What inspires and drives your leadership journey?
Below you’ll find the original transcript I used to build the rapid fire presentation I did at the 2019 Prospanica Leadership Summit in Hartford, Connecticut, February 7, 2019. The subject of “Finding your why” has been written about and presented by others, but this present my personal story of how I found my “Why,” came upon my own “Aha!” moment, and an exploration of how the two ideas impact my leadership journey on the day-to-day.
You’ll be able to find links to some original articles and videos talking about the importance of the “Why” question at the end of this post and you can use them to help you on your own journey.
Transcript
Read time: 6 minutes 45 seconds
[0:00] “Hi, I’m ______. What do you do?”
This is usually the first question you get asked whenever you meet someone new. Odds are, whatever quick description you’ve used in the past barely does what you do—or who you are—any justice.
It’s understood as “What do you do for a living?” This leads to short conversation at best and stereotypes at worst. It pins your identity to a job instead of pinning a job to your bigger identity. Since somewhere around the end of high school my answer always defaulted to what I wanted to do and then eventually what I ended up doing:
Photo by Jessica Ruscello on Unsplash
Teach. I taught.
That answer was one that I built my idea of a career around. It carried me on a clear path, teaching degree in hand with some side quests here and there, but always with a classroom as the goal. Along the way, though, the “what” question ended up getting a follow-up question:
[1:00] “How did you get here?”
It was a question I never could really answer because the how was based on something deeper. The “how” was messy. It led me to grad school and eventually led to me leaving the teaching field, at least as a full-time job. The how was the long story- much longer than five minutes- that eventually placed me in interview getting asked if I was going to be able to commit to a job fully if my focus had always been teaching.
Would I be okay with the new answer to, “What do you do?”
Why would I want to remain committed to the job if my heart was in teaching?”
I remember my answer being along the lines of “I’d be okay with not being a regular teacher because I’d be helping others to do the work of teaching.”
I started the job, but I wondered, would I be happy?
Why?
Why did I teach? Why teaching?
“Aha!”
The sudden, unexpected realization of the solution to a problem
My “why” – my leadership – is about creating connection for others to grow; The “Eureka” moment; that spark that makes new things possible.
[2:20] I realized that all of my jobs have involved that positive “Aha!” moment. All of the moments in which someone said, “Wow, this is great,” “That gave me an idea,” “I want to learn more,” and “How can I make a difference?”
My leadership has been centered around creating the spaces and programs; around educating and researching the ways that I can best serve communities to allow them to create their “Aha!” moments – those places and spaces where positive change for communities and people can happen and where art and advocacy get made.
For example, in 2011 I hosted an event looking at Eastern Native Woodland Indian food and foodways and the ways in which many of us are visitors and colonizers. Instructor and local artist, Terry Delehanty, gave the audience the perspective of her own Cree heritage and local history on food, caring for the land, and the meaning of the meal that we ate.
[3:20] That “Aha!” moment was part of my work supporting the community while working for the Greater Hartford Arts Council and supporting local organizations and artists.
My leadership has meant exploring and listening. The formula shown here— from an organization I did a fellowship with—focused, in part, on how curiosity and listening creates connection between others. Listening connects with the current work I do.
As Connecticut State Program Coordinator for the Hispanic Federation creating “Aha!” moments has meant working with capacity-building for organizations; creating festivals and panels like FUERZAfest; the Federation’s statewide LGBTQ festival which highlights the work and issues of those marginalized in our own Latinx communities. My work also involves advocacy for Latinx communities.
[4:40] “Aha!’ moments in my work involve being creative and thinking outside of the box. They allow me to become a stronger leader by allowing me the ability to explore solutions and look at things with new perspective. I have the opportunity to change and grow.
The work is not without struggle or battles. I have my bad days and sometimes really bad days. Things aren’t always easy, but my work creates a spark of support and learning in others. As a leader, I get the opportunity to show other the ways they can empower themselves and others. I help people think about how all of the pieces of their identities come together like the nesting bowls in the earlier slides.
A quote that I find helps guide my style of leadership and think about where learning might happen is “What good shall I do today?”
So, pulling this all together:
This helps me to think about the good that can be done when communities and people have the space and the place to listen and learn from each other.
[6:00] How do you connect the dots on finding your leadership. For me, I’ve focused on thinking about.
The What: What do you do?
The Who: Who you are? (The journey; your story) – and how you tell that story to yourself and to others
Finally, think about the “Why” of your leadership. Why do you do? (Your Belief)
The answers might surprise you. And, in the end, whatever you find for you, I urge you to take your leadership and do something great.
Thank you.
Looking for more information and source material on finding your “Why?”
Take a listen to or read the transcript of Simon Sinek’s 2009 TED Talk on How Great Leaders Inspire Action.
Looking for more information and source material on “Aha!” moments and your goals?
Take a listen or watch to Find Your Dream Job Without Ever Looking at Your Resume by Laura Berman Fortgang.
A good read from the Harvard Business Review- 4 Steps to Having More “Aha” Moments by David Rock and Josh Davis.
A good read from the Harvard Business Review- How to have a Eureka Moment by David Burkus.