Colin Powell said it best:

Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their
problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either
lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either
case is a failure of leadership.

To know me is to know/understand that I take pride in being the type of

leader that cares. A leader that models what it looks like to care and an
advocate of creating a culture of care within the place I work. By
holding this reality close and true to my heart I was able to create the
points of engagement for Trotter which include:

Compassion
Affirmation
Reflection
Education
Support

(The acronym itself spells out CARES)

Last week when Pastor Ryan spoke about being a COE instead of a
CEO..that truly spoke to me. I in fact have always seen myself as the
Creator and Collector Of Experiences. I guess that is why I was so easily
able to name myself the Authoress of Extraordinarily Amazing
Experiences. But it wasnt until I took this class that I had a chance to
look deeper into myself to understand FULLY what that means; as well
as, the vocabulary to engage in conversations around both how I show
up, how I am perceived, how I relate to and work with others. Both
pulling at and exemplifying each others strengths, but also looking at
weaknesses or challenges as areas of growth and development.

As an ENFP I am by design or gift mix an Extravert, Intuitive, Feeler

and Perceiver. Which simply stated indicates that I love to inspire others
and I work hard to make sure those I lead know that I value them. By
default I give people the benefit of the doubt which at times has left me
to carry the load alone. I consider myself to be emotionally intelligent
and sensitive. Many decisions made as a leader are informed by the
consensus of the people I lead and work with. I live for a good
collaboration and I am ok with adapting to meet the needs of all those I
engage with. They say I should be a celebrity musician, talk show host,
or theater actor. Which doesnt surprise me because I have always loved
the art of creative expression.

My top 5 potential strengths as a leader include:

1. Generating Ideas
a. Which speaks to one of my strengths: Ideation
2. Reading People
a. A skill that speaks to the Human Resource Frame
i. I tune in fully to the ways a person shows up. And
allow that to lead me when making decisions around
staffing
3. Customizing Communication & Building Consensus (Empathy)
a. the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Which also speaks to one of my strengths
4. Collaboration
a. I yearn for the moments when I can bring out the best in
others.

An ENFP is never going to be what you were looking for. They are
everything you didn't know you wanted to find.

My temperament style is NF
1. I value inclusivity and authenticity. I loathe those who are
disingenuous. Conflict is a threat to harmony and I will work my
hardest to address those things that threaten the organization. I will
not accept a culture of care. Differences are what make us rock and
I encourage the embracing of that.
We know from myths and fairy tales that there are many different kinds
of powers in this world. One child is given a light saber, another a
wizard's education. The trick is not to amass all the different kinds of
power, but to use well the kind you've been granted.
Susan Cain, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't
Stop Talking

Strengths Inventory:
1. Ideation
a. I desire to make connections. And I am fascinated by ideas. I
get lost in the land of ideas sometimes
2. Empathy
a. As a leader I place extreme value in sensing the feelings of
other and allowing that to guide me certain situations. I am
big on caring not only in word but in action. This builds trust.
3. Communication-As a leader I lean fully into my ability to
communicate. I lead by successfully sharing my thoughts in away
that allows for understanding and I seek understanding from other
through communication.
a. One of my favorite sayings is: Give it to me straight no
chaser
4. Strategic
a. I am a strong believer of the thought process that there is
more than one way to get to nine (9) and in that allows for
me as a leader to be open to the thought processes of others.
5. Adaptability
a. As a leader I take it one day at a time. Something I have
always said about my work at Trotter is that no one day is
alike and Im totally ok with that

As a leader I unapologetically believe that you must stand for something

or you will fall for anything. I take pride in leading from two frames

In the work that I currently do: Human Resource and Symbolic.

1. Human Resource: Which to me is getting to know the people
that I lead on a deeper level and giving them roles that utilize
their strengths and unique abilities. When people are given a
supportive stage to function from they give their best selves.
Showing up and showing out becomes a part of their work ethic.
2. Symbolic: The symbolic frame recognizes that by exploring the
various stories, heroes, values, and vision that create the culture
of an organization provides roots to the members to be
motivated in achieving the goals of the group. This leads to
loyalty. I always tell my boss that we should strive to be leaders
who are loyal to the people, not loyal to the idea of loyalty; and
in return we encourage loyalty in the people who we lead.

The 2 theories that impact, inform and govern my work include:

1. Pyscho-Social Theories such as:
a. Chickerings 7 Vectors of Identity Development
i. Chickering referred to identity as students concepts
of themselves as autonomous, independent people
with carefully articulated opinions, beliefs, talents,
skills, and ethics. He suggested that the development
of students identities is the foremost issue during
students college years.
1. As a leader who a student is matters most to
me. Each student is more than their unique
name and student id #. Who they are lends
itself to a practitioner within higher eds ability
to serve each student at the level or vector they
exist within. This helps to shape how I work
with my student staff.
b. Phinneys Theory of Racial and Ethnic Identity
Development
i. Which if you can remember I spent a little time
facilitating a class around social/salient identity in
Lenae Gills American College Student class and
how I approached the lesson from both the lens of
 you as a student and the lens of you as a practitioner.
Knowledge of self signs the permission for others to
be aware of who they are and to the capacity to
understand how that informs the way one might
show up. Whether thats a student staff were
working with a student who we are supporting
through our work.
ii. I use this theory heavily when it comes creating
programming that speak to heritage months; as well
as, when it comes to creating dialogic spaces.