Shannon Reed
Portfolio Manager- Income, United Way
Sitting in the United Negro College Fund headquarters for my first session of the Masters Series for Distinguished Leaders (MSDL) was unfathomable. Some days, I still can’t believe I was chosen to be here. As I sat waiting, I kept thinking of all of the leaders who had come through this building. The leaders, both past and present, who have made a tremendous impact on our society. Then here I was, in the very same spot where those same leaders had met, came up with ideas and developed important strategies. I was honored and excited.
The series started with a wonderful welcome from Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, the founder of MSDL and Dr. Thurman Evans, a leadership coach. We were given a brief overview of the course objectives, then had an opportunity to get to know the other leaders in the room. Within a couple of hours, leaders from all over the country were sharing their personal journeys to leadership.
The MSDL six month course is going to challenge and most likely change my leadership philosophy. In this class, we discussed different leadership titles. Dr. Williams-Skinner told us to always remember that there are many titles for the different kinds of leadership roles: Executive Director, Manager, Supervisor, Principal, Team Leader, to name a few; however, those are just titles – they name what you do, not who you are. As leaders, we are challenged to define who we are, but we need to always remember, that who we are is separate, from what it is we do.
The next day, we were informed about a community service project that we must complete for the course. I was assigned to work with the Ron W. Walters Leadership and Public Policy Center. The expectations for this project have left me feeling nervous, but excited because I know this new challenge push me to take risks and learn more about my own abilities as a leader.
As I continue on my journey through this series, I look forward to sharing with you reflections on the activities that I will experience throughout this six month course. Although I already know it will help build my capacity as a leader, I also hope it may potentially inspire you to see the importance of what it means to be a purpose-driven leader.