I worked for over 20 years in a career I loved.
Not just liked, loved.
I worked with families and children from birth through adolescence. My work fitted my life and my values, even when we were stationed overseas. The people I worked with weren’t just coworkers; we lived around each other. Work and life were closely connected.
As I grew in my career, I moved into leadership roles. Leadership was fast-paced, mission-focused, and all business. My leaders were a mix of active-duty military and civilians. The higher I went, the more responsibility I carried, and the faster everything moved.
When it was my turn to lead, I was excited.
I knew the mission.
I felt equipped.
I arrived ready to serve.
And yet, there was something I didn’t realize at the time.
I was trained to lead the work, not the people.
I cared deeply about my team. I checked in. I encouraged. But there were moments when my care wasn’t received the way I intended. I remember addressing missed deadlines by reviewing expectations and standards, only to later learn there was grief and exhaustion quietly in the background. My intention was support, but what landed was pressure.
That gap mattered.
Years later, research helped me understand what I was experiencing. Studies show that managers play a major role in employee engagement and well-being. Workplaces that support personal growth experience less burnout, stronger trust, and better performance.
Leadership without personal growth creates exhaustion for employees and leaders alike.
Personal growth at work doesn’t mean fixing people. It means slowing down enough to listen. Asking questions that go beyond tasks. Noticing when someone is carrying more than their fair share of the workload. Creating space before burnout shows up.
The mission still matters. Readiness still matters. But when people are supported as humans, the mission becomes stronger, not weaker.
This is why I created Embracing Wellness Through Personal Growth – Employee Wellness.
It was born from what I lived and what I learned. It is a belief that leaders need more than policies and procedures; they need tools to support the whole person. Because when leaders grow, teams grow. And when people are well, work works better.
I don’t regret the leader I was. But I lead differently now.
This journey taught me that strong leadership and personal growth are not separate; they belong together. That understanding is my why, and it’s the foundation of everything I build and offer today.