Welcome to the journey

Congratulations on being interested in leadership. Simply by doing so you’ve announced yourself as someone who is open to change and recognizes that they always have more to learn about leadership. This statement is innately true because leadership goes hand in hand with people and there is no single template that can be applied to every person in order to successfully lead them. What we have are some fundamental approaches which will enable you to reset yourself when you face challenging leadership situations. The fact is, becoming a leader is an evolution. It is a collection of skills intellectual, physical and emotional which inspire others to want to follow. Through this platform, I intend to share stories of what I saw as good leadership, some of where I observed poor leadership, and interject my own observations and takeaways which I have chosen to internalize and keep to shape my own behavior.

No matter your task, vision, or destination always remember it’s the people that matter. If the people are broken, they cannot follow. If they cannot follow, you are not leading.

I have taken University courses on leadership, Organizational Behavior, studied experts in the fields of change including Tony Robbins, Simon Sinek and Seth Godin, read books on leadership new and old and discussed leadership too many times to count. My father was an officer in the military, I went up through the ranks of Air Cadets as soon as I was able, graduated from the Military College and experienced a military career which covered 5 operational theatres including 3 wars. I was then a manager in the private sector for 5 years and now am a leader in the Public Service.

I have not yet perfected the art of leadership, I have felt frustrated, lonely, and defeated at times and I can tell you that is normal of any leader.

But I can also tell you that I have made a huge difference in several lives and that makes it worth it.

I received the greatest compliment of my career unexpectedly in a short note from a former colleague which I share below:

You changed my life.

You engaged me,

Gave me responsibilities,

And empowered me.

Like a true leader, you make people grow around you.

I will always be grateful for your leadership

I share this to emphasize that what you do makes a difference. Though you may not always see it, you are shaping your environment, the organization, and the people. You’re making mistakes, but learn from them. Remember your stories. See everyone as a leader good or bad and gather your bucket of best practices to shape yourself.

I hope when you read my stories you’ll see some similarities and get a head start on learning your own lessons. Leadership is timeless. The faces change, technology changes but start with the basics and you’ll be fine.

The Prime Assumption: “No one comes to work wanting to perform poorly”