From Reluctant Leader to Executive Leader: Embracing the Leader I Was Destined to Become

Being a great leader requires "a particular set of skills." Just a little nod to Liam Neeson. ??

But seriously, being a leader is a profound responsibility. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that an introverted girl from an underprivileged background, who never went to college, would rise to the role of an executive leader.? Even more surprising is that I now lead with a mission to transform lives through learning.

In 2018, I started working for Linux Academy as an AWS Training Architect. Although I had held management roles before, I was very passionate about my role as a trainer. I absolutely loved my work and my intention to stay under the radar, simply teaching and helping people get certified.

Then? D-Day (decision day) came, and I was asked to take on a leadership role. I was reluctant to take the role. My logic was if I didn’t take it, then what would the alternative be, and would I ever get another opportunity if I said no? Our minds can play tricks on us. It likely would have been fine, but I didn’t want to take that chance.

And that has been my logic for every leadership promotion since then. "I am happy where I am, I have a great team. But if I don’t take the role, then who would I end up reporting to, and what would happen to our team?" So with a mix of reluctance, and resolve, I accepted each new challenge and excelled.??

I have come to embrace my role as a leader of leaders.?

Embracing leadership wasn’t an overnight transformation.? No one handed me a manual on how to lead.? It was always, “You're the leader now.? Go make it happen.”? The soft skills?? Those came either from my inherent characteristics or trial by fire!?

Leadership transforms you.? Suddenly, you’re responsible for a diverse group of people, each with unique needs.? You’re tasked with getting the work done, innovating, and driving vision- all without any formal guidance.? Like me, many find leadership thrust upon them unexpectedly.??

At times, I was responsible for over 100 people, becoming a leader of leaders.?

• How do I keep our team focused on the mission, and our why?
• How to manage the work of 100 people across many different roles?
• How to maintain work/life balance while meeting with people in time zones across the US and around the world, not just for me, but for my leadership team.
• How do I merge teams from different companies together to become a single cohesive, high-performing team?
• How to merge philosophically different approaches to the work.
• How to keep the broader team motivated and inspired amidst so much change.
• As a leader of leaders, how to keep my leadership team engaged.

With every change in leadership structure, I felt the need to continually prove myself and showcase my team’s capabilities.? Some of that probably came from imposter syndrome, but I was driven to:

• Prove my trustworthiness and capability to new team members, new peers, new bosses.
• Communicate effectively with my team, and to senior leaders.
• Show empathy, not only to my team but to cross-functional teams as we integrated teams and products.
• Make tough decisions.
• Empower others.
• Teach and mentor others.
• Adapt and be agile.
• Innovate and solve problems creatively.

had to be a situational leader, constantly adapting to the people and situations to ensure the best outcomes.

I have promoted reluctant leaders. Together, we formed one of the best teams I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. These high-performing individuals had high emotional intelligence and were empathetic and humble. They weren’t interested in power or authority just for the sake of their own ego.

• They were authentic and resilient.
• They were cautious and thoughtful.
• They valued collaboration and inclusivity.
• They were driven by purpose.
• They are self-aware, recognizing their own strengths and weaknesses.
• They were open to coaching and mentorship.
• People follow them because they embody the qualities of great leaders innately.

We weren’t perfect, but we gave our best for each other and for our team.

So, do reluctant leaders make the best leaders? Heck yeah, they do!

If you’re a reluctant leader or a new leader trying to figure it all out, know this: many of us are thrust into leadership without support or training. You might hesitate to ask for help within your chain of command or feel uncomfortable seeking advice from peers. You may feel like you're navigating a trial by fire.

You don’t have to figure it out alone. I understand what you are going through because I’ve been there. Let me help you navigate the bumps in the leadership road.

DM me the word "leadership" and I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have about leadership.