BOLD Moves

Authenticity. Purpose. Calling.

Stay true to you…

This has by no stretch been easy, but it’s something I ask God to guide me through and that I am dedicated to practicing without succumbing to guilt. It’s a daily commitment reflected in how I both make decisions and how I engage with others.

At this point in my career I have worked across three sectors. Each sector being connected and dependent on one another, yet vastly different.

After a lot of headache and heartache from trying things my way, I have learned to appreciate how God intricately designed my path (note: at times it has felt like a rollercoaster where you can’t quite see what’s around the corner, you’re just along for the ride while trusting the operator). I have a strong conviction to consistently and constantly take the opportunity to lead from where I am while being who I am. This has not come without deep learning and unlearning of systems and some best and other not so best practices, while also missing the mark.

With that I have naturally gained a desire to welcome dissent, a critical lens, and made a conscious decision to act with humility. Staying true to me has come by understanding that I’m built and driven by a purpose placed on my life by God that is bigger than a career or title. This overrides when I want to act with pride, selfishness, and naivety. For me, this has come from continuing to do self work to discover who I am and how it ties to my decision making, confidence and competency, engaging with others, and commitment to my community.

No matter the industry, no matter the position…I am called to lead from where I am with who I am. The calling isn’t easy nor is it to always be comfortable, understood or to climb some invisible ladder, but it is to carry out a God-given purpose with a heart for people.

Don’t forget to stay true to you.

Bold Move: I am committed to being me in all spaces, without guilt. I am leading from where I am with who I am. 

Your Turn to Lead: How are you leading with who you are? You have what it takes. Your identity shapes each part of your being. 

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What resonated for you? Send me a note, I read every message.

Presence. Courage. Showing up. 

Showing up even in uncertain times sets leaders apart. These are the moments that one must display bravery that comes from the depths of their hearts. It’s the type of leadership that is tied to who you are as a person. 

Have you ever had that moment as a leader? A moment when you felt a deep level of conviction that let you know you had to be present. This level of leadership comes not with title, but with purpose. Through my leadership journey I have had countless times that I have experienced this level of conviction. I did not show up because I had all of the answers, but I showed because I knew my presence meant more than my absence. It was in those times that I knew and understood the importance of the symbolism and deep ties to my character and values called for me to be present. As leaders, there are times when we do not have a clear path to a solution, but it is even more clear that we must be a part of the solution. 

As I engage with leaders today I hear from them that uncertainty is not absent in their decision making, but heart and grit are present. Still showing up even when you are unsure takes a great deal of courage that allows for those you lead to trust that you are actively working towards a solution that will eventually benefit the greater good. This does not mean that everyone will be pleased with your actions, but I can rarely recall when difficult leadership decisions got unanimous support. But I do vividly remember when the people knew and felt valued and supported by leaders who showed up. 

Bold Move: I am committed to showing up even in times of uncertainty, but most of all showing up in humility sharing that while I do not have all the answers I am at the table to move towards a solution. 

Your Turn to Lead: Think about a difficult leadership decision you have avoided but feel a conviction around. How can you “show up” in charting a path towards a solution? 

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What resonated for you? Send me a note, I read every message.

Authenticity. Originality. Influence. 

Your voice brings value into the room. 

During my doctoral studies, I was graced with the opportunity to serve on the Chancellor’s Cabinet. It was actually an opportunity that I didn’t fully grasp the vastness of. I just knew that it was a space I would be connected to decision makers and I could glean from their wisdom and expertise. I mean picture it, a boardroom with the Vice Chancellor of this, chair of that…the top leaders were in this room. I took my time better understanding their roles and how it connected to the way they used their voices. After some time, I could see the interconnectedness of their leadership to how they made decisions. 

The Chancellor would often call on me to get my insight because he not only believed I had something to say, but also found value in my perspective. It was in those moments that I was reminded that even though my title was graduate assistant, I still could add voice and value in the space. To help me activate my voice, I had to lean in through a manner that required me to prepare differently. It taught me the connection between not only showing up, but also activating your voice in a space. This wasn’t my first time activating my voice, but it was different. The level of decisions and expertise were all things I was learning from and about not only during the meetings, but in the classroom. That’s when I realized I had something different to offer. While I did not have the title, years of experience, or power, I did have a perspective that offered guidance and insight different from anyone else in the room. I started to understand what it meant to have influence even when the decision was not solely yours. It was during this experience that I became deeply invested in using who I was and the experiences I did have versus what I didn’t. What I knew about me is that I was talented. I knew how to generate ideas that were innovative and inclusive. I had an innate ability to question systems (maybe it’s the middle child in me?). I knew my years as a PK helped me understand how to build relationships across generations, identities, and backgrounds. It shifted how I contributed and how I showed up. I didn’t let it deter me that I didn’t have the title, but instead I learned how to bravely use what I had to shape my experience. I couldn’t let fear stop me then and I don’t now. I know how to be original and best of all…be me. 

BOLD Move: I’m committing to speaking up in a space where I might normally hesitate, whether it’s offering a new idea, asking for clarity, or giving direct feedback.

Your Turn to Lead: Choose one moment to activate your voice. It could be in a meeting, a conversation, or executing an idea on your team. 

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What resonated for you? Send me a note, I read every message.

Culture. People. Understanding. Connection. Belonging.

It’s all required when building spaces people want to contribute to. This spans across any environment from the home to schools to the workplace. If I don’t sense I have people who are investing in me as a person, it is hard for me to understand how and why I contribute to that space. 

This is why if we want to drive people to tap into their purpose and execute with a sense of care, we have to be BOLD leaders. And let’s be honest, leadership is not easy, especially in a world stifled by a lack of understanding. Per usual, I have spent a lot of time in reflection understanding what my call to action is as a leader in this season. As a person deeply rooted in purpose and confident in my God-given calling, I take my position in society seriously. This is not because of some title or aspiration, it is because I am that committed to what God has made clear to me. 

For me, it was from my experiences over the years that helped me birth the framework of BOLD leadership. One thing I know about being a leader is that it requires boldness. This is from the first grader deciding to run for class president or the college student making the decision to gather the assigned team from class to complete the group project to the person on the job preparing to make a pitch to decision makers around a new policy. Each of these require a person to be bold. Navigating the ranks of leadership doesn’t come without a decision to be bold. From my perspective, to embrace the framework of BOLD leadership it requires one to be brave, original, liberated, and disciplined. This goes beyond the external impact of a person’s decision, but requires that the work starts within to help leaders shape cultures and spaces. It has never been the title alone that has led to opportunities for transformational change, but it has been from the commitment to act and operate as a BOLD leader. 

And of course, I always have things on my mind and I am naturally curious around how other leaders do this work. I want to dare you to think about how you are being called to BOLD leadership in this season. It’s not for everyone, but to create the change we are in dire need of…it’s time to be BOLD. That requires a commitment to BOLD moves, taking my turn to lead, and being a leader in the conversation. 

BOLD Move: I am taking a moment to reflect on why I chose a path that requires BOLD leadership. I will think about where this is rooted and journal about it. 

Your Turn to Lead: Do the same. Using this BOLD leadership framework, reflect on how BOLD leadership shows up for you. 

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What resonated for you? Send me a note, I read every message.