--- title: "Episode 26: Leaving but Not Leaving" description: Join us in Episode 26 as we talk with Della Stanley-Green about her career journey which has been more of a zig-zag path to places others might have gotten to by a more direct route.  Her leadership journey has been marked by seasons of service and shifts between a variety of seats on the bus. This unconventional way hasn’t always been comfortable or easy for her. image: https://www.designgroupinternational.com/hubfs/080321%20-%20Della%20Stanley-Green%20Blog%20Post%20Header.png --- ![www.designgroupinternational.comhs-fshubfs_DGI Logo (New)DGI Logo - Landscape-1](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-suggested-images/www.designgroupinternational.comhs-fshubfs_DGI%20Logo%20(New)DGI%20Logo%20-%20Landscape-1.png?width=200&height=93&name=www.designgroupinternational.comhs-fshubfs_DGI%20Logo%20(New)DGI%20Logo%20-%20Landscape-1.png) ![www.designgroupinternational.comhs-fshubfs_DGI Logo (New)DGI Logo - Landscape-1](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-suggested-images/www.designgroupinternational.comhs-fshubfs_DGI%20Logo%20(New)DGI%20Logo%20-%20Landscape-1.png?width=200&height=93&name=www.designgroupinternational.comhs-fshubfs_DGI%20Logo%20(New)DGI%20Logo%20-%20Landscape-1.png) ![www.designgroupinternational.comhs-fshubfs_DGI Logo (New)DGI Logo - Landscape-1](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-suggested-images/www.designgroupinternational.comhs-fshubfs_DGI%20Logo%20(New)DGI%20Logo%20-%20Landscape-1.png?width=200&height=93&name=www.designgroupinternational.comhs-fshubfs_DGI%20Logo%20(New)DGI%20Logo%20-%20Landscape-1.png) - [ABOUT US ](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/mark-l-vincent-blog/javascript;) - What is Process Consulting? 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Remember the film “The Intern”, where Robert De Niro’s character becomes the intern/ executive assistant to Anne Hathaway, now CEO in the very building where he once occupied the executive suite? Well, that comes up in our conversation as a seemingly parallel example to the career journey of Della Stanley Green.   There’s a lot in Della’s story that is unconventional, counterintuitive, and frankly, refreshing by many “leadership wisdom” standards. Just a couple examples: - Yes, after serving in an Executive Director role, Della shifted to an executive support role for which she was seemingly quite overqualified; - She is currently one of three people sharing leadership in a kind of trinitarian superintendent role for her regional Quaker denomination. Della is the first to say that her career journey has been more of a zig zag path to places others might have gotten to by a more direct route.  Her leadership journey has been marked by seasons of service and shifts between a variety of seats on the bus.  She’s a gifted, utility-player leader who can easily wear a variety of hats; and her guiding orientation to where and what next has been discernment, willingness, and availability. This unconventional way hasn’t always been comfortable or easy for her.  But these values Della shares and lives reverberate throughout her places and seasons of service: - Working primarily from our giftedness, rather than rooting our identity in a specific role; - Recognizing that leadership is primarily about influence, and can happen across roles and seats on the bus; - Serving first and foremost as a non-anxious, stabilizing presence in an organization and amid change and transition; - Having eyes to see and attend to both the exciting and energizing aspects of organizational change and transition, but also the tedious, tiring, and painful pruning aspects as well; - Responding honestly to seasons of change and loss, and attending to it rather than postponing it. Della demonstrates a unique kind of courage and humility, and she lives and leaves a beautiful legacy; the example of a leader who has learned to govern herself well and, as a result, is more available to respond to and serve things beyond herself.  Some additional resources that came up in our chat, or that Della wanted to pass along: - [The sweet scene from “The Intern”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6XF_-gDV3E), featuring Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway - A book by Dan Heath--[Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen](https://www.amazon.com/Upstream-Quest-Problems-Before-Happen-ebook/dp/B07THBM1M6/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2IEQB3EG4WLWL&dchild=1&keywords=upstream+dan+heath&qid=1627334110&sprefix=upstream%2Caps%2C260&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzTUVOQTNFMlZUVTRCJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTgzMjk2M0oxVDZXOFYzMkFEUCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDY1MDI1MzNGS1dVTlVWTk9ZNiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=) - [Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life](https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Your-Life-Well-Lived-Joyful/dp/1101875321) and [Designing Your Work Life: How to Thrive and Change and Find Happiness at Work](https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Your-Work-Life-Happiness/dp/B07ZPF7P6V/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3VLNE0SDKJ6WK&dchild=1&keywords=design+your+work+life+burnett+evans&qid=1627334366&sprefix=design+your+life+and+design+your+work+%2Caps%2C277&sr=8-1) by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans - [Daniel H. Pink’s website](https://www.danpink.com/)--articles, videos, and interviews on the big ideas reshaping our work, transforming our businesses, and changing our lives.   ![Kristin Evenson](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Kristin%20Evenson.jpeg?width=123&name=Kristin%20Evenson.jpeg) ![Kristin - Signature Final](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Kristin%20-%20Signature%20Final.png?width=85&name=Kristin%20-%20Signature%20Final.png) - [Kristin](https://www.junctures.net/)   With each episode of the [Third Turn Podcast](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/the-third-turn-podcast) we host a conversation among leaders who want the world to flourish for generations beyond their lifetimes. Listening with others in some way and enjoying in-depth conversations of your own as you reflect and choose what you would do the same or differently is a plus! We always welcome you sharing these podcasts with others as well as sending along any suggestions for making these podcasts better. The [Third Turn Podcast](http://www.thirdturnpodcast.com/) is part of the [Maestro-level leaders](http://www.maestrolevelleaders.com/) initiative, a production of [Design Group International](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/). [Strategically Connected](https://www.strategically-connected.com/)'s Jennifer Miller is the producer.   Discover more about The Third Turn Podcast:* ![Third Turn Podcast QR Code](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Third%20Turn%20Podcast%20QR%20Code.png?width=117&name=Third%20Turn%20Podcast%20QR%20Code.png) *   ###### Tags: [leadership succession, ](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/mark-l-vincent-blog/topic/leadership-succession) [board of directors, ](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/mark-l-vincent-blog/topic/board-of-directors) [Design Group International, ](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/mark-l-vincent-blog/topic/design-group-international) [leadership legacy, ](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/mark-l-vincent-blog/topic/leadership-legacy) [Managing Change, ](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/mark-l-vincent-blog/topic/managing-change) [leadership transition, ](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/mark-l-vincent-blog/topic/leadership-transition) [succession planning, ](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/mark-l-vincent-blog/topic/succession-planning) [board engagement, ](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/mark-l-vincent-blog/topic/board-engagement) [change, ](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/mark-l-vincent-blog/topic/change) [Maestro-level Leaders, ](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/mark-l-vincent-blog/topic/maestro-level-leaders) [The Third Turn, ](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/mark-l-vincent-blog/topic/the-third-turn) [Maestro, ](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/mark-l-vincent-blog/topic/maestro) [Future Value, ](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/mark-l-vincent-blog/topic/future-value) [Future Generation, ](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/mark-l-vincent-blog/topic/future-generation) [leadership culture](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/mark-l-vincent-blog/topic/leadership-culture) ![Kristin Evenson](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/hubfs/Kristin%20Evenson.jpeg) Post by [Kristin Evenson](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/mark-l-vincent-blog/author/kristin-evenson) August 3, 2021 Kristin serves as a Consultant and Coach to leaders, teams, and boards by helping them leverage their unique brand of significance in context of: - Strategic junctures--Helping leaders and teams identify what can’t change and what must; - Leadership & life challenges—Helping leaders support, sustain and strengthen their soul in leadership; - Career change & transition—Helping them think creatively and courageously about what’s next. Kristin spent 20 years with Fallon Worldwide, leading brand and communications strategy development for clients across a variety of industries—including Nordstrom, Holiday Inn Express, and Children’s Defense Fund. Her career journey since has included stints as marketing/strategy director and consultant to companies, nonprofits and ministries in the areas of strategy, culture, communications and board governance. Her teams’ work won multiple national effectiveness awards, and her consulting work resulted in a “Best Practice in People/Workplace” by Upsize Magazine. Having completed NeuroLeadership Institute’s Brain-Based Coaching Program, Kristin incorporates brain-based principles into change initiatives for organizations, teams, and individuals. She and her husband Jeff Rosell have four awesome adult sons and host an international daughter, originally from South Sudan. [Follow me on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinevenson/) ### Comments ![DGI Logo - Icon w_ Core Competencies](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/hs-fs/hubfs/_DGI%20Logo%20(New)/DGI%20Logo%20-%20Icon%20w_%20Core%20Competencies.png?width=300&height=300&name=DGI%20Logo%20-%20Icon%20w_%20Core%20Competencies.png) ### Want to Learn More About Design Group International? [![Design Group International](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/hs-fs/hubfs/_DGI%20Logo%20(New)/DGI%20Logo%20-%20Landscape%20w_%20Tagline_White.png?width=325&height=153&name=DGI%20Logo%20-%20Landscape%20w_%20Tagline_White.png) ](https://www.designgroupinternational.com/) - ABOUT US - MEET US - BE A CONSULTANT - [BE CREDENTIALED](https://linktr.ee/MaestroSuiteAdvisors) - RESOURCES © 2022 Design Group International. All rights reserved. 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