Walk Into the Future

Tag: Authentic Leadership

  • Authentic Leadership Continues to Grow

    “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say:  we did it ourselves.”

    (Lao Tzu)

    The Walk into the Future blog provides me space to explore multiple topics and formats.  There are times I just want to write about being a running tourist.  There are other times when I dabble in a poetic flow.  Travel is always a present topic when I sit down to lay down new tracks for blog content.  Authentic Leadership helps center me and I will keep bringing it back to my readers to share the benefits on the blog. 😊

    In today’s fast-moving professional world, organizations and staff members are searching for something deeper than authority, titles, and polished presentations. They want genuine leaders who are trustworthy and grounded in values.  Simple concept, huh? This is where Authentic Leadership continues to stand out as one of the most respected and effective leadership styles in the modern workplace.

    Authentic Leadership is not about perfection. It is a leadership style that highlights consistency, honesty, self-awareness, and leading with purpose. Authentic leaders inspire their teams because people believe in who they are—not just in the position they hold.

    What Is Authentic Leadership?

    Authentic Leadership centers on being true to yourself while building meaningful relationships with others in the organizations.  This can be direct reports, organizational partners and the executive leadership teams. Authentic leaders understand their strengths, acknowledge their weaknesses, and lead with transparency. Instead of trying to imitate someone else’s leadership style, authentic leaders embrace their own voice, values, and experiences.

    This leadership style creates environments where trust grows naturally, and team members feel valued for their contributions to the mission.

    One of the strongest advantages of Authentic Leadership is trust. Teams are motivated when they know they work with a leader who is honest, dependable, and sincere. Staff members can usually recognize when leadership feels forced or disconnected. Authentic leaders remove that barrier by communicating openly and treating people with respect.

    Trust becomes the foundation for:

    • Better teamwork
    • Increased collaboration
    • Stronger workplace morale
    • Greater staff engagement

    When people trust leadership, they are more willing to share ideas, solve problems creatively, and support organizational goals.

    Authentic leaders do not lead through fear or intimidation. Instead, they empower people by recognizing potential and encouraging growth. They create opportunities for others to lead, contribute, and develop professionally.

    This positive leadership approach helps staff members:

    • Feel appreciated
    • Gain confidence in their abilities
    • Take initiative
    • Become more invested in their work

    Strong leaders understand that leadership is not about controlling every situation. It is about helping others become their best selves.

    Workplace culture is heavily influenced by leadership behavior. Authentic leaders contribute to healthy organizational cultures because they prioritize honesty, accountability, and communication.

    When leaders admit mistakes, seek feedback, and remain approachable, they create workplaces where people feel psychologically safe. Staff members are more likely to speak openly, collaborate effectively, and remain loyal to organizations that value authenticity.

    A positive culture built through Authentic Leadership often leads to:

    • Lower turnover
    • Higher productivity
    • Improved communication
    • Greater workplace satisfaction

    Authentic Leaders Inspire Through Action

    Authentic Leadership is powerful because it focuses on actions rather than appearances. Staff members are more inspired by leaders who consistently demonstrate integrity than by leaders who simply talk about it.

    People naturally follow leaders who:

    • Stay true to their values
    • Treat others fairly
    • Remain calm during challenges
    • Lead with humility
    • Show empathy and understanding

    Authentic leaders influence others not through authority alone, but through example.

    Organizations that embrace Authentic Leadership often experience long-term benefits. Teams become more connected, communication improves, and employees feel a stronger sense of purpose in their work.

    Authentic Leadership also strengthens resilience during periods of change. When uncertainty arises, employees are more likely to remain engaged when they trust the leadership guiding them forward.

    The most impactful leaders are often remembered not just for results, but for how they made the team feel throughout the journey.

    Authentic Leadership summary

    Authentic Leadership continues to grow in importance because people value real connection, honesty, and purpose-driven leadership. In a world where leadership can sometimes feel distant or transactional, authenticity creates meaningful relationships that inspire trust and growth.

    The strongest leaders are not those who pretend to have all the answers. They are the ones willing to lead with integrity, listen with empathy, and remain true to who they are.

    Authentic Leadership is more than a leadership style—it is a lasting approach that empowers individuals, strengthens organizations, and creates positive impact far beyond the workplace.

    Fun fact, I practice Authentic Leadership daily! 😊

    What’s your leadership style?  How can you incorporate Authentic Leadership into your daily interactions?

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “None of us is as smart as all of us.”

    (Ken Blanchard)

  • Authentic Leadership: Creating Meaningful Change in the Workplace

    “The pessimist complains about the wind.  The optimist expects it to change.  The leader adjusts the sails.”

    (John Maxwell)

    The Walk into the Future blog allows me to cover topics that are near and dear to me.  There are times when I highlight my exploits as a running tourist.  I transition at times to discuss my Authentic Leadership thoughts and the work I do to expand this leadership style in my consulting work.  I dabble in poetry, but leadership and running are my main writing prompts.

    Today, we get back into the Authentic Leadership space to highlight how this proactive leadership style impacts changes in the workplace. My current organization is navigating a huge change project as we implement a full Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system change from Workday to the Ellucian (Banner) platform.  This is a huge lift for the organization and the staff members tasked with making this implementation happen.  Please note, Authentic Leadership can help organizations regardless of the changes that need to happen within the work environment.

    Change is inevitable in today’s workplace—but meaningful, lasting change is not.  I have seen organizations launch new initiatives, restructure teams, and introduce fresh strategies, yet many of these efforts fall short. The missing ingredient often isn’t strategy—it’s leadership. More specifically, it’s Authentic Leadership.

    Authentic Leadership has emerged as one of the most powerful drivers of successful organizational change. At the core, it’s about leading with self-awareness, transparency, and a genuine commitment to values. When leaders show up as their true selves, they don’t just manage change, they inspire it.

    Let’s do a quick recap of Authentic Leadership:

    Authentic Leadership is grounded in four key principles:

    • Self-awareness – Understanding your strengths, weaknesses, and impact on others
    • Relational transparency – Being open, honest, and real with your team
    • Balanced processing – Considering multiple viewpoints before making decisions
    • Internalized moral perspective – Leading based on values, not pressure or convenience

    This leadership style builds trust—the foundation of any successful change effort.

    I bring these principles into my work environment daily and leverage them during our ERP implementation process.  The four principles are equally important but relational transparency and balanced processing are the two I’ve put additional emphasis on during our implementation process.  There are tough conversations we need to have to adjust old operational processes and adopt industry’s best practices that are foreign to most of our staff members.  Balanced processing ensures that we actively listen to all team members before adopting a new standard practice or getting rid of something that has worked for us in the past.

    Why do change efforts fail?  Great question, Jayla! 😊

    Here are a few reasons I’ve found in research and consulting that hamper change efforts:

    • Employees resist change when they don’t trust leadership
    • Communication is unclear or inconsistent
    • Leaders fail to model the behaviors they expect
    • Change feels imposed rather than shared

    Without putting in the work to build trust and alignment, even the best ideas will fail.

    How does Authentic Leadership help implement change?

    Authentic leaders build trust through transparency

    The concept of change creates uncertainty within the work environment. Authentic Leaders can reduce fear with open communication about the why, what, and how of change. We don’t sugarcoat reality, and don’t disappear during tough moments. I find my team responds in a positive manner when I tell them exactly how things are progressing, good or bad.

    My research shows when employees trust their leader, they are far more willing to embrace change—even when it’s uncomfortable.

    Authentic leaders create emotional buy-in from the team

    People don’t resist change; they resist being changed. Authentic leaders involve all team members in the process. We listen, validate concerns, and make employees feel like partners instead of passengers. This is a simple way to build an emotional connection that transforms resistance into ownership.

    Authentic leaders lead by example

    Authentic leaders don’t just talk about change—we embody it to help move the organization forward.  Authentic leaders model adaptability, accountability, and growth daily.  This sets the stage for the team to adopt these behaviors too.

    Consistency between words and actions reinforces credibility, which is critical during transitions.

    Authentic leaders align change with a purpose-driven approach

    Change rarely works for the sake of change. Authentic leaders tie initiatives to a deeper purpose—whether it’s improving service, strengthening culture, or driving long-term impact.

    When the team members understand how change connects to something meaningful, their motivation shifts from compliance to commitment.

    Authentic leaders build and sustain momentum

    Many organizations start strong but lose energy over time. Authentic leaders maintain momentum by celebrating progress, acknowledging challenges, and staying connected to the team.  Change is not viewed as a one-time event but an ongoing journey towards success.

    This enhances culture transformation within the organization.

    When Authentic Leadership is present, change doesn’t just affect processes, it reshapes culture. Direct reports begin to trust the leader, the process and the direction of the organization. 

    The concept of change is not just about systems, strategies, or structures, it’s about the people who need to enact the change.  Change is not just about systems, strategies, or structures, it’s about people. And people respond to leaders they trust.

    Fun fact, change becomes possible when leadership is clear and present.

    Authentic Leadership is foundational to making positive changes happen in the work environment.  Simple concept, huh?

    How does your organization ensure successful change management?

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.”

    (Alan Watts)

  • Five Minute Thursday: Leadership (Repost)

    close up of human hand
    Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

    “The writer is the explorer.  Every step is an advance into a new land”.

    (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

    The Walk into The Future blog continues to serve as a vehicle for my creative expression. I started this blogging process to share my thoughts, travels, and adventures.  I find it easy to write about my adventures and then share with my loyal readers.

    There are days when I don’t think I have the inspiration to write another blog article and then I sit down with a specific prompt and the words just come to me.  I would like to say writing these articles is an easy daily process, but I find myself struggling to generate content that I think others will read from time to time.  I write, edit, delete, and then write again to create something worth reading.  This is not all the time but figured I would share I have writing distractions to keep me away from me cranking away on my laptop. 

    Today is not one of those days! 😊

    I went back to a tried-and-true process of identifying a writing prompt to generate a new concept to write about.  One of the prompts I found a while ago was called:  Five Minute Friday.  The intent is to pick a specific word and then write about it for five minutes to create content.  Well, I modified the prompt into Five Minute Thursday since I post on Thursdays at 11:08 am—did you know that? 😊

    My first prompt for Five Minute Thursday is:  Leadership.

    Leadership is a concept that I began to explore while I served in the Air Force.  We were put through a series of leadership courses (Airmen Leadership School, Non-Commissioned Officer Leadership School, Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, etc.) where principles of leadership were shared.  The best leaders I worked with all went through these courses, but they had more than course leadership principles.

    Three of my favorite Air Force Leaders:  Chief Master Sergeant Roger Noyes, Chief Master Sergeant Janet Craton and Senior Master Sergeant Rich Gardner—thanks to them all!

    Developing leadership skills became a priority for me and I explored this topic via books, online trainings, and lectures. 

    I discovered Authentic Leadership almost by mistake.  I wanted my dissertation to focus on First Year Experience (FYE) courses for first generation students.  This would have been an impactful study, but my dissertation mentor told me I couldn’t pursue this topic because it was Educational Psychology, and my program was Organizational Psychology.  I hung my head for a few months before we discovered Authentic Leadership, and the rest is history.

    My earlier introduction to leadership while in the Air Force allowed me to blend things I learned from wearing a uniform into my model of Authentic Leadership.  The great leaders I worked with in the Air Force have been integrated into my version of Authentic Leadership as I incorporate their lessons into my current pursuit of leadership.

    Well, my five minutes is up.  I could keep going but will honor the concept of this writing prompt! 😊

    What can you get done in the next five minutes?  Ok, take off!

    Irie!

    “Writing is the painting of the voice”.

    (Voltaire)

  • My Favorite Book (Henry Cloud)

    “A room without books is like a body without a soul.”

    (Marcus Tullius Cicero)

    The Walk into the Future blog allows me to cover a wide range of topics to include my travel and running pursuits.  These are two things I love and will continue to chronicle for my readers and myself.  Laying down these tracks provides me with a sense of satisfaction and completion weekly.  Stay tuned for more content in 2026! 😊

    My friend, Cathy, and I were discussing writing prompts and books last week.  We got on this discussion because I gifted her a copy of my book and we discussed some of the topics I wrote about including taking my own advice.  I need to give my book another run because I dropped some wisdom on those pages. 😊

    We got on the topic of my favorite author and book:  Henry Cloud’s, 9 Things You Simply Must Do to Succeed in Love and Life.  I discovered the author and this book in a master’s level Career Development course while studying at Liberty University.  I never thought a college textbook would have such a profound impact on my educational, professional and life journey.  This book opened my eyes and set me on a life path that I still embrace daily.

    Why was this book so impactful?  Great question, Maria! 😊

    The book is a page turner from start to finish with insight that is easy to understand and put into daily life.  The author discusses the concept of DÉJÀ VU People but really explains that successful people regardless of profession display similar traits.  You may think you recognize someone who crosses your path, but you are really seeing traits that led multiple people to successful outcomes.

    The Nine Things Hidden in Plain Sight are:

    • Dig it Up
    • Pull the Tooth
    • Play the Movie
    • Do Something
    • Act Like an Ant
    • Hate Well
    • Don’t Play Fair
    • Be Humble
    • Upset the Right People

    Let’s explore Principle 3: Play the Movie.

    This principle is like every action has a reaction.  I love how the author highlights how each decision we make in life leads to new outcomes.  Your actions have future implications, and this chapter is written to remind readers of this simple fact.  Playing the movie for me comes into play each time I enter a full marathon training cycle.  Skipping a training run is a simple action when isolated but that one missed run can impact my entire training program for the week.  Skip too many training runs and my training cycle and marathon may be ruined.  Playing the movie allows me to see the consequences of my actions.

    You can add the same concept to your daily work activities.  Preparing before your big work meeting allows you to provide better feedback to your colleagues.  Ignoring the preparation process and your lackluster interactions could set you and your colleagues back.  That scene in your movie impacted the next few scenes.  Sounds simple, huh?

    I remind myself to play the movie in every decision I make daily.  What outcomes do I want from my decision?  What are the next scenes in the movie I want to play?

    Dr. Cloud introduces the Nine Principles in an easy format, and I walk around with his book daily.  It’s highly worn but it still provides me with wisdom daily.

    I plan to dig into other principles in future blog articles.  Stay tuned Melissa! 😊

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”

    (Frederick Douglas)

  • Denver Leadership Conference

    “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower”.

    (Steve Jobs)

    My Walk into the Future is designed to allow me to gain new experiences and share knowledge when needed.

    I connected with the Academic Impressions Senior Product Experience Manager during a Retention conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota last October.  I knew of her through work communications but got a better understanding of her role while attending the conference.

    She knew of my work at Indian River State College in the Advising and Career Services space but did not know I did leadership consulting on the side.  I’m happy to share this fact with anyone willing to sit with me so I can expand my portfolio of clients.  Also, I’m proud of my Authentic Leadership work and developing new partnerships is something I strive to achieve.

    The Academic Impressions mission is to develop the leaders higher education needs to thrive. My Authentic Leadership research and consulting focuses on higher education, but I expand this focus to include any organization looking to enhance leadership development.  I shared my leadership training philosophy with the Academic Impressions staff during the conference, and we spent several days discussing a potential partnership between CW Consulting, LLC. and their organization.  The organization has a branded, 5 Paths to Leadership program that is leveraged by higher education institutions to build and grow proactive leadership programs.

    I was invited out to Denver for the leadership conference to learn more about the Academic Impressions leadership programs and to see how we may be able to introduce Authentic Leadership into their leadership training portfolio. Yes, I’m always looking for ways to partner and find new ways to expand the reach of Authentic Leadership. 😊

    I was able to leverage professional development funding for this trip to enlarge my institution’s partnership with Academic Impressions.  A bonus to this partnership was the opportunity to visit Denver again and experience the city after work hours.  I’ve been to Denver multiple times and enjoy the culture, sightseeing and crisp mountain air.

    The Academic Impression leadership conference consisted of higher education professionals from around the country.  Several schools sent their entire leadership teams to this conference to build teamwork and synergy towards developing leadership protocols to enhance their daily operations.  It was interesting to hear from others in this space to understand the challenges they face in leadership development.  FYI—most schools conduct professional development training out of the Organizational Development (OD) department which is part of Human Resources.  Most conference attendees worked out of OD at their respective schools and were in the process of building or revamping their leadership training programs.  The Academic Impressions 5 Paths to Leadership program was a major draw for everyone in attendance. I was a bit of an outlier as I was trying to determine if Authentic Leadership could be embedded in this leadership principle and possibly become a leadership facilitator with Academic Impressions.

    The 5 Paths for Leadership is based on research within the higher education leadership space and has helped multiple schools get positive results in leadership training.  My time in Denver allowed me to learn how this leadership program has helped organizations implement leadership training on their respective campuses.  The attendees were able to share leadership challenges and get input from facilitators on ways to move forward with new concepts and ideas based on research.

    I enjoyed the one-on-one time with the facilitators and the group exercises to identify future challenges to leadership success (example: the political climate in America, reduction in DEI initiatives, etc.).  We spent a good amount of time identifying challenges with a Post It Note session and there were consistencies across the board—it did not matter what part of the country we came from; we all had the same thoughts on future challenges. ☹

    I made a lot of new leadership connections during this conference and stay in contact with my colleagues to learn new techniques.  I plan to follow-up with the Academic Impressions folks to see how I can incorporate Authentic Leadership into their leadership program.  This would be a great compliment to their work and would allow me to expand the Authentic Leadership style into the higher education space.  I’m always looking for ways to expand and this partnership will provide me with another platform to share with others.

    I will provide an update once the Academic Impressions folks pick me up as a facilitator. 😊

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “The art of communication is the language of leadership”.

    (James Humes)

  • Port St. Lucie (PSL) High School Leadership Awards

    “Leadership is the capacity to translate a vision into reality”.

    (Warren Bennis)

    My Walk into the Future provides outstanding opportunities for me to make a difference in the world.

    I rarely turn down a chance to speak to groups to help others move forward in life and help them prepare for career success. A work colleague recently asked me if I would be interested in speaking at the Port St. Lucie High School awards ceremony. I was honored with the request and said yes on the spot. I viewed this as an opportunity to reach back and help a group of young leaders on their journey after high school. 

    This was also a chance for me to work on new speaking material in case I’m asked to speak at graduation ceremonies in the future.  I’m always preparing for something.  There are times I should ask more questions before accepting these speaking gigs but more on that later. 😀

    My role as explained to me was to speak for 5 – 7 minutes and provide inspirational words to the award recipients and other attendees.  I was not familiar with PSL High School or the students there so I decided to focus on how they can implement a formula for success.  My plan was to use the success formula I was gifted while in the Air Force that I leverage daily.

    — Be where you’re supposed to be, doing what you’re supposed to be doing, when you’re supposed to be doing it.

    I’ve leverage this success formula for years and it’s helped me progress in my professional and personal life. My goal was to let students know it does not matter where you come from or how you start. Success is available to everyone if they have a goal and grit to strive towards it.

    I started with a little background on myself where I shared with the students my lack of success when I first started my educational journey.  I attended Lake City Community College right after high school, but I was not successful.  I shared that I’m probably the only person they will meet with a Ph. D. who flunked out of community college.  This allowed them to see failure can be a part of a successful life and professional journey. 

    My words were well received by the students, parents, staff and school administrators. I felt good about my message and how I delivered it.

    So, why should I have asked better questions prior to the speaking engagement? Great question Lynn! 😊

    Well, it turns out the high school principal was out unexpectedly, and they needed someone to fill in handing out awards and taking pictures with over 250 award recipients. Yes, I was elected to fill in for the principal and shake hands with each student that crossed the stage. I joke that it was a chore, but it was an amazing experience to greet the young people who got positive things accomplished during their time at PSL High School.

    The highlight for me was when a student with Down Syndrome won the most popular award and he hugged me when he came on stage. He was so excited, and his fellow students were thrilled for him.  He danced off stage after receiving his award and there were smiles on the face of everyone in attendance.

    My friend, Alisa, attended the event with me for support and ended up taking pictures for me to capture the great moments with the students.  We joked that she was my publicist, and several presenters asked her to take their pictures as well since they thought she did this for a living.  She enjoyed interacting with the audience and it was a great sport taking pictures for complete strangers. 😊

    This was a great experience for me and allowed me to spread Authentic Leadership to a new generation.

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way”.

    (John C. Maxwell)

  • Authentic Leadership (IRSC series)

    “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality”.

    (Warren Bennis)

    The Walk into the Future blog has a consistent focus on Authentic Leadership and the impact in the workplace.  My leadership consulting work is founded on Authentic Leadership principles and drives my daily interactions in the workplace.  My Walk into the Future readers should know I love a good quote by now.  Ok, here’s another one!

    “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives, and in his own land” (Mark 6:4).

    I have leveraged Authentic Leadership with my consulting organizations to help them develop their staff and engage them to seek positive work outcomes.  I continue to seek out additional consulting opportunities with local government agencies and will work with the Seminole Tribe of Florida again in early May.  Fun fact, the Seminole Tribe of Florida was my first Authentic Leadership client back in 2018.  I maintain an active vendor credential with the Tribe, but COVID-19 stopped our training momentum.  That changes in May! 😊

    So, why is the prophet quote above?  Great question, Lynn!

    I work with multiple organizations to help THEM improve the work environment, but I never introduced my Authentic Leadership program to my current organization, Indian River State College.

    Leadership training is normally a product of the Human Resources (HR) department at most educational institutions.  The University of Central Florida (UCF) and Florida State University (FSU) have robust leadership programs within the Organizational Development unit under HR.  I experienced firsthand how these consistent leadership programs enhanced the overall operational effectiveness on both campuses. 

    Fast forward and I decided to introduce my Authentic Leadership training program on my current campus.  I’m not saying I’m taking over the training program for my organization, but I have training materials that can and will help the organization grow. 

    I decided to schedule an Authentic Leadership series and invite campus partners and my staff to attend.  This was not an official consulting role (not paid) but I wanted to start making a difference in ‘my own land’.  No one called on me to do this, but I saw a need and had a platform to move us forward.

    The following workshops were scheduled with in-person and virtual options:

    • Authentic Leadership (2 times)
    • The Self-Aware Leader (2 times)
    • Empowered Leadership (1 time)

    I didn’t know how these workshops would be received in ‘my land’ but I was pleasantly surprised by the attendance and the level of participation.  There were several attendees who attended ALL the workshops even though I repeated two of the workshops—same material but the folks wanted to get more in-depth with the content.

    The biggest take away for me was the amount of interest and excitement for the attendees to create their personal WHY statement as part of their homework from the Empowered Leadership workshop.  The WHY statements were well conceived and addressed areas each attendee wanted to improve in their daily lives.  I felt like a proud papa reading the statements and saw my volunteer work making a difference in my work environment.  Not a surprising outcome considering I do this for outside organizations on a regular basis.

    Looks like you can be a prophet in your own land after all! 😊

    What areas can you impact in your own land?  Thanks!

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “Every time you speak, you are auditioning for leadership”.

    (James Humes)

  • Authentic Leadership

    IRSC

    “Leaders lead”.

    (Calvin Williams)

    Yes, I’m starting the Walk into the Future blog post by quoting myself.  I’m not on a power kick or displaying an extraordinary amount of hubris. 

    This simple quote—Leaders lead has become a hash tag (#LeadersLead) that I hope with takeoff on multiple platforms.

    I introduced Authentic Leadership and my training program to my colleagues at Indian River State College (IRSC) in June.  I’ve leveraged Authentic Leadership within my consulting role with multiple organizations to include the Seminole Tribe of Florda and the St. Lucie County Tax Assessors office.  These sessions are designed to help organizations create leadership development programs to enhance employee opportunities and organizational growth.  I’ve chronicled my Authentic Leadership philosophy and training program through multiple blog articles. 

    We have been talking about leadership development benefits for IRSC staff for a while.  Decided it was time to introduce Authentic Leadership to campus partners to jumpstart leadership discussions and development.  I went back and forth over the best way to bring Authentic Leadership to campus because this would put me in front of my direct reports, peers and campus leadership.  Sounds simple but each group would need to understand Authentic Leadership from different perspectives.  This was a challenge and one I accepted head on—to make positive things happen.

    I went to my consulting workshop library to determine which topics I would use at IRSC.  Talking with colleagues and staff helped me identify topics of interest that would benefit the audience I would engage.  Decided to introduce the Authentic Leadership Theory and focus on the four variables within the theory.  The next topic would dig deeper into the variable of self-awareness.  The final workshop explored the concept of empowered leadership and the impact within the work environment.  The workshop series consisted of Authentic Leadership (2 workshops), The Self-Aware Leader (2 workshops) and Empowered Leadership as the finale.  Each workshop had a virtual component so folks on multiple campuses could log in and watch the workshops live or later via the recordings. 

    Authentic Leadership (AL)

    This workshop explores the 4 AL variables:  self-awareness, relational transparency, internalized moral perspective and balanced processing.  The workshop attendees were introduced to each variable to provide context and then we got down to business of understanding how each variable impacts direct reports and the work environment.  Love asking attendees the magical question:  Who are you?  This helps them understand we all bring something different into the work environment daily and how these differences can be leveraged towards positive outcomes.  Love helping folks develop a better understanding of themselves and how this impacts the work environment.  Self-view is something most people don’t think about but should do on the journey to becoming effective leaders. 

    The Self-Aware Leader

    This workshop is a deep dive into self-awareness and the importance this variable has on effective leadership.  My overarching goal for this workshop is to force leaders to understand themselves (Who are you?) and start understanding the impact on direct reports.  Leaders who are not self-aware build direct reports who are not self-aware.  This has a negative impact on the work environment and limits organizational growth.  I added a group exercise for this session to have attendees engage with each other and share information to help them understand the levels of diversity within our work environment.  The homework from this workshop was for attendees to identify ways they can/should improve their leadership skills.

    Empowered Leadership

    The grand finale for this workshop series was Empowered Leadership.  We explored the definition of empowerment and how this impacts leadership.  Attendees were challenged to identify ways they have been empowered within the work environment and ways to expand this towards positive outcomes.  Homework from this workshop centers on leveraging new knowledge within the work environment to enhance client and staff interactions.

    I will explore the concept of introducing additional topics to my colleagues.  Will take a small break from leadership training and get back to the world of student retention and completion.

    What’s your leadership style?  What impact does it have on your work environment?

    Irie!

    “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better”.

    (Mother Theresa)

    Note:  Organizations can contact me to explore opportunities to bring Authentic Leadership training to their teams.

  • Five Minute Thursday: Leadership

    close up of human hand
    Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

    “The writer is the explorer.  Every step is an advance into a new land”.

    (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

    The Walk into The Future blog continues to serve as a vehicle for my creative expression. I started this blogging process to share my thoughts, travels, and adventures.  I find it easy to write about my adventures and then share with my loyal readers.

    There are days when I don’t think I have the inspiration to write another blog article and then I sit down with a specific prompt and the words just come to me.  I would like to say writing these articles is an easy daily process, but I find myself struggling to generate content that I think others will read from time to time.  I write, edit, delete, and then write again to create something worth reading.  This is not all the time but figured I would share I have writing distractions to keep me away from me cranking away on my laptop. 

    Today is not one of those days! 😊

    I went back to a tried-and-true process of identifying a writing prompt to generate a new concept to write about.  One of the prompts I found a while ago was called:  Five Minute Friday.  The intent is to pick a specific word and then write about it for five minutes to create content.  Well, I modified the prompt into Five Minute Thursday since I post on Thursdays at 11:08 am—did you know that? 😊

    My first prompt for Five Minute Thursday is:  Leadership.

    Leadership is a concept that I began to explore while I served in the Air Force.  We were put through a series of leadership courses (Airmen Leadership School, Non-Commissioned Officer Leadership School, Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, etc.) where principles of leadership were shared.  The best leaders I worked with all went through these courses, but they had more than course leadership principles.

    Three of my favorite Air Force Leaders:  Chief Master Sergeant Roger Noyes, Chief Master Sergeant Janet Craton and Senior Master Sergeant Rich Gardner—thanks to them all!

    Developing leadership skills became a priority for me and I explored this topic via books, online trainings, and lectures. 

    I discovered Authentic Leadership almost by mistake.  I wanted my dissertation to focus on First Year Experience (FYE) courses for first generation students.  This would have been an impactful study, but my dissertation mentor told me I couldn’t pursue this topic because it was Educational Psychology, and my program was Organizational Psychology.  I hung my head for a few months before we discovered Authentic Leadership, and the rest is history.

    My earlier introduction to leadership while in the Air Force allowed me to blend things I learned from wearing a uniform into my model of Authentic Leadership.  The great leaders I worked with in the Air Force have been integrated into my version of Authentic Leadership as I incorporate their lessons into my current pursuit of leadership.

    Well, my five minutes is up.  I could keep going but will honor the concept of this writing prompt! 😊

    What can you get done in the next five minutes?  Ok, take off!

    Irie!

    “Writing is the painting of the voice”.

    (Voltaire)

  • Walk into the Future Prequel

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    “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing”.

    (Benjamin Franklin)

    Merriam-Webster defines a prequel as a work (such as a novel or a play) whose story precedes that of an earlier work.

    Simple enough, huh?

    I had an interesting conversation with a mentee who discovered my first public written work recently.  We were discussing his future work-related options, and I reminded him to slow down and not rush into anything if he was not sure.  This caught him off guard because everyone is always in a hurry to get to the next big things.  I’ve been there too but learned a valuable lesson after I got out of the U.S. Air Force.

    What’s the lesson I learned?  To slow down and enjoy the process.

    There may be a few Walk into the Future readers who may not know the prequel to this blog was my first and only (at this point) book I wrote in 2010. 

    I found myself at a crossroads in 2010 and wanted to take control of things in my life.  The book, What Now?  Take Control  Live Life; Don’t Let It Live You came together as I started to examine things in my life and look for new angles to gain and stay in control. 

    A few lessons from the prequel:

    Enjoy some time off.  Most people think they must rush from one position to the next.  This lesson was written to let readers know they can enjoy some time off without feeling guilty.  Not everyone can afford to be without a steady paycheck but for those who can there’s no need to jump back into the world of work.  My advice is to sleep in a bit, visit with family and friends and find new ways to relax.

    Take a vacation.  I took this lesson literally and started my yearly trek to Negril, Jamaica.  It was a place I always wanted to visit but never made the time.  Not working gave me the perfect opportunity to head down to Negril and discover Irie vibes.  I’ve been going back every year since 2010 and will continue for the foreseeable future.

    Reconnect.  This lesson centerson reconnecting with family and friends.  I recommend using time away from work to reach out to family members and close friends to catch up on life.  We spend so much time at work and sometimes miss out on opportunities to spend time with people close to you.

    Live life.  This lesson provides space to reassess life priorities and use free time to rediscover important things in life.  This can also be a time to find yourself—what’s important to you and what do you want to accomplish?

    There are additional lessons in my prequel and I welcome you to discover them all here:  https://amzn.to/3IktGn6

    Let me know your thoughts if you decide to accept the reading opportunity! 😊

    Irie!

    “I always kept two books in my pocket, one to read, one to write in”.

    (Robert Lewis Stevenson)