Check Your Why
Dear Leaders,
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been thinking about how the motivation behind a person’s desire to lead shows up in their mindset, attitude, and interactions with others.
I’ve reflected on why I chose leadership, and I continually return to the same answer: to help others. And if I’m being honest, I’m not sure I chose leadership at all. Most days, I feel as though leadership chose me.
Most people do not realize just how much of an introvert I am. Nothing pleases me more than recharging my social battery with a good book and a nap on the couch. I prefer small groups over large crowds, and I would rather have dinner with a few good friends than attend a gathering filled with people.
As my friend Stephanie has said to me on more than one occasion, “You’re an introverted extrovert.”
The first time she said it, I thought, That is so accurate. Why haven’t I thought of that before?
My extroversion is fueled by my desire to help others. I love being a sounding board, helping people brainstorm and solve problems, and working collaboratively with a team to navigate complex challenges.
My days as a high school basketball player taught me a great deal about the game, but they taught me even more about leadership and what it truly requires: bearing responsibility, accepting criticism, sacrificing for your teammates and the good of the whole, and putting yourself last so others can succeed.
Even with all the difficulty and responsibility that come with leadership, I still find great joy in helping others. That is why I continue to choose to lead.
I’ve often heard educators talk about the importance of knowing your “why,” and I believe it is equally important for leaders. A leader’s why should be rooted in service: caring for others, investing in people, meeting their needs, and remaining willing and available to support them along their journeys.
Those who choose leadership primarily for a title, status, power, or the way they hope to be perceived will quickly discover that leadership and ego do not mix well.
There are countless hours of work behind the scenes and conscientious efforts that many people will never see. Sacrifices are made daily to support the success of the people being served and the organization as a whole. A desire to lead cannot remain pure unless it is grounded in service to others.
When leadership is truly about serving, apologizing after making a mistake becomes natural. Taking responsibility becomes necessary. Making things right matters more than protecting one’s image because the work was never supposed to be about the leader.
I want to challenge leaders everywhere to take a sincere, honest look at their why.
Most of us will find at least a few remnants of ego within ourselves. The work is to recognize them and refuse to allow them to drive our leadership. A desire to be perceived as important or powerful, or the belief that a title will somehow elevate our value, cannot be the foundation upon which we lead.
Whatever we believe leadership should be eventually shows up in our attitude, our mindset, our priorities, and the way we speak to and treat others.
The evidence of our intentions can be found in what we are willing or unwilling to do, what we deem important, and where we place our time, attention, and focus.
Leaders with the purest intentions are focused on two things: helping people and making things better.
Each day, I ask myself, What have I done today to help someone else or make our organization better?
Approaching my daily work with that mindset keeps me grounded, focused, and centered in the reasons I chose this journey.
Make it your business to become so deeply rooted in your leadership why that you are not distracted by setbacks, obstacles, recognition, or unexpected challenges. When you know your purpose, you can continue to operate in it without missing a beat.
Keep leading with heart, soul, and from the inside out!
Yours in Leadership,
Latoya
The Leadership Work Within
Dear Leaders,
I’ve been thinking about a phrase I’ve used in several recent leadership coaching conversations. In each conversation, my goal was to listen deeply and learn about each leader’s strengths and opportunities for growth. Although every individual was different, I found myself returning to the same phrase again and again.
At the end of each conversation, I offered this advice from my own leadership journey:
“One of the best things I ever did as a leader was work on myself.”
As leaders, we cannot underestimate the impact our personal struggles can have on our effectiveness. Whether we struggle with vulnerability, organization, focus, managing our emotions, or bouncing back after failure, it is essential that we work on ourselves so we can better serve the people we lead.
And working on ourselves does not have to be done alone.
For years, I’ve read self-help books, practiced prayer and meditation, journaled, and relied on people who I know care about and love me enough to call me out when I fall short of who I am striving to become. By no means do I have it all figured out. But with each job change and new leadership experience, I have improved my ability to lead others and much of that growth has been fueled by the work I’ve done to improve myself.
Over the years, I’ve learned a few lessons I want to share with leaders everywhere. These lessons may not be anything you haven’t heard before, but with experience and time, they have become increasingly clear to me:
Internal angst will show up in how you lead. Anxiety, fear, and resentment rarely remain hidden. Don’t pass your angst on to others. Energy is contagious, so find a way to pursue peace every day.
Confidence doesn’t come from caring less. It comes from caring deeply while being secure in who you are and what you bring.
Courage is not the result of being fearless. It is the byproduct of being afraid, nervous, or even anxious—and moving forward anyway so you can live according to your values and truth.
Everything that happens and every way someone responds to you isn’t necessarily personal. More often than not, their response reflects where they are in their journey at that particular moment.
Accepting that you will make mistakes and being willing to own and correct them works better than trying never to mess up. Attempting to lead without making mistakes is unrealistic and exhausting.
Knowing who you are, what you believe, and what you stand for is one of the most important parts of leadership. When you are unsure of yourself, others may become unsure of you too.
Never stop trying to improve yourself. We are imperfect human beings, and there is always room to become better. No matter how much you achieve, keep working to become the best version of yourself. The benefits will show up in every area of your life.
Technical knowledge can and will improve your skills and abilities, but self-awareness and personal growth are essential aspects of effective leadership. The best leaders I know have keen insight into who they are, how they show up, and how others experience them.
I want to encourage leaders everywhere to practice the kind of honest reflection that leads to meaningful change.
Leading others starts with leading yourself.
Until next time, keep leading with heart, soul, and from the inside out!
Yours in Leadership,
Latoya
Vulnerability: The Currency of Trust
Dear Leaders,
When I think about some of the most impactful lessons I have learned as a leader, I am reminded that many of them are connected to mistakes I have made along the way.
In my early days of leadership, I worked hard to avoid making an error of any kind. I held myself to an unrealistic standard and believed that strong leadership meant getting it right all the time. Of course, I never achieved that impossible goal. With time and experience, I came to understand that the goal was not to avoid mistakes altogether. The goal was to learn how to practice resilience, vulnerability, and accountability when mistakes happened.
Owning my mistakes, admitting when I was wrong, and taking meaningful action to make things right have done more to strengthen relationships, build trust, and establish credibility than almost anything else in my leadership journey. Humanizing myself as a leader has helped others see my heart beyond any title I may have held.
Two of the most powerful words any leader can offer are, “I’m sorry.”
When we own our errors, we give those we serve the opportunity to see humility in action. We demonstrate openness, honesty, and a willingness to admit when we do not get it right. In turn, our example creates space for others to be human, too. It helps build a culture where perfection is not required, growth is expected, and authenticity is honored.
In this season of leadership, I am thankful for my journey and for every lesson I have learned as a result of the mistakes I have made along the way. Each one has helped me grow, support others more effectively, and sharpen my skills for the next group of people I have been honored to serve.
I am grateful to be free from the pressure to be perfect. I am far removed from those early leadership days when I thought perfection was the goal. I may not be certain of many things, but I am sure of this: owning mistakes, learning from them, and allowing them to shape us is a much more productive focus than perfectionism.
So this week, I want to encourage leaders everywhere to take stock of both your gifts and your opportunities for growth. Reflect on the mistakes you have made throughout your leadership journey. Think about how you practice resilience, ownership, and humility when you have made a poor decision or fallen short. Consider how your actions can build trust, strengthen connections, and deepen your relationships with your team.
Vulnerability is the currency of trust. Every time a leader practices it with sincerity, their leadership is strengthened. While it may feel risky, vulnerability remains one of the most powerful tools a leader has to build meaningful connection.
Keep leading with heart, soul, and from the inside out.
Yours in Leadership,
Latoya
Bigger Than Us
Dear Leaders,
There are moments in leadership that remind us why the work matters.
This week, I had one of those moments as I watched students walk across the graduation stage. Some walked with confidence. Some walked with joy. Some walked with relief. And some walked with a story that most people in the room may never fully know.
As I watched them, I could not help but think about the students who fought tooth and nail to get there. The students who had to overcome obstacles, setbacks, doubt, disappointment, hard days, difficult circumstances, and moments when it may have been easier to give up than to keep going. But they kept going.
They showed up. They tried again. They leaned on the people who believed in them. They made it to the finish line.
And as each name was called, I was reminded that leadership is not just about the decisions we make, the meetings we attend, or the responsibilities we carry. Leadership is about people. It is about the lives impacted by the work we do every day, often in ways we may not immediately see.
It was also an incredible honor to hand my niece her diploma as she completed this chapter of her journey, finishing number seven in her class. In that moment, I was not only proud as an educator and leader. I was proud as her aunt. I saw her hard work, her discipline, her determination, and the many people who helped shape, support, encourage, and guide her along the way.
That is the beauty of this work.
We do not lead for recognition. We do not lead simply to complete tasks or manage systems. We lead because what we do has the power to open doors, create opportunities, provide support, and help others see what is possible for their lives.
Leadership is about something bigger than ourselves.
It is about the student who needed one more person to believe in them. It is about the family who needed reassurance. It is about the teacher, coach, counselor, bus driver, assistant, administrator, or staff member who made a difference along the way. It is about the collective effort of people who choose to show up with purpose, even when the work is hard.
Graduation is a powerful reminder that the work we do matters. Every conversation, every intervention, every act of patience, every expectation held with love, every second chance, every moment of encouragement, and every decision made in the best interest of students contributes to something bigger.
We may not always get to see the full impact of our leadership in the moment. But every now and then, we get a glimpse.
This week, I saw it on the faces of students crossing the stage.
I saw it in the pride of families present to share in this important moment for their children.
I saw it in the perseverance of students who refused to quit.
And I saw it in the joy of handing my niece her diploma and celebrating not only what she accomplished, but who she is becoming.
So this week, I hope you are reminded that your leadership matters deeply. The work may be demanding, but it is also sacred. It reaches beyond us. It extends into the lives, futures, and possibilities of others.
Keep leading with purpose. Keep showing up. Keep believing in what is possible.
Because leadership is never just about us.
It is about the people we serve and the difference our leadership makes in their lives.
Let’s keep leading with heart, soul, and from the inside out!
Yours in leadership,
Latoya
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