Guest post by By Alice Erikson, past Catalyst participant
Not sure if the Catalyst leadership program is the right opportunity for you? Here are 10 things I got out of the program!
- Confidence
At our first in-person meeting, almost all of us expressed a feeling of imposter syndrome, feeling like we didn’t belong in the amazing group that CALL had assembled. I’ve felt my own confidence grow and seen others build theirs throughout the last two years. - Personal growth
The amount I have grown as an individual through Catalyst is astounding to me. In this program we spent more time than I anticipated focusing on our values, our strengths, and grounding ourselves in our cultural experience. I have a much better understanding of why I walk through the world in the way I do, and I’ve developed adaptability to work with others who live their lives with different values. Returning to my own values has become a grounding practice for me, reminding me why I do the work I do, and the impact I hope to make for my colleagues and my community. - Support through change
I changed jobs twice during my time in Catalyst, not only taking on new roles in different communities, but changing organizations. The Catalyst cohort, our facilitators, and my mentor were an amazing support for me navigating the rollercoaster of adapting new workplace cultures and expectations. - Mentorship
Being paired with a mentor was such a valuable experience. She showed up to our first meeting already prepared to be my number one cheerleader, to ask me tough questions, and to push me to think from new perspectives about the challenges I was facing at work. We continue to meet regularly, and every time we speak I leave with more food for thought. - Sense of purpose
Early on in our program we created our personal purpose statements for why we do our work. I turn back to mine often to remind myself why I put in the hard work to be a leader in my library. Although my role and the details of my purpose have changed, the core of it has held steady, and steered me back towards my center when I feel uncertain. - Friends!
Our cohort came together with such openness. This group of people has become such an inspiration for me as I continue to grow. We named ourselves the Otters, which perfectly represents the tight, joyful, supportive community we have created. We share our ups and downs, ask questions, share new learnings, and offer a listening ear and feedback. Although our program has ended, we are still and Otter Raft, meeting regularly and chatting over Discord. I feel unspeakably lucky to be a part of this group of inspiring leaders.
Alice Erikson is a 2025 Catalyst graduate and a Library Assistant Manager at Alameda County Library.
Learn more about the Catalyst leadership development program. Applications close on August 20.