This module on leadership impact was a meaningful pivot from the broader conversation about leadership styles and moved me into a more personal space — one that forced me to examine the effect of my own leadership, not just its form.
The idea that leadership impact can be either supportive or restrictive was especially clarifying. As a leader in higher education, I sometimes default to processes and procedures because they feel safe and predictable. But processes alone do not inspire. They do not build trust. They do not foster hope. That's the work of leadership — and it requires a different kind of intentionality.
Bennis's Four Tenets of Leadership — provide a sense of purpose, generate and sustain trust, foster hope, and get results — gave me a clear framework to measure my own impact against. What struck me most is that the first three tenets fuel the fourth. Results are not a standalone pursuit; they are the natural outcome of leading people well. When people feel purposeful, trusted, and hopeful, they bring their best to the work. When they don't, no amount of strategy or structure will produce lasting success.
I was also reminded that leadership impact is not always positive. Every leader leaves a wake — the question is whether that wake lifts people up or holds them back. That is a sobering reality, but it's also a challenge worth embracing.
Going forward, I plan to apply what I've learned by:
Regularly checking whether my decisions empower or restrict the people I lead
Starting every major initiative by clearly communicating purpose — not just tasks or deadlines
Being more deliberate about listening as a way to sustain trust over time
Celebrating small wins more often to foster hope, especially in seasons where the work feels heavy
Delegating with intention — not to offload tasks, but to grow future leaders
Leadership, I'm learning, is less about what I do for my team and more about who my team becomes because I lead them. That's the kind of impact I want to leave.
With Benevolence, Shannon
