PelotonPosts is an interview with a member of PelotonLabs, a co-working community in Portland’s West End. This month, Peloton’s founder Liz Trice caught up with Margaret Kelsey, the owner of Wave of Insight, a consulting company that works with individuals and organizations seeking to adopt value-based, mindful leadership practices.
Where did the name “Wave of Insight” come from?
Margaret Kelsey, the owner of Wave of Insight.
Before coworking spaces existed in Portland, I would spend my days at Arabica. One day I saw a vacant space on Free Street, and thought maybe I could rent that, and create a collaborative space. But I didn’t do it, because I knew it didn’t align with what I really like to do. But soon thereafter, others opened coworking spaces, which led me to realize something important, we all get insights related to our collective needs. Many go unnoticed. Others scream out, “Do something with this idea.”
If an insight isn’t aligned with a person’s purpose, the will to make it come to life will be much harder. Ideally, it should be passed on or shared with someone we know that would resonate with the idea. But if it is aligned, and we’re held back by fear, then it follows us like a shadow, and we have to find ways to get beyond those fears to make it happen. I started Wave of Insight to help individuals and organizations harness their insights so we can create better products and services in response to the collective needs to improve our world. So people can experience not just success, but fulfillment.
What does Mindful Leadership mean?
Being mindful is about bringing awareness to what, when, why and how we do what we do. To evolve as a leader of an organization means paying attention to everything from the finances, to employee needs and systems, to the reasons the organization exists and how it can make a difference. Mindful leadership helps bring clarity, focus, creativity and compassion to this. It helps leaders make responsive rather than reactive choices. As individuals, we can develop awareness about what brings us energy, and what drains us. Which activities make you light up? Are you leaning in to challenges, or stepping back? I like helping people get mindful about this… because then it helps them know how to tap their insights better.
Tell me about your Wave of Insight Facebook page.
When I meditate on a challenge I’m facing, sometimes a helpful piece of wisdom comes to me. I started pairing these words with images and posting on Facebook as a creative outlet. For the first year just my friends “liked” it, but then I shared a post with another organization’s page and overnight I had 500 followers. I freaked out. Now it’s been steadily growing for 4 years and there are 31,000 followers around the world, and some of my posts have been shared 3,000 times. Wild!
You have a bunch of events coming up, including during Maine Startup & Create Week.
Mindful Leadership Exchange Monday, June 5, 7:30 – 9 a.m. at Cloudport, 63 Federal St, Portland.
Monday Mindfulness for Maine Startup & Create Week, Monday, June 19, 7:30 – 8:45 a.m. at PelotonLabs (795 Congress St, Portland). Gives MSCW attendee a free pass to Peloton for the week.
Value-Based Leadership, Wednesday, June 21, 5:30 – 7 p.m. at Cloudport.
You’ve been at Peloton for a while now; how has it affected or helped you?
At Peloton I’m able to fall back and rest into myself – it’s like “home” to me. I’ve met wonderful people here – other like-minded individuals seeking to tap into their creative potential. I like the attention that is given to creating community. Peloton also does a great job supporting individual working needs. Like, the tea I want to drink is in the cabinet, there is quiet space, noisy space, private spaces to go into, ergonomic desks. It’s comfortable. I’ve also become part of a fantastic accountability group. We meet bi-weekly to hold ourselves accountable to achieving our goals in alignment with our purpose and what we want to do in life. Peloton also values collaborating with other coworking spaces, which is what this is all about in our growing city.
Peloton Labs
Memberships start at $30/month and new accountability groups are created regularly. Visit www.pelotonlabsportland.com to schedule a tour.
