This last month, we officially welcomed Class 40 into the Scottsdale Leadership family — an incredible milestone that reminds me just how far this organization has come and how vital its mission remains. For the ninth year in a row, I had the privilege of facilitating Welcome Day, where we explore what makes leadership in our community both meaningful and challenging.

 

One of my favorite parts of the day is introducing the Emergenetics® Profile, a tool that helps leaders understand their thinking and behavioral preferences. It gives people a shared language for how they process information, make decisions, and interact with others. And honestly — it’s the kind of insight I wish more leaders had before walking into tough conversations or emotionally charged moments.

 

During the workshop, the class participated in an empathy exercise that always gets people thinking. We grouped participants by their dominant thinking preferences and asked them to create a message for an audience that sees the world completely differently. Within minutes, the room got quiet — not from disinterest, but because everyone was “feeling scratchy.” That’s when I know it’s working. Growth doesn’t happen in comfort; it happens when we stretch to see from someone else’s perspective.

 

That, to me, is the essence of leadership — learning to value someone else’s lens as much as your own. The Platinum Rule reminds us: treat others the way they want to be treated. It’s a subtle but powerful shift that separates good intentions from genuine impact.

 

Class 40 impressed me with their openness. They took risks, asked great questions, and leaned into new perspectives. They didn’t just talk about empathy — they practiced it. And that practice builds leaders who are ready for more than titles; it builds leaders ready for community.

 

Amid the complex challenges Scottsdale faces — and will continue to face — this is the kind of leadership we need: leaders willing to listen deeply, stretch their empathy, and act with both courage and humility. It’s the kind of leadership Scottsdale Leadership has been cultivating in our community for the past forty years, and it’s what will carry us forward for the next forty.

 

The invitation now is simple: let’s keep practicing it — not just in programs and workshops, but in every conversation, decision, and act of service that shapes our city’s future.