Style, Substance, and Success: Shauwea Hamilton's Advice for Authentic Leadership

Headshot of Shauwea Hamilton in a black shirt.

“Find a style that is truly your own. Stop feeling like you need to conform to the leadership styles of others.

I asked nonprofit executive Shauwea Hamilton to share a piece of advice she’d give her younger self during our photoshoot.

“I got stuck modeling the behaviors I saw in other leaders. None of them were authentic to me and ended up limiting my growth. As soon as I found the space to connect with how I want to show up as a leader, I was able to advance to the positions I always knew I could achieve.

“For me, it was less of a specific ‘aha’ moment, and more of an ongoing discovery. I found and connected with a coach who helped me understand who I was as a leader and who I wanted to be. We spent over a year unpacking the layers that built up over the two decades of my career to hone in on that answer. Then, I experienced a challenge when I took a role where I was not a good fit organizationally and I struggled to find my footing. Those two experiences were the perfect storm that ultimately led me to the clarity I now hold.”

“It was through this coaching journey that I got excited to become a coach myself. I’m in the process of setting up my presence as a coach and I wanted to have pictures that represent who I am now. I was so excited to go through this process with Alissa. I felt seen in the studio with Alissa and that translates to the most phenomenal pictures I've seen of me.”

Thanks, Shauwea, for sharing your wisdom.

 

About Alissa

Alissa is a professional headshot photographer who creates photos that capture your essence. Alissa is based in New Jersey and provides her headshot services in NJ and NYC. Check out more of Alissa’s portfolio on the homepage, and read more photo stories on the blog.

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Success Without Stress: Jennifer Shapiro's Wisdom on Calmness and Effective Problem-Solving

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