Billie's Leaving Blog: to my friends
Dear beloved former colleagues -
After three adventure- and learning-filled years in Design and R&D Craft Education at Atlassian, it is time for me to write my leaving blog. I certainly didn’t expect to be writing this two months after I’d already left, but this pandemic is full of surprises. I’m doing well overall — this is a way bigger wave than I expected to be riding right now, and my life is changing completely, but it’s going to get really good if I can stay up. A lot of it I can’t talk about yet in a public forum, but I welcome the chance to stay in touch with you and catch up 1:1.
I didn’t want to disappear on you — for the past two months as I’ve been figuring out my plan, and haven’t had much I could say in words, so I’ve made us a playlist. Us, like all of us. We’re listening to it a lot here in my household, but if you’ve ever loved anything about working with me, it’s also for you. It expresses how I’m doing, what I wish for all of our shared future, what working side by side with all of you has taught me about myself. My deepest gratitude to each one of you, my teammates and collaborators, my learners and mentees. The thoughtful teams who invited me to see your vulnerabilities and help you be better together.
Atlassian US HQ lobby, Pride month 2019. Photo: Matthew Bryan Wright. Working at an outwardly LGBT-welcoming company was truly wonderful and unforgettable. I can only wish everyone who’s been “othered” will someday experience what it’s like to be welcomed for your difference —- and that together we will evolve our industry enough to make inclusion a reality for us all.
My only regret is wishing I’d used my voice even more strongly, to lift all of you up even more — especially the women, Black folks, other folks of color, and LGBT folks who have come to me for coaching, training, sponsorship and advocacy. I’ve learned the hard way that it’s my responsibility to capture and communicate the value of the work we do together, and to amplify it to our stakeholders and the industry at large. I’ll do better in the future at telling our stories, demonstrating the value in ways that help leaders want to prioritize investing in it.
I’ll be going back out on my own, providing freelance facilitation and workshop design (remote-first and global, of course), team communication and inclusion training for creative and tech teams. I’m thrilled that I’ll also have the chance to return to teaching at General Assembly. Working for myself will give me more time with my family, time to write, maybe even start a podcast or a video channel. Time to play drums and surf. I have some hurdles to get through to make this all reality, but I’m feeling strong and supported. I have a real chance at a quality of life that I could never have imagined before. If we have made a connection in our work together over the past three years, I have you yes you to thank for how much hope and badassery I’m able to bring to the challenges of the day.
You offered me the chance to bring my whole self to work — I believed you, and I took it, every day for three years. We got messy and honest together and I loved it. I loved every second of working with you, and am grateful for your trust, friendship, and collaboration.
I hope you enjoy the playlist!
For those of you who have asked how you can help support me in this new adventure, thank you! I’d love to hear and understand what you’ve learned from my classes and coaching, how you’re applying what you’ve learned to your own growth and development. It would be extra awesome if you’d pretty please be willing to say so as a testimonial on LinkedIn or let me say so on my web site. It’d be even more awesome if you’d hire me to design and facilitate your offsites or product ideation sessions, and refer me to your network for team coaching on communication and inclusion. And if you happen to have photos of us doing awesome work together, I’d love to please be able to use some of them for my web site (I’ve lost most of mine, since I left my work laptop in the office before lockdown).
I would love to continue to collaborate with as many of you as I can! I’d love your feedback on ways I can improve my business offering or web site, your collaboration and input on content, brand ideas, prospective marketing or business development. I’d love to find a serious developer friend or three to spar and maybe even build some software product ideas!
Most of all, though, don’t make me miss you too badly — please stay in touch!
Love and rock-n-roll,
Billie
PS: for those of you who are not usually metal listeners, please do give the songs by Arch Enemy a chance, and keep in mind, that fierce growling voice is a FEMALE singer…