NGC Experience: Ashley Glover

Where were you in your career when you first enrolled in the Foundation for Effective Leadership program?

I work in HR for a software company, and I was in a weird spot. I was a team lead, but I wasn't being paid to be a team lead. I was just being ‘voluntold’ to do a lot of things which included running a lot of the daily functions of the team.

I do a lot of things outside of work as well, including leading a small group at my church. I like to diversify and do a lot of different things to make sure I'm setting myself up long-term and not putting myself in a box.

Why did the program appeal to you? Did you have a specific goal in mind when you enrolled?

After the very first conversation that I had with Brian, I knew I was going to do the program. He has a way of seeing things in a person that resonated with me. 

I'm naturally excited to be around people that can teach me and that I can learn from. In addition, Brian was someone who acknowledged something good in me and my leadership qualities. 

I wanted to grow professionally and move away from this mode of thinking that I’m a leader if I have a title. No, in fact, you're a leader if you have impact and you have influence. 

Your cohort was fully virtual. How did that influence your choice?

I did wonder what the level of engagement was going to be, because I know I am ‘Zoomed’ out. I've been working from home for the past year, and I wondered if I would have the mental capacity to do an all-day workshop.

But I believe that winners find a way, and losers make excuses, so I made it happen. As a contractor, I didn’t have PTO, so I used personal days for each of the five workshops and worked a 40 hour week over 4 days to accommodate the course.

Tell us about the changes you made before you even completed the Foundation program.

I was in a tough situation because I was a contractor. They had just changed the rules to stipulate that if you had not converted to full-time after 18 months, your contract is canceled. And then you have to leave for six months before you can come back,

I took matters into my own hands. In the Foundation program, we went through the Growth model. And it gave me the courage that I needed to have the conversation with my boss that I needed to have. And then I interviewed in another department and got another job, full time.

How would you describe the Foundation program and why it matters?

I would say, get comfortable being uncomfortable. You are going to be stretched and pulled in a lot of different directions, but it's something that you just have to be prepared for. It's something that you have to respect, because leadership is about intentional action, it's not something that just appears. 

You know, I have leaders in my life such as my pastor. I admire how he leads, he’s very vulnerable and very authentic. What you see is what you get. And I think that is something that is not always the case in leadership -- you might see a different person in public versus behind closed doors. 

There’s a stigma that, as a leader, you shouldn’t be vulnerable. You shouldn't tell the people you're leading what's really going on. That is not my leadership style. I am more like, we're in this together. And that's the type of leadership that my pastor has and that Brian has as well. 

Brian has a way of being able to help you discover things in yourself, that you take for granted. He helps you realize that things you naturally do are actually a strength, a skill. He helps you figure out what you need for yourself. He guides you through it, giving you the opportunity to empower yourself to work through your problems and challenges, and not to lean on other people just to give you the answer.

How does the NextGen Community factor into your experience with the program?

There are high-caliber people in the program. I was surprised by the community and relationships I was able to build by just seeing my cohorts once a month and emailing each other in between classes. There are people that I still email every week, checking in on each other, connecting on LinkedIn and just having a relationship that is beyond the class. It’s an intentional step to get to know each person on a deeper level and that's what I experienced.

Who should consider enrolling in the Foundation for Effective Leadership program?

Well, I think everyone needs a Brian Alvo! But really, if you’re considering the program, you just need to be a person who identifies as a leader. You don’t need a title, you just need a growth mindset and a true desire to make an impact.