Leadership Reflection

I don’t know about you, but I still reflect on what I learned during my MOR workshops. A theme that was a cornerstone of our MOR experience: Presence.

Today’s Tuesday Reading is from Marion Groh Marquardt, Associate Director of Web Services at Stanford University and a MOR program alum.  Marion may be reached at [email protected] or via LinkedIn. You know how it is sometimes: we’re so focused on what we want to communicate that we overlook the crucial visual and emotional threads that […]

I’ve had the opportunity to cross paths with thousands of leaders and learn from their journeys. Together, we’ve explored what it means to lead.

I can’t pinpoint when things started to change. It wasn’t some big, life-altering event but a series of small choices that shifted my perspective.

When you are good at a team sport, you might become team captain. After much trial and error, I learned things I want to share.

Learning new things, whether fun or professional, comes with stress. Here are some lessons that have helped me navigate new territory.

Resilience is an essential quality for leadership. What better way to nurture personal well-being than through a summer vacation!

As I ponder the essence of leadership, one word resonates deeply: values. The internal compass, the True North, that guides our actions.

I am fascinated with geese in their “Flying V” formation and how they manage to create such a flawless shape.

What transforms a group unfamiliar with each other into an inclusive, close-knit cohort that genuinely wants to help one another grow?

Let me tell you a story. As a young person and well into my teens, I was severely introverted. I was afraid of my own shadow…until that day.

I have been a MOR graduate for ten years! My cohort created a menu. I started reflecting on what I still serve off that menu ten years later.

I am grateful for how my cohort and coaches have helped me to look inward, an honest look at myself and my mindset. It has been transformative.

I tend to say “yes” to everything. There are many reasons. For a long time, this served me well enough, but it all became too much.

I volunteer as a bingo caller at my church. During a recent game, my mind meandered to how a good bingo caller is similar to being a good leader.

I am a huge Ted Lasso fan. It was so refreshing to see a show achieve success with a leader that was kind, ethical, humane, caring, and funny.

There have been times when my work started to feel stale less engaging. Learning a new skill or tackling a new challenge helped reignite my spark.

At first, the prospect of leaving management was concerning. What would it mean for my career prospects? What would happen to my current team?

I was flipping through my notebook. I wrote down what I want to be known for. Later I circled the question “Is what I said true?” I had some doubts.

Being fully present provides the opportunity for us to be intentional in sending messages of sincere interest and make meaningful connections.