1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

The occasional apathy or lack of motivation of teams or members in my communities makes the leader's role much more challenging. That turns the leader's role into that of a cheerleader or 'lead enthusiast.' Influencing or gaining the cooperation of others requires the followers to be present in the moment and the leader to appeal to their desires and points of view. The leader must enthusiastically relate to the followers and their goals and aspirations. Without that, the followers are not motivated to optimize their performance and change their attitudes and behaviors.

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

We are born to be leaders in our everyday lives. The question becomes how effectively we lead, inspire, and influence others. My most significant transition into effective leadership after learning the value of business relationships and the critical role of relationships in general. That lesson came as I began to look more inward at what motivated me, which began with me taking the Dale Carnegie Course. An Executive MBA followed that. Then I became an enthusiastic networker. With the ignited confidence, I found ways to earn credibility and respect through professional organization affiliations. That was then followed by me stepping into official leadership roles of those organizations.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

Fortunately, I no longer have to have a defined structure for my day. I focus on self-care, including fulfilling activities in my day. What some people call work, I call play. I blend strategy with tactical, utilizing a personal vision and action goals to get there. Yes, I do use to-do lists, but they are very focused based on priorities to achieve my vision. I clearly check off things as 'done' so that I may recognize and reward myself for completing those tasks. Fortunately, my day includes lots of play because I thoroughly enjoy my work. So my structure per se is very focused yet spontaneous to achieve my objectives

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

Vulnerability is critical for effective leadership. I learned that about a dozen years ago, and I'm reminded of that often in my interactions with my students and associates. An effective leader is relatable, compassionate, understanding, and humble. Maintaining vulnerability through that process is required to be trusted by others. Confidence is important, but humility is equally critical.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence Others changed my life about 25 years ago. It taught me the path of enhancing relationships, gaining cooperation from others, and becoming an effective leader. That path is forever repeating itself in the relationships and organizations in which we thrive. Through the newly inspired enthusiasm and practice thereof, my coach approach to leadership was born over time.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

Focus on the needs of others. We will more easily influence others, gain their trust, and effectively motivate them to take actions that benefit them or us all. With that, we allow our own vulnerability live and lead effectively.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?

One of my students came to me before the semester began indicating that he could not speak in public due to his severe lack of confidence. Through the experiential learning of the course, that young man began to thrive with speaking from a state of vulnerability and willingness to take risks.

My approach with him was to create a safe space where he could comfortably talk about what's important to him and explore the possibilities in his life. His classmates recognized him often for his courage and bolder approach toward his goals. We randomly met several months after the semester.

He indicated that he had changed his academic major and was pursuing new goals with enthusiasm. The lesson here is that earning trust from each and every member of our teams can create the environment that enables our teams to optimize their performance.