Dear Leaders, No One Cares.....

Here’s a pro tip for those of you who are just starting your leadership career.

No one really cares about your degree once you get the job. It’s about the impact you make once you get the role of which the degree was required.

When you start doing the work people aren’t going to say. “I remember they went to such and such school”.

They are going to give you feedback on outcomes, how you’ve made changes within the organization, how you’ve built relationships, and, in even some cases, held yourself accountable for the mistakes you made.

I remember early on in my career I was so focused on how I was perceived. I was complaining to my supervisor/ mentor one day due to some friction I had with a few colleagues, and she said, “Solomon, you are worried about the wrong thing, just let your work speak for you.”

This simple advice shifted my leadership mindset.

I learned that my reputation and a history of relationships and outcomes is what really matters nothing more and nothing less.

Don’t get me wrong a degree or credential is important for earning potential and upward mobility in today’s ever evolving economy.

However, we must shift our mindset as leaders to let it be just that… “a degree” or “credential”.

Leaders who focus solely on their qualifications can miss the bigger picture: the people they lead. ?Ecosystem Leadership emphasizes the importance for leaders to actually take some time to think about “why” you are really in your role. Sure, your qualified in theory etc, etc.

But maybe you’re also in the role to:

·???????? Serve as a change agent.

·???????? Serve as sustainability through tough organizational changes.

·???????? Serve as a builder.

·???????? Serve as a connector in a disjointed system.

·???????? Serve as a source of wisdom to your peers.

·???????? Serve to reshape minds after negative experiences with past supervisors.

·???????? Serve as a motivator for staff who in the past weren’t engaged.

No matter how many credentials you hold, your ability to connect with, motivate, and inspire others is what will truly define your success. I wasn’t always the best at the connection aspect but once I grew into it, I saw my impact on organizations make great strides.

I started building relationships at every career stop that have positively impacted me both professionally and personally.

.. Make this paradigm shift today.

The outcomes will ALWAYS organically take care of themselves!

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