hard decision to say NO in honor of what our true YES is.

Being an entrepreneur was not always easy. While I went into business to have more work-life balance, it also meant I had to be self-motivated, disciplined and focused. I used to think focus was a 4-letter word, and procrastination was my nemesis, but as soon as I reframed those terms, my career began to shift. I realized I don’t procrastinate. I marinate. When I had a deadline to reach, I would always reach it but I wouldn’t necessarily put pen to paper until I absolutely needed to. Before pen to paper, I would be marinating on ideas and think through what I needed to create. Instead of honoring my process of marinating, I kept thinking I was procrastinating. So often as entrepreneurs, we make ourselves wrong for how we do things without uncovering what is truly happening. We compare ourselves to how others do it taking us into a downward spiral of negativity.

As I have learned more about myself, accepted more of who I am and what works for me, I am able to honor and trust my process. The biggest piece of advice I can give is to honor your process. Just because someone created success a certain way doesn’t mean that will work for you. When you honor who you are, what makes you tick and how you best operate and follow that, you will achieve success and attract the kind of work and clients who align with you. I have never been one to “fit in” or “follow the crowd” so once I gave myself permission not to fit in or follow others, it freed me up to be ME. It takes less effort and is a whole lot more fun.

Tell us more about your work.
I am an educator who makes a difference in the way people think and lead. I have developed a body of work called Renaissance Leadership™ and Renaissance Cultures™ which is centered around the following premise: we are sitting on a goldmine of talent and gifts among our teams and peers that is untapped. Most of us don’t bring all of our gifts and talents to our work. We leave pieces at the door as we move up the corporate ladder and it not only impacts the culture of our organization. It impacts our own happiness and level of aliveness at work. Renaissance leaders bring all of who they are to what they do. They help uncover hidden talent among their teams. Renaissance cultures value diverse skills and find innovative solutions across multiple disciplines instead of working in our silos and with those we are most comfortable working. I draw from the period of the Renaissance, which was a rebirth of humanity, where leaders were valued for the depth and breadth of their skills and where they brought people with diverse backgrounds together to create new solutions. Having left parts of me at the door when I was in Corporate and feeling like I had to play a “role” it inspired me to help create environments where people are recognized and valued for all that they are and the “out-of-the-box” ideas they bring to the table. I have since taken the first of the 5 Core Renaissance Principles and turned it into a book and resource for leaders called “Stop Talking Start Asking: 27 Questions to Shift the Culture of Your Organization.” Since each chapter is independent, you simply go to the chapter you need and immediately apply the tools.

I deliver keynote speeches and workshops on how to become a Renaissance Leader™ in the age of disruption and create Renaissance Cultures™ where leaders and teams thrive. I deliver three and 6-month Leadership programs for experienced and emerging leaders teaching them how to become a more effective leader, coach, presenter, influencer and innovator. I deliver 1:1 executive coaching and I train employees in consulting, coaching, presentation and meeting management skills. For organizations who need to assimilate employees as quickly as possible into the organization, I help develop innovative onboarding programs.

People would describe me as having a quiet confidence and warm spirit that creates a safe space for them to be who they are. From that space, they are able to open up and shift in ways beyond what they thought were possible. They are able to honor and value their uniqueness. When we can see our uniqueness as our superpower versus what separates us, anything is possible. I am grateful for the opportunity to live my life’s purpose and help other’s live theirs.

Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
One of the greatest inspirations in my life was my mother. She was strong, confident, caring, genuine, intelligent and even-keeled. She handled situations with grace and integrity and always saw both sides of a situation. She used to remind me not to judge people by their past and that they have the ability to change. She always saw the best in people and gave them the benefit of the doubt. Her strength and resilience is what keeps me going in challenging situations. She also saw the humor in life and reminds me to laugh and not take things so seriously. Several other woman leaders from my corporate job inspired me and shaped my own leadership style. They also exemplified grace under pressure and stayed open to all sides without judging right away. Several close girlfriends inspire me daily reminding me of who I am and what I’m capable of and not to sweat the small stuff. Having grown up with four older brothers and in very male-dominated fields, I became a very independent, strong woman. What I’ve learned to appreciate over the last decade is how important it is to ask for and receive help and support from others. Alone, we can make a difference. Together we can change the world.

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 Image Credit:
The first speaking one in the purple dress is: Jovenir Bataican
The second speaker one in the green dress is Jessie May Kezele
The last one on the horse at the playground is Don Hajicek

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