By: Olivia Jebrine

Each building block of her career brought new insights and lessons, and her dedication to promoting change and finding joy has been quintessential throughout.

As many people working in the corporate world can likely relate, there is a widespread feeling in our culture that you have your work self and your real self – and those two halves don’t necessarily communicate. This deeply rooted mindset we have is toxic and counterproductive to the idea of living as your whole and fulfilled self. 

By trying to fit into a mold and ignoring your personal attributes, qualities and opinions, you set yourself up for comparison against the person in the cubicle next to you. 

Some leaders out there have even claimed that comparison is the thief of joy. 

CEO of Stealth Venture Labs, Jackie Edmundson, is flipping the script on this notion by acknowledging her employees as their full selves (or, as she identifies it, the “whole employee”). 

She believes that encouraging people to be their truest selves at work will make them feel more enriched in what they do and, therefore, enable them to collect the valuable currency of joy. 

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Edmundson to explore her past and learn how she came to these conclusions about joy, job satisfaction and success. As you can imagine, it takes tremendous emotional intelligence and life experience to understand why these elements of life are important. 

“Believe it or not, I didn’t always have my heart set on working in digital marketing,” Edmundson begins, “now, I absolutely love what I do. Back when I was starting out my professional career, I worked in the government sector. One of my first influential roles was in Philadelphia, where I grew up. I worked at the free library and taught adults how to use new technologies. We’re talking pre-Google days. This was a time where people were incredibly hesitant and had an aversion to major change like technology. It took time, effort and real human connection to be able to get this group of people to not just understand how to properly use new technology, which is a challenge in and of itself, but to also be receptive to how it could improve our lives.” 

She continues: “Having the opportunity to actually sit face-to-face with these people and watch their minds change made me feel like the work I was doing was important. I think this is one of the first professional moments where I learned the lesson of why it is critical to question things and challenge common assumptions.”

Later in her career, Edmundson worked in government in the business innovation department. Her role was focused on going into local offices and questioning why organizations were doing things the way they did—and then provoking them to make a change. Take cubicles, for example; Edmundson believed that there was a more practical and forward-thinking approach to office structure. An open floor plan could allow employees more exposure to sunlight, evoke better comradery, promote healthier habits and attract younger talent. 

“Turning change-resistors into change-promoters is so rewarding,” she says. “It’s less about the ‘I told you so’ factor and more about appreciating how people are able to open their minds to a potentially better way of solving problems. I quickly realized that being a change-promoter was a passion of mine and was a major joy-sparker for me, professionally.”

Edmundson went on to share how her life experiences paved the pathway for her to unlock why joy matters and why change matters, and she attributes that pursuit to her great professional successes. These experiences opened Edmundson’s mind to understanding why it’s important to ‘find your tribe’ and learn when to lean on your trusted group of people. 

It’s painfully easy to fall into a rut when life gets tough, and the negative thoughts start to flow in. Again, according to Edmundson, the solution begins with the simple question of “why.” Ask yourself, “Why do I feel this way?” Once you can unlock what’s truly bringing you down, then you can begin to be the promoter of change within yourself. Edmundson believes that if you can unlock the why, you can kick start the change to eliminate negativity and invite joy in your life.

She explains, “These are some of the most fundamental lessons I try to teach the women I mentor. To see them absorb it and apply these ways of thinking is also so rewarding.” As a leader, Edmundson emphasizes how imperative it is to see your mentees or employees as ‘whole people.’ Instead of just focusing on benchmarks and job performance, they should be encouraged to constantly challenge the status quo and ask why – because it will not only promote innovation within an organization but also empowers them to feel joy, which, she says, “is a beautiful thing.” 

“Now, with my experiences,” she concludes, “I am able to carve out little moments of joy in my life that help me to keep going. Being outside in nature or listening to the hummingbirds outside of my window emotionally fill my cup. Being a change-maker and a joy-seeker are like muscles you have to continue strengthening. The result of that work is incredibly rewarding.”

To learn more about Stealth Venture Labs, visit their website. To find Jackie on social media, head to her LinkedIn page.

Published by: Nelly Chavez