Jennifer Maxson is a passionate thought leader in the areas of communication, networking, leadership development and public speaking. She is a certified professional coach and has been recognized in the community for her leadership and service. We’ll ask her why she wears a blazer every day and how she does what she does so well. Jennifer Maxson on this edition of Powerful Women: Let’s Talk
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>> Produced by women about women. Powerful Women, Let's Talk is a series of interviews with women who are trailblazers and have helped shape our world, transforming who we are and how we live.
Shelley Irwin: Jennifer Maxson is a passionate thought leader in the areas of communication, networking leadership development and public speaking. She is a certified professional coach and has been recognized in the community for leadership and service. She says she wears a blazer every day. We’ll ask why and how she does what she does so well. So welcome to this edition of Powerful Women, Let's Talk Jennifer Maxson.
Jennifer Maxson: Thanks Shelly. I’m so excited to be here with you.
Shelley Irwin: You wear a blazer every day and I see you’ve worn one today. you've got the memo. We’ll ask why shortly and of course there must be a good reason to that. Jennifer glad that you are here. Was leadership in your DNA? Talk a little bit about your upbringing.
Jennifer Maxson: Sure. So, I'm the oldest of 4. So, leadership was in my DNA. I think my siblings would say leader or maybe bossy big sister but, there was always an opportunity to try something new and different and you know, from being an older sibling to being in sports in high school to college where I found Greek life and a ton of opportunities to grow and stretch as a leader.
Shelley Irwin: What was your sport?
Jennifer Maxson: So I was on the pom-pom squad, I was also on the equestrian team.
Shelley Irwin: What was your horses name?
Jennifer Maxson: My horses name was Daily.
Shelley Irwin: Yeah, I digress. Your journey to today's role in which you wear many but, a certified professional coach?
Jennifer Maxson: Yes, a certified professional coach is something that I've just added within the last year and I'm really excited about it because it brings new service offerings to our clients and also allows us to help grow leaders and my passion is that we have to have leaders for the future. So, it gives us another way to really connect and to help others and I've added this because clients were asking for more coaching services. So, it's a great way for me to grow in knowledge and also to grow within the services and help support my team.
Shelley Irwin: And yet you are president of Jennifer Maxson and Associates. Probably only one Jennifer Maxson out there. Tell me about your team and how again, you find a business.
Jennifer Maxson: My team is amazing and incredible and so I've been in this leadership field for 25 years. I keep saying it started when I was 12, it makes me makes me feel better but, I have an incredible core team that helps me with the day-to-day client interactions and then I have a fabulous team of coaches and facilitators that are out here with our clients day in and day out. What I love is that everyone has a great personality, a different expertise which allows me to find the right fit for clients.
Shelley Irwin: What skills are needed to coach to be introduced as a passionate thought leader?
Jennifer Maxson: Well, to be a passionate thought leader, you have to be passionate and so I have found the area of communication and leadership is where I want to play. I don’t want to go in any other direction, that's what fills my bucket every day and to be a coach. Coaching is different than consulting and training. So, coaching is all about partnering with your client holding the space letting them decide how they would like to move forward versus me trying to fix and solve their problem. So, as a coach you have to be curious, you have to be willing to partner, you have to be willing to give your client control of their destination and you get to be in the passenger seat and along for the ride and support them along the way.
Shelley Irwin: Did you actually seek out becoming what one of 175 certified coaches in Michigan?
Jennifer Maxson: I was excited when I went in the ICF global Web site and did the search of how many certified coaches are in Michigan and so that was really exciting to see that I'm one of 175. I knew there was a smaller number of coaches in the area within our state and throughout the world but, coaching is one of those growing fields in that you have to really want to be along for the ride and not in the driver's seat as a coach.
Shelley Irwin: Which brings me to the question of who needs to be coached and or what's the importance of being coached?
Jennifer Maxson: You know, anyone who wants to make a change can be coached and so coaching, you have to want to make something different. You have to want to move forward, not sit in the past but, really move things forward. So, what I love right now is I'm spending a lot of time with emerging leaders. Those that are starting to grow in their career. They're not in the top spots, but they will be and no one has given them really the opportunity to work with an outside coach to help them build their confidence, to work through different situations and help them with their thinking, you know, maybe we need to view something from a different perspective. So, in order to bring that in coaching others, again, I go back to leaders are the hope for the future. So we have to develop leaders at all levels and we have to start today.
Shelley Irwin: Jennifer, what do you look for in your leaders?
Jennifer Maxson: Leaders who are humble. It's not about them. They're not the hero. It's all about others. Leaders that can clearly articulate a vision forward where we can go “what does that look like?” and, “why is that important?” and focus on the greater good not just for them or for their peers but, for their teams, the organization and for our communities. So, I want someone that is confident, someone who is comfortable in sharing the stage with others that can really see down the road of what the impact could be.
Shelley Irwin: Off the cuff question, do you, coach your kids?
Jennifer Maxson: I tried, but they’re always like stop coaching me mom and we're tired of that. So I try.
Shelley Irwin: Yes. At this point in your life, still young any woulda, coulda moments in your life? Perhaps, did you always want to be this, but you turned out to be that.
Jennifer Maxson: Well, you know, I wanted to be a pharmacist. I did 2 years of math and science and said yeah, I did 2 years in math and science and then found leadership. So I that made that shift and I’m so happy and that I've done that. The other woulda coulda is that I wish I would have learned how to ski earlier.
Shelley Irwin: We’ll were going into the conversation of those fun facts. How did you come to learn to love skiing?
Jennifer Maxson: My kids love to go to Cannonsburg and so that's just down the street from us. It was great to be there in the lodge but, I honestly got tired of being in the lodge and found an opportunity to at least try to ski but, learning how to ski in your 40's I thought that's a little scary, that's a little dangerous. I got to show up for clients. I need to make sure I show up together and what I found is it gives me freedom. It gives me freedom just to be and to enjoy the moment and so I look forward to all of those opportunities to stick it out and ski and I’m a green level skier. I don't need anything big and fancy just give me easy slopey hills.
Shelley Irwin: Is that above the bunny Hill?
Jennifer Maxson: Just one step above the bunny Hill and you know, sometimes I can hang out in the bunny Hill, too.
Shelley Irwin: Balance. Three active kids, a husband, your own company. This is a cliche question but, talk about balance. How are you making it happen?
Jennifer Maxson: Well, I have had to just really embrace the fact that it's never balanced. It's never a fifty-fifty balance and so there are times where kids are 90% of my time and I have to give myself permission that that's OK because that's where we need to be in that moment and there's times where business takes 90% of the time but, that's okay because that's where I need to be in the moment and have a great partner in my husband to help, you know, juggle what needs to happen and I figure as long as we don’t forget to pick someone up we’re good.
Shelley Irwin: Yeah, don't do that. Note to self. You do have a daily intention. What is this?
Jennifer Maxson: My daily intention is to give graciously of what is mine and so every day as I , you know, log-in to my computer as I get up and help get kids out the door I think how can I give graciously of what is mine and that could be of time and that may just mean I need to stop and listen for someone and you just hear their story. It could be that I respond to an email in a timely way because there's an urgent need and put something off to the side. It could be, you know, time, it could be dollars, it's how can I help without any strings attached, without any expectations. Just help someone somewhere somehow, but, just like being gracious.
Shelley Irwin: Want to give a shout out to your sorority sisters.
Jennifer Maxson: My Delta Zeta Sorority sisters. I love them and you know, that's part of our creed is to give graciously of what is mine and I didn't realize until now how much that Greek life and sisterhood and all those leadership opportunities really have supported and played out in my career.
Shelley Irwin: Did you have leadership opportunities within that organization?
Jennifer Maxson: I absolutely did from chapter president, a treasurer, to panhellenic council member. I look for every opportunity of how I can bring others together.
Shelley Irwin: how was the pledge trainer.
Jennifer Maxson: Absolutely what a job. She's still a good friend and we all love her.
Shelley Irwin: Tell me more about why you wear a blazer a day?
Jennifer Maxson: So, this is an interesting question that I have been asked more and more especially during the pandemic. As I’m jumping on zoom for team meetings with others. My blazer is my go-to work uniform. It helps me with my mindset. I get up, put a blazer on and it's time to go to work. It's time to show up for others and be a professional. It gives me structure, not only in look, but also gives me structure in my thought process throughout the day.
Shelley Irwin: What gets you excited? I'm feeling we know the answer. How do we find then what excites us? A two-part question.
Jennifer Maxson: What gets me excited is others. I love being with others and whether it's virtually or in person, that's where I get my energy from is being with other people. So, finding ways to do that and to connect and being in that leadership space. You know, seeing those light bulb moments for individuals who are like finally I know how I want to move forward and have a plan to get there. You know how do we find our passions we’re all different but, I always ask folks to think about what are the tasks that you enjoy doing every day? What do you look forward to? What are you dreaming about? You know, if we were comic book characters and we have a thought bubble, what would those words and actions look like? Those are the areas that we need to explore to help find those passions.
Shelley Irwin: All right. You're hearing from a let's say a young DZ who's just gotten her college degree just started her job. How soon should she ask to be coached?
Jennifer Maxson: I would say right from the beginning and you know, as we look in our organizations, managers and supervisors need to coach and in many times we start in our roles and we’re told exactly what to do. Yes, there are certain processes that we need to do and there are certain expectations that need to be set but, to ask your manager to help coach you along the way, absolutely appropriate and what a great opportunity and a gift not only for her but, also for her manager.
Shelley Irwin: So, you probably have at least 7 Blazers?
Jennifer Maxson: I have at least 7 Blazers, a couple in the red family. A couple of different colors because they all bring me different energy based on the day.
Shelley Irwin: What are you currently reading? I like to ask this question.
Jennifer Maxson: So, I have 3 books that are in my play pile.
One is the 10 Stories Leaders Tell by Paul Smith, which looks at all those stories from a leadership perspective that we need to share with others, including what’s our founding story, where did we start? Why? That so important, it's the history that we continue to build upon. There's also what we believe in, our values and how do we show up every day and what is the expectation. I also just started the Long Game by Dorie Clark, which is really, really one of those books that I keep turning back on, it’s an audiobook that I'm loving to listen to but, what is the long game for all of us? We tend to focus on what's today in that short game but those short games should really help us lead to a bigger picture and finally Big Potential by Sean Aker, so love looking at what is that multiplier the potential that we all can bring?
Shelley Irwin: Where’s Jennifer Maxson in 10 years?
Jennifer Maxson: Jennifer Maxson in 10 years is still coaching and coaching more emerging leaders and maybe even finding a little more time to be on the slopes a little more skiing time in those winter months.
Shelley Irwin: Wonderful, stay upright.
Jennifer Maxson: That's right.
Shelley Irwin: Thank you for joining us on this edition of Powerful Women, Let's Talk Jennifer Maxson President Jennifer Maxson and Associates.
Jennifer Maxson: Thanks Shelley.
Shelley Irwin: And that does it for another edition of Powerful Women, Let’s Talk. I’m Shelley Irwin.
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>> Produced by women about women. These powerful podcasts focus on powerful women and how their strength transforms who we are and how we live. Want to hear more Powerful Women, Let's Talk? Get additional interviews at WGVU.org or wherever you get your podcasts. Please rate and subscribe. Powerful Women, Let’s Talk is produced by WGVU at the Meijer Public Broadcast Center at Grand Valley State University. The views and opinions expressed on this program do not necessarily reflect those of WGVU, its underwriters or Grand Valley State University.
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