My life purpose is to bless others with my strongest talents – leadership, productivity & security.

My strengths (SF 2.0)

Learner, Focus, Relator, Futuristic, Achiever

Leadership themes:  Strategic Thinking & Executing

I’m forward thinking and innovative with my ideas.  I can focus longer than most until I get results.  People use words like inspirational, courageous and transparent when describing me.  I’m a voracious learner – I graduated the top 10% academically and top 1% in professor popularity from Pepperdine with a Master’s of Science in Management & Leadership.  In addition, I believe that people skills like team dynamics and achieving high employee engagement are leading indicators of great financial results.

How people see me

Innovative, avant-garde (like Lady Gaga) problem-solver that gets results with data-driven decisions (like Amazon) and high-standards (like Jeff Bezos).

How I add value

I constantly envision ways to improve and upgrade.  I’m able to generate ideas that surprise people with a new perspective.  I bring results through innovation, focus and high-employee engagement.

My leadership style

I believe that managers motivate through carrots and sticks, which is great when you want compliance. But when I want engagement or innovation, I lead and inspire from the front or the middle of the pack.  I prefer situational leadership, which is appropriate for the type of work and the person’s motivation.

However, at a much deeper level, I identify with being a Servant Leader, Inside-Out Leader and Transformational Leader.

What’s a servant leader?

It’s basically putting the team first and myself second.  I do this by listening and understanding the teams individual and collective strengths via StrengthsFinder 2.0.  Why?  When I see leaders get into the bad habit of thinking that other people are there to support their success, they’re actually not leaders, they’re tyrants.  From emotional, psychological and spiritual transformations, I’ve realized my role isn’t to be self-serving and a short-term leader but people-serving and a sustainable leader.  I’m measured as a manager by what I produce but I’m judged as a leader by what I give.

What’s an inside-out leader?

As much as I try to separate personal self from my professional leader self, I can’t.  I can’t create a vision, a strategy and change plan for a team or organization if I haven’t done it for myself.  I lead by virtue of who I am.  Therefore, I go through a conscious self-reflective journey to grow as a whole person and to grow as a whole leader.  I prefer to be open and transparent about what inspires, motivates and gives me purpose.  I role model the behaviors that I’d like to see in others.

What’s a transformational leader?

My purpose in this style is to initiate a new approach to current conditions.  I create inspiring visions of the future, motivate people to buy into the vision.  I have high expectations for myself and set clear focused goals.  I like to stir emotions of people to look beyond the improbable and inspire creativity and innovation.  I may also operate in a way that may seem illogical to some.  For example, I’ll invite junior members to attend “closed-door” meetings so they can learn how the next level collaborates.  This type of leadership is in alignment with my purpose of empowering others to fulfill their purpose and my value of authenticity and transparency.

My professional personality

From MBTI, I’m an ISTJ (aka The Inspector).  I’m practical and fact-minded.  My reliability cannot be doubted.  I see constant improvement.

I’m an analytical problem-solver with a talent for seeing the possibilities and eager to improve processes with my innovative ideas.  I enjoy logical reasoning, analyzing the theory behind what I see and typically focused inward.  I’m perceptive about strategy.  I’m good at making tough decisions and sorting out complex issues.  I excel at managing projects that implement a vision of improved efficiency or innovation.

Famous ISTJs include:

• Warren Buffett
• Jeff Bezos
• Henry Ford
• Queen Elizabeth II
• Condoleeza Rice
• George Washington
• Angela Merkel
• Robert De Niro
• Sting
• Edward Cullen from Twilight

My values

I believe great leaders know themselves better than most people do. Great leaders are extremely self-aware, which is an emotional intelligence trait. Below are my values and what each value means to me.

1. Wisdom (I’m voracious for applied learning)
2. Recognition (I acknowledge others information and skills)
3. Authenticity (I’m transparent even if I’m vulnerable)
4. Perseverance (I’m a survivor; I never give up)
5. Tolerance (I’m compassionate and accepting)

My code of ethics

I’ve developed a test-based formula similar to the West Point ethics system.  I must be able to answer YES to all four questions to determine if an action passes my code of ethics:

1. Front-page test.  Would I do the same if it were reported on the front page of the Wall Street Journal?
2. Role-model test.  Would I ask my children and husband to do the same?
3. Loved-one test.  Will the outcome of my decision keep my children and husband’s physical, financial, emotional and spiritual life relatively the same?
4. Values-based test.  Is the outcome in alignment with my values?

With this formula, I’m quickly able to determine where I draw my line.

My continued growth and development

Externally, I gauge my effectiveness with regular 360 reviews formally and informally. I’m satisfied if my peers use words like courageous, authentic, innovative and confident to define me. I also thrilled if my peers trust to give me honest constructive feedback when I approach them.

I also ensure my life is in alignment with my purpose via a Life Action Plan.  This plan outlines my vision, goals and the micro-strategy steps to get there.  I take a personal retreat quarterly to review my action plan’s progress and plans.

Lastly, I joined an elite group of 10 people that are either like me or that I aspire to be like.  We meet 4 times a year.  This is like a Board of Directors that gives me honest feedback and holds me accountable to my plan.  In return, I give the other members the same blessings and value.