The Power of Leading from Within: Unlocking Purpose and Urgency in Leadership

This past week has been a whirlwind of reflection for me. Conversations, music, and just the day-to-day realities of leading have stirred something deep within. I sat down with one of my long-time faculty members, our dear Janice, who has been with TTC College from the start. Our conversation was about how leadership can better support our adjunct faculty, but then she hit me with something that I’ve been chewing on ever since. She said, “Dr. Golden, your very presence threatens the status quo, and that’s why they try to tear you down.”

Now, I’ve been the one giving out that kind of advice to leaders I mentor, but hearing it aimed at me was different. It shook me. Why do people, systems, and organizations react like this when all I’m trying to do is live in alignment with my calling—to heal the world from my little corner in LA? That’s when it hit me: leading from within—being true to yourself and your purpose—is a direct threat to systems built on inequality, greed, complacency, and comfort.

A Life of Purpose, Fueled by Faith

Last weekend, I had dinner with my sister Gwen, and our conversation turned toward how challenging it is to lead with purpose in a world full of distractions and opposition. We talked about aging parents, how others in our family “tag in and out” of their responsibilities, and how we don’t get that luxury as leaders--whether at work or in our families. She also reminded me of the story of Martha and Mary. Martha’s busy running around in the kitchen, getting caught up in the tasks, while Mary sits at Jesus’ feet, soaking in the moment and knowledge of perhaps the world's greatest servant leader.

That story is a perfect metaphor for leadership. Too often, we’re stuck doing the “urgent” things—checking boxes, managing people, pushing through red tape. But what if the real work is in what’s most important, not just what’s most urgent? Mary chose the more meaningful path, and as leaders, we have to do the same.

Listen, Martha was pressed ("big mad") after being confronted, but I digress. (No shade, Martha.)

For me, my faith has always been my anchor. It’s what drives me, but I want to be clear—whatever it is for you, whether that’s faith, nature, or the universe, we all have something that keeps us grounded. Octavia Butler used to call it Earthseed. Whatever it is that fuels you, that’s where your power to lead comes from.

Enough Waiting—The Time for Change is Right Now

I’m so tired of being told to wait. I hear it constantly from those stuck in the status quo: "James, you just need to wait. Wait for the right moment, wait for people to retire, wait for society to end racism, wait for generations to change." But my question is: When?!

I’m not interested in waiting for change anymore, because people are dying today. I’m not interested in watching the slow march of progress while people on the streets suffer. I’ve lost too much and seen too much to believe that time is on our side. It’s not. The only thing we have is the now.

And this hit me hard this past weekend as I was driving to Leimert Park to meet Aureal at a new plant nursery. I had just come from a church event in my neighborhood where Tubbs, one of my newly minted apprentices, was running an at-risk youth program. On the drive, the song “It Is Well with My Soul” came on, and the lyrics, "Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul," hit me differently this time. Kathy Taylor may actually be an angel, because her voice has wings.

Anyway, that line isn’t just about acceptance. It’s about finding peace in the storm, but it’s also about urgency. Whatever is happening, it’s happening right now, and we have to act. We can’t keep waiting for a more convenient time to fight injustice, to demand new systems, or to build something better. The time is right now.

The Urgency of Leading with Love

Here’s the real truth: leading from within isn’t about just making good decisions—it’s about leading with love. It’s about serving people, being responsible for their well-being, and protecting the community you’ve been entrusted with. In healthcare, this means we don’t have time for bureaucracy. People are dying, people are suffering, and we have to be the ones to do something about it. In education, this means we need to urgently teach our students logic and reasoning and humanities; that they may change the world today.

This past weekend, I also had coffee with Dave, one of my treasured faculty, who’s working through his doctoral dissertation, and it refueled me with so much positivity. His topic is refreshing, urgent and I believe will heal marginalized communities around the globe. There’s something powerful about being surrounded by people who share your energy and your vision for change. It’s moments like these that remind me of the real work we do—the work that heals, that builds, that transforms lives.

But this urgency doesn’t just apply to those we serve—it applies to those who lead alongside us. I can’t stand by while other leaders serve themselves, complain, or perpetuate harm—even in the small ways. If you’re in healthcare, in education, or in any field where you’re responsible for people’s lives, then there’s no room for self-interest or complacency. You either lead with love or get out of the way.

At the end of the day, leading from within is about tapping into the power that’s already in you. It’s about moving past the noise of external expectations and aligning yourself with your purpose. That’s where real leadership lives.

We don’t need permission to create change. We don’t need to wait for the stars to align. We don’t need to bend to systems that are too afraid of our power. What we need is the courage to act, to move, to be. The only time we have to make things right is right now.

As you reflect on your own leadership journey, ask yourself: Where am I waiting when I should be acting? How am I leading from within? How can I tap into the love, the spirit, the drive that will push me to create real change?

Because here’s what I know for sure: “Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul.”

There’s peace in that, but there’s also power. Power to heal, power to transform, power to move.

Be Strong. Be Present. Be Urgent.

Be Healed.

Dr. Golden