13 Leadership Lessons from 13 Years in One Organization

Today, I celebrate 13 years with Junior Achievement of Georgia and 17+ total years in public service (including 2.75 years with the Peace Corps and 2 years with PAHO/WHO). When you dedicate your life to this field, you learn a thing or two.

Here are 13 leadership lessons I want to share as I mark this milestone.

Lesson 1: Leadership is EQ

Leaders with high emotional intelligence tend to be better decision-makers, not because they’re smarter, but because they understand themselves and people. According to Harvard Business Review, emotional intelligence is what helps leaders coach teams, manage stress, deliver feedback, and collaborate effectively. EQ is a continuous learning process, so be patient.

Lesson 2: Adaptability and resourcefulness are survival skills

This is one of our core competencies at my current nonprofit, and it’s one of my favorites. I always encourage my team to strengthen it because adaptability builds grit. It prepares you to navigate uncertainty, pivot when needed, and survive situations you didn’t plan for.

Lesson 3: Lead with empathy

Leading (not managing) diverse teams is now the norm. Many teams include baby boomers, millennials, and Gen Z, all approaching work and life differently. Leaders who adapt their communication style and expectations to meet people where they are will always stand out.

Lesson 4: Know your why

Every role comes with tasks you don’t love but still need to do. There will be moments when you question your impact or feel like giving up. Returning to your “why” grounds you. It reminds you who you are and why your work matters.

Lesson 5: Change is inevitable

There are two types of change: forced and voluntary. Leaders must learn to navigate both. That’s why change management continues to grow as a field. As an originator (23 score) on the Change Style Indicator Test, I thrive in change - but what people don’t always see is that change has been a constant in my life since childhood.

Lesson 6: Influence where you are

Influence is not dictated by title. You can lead from any seat in an organization. Once you understand that, you stop waiting for permission and start moving with intention. You can do this by building trust, credibility, and momentum wherever you are planted. As you grow, remember your roots.

Lesson 7: Office politics are here to stay

Did you cringe when you read the title? I know office politics can feel exhausting. But they exist. Learning the unwritten rules of your organization is a form of social listening. It sharpens discernment and prepares you for more complex leadership spaces. This is not about being fake. This is about being strategic.

Lesson 8: Trust the process

Growth is rarely linear. Some seasons will feel slow, invisible, or frustrating. Trusting the process means staying committed even when progress isn’t immediately visible. Over time, consistency compounds, and you’ll see the fruits of your labor.

Lesson 9: Leadership is not about you

Public service will humble you quickly. Ego cannot coexist with the kind of leadership that builds strong teams. Your job is to guide people toward a shared vision, own mistakes when they happen, and protect your team, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Lesson 10: Learn your leadership style

There are four leadership styles: authoritarian, servant, authentic, and democratic. Over time, experience will help you discover what aligns with your values. It took me nearly a decade to fully embrace authentic leadership. My team knows it. My leaders know it. And I no longer apologize for it. I embrace it.

Lesson 11: Time and place matter

There is a time and place for everything. Discernment - one of my boss’s favorite words - separates good leaders from great ones. Knowing when to speak, when to listen, and how to share feedback strategically positions you as a thoughtful leader.

Lesson 12: Learn how to manage up

Leadership isn’t just about managing down. Managing up and across the organization is essential to advancing ideas, building alignment, and getting things done. This skill matters at every career stage. Developing this skill is what helped me grow in the Peace Corps and at JA.

Lesson 13: Focus on the reward

In nonprofit work, the reward is impact. Are we preparing our teams for growth? Are we seeing behavior change in the people we serve? Are our relationships strong enough to sustain us when things go wrong?

If impact feels absent, disengagement follows. As Dorie Clark says, “The best way to make progress is to make progress.” Deep impact takes time, planning, and collective effort—but the work is worth it.

Being a leader today is hard work. We must constantly evolve by learning across generations, adapting to new work environments, and confronting obstacles that challenge our ability to lead with purpose.

But if you’re still here, still learning, still committed, that means something.

Thirteen years in one organization taught me that leadership isn’t about how fast you can get the next promotion. It's about the legacy you leave behind.

To many more years of leadership!