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We’ve come to the bittersweet decision to close down. This account is no longer active. You can follow Nikki’s journey at @nakkysweet. ❤️

As you all know, last fall I took the amazing oppo

As you all know, last fall I took the amazing opportunity to join Fresno Unified School District as their Chief Information Officer. It has been a whirlwind ever since and I have learned SO MUCH.

So much about working within a public agency, so much about leading in an organization with over 10,000 employees, so much about the amazing 74,000 students we serve, and SO MUCH about myself as a leader.

As I’ve reflected these past 5 months in this new role I’ve been conflicted about where Ladies Leading Ladies fits in this new season. And after months of reflection, internal and external conflict, I’ve come to the bittersweet decision to close down Ladies Leading Ladies.

I don’t want to give you all a distracted and half-assed version of me. Also, my current role is teaching me so much about leadership on a level I couldn’t even imagine - and I need to be able to solely focus there at this time. I’ve realized that I’m not able to take care of myself and my relationships to the standards that I preach to you all. So, I have to do the hardest thing just to make sure I’m living in integrity and truly practice everything I’ve preached to you all - integration, self-care, and leading authentically.

And I’m not going anywhere, just follow along on my personal page @nakkysweet to continue to see my journey - both personally and professionally. As always, you’ll see the struggles and triumphs as a millennial woman in the c-suite truly trying to make a positive impact, a wife constantly working on equity and passion in my own relationship, someone wrestling with the beautiful thought of starting a family and all of the fears that come along with that, a fierce fresno-lover, a loyal friend that never feels there is enough time to nurture my friendships in the ways I wish I could, and just a keto gal trying to be healthy and “love” exercise.

I truly love each and every one of you and thank you DEEPLY for bringing Ladies Leading Ladies to life and allowing me to serve you over these last few years. Keep pushing ladies, and never give up your journey as a supportive and authentic leader. 💪🏻❤️ #ladiesleadingladies #leadingauthentically #greysonfleek #womeninleadership

Our Valentine’s Day. ❤️ . #ladiesleadingladi

Our Valentine’s Day. ❤️
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#ladiesleadingladies #hellahenry #sugarface #bestfriends #brunching #thanksitsrtr #rtrambassador #renttherunway #porcelainprobs

The other amazing part about self-care is that all

The other amazing part about self-care is that all of this is backed by science!⠀
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I came across this article with the Harvard Business Review called, “There’s a Proven Link Between Effective Leadership and Getting Enough Sleep” that hammers home the fact that to be great leaders we have to have full function of our pre-frontal cortex and without self-care, including sleep, we completely inhibit that part of our brain from functioning at its highest level.⠀
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Another article I was reading from the Wall Street Journal states, “Some studies have even suggested that, if you go through a workweek while consistently sleep-deprived, you will finish the week with 15 fewer IQ points than you began it with.”⠀
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Ummm so you mean not only am I going to be in a bad mood, I’m also going to be less intelligent if I don’t sleep enough? Ya, I’m good on that. My bedtime alarm will be staying on. 🙌🏻⠀
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I’m interested - on average how much sleep do you get per night? Mine is usually about 7.5 hrs (but I don’t have kids!)⠀
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#ladiesleadingladies #womeninleadership #womenintheworkplace #leadingauthentically #sleepiskey #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #selfcare #thefutureisfemale #thefutureisfresno #thanksitsrtr #rtrambassador

Thankfully, you don’t have to be a trailblazer i

Thankfully, you don’t have to be a trailblazer in the arena of self-care. The most successful people in business have already realized this and many of them are huge advocates of self-care.⠀
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Again, self-care is holistic. Self-care is NOT self-indulgence. It is being a leader in your own life which includes ensuring you are getting enough good sleep, getting exercise and activity, eating well, actively taking care of pain (physically and emotionally), nurturing your relationships inside and outside of the office, practicing your spirituality (whatever that may mean to you), and constantly course-correcting to stick to your values.⠀
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Check out more from these self-care trailblazers; @sherylsandberg, @ariannahuff, @oprah, @marieforleo, @glowmaven, @jennakutcher. They practice self-love, self-care, and advocate (from the rooftops!) about things like sleep, balance, emotional healing, flexibility between work and family, battling grief, meditation, health, and more. I’m not the expert in all of these areas by any means, but I listen to their wisdom and craft my journey to fit my needs.⠀
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What’s one piece of self-care you want to practice on the reg?⠀
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#ladiesleadingladies #leadingauthentically #womeninleadership #womenintheworkplace #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #thefutureisfemale #thefutureisfresno #thanksitsrtr #rtrambassador

HAPPY GALENTINE’S DAY! 💗 . In the words of th

HAPPY GALENTINE’S DAY! 💗
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In the words of the wise creator of this beautiful holiday Leslie Knope, “You know my code: hoes before bros. Uteruses before duderuses…Ovaries before brovaries.”
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Tag your Galentine below and let her know why you’re so lucky to have her in your life! 👯‍♀️
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#ladiesleadingladies #galentinesday #happygalentinesday #squadgoals #girlsnight #bestfriends #ovariesbeforebrovaries #thanksitsrtr #rtrambassador

Great leadership (not mediocre, bare minimum leade

Great leadership (not mediocre, bare minimum leadership) takes A TON of energy. And how do you cultivate enough energy to be a great leader? YEP, you take freakin care of yourself!⠀
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The old school idea that you should be the first one to the office, the last one to leave, and (now in the digital age) answering your email at all hours like it’s a badge of honor is completely BACKWARDS. If there is anything you take from our friendship I hope this is it, DO NOT FALL INTO THIS TRAP! 🚨❌‼️⠀
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How do you keep yourself from falling into this trap at work??⠀
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#ladiesleadingladies #leadingauthentically #womeninleadership #womenintheworkplace #thefutureisfemale #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #thanksitsrtr #rtrambassador

Being a great leader, every day, is a whole-life c

Being a great leader, every day, is a whole-life commitment. Yes, I’m serious. Leadership doesn’t start when you walk into the office and shut off when you walk out each day. To be a great leader you have to understand leadership from a holistic lens, and this can be especially difficult as women while our society tells us “We Can Have It All!”. 🤦🏻‍♀️⠀
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We’ve accepted that we have to take care of ourselves first to be successful in so many different areas of our lives, but haven’t truly made the connection as leaders. We’ve realized we can’t love another fully without loving ourselves first, we can’t take care of our children the way we dream unless we take care of ourselves first, and we CANNOT be great leaders to our teams unless we are leading our own lives first.⠀
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How do lead in your own life first? Share in the comments!⠀
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#ladiesleadingladies #leadingauthentically #leadingholistically #womeninleadership #womenintheworkplace #selfcare #leadership #thefutureisfemale #thefutureisfresno #thanksitsrtr #rtrambassador

Happy Monday! I'm coming to you this beautiful Mon

Happy Monday! I'm coming to you this beautiful Monday morning from Portland, OR! One of my favorite places in the world. I've been spending a long weekend with my best friend in the entire world - my BBF, my college roomie, my maid of honor, and hands-down best wedding toast maker. I’m not ready to go home!⠀
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Okay, okay, back to business - this week I want you to take a look back at a blog post from the beginning that I KNOW still rings so true today - What You're Missing to Become a Great Leader. I have to remind myself of this every day and I work my routines to be intentional around all of this. Trust me, you want to refresh on this one.⠀
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#ladiesleadingladies #leadingauthentically #womeninleadership #womenintheworkplace #pdx #portland #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #thefutureisfemale

Instagram ➡️ reality. 😂💗 . #ladiesleadin

Instagram ➡️ reality. 😂💗
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#ladiesleadingladies #galentinesdayparty #thefutureisfemale #galpals #thanksitsrtr #rtrambassador

I’ve got a little challenge for ya on this Satur

I’ve got a little challenge for ya on this Saturday morning. Head over to YouTube and search for Reshma Saujani’s TedTalk titled, “Teach Girls Bravery, not Perfection”.⠀
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Even if you’ve watched it before - REWATCH! You can thank me later. 😜⠀
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Ladies, f*ck perfection and go love yourself. 💗⠀
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#ladiesleadingladies #leadingauthentically #womeninleadership #womenintheworkplace #goloveyourself #progressoverperfection #thebraverydeficit #braveryoverperfection

Happy Friday from the best besties ever in one of

Happy Friday from the best besties ever in one of the best cities ever. 💗
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#ladiesleadingladies #thanksitsrtr #rtrambassador #vacay #pdx #womeninleadership #leadingauthentically #thefutureisfemale #fridayvibes

I’ve come across several pieces from some of the

I’ve come across several pieces from some of the most influential women breaking down this myth of perfection.
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This one is a bit of an oldie, but so relevant. @juliezeilinger, just 19 years old at the time, wrote a guest blog with @forbes titled, “Why Millennial Women Do Not Want To Lead“. She shares from a young millennial woman’s perspective, exactly why young women are shying away from taking leadership roles – even after all of the hard work of the successful women who came before us.
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Julie writes, “Young women today are bred to doubt ourselves, question our worth and view ourselves as improvable projects rather than embrace the imperfection of our humanity. According to the Dove Real Beauty Campaign, 42% of first to third-grade girls want to be thinner. 80% of ten-year-old American girls say they have been on a diet. 53% of 13-year-old girls are unhappy with their bodies – a number that increases to 78% by age 17. By the time we’re old enough to seriously consider becoming leaders, the majority of us are crippled by insecurities about the way we look, which we internalize and equate with our sense of worth on all levels.”
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What’s your reaction to that? Do you agree or disagree? Share in the comments!⠀
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#ladiesleadingladies #leadingauthentically #womeninleadership #womeninworkplace #thefutureisfemale #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #thanksitsrtr #rtrambassador

Striving for perfection is inspiring – right? 🤷🏻‍♀️ NOPE! It seems to actually be the opposite.⠀
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As successful women, we always feel like we need to be one step ahead of everyone else – especially our male coworkers.
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So, we work the longest hours, let the subtle sexism go so we don’t seem difficult, and put out product that is “perfect” so our bosses have no choice but to recognize and promote us. 🤦🏻‍♀️⠀
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There are many problems with this scenario, but most importantly, as female leaders we are INFLUENTIAL WOMEN. 💪🏻 There still aren’t nearly enough of us taking the highest seats in our companies. Therefore, our actions influence the women coming up behind us, as well as condition our bosses to what they should expect from women in leadership.⠀
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The #1 reason why we should stop striving for perfection is so we do not continue perpetuating this unrealistic ideal of “perfection”.⠀
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What do you think? Share with us in the comments.⠀
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#ladiesleadingladies #womeninleadership #leadingauthentically #progressoverperfection #womenintheworkplace #thefutureisfemale #thefutureisfresno #thanksitsrtr #rtrambassador

Can I be real with ya for a sec? I have been throw

Can I be real with ya for a sec? I have been thrown for a loop these last several weeks. I started the year off so energized and feeling like I had my sh*t together and then January really happened. Lots of great things, some bad news and tough times for those around me, and so busy I couldn't keep my thoughts straight. It made me retreat and just feel like I needed a break from electronics.⠀
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So I did! I've been quiet on Instagram and LinkedIn and our #MONDAYMAGIC. It felt needed, but I also always feel guilt when I think I'm letting y'all down. Know that I'm always thinking about you and always trying to figure out the best way to serve you next.⠀
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I was thinking about this month's blogs and wasn't inspired by my pre-planned topic so I started going back through my blogs from the beginning - and I have to say I was inspired. I decided this month, we're going to throwback to the beginning and share some of our most popular blogs from when we first got going. They still ring true today.⠀
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This week I want you to take a look back at my very first blog post - The #1 Reason You Should Stop Striving for Perfection. As I was feeling like a failure, feeling all the guilt from going dark the last couple of weeks, I read this blog and it all clicked for me. I hope it does the same for you!⠀
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#ladiesleadingladies #leadingauthentically #whatwouldlizzodo #womeninleadership #womenintheworkplace #selfcare #thefutureisfemale #leadership #leadershipdevelopment

Life has been crazy and I’ve been intentionally

Life has been crazy and I’ve been intentionally saving my energy for times like this IRL. We had the best weekend having our best friends come to visit. 💗
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I miss y’all here on IG but highly recommend a little social media break when you need to be present. Be back soon ladies!
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#ladiesleadingladies #bepresent #leadingauthentically #perfectlyimperfect #bestfriends #IRL #badaxethrowing #roamingandrooted

It’s been a crazy week, and I decided to take a

It’s been a crazy week, and I decided to take a break from social media. So Sugarface and I had all the best intentions of a productive Sunday after a crazy week of work and getting over a cold. Then our best friends from out of town showed up unexpectedly at our house. So brunch became our new focus of the day. 🤷🏻‍♀️🥂
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If you haven’t made it to @modernistfresno you’ve gotta change that ASAP. Amazing drinks, fantastic atmosphere, and in my favorite area of town - downtown Fresno. 💗
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#ladiesleadingladies #sundayfunday #french75 #modernistfresno #thanksitsrtr #rtrambassador

One of us is happy to head home... 😂

One of us is happy to head home... 😂

Been fighting off a fever since Thursday night, bu

Been fighting off a fever since Thursday night, but I couldn’t miss my already once rescheduled weekend at our besties. Especially when it means Eskimo kisses with this cutie.
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PS - don’t worry, I’m habitually washing my hands, not kissing the girls, and they have their flu shots.

I personally bring my teams together, in-person, e

I personally bring my teams together, in-person, each quarter for a half-day to review our last quarter’s OKRs and create our new quarter’s OKRs – individually and as a team. Doing this as a team brings us closer together, brings the brainpower and ideas of a team rather than just one of us, and helps us to align our work to understand how we all are contributing to the larger goals of our team.⠀
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Here’s your challenge: First, try this on your own for a quarter to make sure it works for you and you’re willing to hold others accountable to this process. The worst thing you can do as a leader is to bring in a new process and then not follow through yourself. Lost respect, immediately.⠀
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Second, know that you’ve succeeded if you get through about 70% of your OKRs for a quarter. That allows you to be really ambitious but also not beat yourself up if you don’t quite make it all the way there.⠀
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Share with us in the comments one of your Objectives and one of your Key Results for this first quarter of 2020!⠀
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#ladiesleadingladies #okrs #goalsetting #womeninleadership #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #thefutureisfresno #thefutureisfemale #thanksitrtr #rtrambassador

One of the things I love the most about OKRs is th

One of the things I love the most about OKRs is that you are required to PUBLISH and SHARE your goals with your teams. There must be transparency for OKRs to be implemented effectively.⠀
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Each and every person on your team creates their own OKRs and then you share them with each other. Once they’ve been shared as a team, you work together to create your team OKRs based on the work you’re doing. The team gives input to each others’ OKRs to ensure everyone is aligned to the bigger picture team objectives.⠀
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By every team member creating their own OKRs first before sharing with the team you ensure that you are building ownership and consensus from the bottom up.⠀
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How do you create opportunities for your teams to build collective goals? Share with us in the comments!⠀
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#ladiesleadingladies #womeninleadership #leadingauthentically #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #thefutureisfresno #thefutureisfemale #thanksitsrtr #rtrambassador

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