Episode 366 - The 5 Leadership Styles That Shaped Me

The very first leader I ever knew was my mom. We didn't have much growing up. Money was tight, life was hard, but my mother taught me the first and most enduring lesson in leadership sacrifice. She would walk over a mile to go to work, work all day, and then walk home. She'd cook for me and my brother, never a plate for herself, and then eat whatever leftovers we didn't finish. That wasn't just parenting, that was leadership. It taught me that leading isn't about being first in line,

It's about being last on purpose. She showed me that real leadership gives it never takes. That lesson has never left me. The next one, the compassionate commander. The next major leadership influence came when I was in the Navy. My company commander was the kind of leader that most people only read about. He was kind, compassionate, and deeply cared about the sailors under his command. But here's the key, he also got the job done. He didn't confuse kindness

with weakness. He taught me that a leader can hold the line and still have a heart. That it's possible to lead with both strength and empathy. That kind of leadership earns loyalty, not just compliance. The next one, the relentless motivator. We're going to fast forward to a very wild chapter of my life, selling knockoff perfume on the streets of South Florida. Yes, you heard that right. It was hot, humid, and exhausting. But my sales manager had a spark in him that I'll never forget. He was

a true motivator. He could fire you up to go out there and sell day after day, even when quitting felt easy. From him, I learned that great leaders don't just manage tasks, they ignite belief. He made me see what I was cap belove, even when I couldn't see it myself. And there is more on this chapter of my life in my first book, The Seven Minute Leadership Handbook, The Cautionary Tale. Then there's the one I don't name, a leader I worked under who was cruel, dishonest, and unethical.

Everything about the way he led made people small. He ruled by fear, manipulation in ego. And though I won't tell you who he was or when I worked for him, I'll tell you this. He was one of the greatest teachers of my life because he taught me how not to lead. That kind of leadership poisons teams, It crushes creativity, and it burns people out. From him, I made a lifelong vow if I was ever in a position to lead,

I'd choose character over control every time. And that brings me to the servant style well I now live, which is very simple my leadership style today. I lead through service. I care deeply about my staff. I make sure that they're okay, I make sure they're fed. I make sure they have someone to turn to when they need help, because sometimes that's the most important thing a leader can offer. I don't sit in some tower barking orders. I lead from within the team, not above it. I'm always available

to them, day or night. Servant Leadership isn't soft, it's strategic. When people know you care, they'll go farther, faster, and with more trust than you can imagine. I've seen it firsthand, I've lived it, and I will never lead any other way. So I'll be honest with you. This was hard and emotional for me putting this episode together and revisiting all these people in my mind and all the lessons that

they taught me. If there's one thing I want you to take from this particular episode, it's this leadership isn't inherited. It's absorbed. It's earned, and it's shaped by the people we meet, the choices we make, and the experiences we survive. So ask yourself what style shaped you? What style are you passing on? And and will you be one of the leaders that shape someone else during their leadership journey. This has been the seven Minute Leadership Podcast, and I thank you for listening.