The Leadership Doc

A beautiful day to celebrate the graduates of the Centennial Class at Albertus Magnus College. As I wrap up my 23rd year at Albertus, commencement continues to be one of my favorite moments of the year; a chance to honor the incredible students from the Master of Science in Management and Organizational Leadership program, along with all the undergrad and graduate students who earned their degrees.

A bit humbling that I’ve made it to the front row of the faculty, I’m not the ‘young professor’ anymore!

There’s no better feeling than watching your children achieve their goals and move closer to their dreams.

The past couple of days were especially special as my son graduated from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and earned his Juris Doctorate.

While watching him walk across the stage filled me with pride, what impacted me most was when someone at a restaurant he frequented during law school stopped what he was doing to come talk to us and tell me what an amazing person Ben is. That meant more to me than I can explain.

Watching him move closer to his dream of becoming a Judge Advocate in the U.S. Marine Corps fills me with so much pride and respect.

, I love you and couldn’t be more proud of you!

The First G of my Leadership in 5G framework is GET UP.

Great leadership starts with self awareness. Before we lead anyone else, we need to understand who we are as leaders.

This is my “Defining Leadership” worksheet, a tool I use with clients and students all the time.

I encourage you to complete it, share your definition of leadership, and have your team do the same. One of the biggest mistakes organizations make is assuming everyone views leadership the same way. They don’t.

I hope this helps you identify how you can do more as a leader today than you did yesterday.

Mothers live the 5Gs of Leadership every single day.

They GET UP when they’re exhausted.

They GET OUT THERE for the moments that matter.

They GET TO KNOW THEIR PEOPLE better than anyone.

They GIVE THEM WHAT THEY NEED.

And eventually… they GET OUT OF THE WAY so their children can grow into who they’re meant to become.

That’s leadership.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers, grandmothers, and motherly figures out there. Thank you for the leadership you provide every day.

There’s a reason flight crews tell you to put your own oxygen mask on first.

You can’t help anyone if you’re gasping for air.

Leadership is no different.

In my 5G Network of Leadership, it starts with the first G, Get Up.

Lead yourself first.
Protect your energy.
Build the foundation everything else depends on.

You’re better off showing up at full strength most of the time than being “always on” at half capacity.

Take care of you so you can show up fully for them.

“Realizing your potential, reaching your potential, and helping others to reach theirs as well, that’s leadership.”

It’s not just about what you achieve, it’s about who you help grow along the way.

What a night! I’m grateful to serve on the Board of Directors for Homes for the Brave, to serve on the comedy night committee, and to emcee this great event. We were entertained by three incredibly funny veteran comedians who came out to support our veterans in need, and they certainly entertained! Thanks to our sponsors and the 300+ attendees, we raised over $60K for our veterans!

Huge shoutout to the incredible staff and volunteers at Homes for the Brave, to my committee, for the hard work, and to Connecticut comedy for cash for producing the event.

If you’re not familiar with Homes for the Brave, I encourage you to learn more or connect with me. Their impact is real, and I’m proud to contribute in any way I can.

Hopping on the latest AI trend, a caricature of me in action! Copilot and ChatGPT had different interpretations of the same picture, so I’m sharing both. A good reminder that in leadership, people can look at the same thing and see something completely different.

What did you think? Is this me?