Hi Career Mamas,
February was about getting in the room. We focused on making sure your work is visible to the people who shape decisions about promotions, scope, and resources.
👇Scroll below to see the Slack threads round up.
March Theme: Influence Through Tension
What happens when your idea is challenged? We’ll focus on influencing through tension. Not taking pushback personally. Getting clearer on what your idea actually is. And navigating manipulative managers and other difficult stakeholders.
This month is about responding instead of reacting, getting precise about your point, and staying steady when tension rises.
🚨 Monthly rhythm starting in March
To help you get more support and connection while giving you flexibility, we’ll follow this structure:
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Week 1: Workshop - A focused session (sometimes a video training) to build a specific skill.
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Week 2: Coaching call - Bring what's real. Get coached on it. Leave with next steps.
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Week 3: Circle - Connect and support on the month’s theme, motherhood, or ‘coffee chats’. We're changing it up so you get more of what you need (details below).
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Week 4: Implementation - Get accountability and space to reflect and build habits.
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Slack: Weekly challenges & our daily ritual
🗣️ Events
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Influence Through Tension Workshop: 3/5, 9-10am PT
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Gain practical frameworks to navigate pushback, secure resources, and move stalled conversations forward
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Find Your Full Self 101 + Coaching Call: 3/11, 9:30-10:30am PT
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Connect + Support (new Circle structure begins in March)
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Circle #1: 3/19, 12-1pm PT
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Circle #2: 3/20, 11am-12pm PT
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Momentum Milestone Check-in: 3/26, 11:30am-12:15pm PT
🎯 Challenge for March: Say the Hard Thing
5 minutes per week. All applied to your work.
📆 March 2nd week Challenge: Map the Real Incentive
📆 March 9th week Challenge: Replace the Follow-Up Loop
📆 March 16th week Challenge: Swap Opinion for Outcome
📆 March 23rd week Challenge: Name the Trade-Off Out Loud
Look out for MJ’s Slack on March 2nd to kick off our challenge.
✍️ Circle: Connect + Support
New Circle structure: Instead of one topic for everyone, you'll now pick the breakout that matches where you are each month:
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Theme deep-dive (similar to existing Circle focus): Discuss the month's topic with others who come ready to dig in (you must spend at least 10 minutes reflecting on the discussion prompt beforehand to participate)
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Real talk: Work stuff, mom stuff, life stuff — bring whatever you need support on
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Coffee chat: Low-key, no agenda, just good conversation with fellow Career Mamas
Discussion prompt for March:
The gap between the work you did and the credit you received often comes down to one thing: whether the people who make decisions about your career saw you navigating hard moments, not just delivering results.
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Think of a tense moment recently where you stayed quiet, softened your position, or let someone else take the lead, what did you tell yourself about why that was the right call, and what did it actually cost you in terms of visibility or credit?
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What's the belief underneath that choice and is it actually protecting you, or just protecting your comfort?
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If you replayed that moment using what you know now, what's the one sentence you would have said, and who needs to hear a version of it before your next review?
🕒 Please reflect for at least 10 minutes on the prompt before joining.
💬 Monthly Slack roundup
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Tips to truly “turn off” work brain during PTO: Deiva R. asked for advice on how to fully switch off work during PTO, especially short ones, and return feeling refreshed instead of dreading the week ahead.
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Managing up - navigating inconsistent manager feedback: Kisha V. asked for advice and language for managing up when her manager says they need more touchpoints but repeatedly cancels the ones she schedules.
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Upcoming review - handling leadership tension: Magalie K. sought advice on how to approach an upcoming performance review after a conflict with her managing director over how an incident was handled, while hoping to step into more responsibility.
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How are you using AI at home?: Shivani B. gathered examples of how members use AI in home and parenting life, from finances to recipes to everyday problem solving.
More threads from this month…
Daycare transition - navigating separation anxiety & tradeoffs
Summer camp planning - templates and tips
Lightweight, durable toddler bottle recommendations
Study on gender differences in mental work
🌟 Member Spotlight
A big congratulations to Karina B.! After officially launching CultureKrew in September, she’s now signed her first client, just six months later. She’s growing something new while raising a 3-year-old and 1-year-old.
We’re celebrating this momentum with you, Karina 🎉
February focused on access and airtime. Now we’ll strengthen how you show up when your ideas are challenged and the stakes rise.
Looking forward to building this next layer with you.
Cheers,
Shivani & team
P.S. Let’s welcome our newest Career Mama members! Check out their intros in #intros and say 'hi'!
