An INNER VIEW with DeAnna Kane the NEW Hollywood Chapter Director

An INNER VIEW with DeAnna Kane the NEW Hollywood Chapter Director

Inner Views

BIO

DeAnna Kane earned her master’s degree of Science in Education Leadership from Keiser University and graduated at the top of her class. She began her professional writing career for donor development and fundraising with the Museum of the Bible in 2015 and then moved into managing many of their high-end donor events for the Museum’s grand opening in 2017. DeAnna also produces large women’s conferences as well as helped coordinate logistics for many Influence Women events.

DeAnna combined her talent for writing and event planning to launch KC Media Publishing as CEO with business partner Leslie Callaway. KC Media Publishing currently produces Heart of Hospitality Magazine combined with The Empowered Magazine, which has a presence in 34 countries. She co-authored the etiquette book Just the Basics: Manners Made Easy with Leslie, and they are writing an etiquette curriculum to accompany the book.

In addition to serving on the advisory board of Influence Women, she has accepted the position of director of the Hollywood Chapter of Influence Women. She also serves on the National Board of Mon Ami Ministries as well as serving as the executive director of communications and public relations for Connection Point Church LA. She lives in Los Angeles, California, with her four kids and a plethora of animals, including cats, dogs, and horses.

INNER VIEW

Kathleen Cooke: Influence Women is thrilled to have you as the new Hollywood Chapter Director. What has God been teaching you recently as you prepare to take on this new role?

DeAnna Kane: I think, as women, we have an over-burning desire to be successful in all we do. We strive to be perfect and accomplished and stretch our boundaries always to be doing more. I believe God has equipped us to go above and beyond anything and everything we want to do, but what He didn’t say is we have to do it alone. Of course, God’s Word tells us He will never leave us nor forsake us, but I also believe he brings people into our lives to come beside us and lift us up, support us, and encourage us. He brings people to help us and puts others in our path so that we may help them.

I struggle with asking people for help. I remember at an event, I had a friend ask me if she could help with anything, and when I gave her a task, I actually started to do the task myself as I was explaining. She laughed and said, “Did you actually plan on letting me do that, or did you just want to do it yourself?” We laughed, and I let her take over. It was clear to me that I was so used to doing things on my own that I would have to really work at letting go and delegating better. This is where women need to build their tribe. Find those people you can rely on and trust to help you accomplish all that you want to do and stop looking at other women as competition. Women really get things done, so trust that God wants you to build a tribe to succeed. God never meant us to do life alone.

Kathleen: Whenever someone is asked to do a new job or take on a new leadership role, women often think about what might happen if they fail. What have you learned about making mistakes and not letting past failures stop your forward movement?

DeAnna: One year, I was throwing a birthday party for my business partner, Leslie, and I was holding the birthday cake. I zigged, and the cake zagged. It fell to the ground with the loudest thump ever possible. I stood there looking at the cake, and the first thing that crossed my mind was, “How can I fix this without everyone knowing what I just did?” Then I heard the collective, “Noooooo…, come from behind me.” For some reason, it just struck me so funny that I burst out laughing. Of course, there was nothing I could do to keep anyone from seeing it, and when the absurd thought struck me to cover it up, it was so outlandish that laughter bubbled up, and I couldn’t stop.  (more…)

Respect: 3 Things Leaders Can Do to Grow More of It

Respect: 3 Things Leaders Can Do to Grow More of It

Journal

R-E-S-P-E-C-T – Find out what it means to me…. I can hear Aretha Franklin belt it out. But how do you get it in the workplace and on production sets today?

Here are 3 thoughts and lessons I’ve learned.

Know and exert your boundaries.

One of the hardest things to learn is when to stop. I still fail at this sometimes. I’m one who likes to push the boundaries but I’ve learned over the years that sometimes you just need to throw in the towel and give it a rest. It often comes down to our self-worth and wanting to be “enough” but even more than that, wanting to be exceptional in the eyes of others. In our inward-focused social media world of comparing ourselves with others’ endeavors and achievements, this can bite back, overwhelming us with exhaustion.

Not being able to say no can also be an invasion by others of your time and energy that interrupts your ability to achieve all God has called you to do. Wanting to help and encourage others is admirable but can also be a disruption to what God’s called you to accomplish. In both of these cases, it diminishes respect because it robs us of success. Boundaries inspire others to respect your time and expertise and it can also show others how to manage their own time and purpose.

Stop trying to be perfect and impress everyone.

You’ll never reach perfection and you can’t please everyone. It won’t happen. This took me years to learn because of an older brother who died as a child. I always was trying to replace him in the eyes of my parents, who, because of their loss, unknowingly talked about him and idolized him to me. He was their perfect child who did no wrong when he walked the earth. I was an adult before I realized how their constant reminders of him had affected me. Don’t try to be perfect or impressive, be real. Be vulnerable and be willing to accept others’ imperfections. Admit when you have failed and then look for opportunities to turn failures into victories. Take the time to look people in the eye as well. Be confident in what you can do, knowing you will never be good at everything. You will gain respect for being real.

Dress better.

It’s amazing to me that I have to talk about this in today’s world, where we can afford to look better for much less. I know torn jeans and, sweats, and hoodies are the go-to choices today, especially after the pandemic, but looking put together, having a style (and I might add smelling clean) will always gain respect. It may seem superficial, but it makes a difference in what people remember about you.

Research says that we size a person up in less than 8 seconds, deciding instantly how much attention to pay that person. First impressions stick. There is also a reason a fresh haircut or manicure makes you feel good. It affects your attitude, energy, and choices. It reflects what you value and affects how others perceive and value you. Others won’t respect you until you respect yourself.

Respect comes down to knowing who you are and being courageous. Courage isn’t about being fearless. Courage comes with making the right choices, even if you feel afraid. If you want to be a “respected hero,” make the right choices. You’ll become the person who stands out and is looked up to by others. It’s worth more than gold, and it’s what God is cheering you on to become.  He wants us to be a reflective image of Himself – mind, spirit, and bodily. When you carry respect, it reflects the One exalted high and lifted up. It’s a reflection of God living in you.