Have you noticed how many Crossover things there seem to be these days? There are crossover vehicles, crossover TV “events” (really, an event?), crossover workouts, even crossover software.

And then there are hybrids…yes, again with the cars… but lots of other types of hybrids. And fusion food.

These are all words for intersections, the points of commonality, the centers of a Venn diagram.

Your life is THE crossover event.

When I’m paying attention to this fact, I really notice how many coincidences there are in my life. I see the common threads, and when I tug on them, they bring people and things and ideas closer to me and to my center. There are more and more “Oh, I know! Me, too! I’ve been thinking the same thing” kind of moments.  More ways to share, to help one another, to support each other.

That’s what this crossover theme is all about, I think. Finding the opportunities for intersection.

In my life, I’ve had a wide variety of experiences. I’ve done many different things, met a lots of people and been tons of places. We all have. What I’ve learned is that so much of what I’ve discovered also has crossover potential.

When I taught water-kickboxing, I learned how to gauge my class and pace my instructions so that people can follow along easily. That helped me become a better presenter in my corporate life.

When my brother was in spinal cord rehab, I learned a lot about the power of listening. And patience. Lots of patience.

While hosting Thanksgiving dinners, I learned the importance of planning, preparation and coordination.

Working on the logistics crew for a community chorus, I learned amazing organization skills from some true logistical masters.

I learned the power of metaphor and repetition by raising a stubborn teenaged boy.

These are just some of my examples. You have your own.

As I work with women who want to step into their own, I realize that most of us don’t understand how powerful these crossover skills are. We compartmentalize. We don’t give ourselves credit for the things we’ve learned in the real institutions of higher learning – our lives. We downplay the skills that don’t come with a certificate or a paycheck.

Guess what? That coursework is transferrable. All of them. Full credit.

One of the first exercises we do in the Leadership Palette program is go back through the transcripts of our life and find our qualifications. And claim them. Proudly. Maybe even frame them.

Acknowledging all of the pieces of our lives gives us more. More options. More tools to choose from, more resources. More confidence. More ways to help.

So I want to urge you to claim all of the crossover credits that you’ve earned. Use them to our advantage. That’s what leaders do.

In the meantime, remember these things: You are loved. We are all loved. Let’s all be kind. And in all things – progress, not perfection!

Love and light,

Maggie

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If you’re interested in using Color Thinking for your own leadership development program, let’s talk. Email: Maggie@maggiehuffman.com