I’m Jennifer McDowell, Founder and Principal Coach at Common Good Coaching.
When I’m not coaching, I visit coffee shops. Nowadays, I just have to take it to-go.
About Me
An alphabet soup of certifications.
I have a Bachelor’s in Comparative World Literature, a Master’s in Educational Studies, a Graduate Certificate in Leadership for School, Family, Community Collaboration, a certification to teach English as a Foreign Language, am a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Republic of Georgia, 2008) and am a Certified Professional Coach.
15 years of non-profit and education experience.
I’ve primarily served low-income and communities of color in California, New Mexico, and Baltimore, MD where I now live with my husband and young son. I’ve been a tutor, a Director of a middle school after school program, a community organizer, a Community School Coordinator, and most recently the Director of Community Schools at Child First Authority.
Professional wins that make me proud:
Organizing a gang-intervention mentoring group in Albuquerque and an ESL class in East Baltimore to help parents communicate with teachers and Ms. Rosa, in particular, after her court date was repeatedly postponed due to insufficient translation services. Fighting with thousands to win nearly $1 Billion (with a B!) for school construction and reimagining school design through vision and values.
Transformation led to Purpose
My own story involves a dramatic personal transformation that shifted me from being the quintessential box checker and social justice achiever to living and leading with more compassion, dignity, and justice. Four years of leading a team of frontline non-profit practitioners to do the same and achieve powerful results for communities and themselves led me to create Common Good Coaching— so you, too can experience the shift in your own life and work.
My Journey of Transformation
Why was I good enough to excel at my role but not at leading others to do the same thing?
I asked myself this questions at 23 when I was promoted to Director and handed a team of 7 people to manage after a year on the job. A week-long training on management skills and I was off to lead educators and a program of 75 middle schoolers.
Straight into a management crash and burn.
I had no management role models and no road map for navigating this new skill except those I’d acquired on the ground. Before I got promoted, I was the "rising star" the "star performer" for my whole life. And I was really good at my job as an individual. That didn't mean I knew how to lead a team of others.
I grew frustrated.
Desperate to succeed.
I tried harder. Worked later. Read the books. Sought help.
Still struggled.
I wondered, why was I good enough to do my job but failing as a manager? Maybe I'm not meant to be here.
Stopped eating.
Stopped sleeping.
Consumed with anxiety on Sunday-Friday.
Eventually I quit. I succumbed to the not good enough feeling that had taken over my body and my brain.
This sparked a journey of transformation for me that led to moving to the other side of the country, rising up in another organization and leading a thriving team of 13 for 4 years.
When I was promoted for the second time it was completely different. I had learned to live and lead to care. I had learned to release my attachment to perfectionism, increased my resilience for failing, and made a bigger difference than I ever could have imagined.
I created time and space for people's hurts and uncertainty and stopped avoiding the tough conversations where I didn’t know the answers. I trusted my team to make decisions that lined up with their values.
As a team, I encouraged them to hold the same principles true for their colleagues. They were resourceful and had the power to find the answers to their challenges.
I delegated more effectively.
I accepted feedback on my managerial and interpersonal shortcomings.
Believe me, I was not perfect. I made many mistakes, but I wasn’t crippled by any of them and I didn’t cripple the team for theirs.
Together, we built a container for possibility and for growth.
And every night, at 5:00pm, I closed up my laptop, and went home to spend time with my family.
Without guilt and without worry that I wasn’t doing enough.
If you want to become the leader you've been waiting for, I'm here for you. We think it's the job or the role or the conversation, but it's actually a mirror to show us what's inside. Look at it.
I can help you see it, release it, and thrive.