There is a common theme I’ve noticed with the companies I partner with: each company that invests in development has one person that spearheads the idea from start to finish; a culture champion.

I joined Hanna Hasl-Kelchner on her podcast, Business Confidential Now. We had a great conversation, and there were three questions in particular that Hanna asked of me that resonated closely with what we talk about in our program.

In mid-September, we hosted a complimentary lunch and learn webinar called “Lead with Intent.” I presented material to help attendees identify their particular style and start thinking about how they can grow into their vision of leadership.

There are many exciting things that have unfolded and continue to unfold for NextGen Center. To start with, the Fall 2020 cohort of the Foundation for Effective Leadership program will be fully virtual.

This month, we hosted a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion webinar for our community and partners. We had 40+ attendees from 20+ companies, and it was one of the most powerful experiences we’ve had.

I did something different. I provided a roundtable for CEOs and founders, in hopes we might crowdsource some of these issues. And also to help them realize that they weren’t alone.

As I’ve reflected upon the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, I kept coming back to a conversation I had with Pashara Black a few years ago about systemic racism, as we shared a cup of coffee at Beyu Caffe in Downtown Durham.

I don’t recommend many books, but one that I have recommended many times is one that a client recommended to me several years ago, called Multipliers. And it’s especially relevant right now.

I write this as the crisis around COVID-19 has the country firmly in its grasp, and I see something unique in the leaders I speak to and consult with.

I had multiple coaching calls over the past week, which was our first week under the work-from-home mandate. Almost all of my calls gravitated toward the same sentiment, which is that we are in a challenging and unprecedented situation right now and the unknowns are piling up.

Local leaders are the ultimate example of people making an impact. That’s why I was pleased to welcome Steve Schewel, the Mayor of Durham, to talk about servant leadership what it means to him to be a local leader in a servant role.

I want to highlight that one of the activities we emphasize in our training programs -— and that I encourage everyone to do — is to take time to reflect. The end of the year is a natural time to do that.