Have you ever felt like you were a kid back in high school, only as an adult? That is how I felt for the first hour of Leadership Kenosha. It wasn’t until I relaxed and started mingling that I came to realize this was going to be an extremely impactful program that I will use for the rest of my life. On the first day we did the “Real Colors” training, which guided me to discover what personality type or color I was. It also taught me how to interact with and have compassion and understanding for those who are a different personality type than me. I would have assumed I would have gravitated most towards my fellow golds but it was quite the contrary. I found that I had a lot in common with people from the other color groups - blue, orange and green.
After the “Real Colors” training, we headed off to OWLS (Outdoor Wisconsin Leadership School) where we did many group activities. This was essential in getting to know my cohort. What I learned there was how important it is to have effective communication and how different ways of communication can be more successful depending on the type of person you are communicating with. Those who are more timid or shy may not take kindly to having direct orders given to them. They may prefer eye contact and more of a conversation along with follow up questions to ensure understanding. This has shown me that wherever I go, I should take the time to observe the people I am interacting with and adapt my actions accordingly.
An attribute of a great leader is the ability to sit quietly and let other leaders emerge. It was very humbling, as I was surrounded by many great leaders and professionals. It can be easy to put my world and life into a box and forget that there is so much more out there. It is important to realize that, because when a person has that mentality, they can get stuck in it. The opportunity to grow is always an option. Whether I am looking for it and open to it is the question. After only two days of Leadership Kenosha, I have already been actively looking for ways to grow personally and professionally. This experience has shown me that our community is filled with wonderful people and opportunities.
—Shannon Morris
Posted on
October 2, 2023