Who Shaped the Way You Lead?

For me?
My Mom.
And Angela Bower.

(If you remember Angela Bower, you’ve just officially aged yourself alongside me. 😉)

As a little girl, I’d watch my mom slip on her blazer and head out the door to work.
She was confident. Driven. Professional. And kind.

I admired the way she carried herself and I tried to emulate it.
I’d dress up in her clothes, set up a pretend office, and recruit my friends to take fake phone messages for hours. (Yes, hours.)

When I wasn’t doing that, I was watching reruns of Who’s the Boss?
Angela Bower, creative, assertive, and respected in the boardroom (sidenote: also single, with a male housekeeper. Pretty cutting edge back then!) And I loved her for it.

Even then, I knew I wanted to lead like that.
With intention.
With impact.

The Power of What We Model

Of course, I’ve been shaped by many more leaders along the way, mentors, clients, colleagues, and people I’ve coached. But it’s those early influences that remind me that people are always watching us.

Children. Peers. Employees. Customers.
They’re learning not just from what we say, but from how we show up.

How we handle challenges.
How we make decisions.
How we lead with clarity (or don’t.)

It’s why I believe so deeply in purpose-driven leadership and brand alignment.
Because your leadership is your brand.
Whether you’re aware of it or not, you’re building it every day in your actions, your energy, your tone, and your choices.

What Story Are You Telling?

So I’ll ask you the same thing I’ve been reflecting on myself:

Who shaped the way you lead?
And just as importantly, who’s watching you now?

Are you leading in a way that inspires others to think bigger?
To aim higher?
To lead with purpose themselves?

That’s the heart of authentic leadership.
It’s the intersection of who you are, what you believe, and how you choose to show up in the world.

Final Reflection

You don’t need a stage to be a leader.
You just need to live in a way that makes others believe they can lead, too.