Leadership
Kim Newcomb talks with a small group during the Visioning Retreat.
LEARNING TO LISTEN BY BEING HEARD Young singer Kim Newcomb’s perspective on the Visioning Retreat
On November 16-17, 2018, thirty-six Sweet Adelines convened in Tulsa for a Sweet Adelines International Visioning Retreat. Their objective was to create a fresh, clear and compelling shared vision for the International organization and outline potential priorities for our future strategic direction. The members who participated were representative of Sweet Adelines throughout the organization and ensured that a wide variety of perspectives, skills and experience were factored into the outcomes of the retreat. The following is one retreat participant's perspective on being a part of this collaborative and creative process.
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oing into the Visioning Retreat I felt quite the spectrum of emotions: excitement for the future, concern that my opinions would be invalid and honored to play a small part in the experience. I knew this group of people would represent a variety of perspectives, and as a young Sweet Adeline, I felt a responsibility to prove the worth of all young singers in our organization. I am fortunate to have found this “hobby” so early in my life. I am 26 years old and have been a Sweet Adeline for ten years. I have a bachelor's degree in music education, have competed and placed internationally (in both mixed and female quartets), and I direct a chorus based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Like many young Sweet Adelines, I have grown accustomed to the playful comments about my age. Unfortunately, those comments have left me feeling excluded and as though I am not taken seriously. Although I believe the intent is never to make young Sweet Adelines feel as though age defines us, we frequently feel like children instead of peers. I respect Sweet Adelines of all ages for a variety of reasons: skill, kindness, talent, wisdom. However, I feel there is often an unconscious assumption that those who appear young haven’t been around long enough to earn the same respect. At the Visioning Retreat, I was surprised to find overwhelming acceptance of my thoughts and feelings from each person in that room. This retreat provided a loving, open, and safe place for everyone to share their deepest fears and greatest hopes for our organization. My concerns for young members were met with “I had no idea our young singers felt that way” and “I am so sorry it has come across that way.” Here sat leaders of Sweet Adelines
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| April 2019
– Sweet Adelines President Patty Cobb Baker International, accomplished individuals within the organization, people with different values, from all walks of life, and all of them showed empathy for what I shared. I felt heard, acknowledged, and valued. When others began to share their concerns, I was surprised to learn of challenges that hadn’t even crossed my mind, simply because those concerns had not been a part of my personal Sweet Adelines experience. My peers shared some of the following concerns: Are we providing a place where barbershop can both thrive in its classic form and evolve to keep up with the current interest in contemporary a cappella? Is there a place for non-binary individuals in Sweet Adelines International, and, if not, can we make it so? Long time members often feel as though they are disposable due to their age. How do we keep them engaged and feeling valued? Listening to them, I realized we all just want to be heard and considered while planning for the future of our global community—a community where people feel safe, valued and loved while sharing in the joy of this incredible “hobby.” It’s easy to get caught up in our own problems, but I hope going forward we grow more aware of the challenges others are facing. In doing so, we can make sure we are all cared for, by caring for each other. Let's change the narrative from “What can Sweet Adelines do for me?” to “What can I do for my fellow Sweet Adeline?” Kim Newcomb The Ladies Quartet Capital City Chapter, Director
