Do What Moves You

Amanda Quraishi works full-time as an IT professional at Mobile Loaves and Fishes in Austin, Texas. She is also a blogger and an inter-faith activist.

I’m a planner.  As a full-time-working-mother-of-two with an overflowing agenda of volunteering and extra-curricular activities, it’s really the only way I can get it all done.  I rely heavily on my calendar and my ‘to do’ lists (yes, plural) to keep all my plates spinning.

It works great most of the time; I get a lot of stuff done, and don’t let many things slip through the cracks.  It’s pretty rare that I have an hour or two (much less an entire day) when there isn't something to do. I've become a master of efficiency, which, for this stage in my life, is a real triumph. 

But there’s a downside; For one thing, I don’t have a lot of room for spontaneity. I don’t often deviate from my plan, and my intense focus on what I need to get done blocks out a lot of really interesting stuff that goes on around me.

Recently, I've made an effort to listen to that ‘little voice’ that tells me to stop and pay attention to things that aren't part of my plan. 

For example, during this past Lenten season I vowed to sincerely thank at least one person each day for something they do or have done that has made my life better.  My first inclination was to make a list of everyone I know and start assigning days to thank them on my calendar, so I wouldn't forget. Then I decided that it would be better to let myself be inspired to thank a different person each day.  The result has been that I found myself in a state of reflective gratitude, as I recognized and appreciated the people around me based on the emotion I felt after interacting with them. It has been a truly beautiful exercise and I’m starting to open myself to more experiences throughout my day--simply observing the world around me and allowing myself to be moved to action. 

Did you ever drive by a panhandler and feel something tug at your heart?  Did you ever feel like you needed to go check your kids out of school and spend the afternoon with them at the park for no reason?  Did you ever wake up in the morning thinking about someone you haven’t spoken to in a long time? 

And if so, did you act on it?

I think that’s what’s missing in a lot of our lives. I think that’s why modernity is so hard on the soul.  The lopsided way we experience our relationships and our environment is responsible for our failure to thrive, individually or collectively. A really good life requires balance in all things.  As humans, we evolve and grow when we act on the things that really move holistically, at all levels of our existence:  spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and physically. 

It’s good to plot and plan and organize, but sometimes, it’s good to just go with what moves you, too.

You can connect with Amanda here on her website.

Today's post is the eighth of the SOS Leadership Austin Leading Ladies' Blog Series. The purpose of this blog series is to share the stories and insights of women who are answering the call to leadership in their lives. Come back each Friday to read more!

Mid-Year Check Up

Here we are again closing out the first half of what seems like was just the beginning of a new year. This is always the time of year that SOS Leadership likes to encourage people to revisit their goals, and see where they stand with accomplishing those goals. I took a look back at what we asked our clients and friends last year, and wanted to ask each of you the same questions again. As we are approaching the middle of 2013 it's time for a mid-year check up. 

• Are you making the progress you would like to make this year? 
• Are you on track with your goals?
• Why have you not accomplished the goals you set yet?

Immanuel Kant once said, "The best way to predict the future is to invent it." What are you doing right now to create the kind of life you want?

Spend some time reflecting on the first half of 2013. Think about what you've accomplished so far. What brought you the most joy? How were you challenged? What did you learn?

Now visualize the second half of 2013. What will it take to make 2013 your best year ever? How will your life be better if you achieve the goals that matter most to you? What relationships will you commit to strengthening during the second half of the year? How will you hold yourself accountable for being the person you long to be?

Regardless of where you are at this very moment, the year is still young. It is a year filled with possibilities. All of your goals CAN be within your reach this year. The choice is yours. What are you waiting for?

Profound Leadership Lesssons

During one of our recent SOS Gr8 Women Leaders sessions, we had an incredibly poignant conversation about how important it is for leaders to value, respect, and honor other leaders.  Each and every human being has value. Every person has unique and wonderful gifts to share with the world. 

As leaders, we are called to help others discover their gifts, but it doesn't stop there. We need to encourage and empower others to fully utilize those gifts so that they can answer their own individual call to leadership. Just imagine what the world would be like if every leader was striving to do this on a daily basis. 

Amanda Quraishi, one of the SOS Gr8 Women Leaders, shared this:

"I've realized recently just how important it is to value people for their unique gifts. My passion and my calling are my own--and YOURS don't have to align with MINE -- they are valuable and important BECAUSE they are yours.

We are all here for a purpose, and whatever yours is, I will commit to showing you the kind of respect and honor you deserve. Be YOU...completely, un-apologetically, perfectly YOU...

And know that you are loved."

What will you do today to encourage and empower the leaders in your life today?

Have Dreams. Create Goals. Take Action.

Ruoyun Xu is a student at St. Edward’s University and will be graduating this year with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing. She is currently a Content Programmer at Blastro Networks, a music video platform. Apart from working as a Content Programmer, Ruoyun was able to become a Branch Manager for Vector Marketing at the age of 20, and she has volunteered in a variety of organizations including St. Edward’s Tour Guides and St. Edward’s Student Ambassadors.

As we grow up and get older in this world, we are faced with obstacles that challenge the very foundation of what makes us who we are. There are many quotes that I hear from famous people that resonate with me and make me think about who I want to become. Throughout my journey, I have also faced obstacles that molded me into the person that I am today. Today I will share with you three quotes that have made a difference in my life and helped me to grow as a leader.

Quote #1

The above quote rings true because people’s opinions will push you down if you take them too seriously. I grew up with two drastically different backgrounds: my heritage as an Asian woman and the Western environment that surrounded me. From an Asian heritage a woman is supposed to be married before 25; the concept of a strong businesswoman or the concept of a young woman who has her own ideas and disobeys her parents’ wishes in deciding her future career path are relatively new concepts in most Asian countries. In my personal case, I was given the option to become a nurse, or I had to find my own way to finance my college career. Luckily, my mother has stuck by me all of these years and any gap that financial aid did not cover was covered by her. I look at that point in my life as a major turning point.

Had I chosen to become a nurse, I don’t know where I would be. All I knew was that I would have been unhappy. So I followed my gut, I chose to disobey my father’s wishes and instead chose to study marketing. I chose to ignore the dissenting opinions from family members who felt that a young woman should not be allowed to go out and sell knives and because of my decision, I ended becoming a branch manager. 

I’ve learned that even though there are these dissenting opinions, it is wise to listen to them but that doesn’t mean that you must follow their advice. If you are able to create your own opinion and act on that opinion without worrying about the opinions of anyone who disapproves, then you are able to free yourself and truly become who you are meant to be.

Quote #2

Never be afraid to wonder what is out there, to daydream. I have come to the understanding that daydreaming can be an escape from reality for a short time but what it really does is give us hope. It gives hope that our dreams may one day turn into reality. If we give ourselves the chance to wonder what is out of the norm, or the future that is different from expected, then we may be able to progress into something better.

Now “wonder” can be put into two different meanings. Wonder can oftentimes be thought of as negative. Many times I’ve heard that we should not wonder about the future but instead focus on the present. However, I think that wonder in that context is more like worry. In my opinion, wonder is curiosity, not worry. We are curious about what will happen the next second, and we may at times feel anxious about the future. Even though there is anticipation, curiosity allows progress. If we stop restraining ourselves and dream a little, we can then move to the next step, creating goals. Creating goals allows us to begin to accomplish these dreams. That is how progress happens: we dream about something, we create goals to achieve these dreams, and we take action to complete these goals.

Quote #3

This quote has been drilled into my head by my manager during my training days. And although I say it was drilled, I am grateful that he emphasized helping me to push past my comfort zone. If I didn’t push out of my comfort zone, then I would not have become the person that I am today. If I did not go past my comfort zone, I would not have sold knives, I would not have owned my own business as a Branch manager, and I would not have the dream job that I have right now. So here’s the next step in creating progress for yourself, be willing to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Be willing to take action to accomplish your goals and achieve your dreams.

When you combine these three quotes, they become a three step process.

1. First, you must be willing to wonder in order to gain wisdom, in order to gain a dream.

2. Second, do not be afraid to create goals to accomplish these dreams. Do not be afraid of what others may think about it.

3. Third, take action to accomplish these goals; be willing to go past your comfort zone to achieve your dream. If you set your mind to it, even though there will be obstacles, dissenting opinions, and turning points, you will be able to achieve your goal because you set your mind to it. This is because the person who separates you from your goals, is not others, but yourself.

So have dreams, create goals, and take action. Obstacles will always appear in front of you, that is life. But if you overcome these obstacles, they will make you a better person. However, it all depends on you.

Today's post is the seventh of the SOS Leadership Austin Leading Ladies' Blog Series. The purpose of this blog series is to share the stories and insights of women who are answering the call to leadership in their lives. Come back each Friday to read more!

Determining What Matters Most

Two days ago I attended a Time Management Myth workshop presented by SOS Partner, Amber Fogarty. Amber read a quote to the group that really related to struggles I have dealt with. The quote she read was by Publius Syrus, and it said: “To do two things at once is to do neither.”

This is such a simple saying, isn’t it? Upon becoming a father two and a half years ago, I quickly picked up the bad habit of trying to do two things at once. I wanted to spend as much time with my son as possible, but still be able to do it all. One thing that I quickly learned is that it is impossible to do it all! There were nights when I wanted to play with my son before he went to bed, but still wanted to continue working as well.

I would have my laptop in one hand, and the remote to my son’s train track in the other. You know what that caused? Chaos! I couldn’t concentrate on work, and my son wasn’t getting the attention that he deserved. So what is my point? How often do we try, and think that we can do two things at once successfully? I know I am guilty of that way of thinking all the time. I want to be the person who can do it all, but it simply isn’t possible.

I reached a point where I realized I needed to step back and determine what matters most to me. It is all about Priorities. While I still have that achiever mentality that I have written about before; I understand now that I need to take time to slow down and take it one task at a time. Like Amber shared, what gets scheduled will get done! I am the most organized now than I have ever been. Keeping things organized has really helped me to maintain my “What Matters Most” focus!

I want to leave everyone with the closing thought that Amber shared: Learning to schedule what matters most first and prioritize your tasks takes practice. We’ve been conditioned to schedule our work commitments, but not our personal ones. Our personal lives often take a back seat to our professional obligations. This is a choice we make, and we can begin choosing to prioritize what matters most TODAY!

Choose to Influence!

Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life says that in life all people must decide if you want to influence people or impress them. This thought is a powerful one and really is about leadership. I define leadership as influence, and I believe that leadership is the solution to every problem in our world. If every person answered the call to leadership and chose to positively influence people rather than impress them than our world would be a much different place.

The challenge to answering the call to leadership and choosing to influence people is that often our ego can get in the way. Sure, we want to influence people, but we also want people to like us. We want people to be impressed by the awesomeness that is us. Because we want to impress people, we try to impress them and doing this makes us in-genuine.

People are rarely impressed when you try too hard to impress them. I think back to my high school and college days when I would work so hard to impress girls to get them to like me. Guess what all that work got me? Nothing! Those girls did not want to be impressed, they just wanted me to be myself. When I finally stopped trying to impress and was myself, I met the woman who is now my wife. I was amazed how much easier it was just being myself.

If you want to step up and answer the call to leadership, make a commitment today to stop trying to impress people and start positively influencing them! Remember that you already are a leader in some way. You don’t have to be President of the United States or a CEO to be a leader. You just have to be yourself and use the gifts God has given you to serve others. That is how you step up as a leader and make a difference! And guess what, people will even be impressed!

Leaders & Learning to Communicate

There's no question about it. Leaders need to be strong communicators. Do you understand your communication style? Do you know your strengths and areas for improvement?

I often debrief leaders on a leadership assessment that provides deep insight into their communication style. It provides of list of communication dos and don'ts, which sheds light on how others should communicate with this particular leader. When I lead teams through this exercise, it's amazing to see the walls come down between people who are often at odds because they have very different communication styles. When they start to understand each other better, they begin to find ways to communicate more effectively with a focus on how to listen to what is being said and what isn't. 

Leaders seek to understand themselves and those around them. They invest time in their personal growth and learning so that they can continue to develop as leaders. At the heart of this growth is a focus on improving their communication, particularly their listening skills. The very best leaders actively work to become better communicators, and they recognize that this is a lifelong process.

What are you doing to improve your communication with those around you? What advice do you offer other leaders who want to learn how to communicate more effectively?

Leaving a Lasting Legacy

What do you want your legacy to be? What mark do you hope to leave in the minds and hearts of those who follow you? What are you doing to create this lasting legacy?

Dawn Perkins Buhler is a mom, wife, volunteer, public employee, and friend. She grew up in Massachusetts and has lived in Austin (happily) for 7 years. She is passionate about ending homelessness and poverty in the US, and is proud to work for the City of Austin as well as sit on the Board of the Zephaniah Community Development Corporation.  She loves to be outdoors with her family, exploring the great state of Texas, as well as spending time with her animals, all rescues. She received her MA in Cultural Anthropology from TX State San Marcos and loves all things related to the field of anthropology. 

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." Wow, this quote by John Quincy Adams really makes me stop and think each time I read it. It highlights what I believe to be a fundamental piece in leadership – inspiration. Without inspiration, there is no desire or drive to make a difference…and isn’t that what we want as leaders? We want our hard work, passion, skills, and desires to be felt by those around us and to inspire them to take a call to action. This sounds like a mighty and powerful thing, which it is, but it can also be done in smaller ways.

How will I inspire my daughter and what legacy will I leave for her? This is a big question for a new mom and it makes me reflect on the legacy that my parents have left for me. My mom inspired me to be thoughtful and kind. I remember sitting next to a student at lunch in elementary school who no-one else would sit with. I remember feeling proud that I was willing to take this risk and that I was, hopefully, making a difference in this person’s life. I believe this is the legacy my mom left – to make others feel important and good about themselves, especially when they may be feeling their worst.

My dad’s devotion has also inspired me.  At 63, he is the sole caretaker of my 86 year old grandmother and he does it with love, patience, and affection. We always tell him how lucky she is to have him in her life, but he reminds us that he is the lucky one. He inspires me with his dedication and devotion to his aging mother, something that is not always the easiest thing to do.

So, my parents inspired and lead me to be kind, thoughtful and loyal to those we love, even if it may be challenging. These are traits that I hope to pass along to my daughter. And even though she is only 18 months old, I feel that it is never too early to start her on her leadership journey. We can teach her to be kind, to share, and to be aware of others’ feelings.  Hopefully, she will also be inspired by the way that I will take care of my parents when they are aging. Of course, I hope to inspire her to live out her dreams, to be successful, and to make the most of her life, but I also hope that I inspire her to remember how important the little things are. As the anthropologist Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” If Lydia can become one of those thoughtful, committed citizens, then I will be proud of the legacy that I have left for her. 

Today's post is the sixth of the SOS Leadership Austin Leading Ladies' Blog Series. The purpose of this blog series is to share the stories and insights of women who are answering the call to leadership in their lives. Come back each Friday to read more!

The Power of Mentors

Bailey Bounds is a St. Edward’s graduate who received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Writing and Rhetoric with a minor in Communication. Bailey now works as a reporter and editor for KidsWire, a source which provides business professionals with the strategies, news and insight they need to successfully engage with digitally connected kids. Bailey is also an editor for a source called Austin XL, which focuses on Austin technology and businesses. 

Everyone could use a mentor who sees their strengths, believes in them, helps seal doubts, and pushes them to succeed.

Three years ago, I met my mentor, Dr. Mary Rist, an English Writing and Rhetoric (ENGW) professor at St. Edward’s University. As a sophomore at the University, I had no idea what an impact she would have on my life.

College was difficult for me the first year. I came from a background of being a professional distraction to my peers. Unmanageable, inattentive, loud and hyperactive were all common words my grade school teachers used to describe me.

The only thing I came into St. Ed’s knowing was that I liked writing. I ended up in the Communication major, which wasn’t the best fit for me.

My classes weren’t bad, but I wasn’t extremely passionate about them either. I felt the same lack of motivation I’d felt my entire life in school, and my barely-passing grades reflected it that year. Needless to say, things needed to improve.

My redemption came in the form of the American Grammar class I took with Dr. Rist at the start of my sophomore year. Taking that class was the best decision I ever made in college. Not only did I love it, but I was good at it.

It was through the American Grammar class that I built my relationship with Dr. Rist. I can honestly say that she was one of the first teachers to truly see and believe in my potential.

I loved stopping by her office to go over homework and papers. She could see that I didn’t believe in myself and spent quite a bit of time reassuring me that I was talented. And while I ALWAYS doubted my instincts (and still do), I didn’t fail.

With Dr. Rist’s guidance, I adopted a writing major and took on my first internship as a marketing coordinator. I think she secretly knew I needed real-world experience to build my confidence and wanted to give me that push.

Switching majors changed my entire college experience. I was invested in all of my classes, a feeling I never imagined I would experience in school.

Dr. Rist kept up with me as I went through the major and even hired me to be her Revising and Editing Teaching Assistant.

The best part about her leadership was that while she is easily one of the most talented people I know, she always remained grounded and “real.” I noticed how scattered she could be and realized that to be a leader and a mentor, you don’t have to be perfect.

Leaders and mentors are just real people who have trudged through the experience and want to come back to the starting line to offer others direction.

When I graduated a year ago, Dr. Rist was sitting on the stage at the commencement ceremony. As they called my name and I began to walk, I heard her yell, “Woo! Go Bailey!” If that’s not someone who has true faith in another person, I don’t know who is.

Had I never met her, I probably wouldn’t have become an ENGW major and definitely wouldn’t have pushed myself to take on internships and develop my true passions and skills.

She believed in me. She reassured me. She pushed me to challenge myself. And she kept up and still keeps up with me to this day.

While I don’t believe one person can be completely accountable for another’s success, I do think we could all use someone like Dr. Rist who is invested enough to guide us.

Today's post is the fifth of the SOS Leadership Austin Leading Ladies' Blog Series. The purpose of this blog series is to share the stories and insights of women who are answering the call to leadership in their lives. Come back each Friday to read more!

Learn From Your Experiences: The Concordia MBA (Part 7)

“Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. And experience is often the most valuable thing you have to offer.”

- Randy Pausch

How many times have you had a bad experience? Did you choose to complain about that experience or learn from it? I recently wrote a paper for one of my Concordia MBA courses, in which I discussed how I developed into the leader that I am today. In the paper, I wrote about a rough patch in my life during high school where I wanted nothing more than to fast-forward through it all. Although high school seems like just yesterday here I am ten years later, and I still find myself asking: what did I learn from those bad experiences?

I learned that life is what you make of it. I chose to use those bad experiences as reinforcement to help me succeed in my life. Those (what I considered to be the worst experiences of my life at the time) rough patches helped me set goals, stay focused, and become successful. Instead of looking back, and saying high school was a horrible experience I have chosen to remain positive, and focus on all the good that it brought me. Some of my best friends are still those friends I made in high school. I married my high school sweetheart, and as I look back now it is obvious that high school really did pave the way for where I am today.

I think why I consider myself a leader today is because thus far I have made the most of my experiences, and have learned from them. I have chosen to have a positive attitude, which has gotten me through so many things in life. It is true as the old saying goes, a smile really can go a long way. Although there are times when it would be easier to be negative, and simply decide to brush off an experience as a loss, what benefit would that gain me? What benefit would anyone gain from that?

I challenge you to make the most of any experience, and to remain focused on the positive. Learn from those experiences because they will continue to develop you into the leader you are called to be!

The Blame Game Alternative: Personal Responsibility

If you grew up with siblings (especially younger ones), you most likely learned how to pass the buck when you did something wrong. I see this a lot at my house with an almost 6 year old and a 3 year old. At times they are both pointing at each other, and neither wants to admit responsibility for what happened. 

We talk a lot about honesty, personal responsibility, and asking for forgiveness with our kids. But all of the talk means nothing if they don't grow up witnessing that behavior from us. It's one of the many reasons that being a parent is such a significant leadership role. Our kids are always watching, and they're paying particular attention to whether or not we practice what we preach. 

It's not always easy to admit when we're wrong. But it is a clear and undeniable sign of leadership maturity. I would venture to say that we grow as leaders each and every time we take personal responsibility for our mistakes and errors in judgment. 

The Blame Game never ends well. You've played it. I've played it. And it is always costly.

I recently read this blog post by John G. Miller about the 7 Costs of Blame. I couldn't agree with him more. John shares that blame destroys morale, reduces creativity, lowers productivity, increases fear, drives wedges between colleagues, breaks down teams, and solves no problems. And often blame accomplishes all of the above at once. (If you haven't read John's best-selling book QBQ! The Question Behind the Question, I highly recommend it. You can buy it here.) 

If we don't engage in The Blame Game, what should we do instead? Practice personal responsibility. When something goes wrong, take a step back and reflect on what YOU could have done differently. Ask questions and listen with an open mind. Have honest conversations. Admit when you're wrong. Share what you learned through the experience. 

The Blame Game Alternative is personal responsibility, which in my humble opinion is a prerequisite to leadership.

Stepping Into Leadership

Jocelyn Brown is a board-certified holistic health coach and natural health educator. She believes that everyone should look, feel, and live vibrantly, the way nature intended. She received her training in holistic nutrition, health coaching, and preventive health from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Drawing on this knowledge, she works with clients to help them make lifestyle changes that produce real and lasting results. 

Stepping into a leadership role has been a challenge for me. As an introvert, the last thing I relish is the spotlight; but I have come to accept myself as a leader, especially in the health and wellness field. 

Six years ago, all I wanted was to get on disability. I had migraines, insomnia, headaches, digestive issues, chronic hip pain, and chronic tendinitis in my wrist (it was so bad at times I couldn't even hold a coffee mug); I was always tired and had no energy. I had to sit down while I showered. Every day was a struggle, but I wouldn't give up. I took matters into my own hands and started studying natural and alternative health, there had to be something that could help me! 

I studied dietary theories, acupuncture, yoga, rested, went gluten-free, tried all sorts of supplements. I went to a naturopath, saw an Ayurvedic practitioner, went vegetarian, meditated, painted, gardened, got a dog, spent more time in nature, studied herbs, used essential oils.... and slowly but surely I got better. I remember the day I realized I had so much energy that I started jumping up and down in the shower. What a transformation!

It was only natural that the next step in my journey was to take what I've learned and share it with others. This led me to the holistic health coach program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and now I have the best job in the world! I coach other women on how to find thriving health and feel great! I know how bad it can feel to be sick, and I know how great it can feel to be happy and healthy. From sitting down to shower, to singing and dancing in the shower - this is the transformation I want to share with other women. 

I honestly feel that the worst thing I could do would be not to share my knowledge with others. Every time I want to avoid being a leader in the spotlight, whether it's teaching a class, speaking, or writing a blog post, I think instead of how my knowledge can help people.

My journey started with a single step. 

It doesn't matter how long the journey has taken, I know that I am exactly where I need to be. I am grateful for every step, including the experience of being sick. I know exactly how important my health is now, and I know how important it is to be a leader in health and wellness. 

You can connect with Jocelyn here on her website. 

Today's post is the fourth of the SOS Leadership Austin Leading Ladies' Blog Series. The purpose of this blog series is to share the stories and insights of women who are answering the call to leadership in their lives. Come back each Friday to read more!

Lessons from Leadership

Today, Monique Moreno continues to take us through her leadership journey in part 4 of 5 of her leadership blog series. She is covering her leadership journey as she attempts to survive in this 21st century technological jungle.

Over Christmas break, I held two seasonal jobs. One was at an upscale jewelry place; one was at a national clothing chain. I expected there to be a difference in the way the employees were treated, but never did I imagine the differences would be made so painfully obvious. At the jewelry store, we were treated to dinners, had healthy competition amongst us as we participated in employee contests, and even had a fully stocked fridge. At the national clothing chain, the managers didn’t remember my name, we were treated as if we were invisible, and we were never treated to nice meals. (Oh, no. I take it back. One time I had a slice of cold pizza, though I’m not too sure what its origins were.) You can guess which place I’ll be happily returning to work seasonally this coming Christmas break, and which one I will never again step foot in as long as I live.

Being college-aged has given me a great opportunity to partake in many leadership roles, but it has also allowed me the chance to step into things at the “bottom of the ladder” and really get a feel for what it’s like to be on the other side. It’s demonstrated to me again and again that the way you treat the people you lead really does make a difference.

Sometimes it’s good for us to take a step back and reevaluate how we’re leading, no matter where we are in life. Do we lead with an iron fist because we think that’s most effective? Or do we not speak up so as to avoid causing tension? I’ve certainly been guilty of both extremes.

What leaders put into their environment, they will see come back to them. This could be both positive and negative, so it’s obviously best to make the overall experience positive. I challenge you to think back to your high school part-time job, to your college internship, to the very first job you had after graduation. Did you absolutely love it? Did you absolutely hate it? Did you not care? Did you leave the position satisfied? If you’re still at this phase of life like I am, or about to enter this phase of life, take notes. Take notes of the things reflected in your boss’ leadership style that you love. Start doing them. Take notes of what they do that you don’t favor. Vow to never repeat their mistakes.

In order to be a good leader, we must consciously make decisions that benefit the team as a whole. Even if you don’t believe you are currently a leader, you are still a leader-in-training, and you should learn from your everyday experiences in order to better develop your style. And especially if you are a current leader, learn from those before you and those leading alongside you to strengthen your ways. Leadership is ever evolving and none of us are ever fully developed!

Check back next Thursday to read the final post about Monique's leadership journey!