KCSpeaks

Each year end, I always look back at my blog posts and do a recap. Some years, I have commented on the most popular. Other years, I have commented on the ones you may have missed.   This year, I was looking back at the year in workforce development and I noticed a theme.   The year 2015 was a year of questions.   Of all the topics that I have covered in my time as a workforce development blogger, nothing has sparked more conversation, comments, and emails than when I just questioned the day to day business of life in workforce development land.   It seems that I am not the only one that asks questions in this industry. This year, I was just the reporter.   The best example of my questions, was a post from September 2015 called “Workforce Development 101: What to Call the People.” The conversation that this post sparked continued on for months past the post.   It seems that in each corner of workforce development land, in each program, there are...

Forget trying to be a leader. You are a leader and you may not realize it. If you read most articles, they will tell you how to be a leader. They all assume you are not a leader.   Instead, I am going to focus on how you are a leader in your professional life or personal life. Voice – Maybe you ask questions no one else does? Do you advocate for yourself or others that could not on their own behalf?   Leaders carry a presence in the language they use with themselves or others. Their decisions, thoughts, beliefs lead a lasting impression other people. Visibility - Leaders always end up front and center, no matter the situation. Perhaps you are taking an exercise class and ended up in the front row everyone watches you.   Maybe you are suddenly singing louder in the choir?   Perhaps you were the person in the middle in the group picture? Leaders have a natural born presence to them. They somehow end up getting seen and do not easily blend in the background....