One of the most rewarding aspects of my career has been taking on the responsibility as a leader.

Empowering a team, collaborating with others and supporting others’ growth is crucial to the success of all organizations. I have been fortunate to see great leaders in action, take continuing education classes to improve my skills and read books that help me reflect and make adjustments as a leader.

I meet regularly with my team to review professional goals, personal goals and to determine any resources needed to assist. I believe in allowing them the autonomy to create strategies to achieve their goals, which helps them take ownership and pride in the results.

Accountability and integrity are values I find important in leadership. We all make mistakes, and how we deal with the mistakes says a lot about our leadership. It is important to own our part in the mistake, acknowledge how it affected the other person or the organization and make adjustments to handle it now and in the future to build trust with others. Some of these conversations are not easy, but integrity is a quality that people respect in leaders.

It is important to identify strengths needed on the team, hear different viewpoints on approaches to issues and encourage employees to take risks.

In addition to being a leader at my organization, I have also taken on leadership roles in professional associations and through a mentoring program for teens.