Growing up, my dad demonstrated the importance of doing things right the first time. Whether it was work, home repairs, or managing money, he never took shortcuts. He applied the same mindset as a father by teaching me through hands-on experience and showing me the value of doing things the right way.
“If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?” - John Wooden
A lesson in the yard
I realized this life lesson recently when turning on our sprinkler system had caused a large water bill. We could have made quick fixes but instead chose to replace parts and rerun lines. Putting in the work now will save time, money, and effort in the long run.
What my dad preached through my childhood makes a difference, I didn’t think twice about putting in the extra effort once we got started. This same mindset of doing the hard work upfront applies beyond home projects, it’s a principle that carries into personal growth and leadership.
Growth requires practice
I started my career with a foundation in accounting. I had very little work experience being a leader, helping communicate meaningful stories to promote change with a purpose driven mission. I once had very little experience in key areas like operations, lending, compliance, and strategic planning. But practicing and learning in all areas has helped me become a more well-rounded leader for the credit union.
Each area required being intentional about how I show up every day. It’s important to listen and learn from others to build trust and a broader perspective. Being consistent in making room to empower others is foundational to growing influence and becoming a positive leadership example. The best part is always seeing others develop and accomplish more than they thought they could.
Continuing to put in the work
“You’ve got to get over yourself, and work on your weaknesses, so you can get better. Do the hard stuff, so you don’t make those mistakes over and over again. When I retire, I don’t want to say, I wish I did more.” - Kobe Bryant
When I was younger, I loved playing basketball. I would spend time fine-tuning the areas that I excelled at but also made time to close the gaps where I thought I was weak. For example, I was a good shooter. When I got to the gym, I would start with drills to maintain that edge. Shooting with my left hand was uncomfortable, so I practiced layups and gradually moved back, until I made 20 shots from each spot inside 15 feet until it felt natural.
At the time, I was preparing to duplicate highlights on ESPN, not realizing I was focusing on the wrong skills. I might have been an excellent shooter, but I needed to improve my knowledge, vision, and communication to play a team game. I didn’t do the hard things to excel in a team sport, but now that I’ve recognized that, I focus on those traits and use the leadership skills I wish I had at the time to better serve the credit union.
It is ingrained in me that when issues arise, the solutions I see at first may be a band-aid. It’s important to seek other opinions and collaborate to better understand why things are the way that they are, look at the ideal state, and work toward solutions that help improve the system for the long term.
Embracing imperfection
“Imperfections are not inadequacies, they are reminders that we’re all in this together.” - Brene Brown
I strive to think things through and do it right the first time, and I sometimes miss the mark. I’ve been lucky to work for leaders that take the time to remind me that it’s okay to celebrate and be proud of the work that I and everyone has done, even if it wasn’t perfect.
Others tend to show grace when things don’t go perfectly. I try to do the same for myself, and absolutely show grace for others, because we all learn together. Getting to work with others gives us an opportunity to build on successes to get closer to perfection as a team.
Leadership isn’t built in the big moments; it’s built in the little ones
Whether you are trying to be a positive influence for loved ones, focused on performing your daily work tasks, or leading a team, the fundamentals matter. Take time to reflect on your habits—they shape the person and leader you want to become.
Let’s commit to the fundamentals. I encourage you to identify your values and the characteristics that brought you this far and keep improving on those. Solicit feedback from others to gain a new perspective on where you can grow. Seek training that will help you gain the connections, the emotional skills, and technical skills needed to prepare for the next role. Use this information to create goals that you continue to revisit.
Focusing on the fundamentals helps us grow a little every day. When we commit to this consistently, we not only develop ourselves, but we also prepare each other for whatever comes next.
