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