SHANNON WALLIS

Shannon Maher Wallis is the Director of Worldwide Leadership Programs for Microsoft’s Sales Marketing and Services Group. Through a unique system of interviewing, storytelling, and open dialogue, she works with her clients to systemically assess situations, identify problems, and key in on strategies that obtain results. She has brought these tools into working with individuals to help them transform their lives and achieve their dreams. In 2000, she started Create Your Life, a club designed to help individuals not only discover their passions but also to manifest them in their lives.
She co-presents with Julie Maloney.

BELLA: What will you discuss at the Women's Expo?
WALLIS: “Visioning for Results” is an interactive workshop in which the women will discover why they don’t get what they want in life, learn the very simple principles of designing a powerful vision to create the lives that they do want, actually create the vision of what they want, and share those dreams and visions with others who are rooting for them.
“Getting to the Destination — Managing Your Life in Times of Change, 15 Lessons from the Camino” is my personal story about my experience walking El Camino de Santiago in northern Spain, a 500-mile pilgrimage. It is a very personal story about getting through a very difficult time in my life when I moved to another country only to lose my job to a restructuring. My husband was activated for military duty, and I was left in a new country by myself without speaking the language, at which time I then lost my first two pregnancies to miscarriage and my mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. It is a story about losing and regaining hope and knowing, at my core, that we are not alone, that a divine plan does exist for our lives.

BELLA: What is the biggest obstacle to women discovering their passions? How does one overcome that?
WALLIS: I believe that there are two reasons people don’t get what they want in life: a) they don’t know what they want, and b) they think they can’t have it.
Unfortunately, I think we, women, have been guided throughout life to put our lives second, second to our parents, second to our spouses, second to our children. We willingly make personal sacrifices sometimes out of obligation, but most often out of love and belief that this is for the betterment of our families. There is not enough time in the day to do it all, and consequently, we prioritize ourselves last. By the end of the day, none of us have much time to devote to ourselves.
On the flipside, men have been guided to get what they want. Intentionally or unintentionally, I think we have taught our sons, husbands, and fathers that they come first. Thus, we don’t even give ourselves permission to spend much time thinking about what we want because “what’s the point; I can’t have it anyway.” The biggest gift we can give ourselves is to give ourselves permission to dream. Holding a dream or a vision is one of the most powerful things that we can do to change our situation in life. It is actually very simple — and tragic — in its simplicity. If we don’t give ourselves permission to dream, we will never get what we want. Without vision, without dreams, we cannot get what we want.

BELLA: Three words of advice, related to your talk, for women:
MALONEY: 1. Every day is the opportunity to practice being the person you want to be. Some days you get it, and some days you don’t. But, the more you practice, the more likely you will be that person in the time when it is most critical. 2. Suck it up and do it. This can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. For me, it is about working through conflict with the people I care about. I think most people are scared of conflict and avoid it. I don’t enjoy it much myself. And, the ability to work through it can define a relationship. My closest friends are the people that I have faced the worst conflicts with together.
3. Follow your passion. Life would be pretty dull without passion. One of the reasons I wanted to participate in the Expo was due to the passion I have for helping others with their passions. I am absolutely convinced that we can have what we want and that God wants that for us. I feel blessed to be sharing this message and principles with women.

BELLA: To whom or what do you credit your success?
MALONEY: My mother. I don’t discuss this much because I know that people can be very judgmental. I grew up under the poverty line — welfare, food stamps, Medicaid, the whole deal. My father abandoned us when I was young, and my mother didn’t have an education, but she worked two jobs and raised four children. The jobs just weren’t enough to cover all of our needs, and so we received assistance. We all completed college and achieved not only bachelor’s but also master’s degrees. She delivered three messages through her words and actions: 1) All things are possible through God. 2) You are special. God has brought you into the world to make a unique contribution. It is your job to figure out what that contribution is supposed to be and to deliver it. (I thought every parent tells their children that, and I have learned that they don’t. I think it is hugely powerful.) 3) Education can change your life. I believe my mother is right about all three.

BELLA: What are your future goals/plans?
WALLIS: This is probably the biggest year of my career amidst huge personal change for me. I am deeply committed to Microsoft’s mission To enable people and businesses throughout the world to realize their full potential. I would like to leave a legacy that is aligned with that mission. I chose to participate in the Expo because I believe its intent is aligned with this mission, as well.