Mapping the journey of a leader.

Twenty years ago, with my degree in Geography in my pocket, I packed my bags and moved to the States. I left my home, family, and friends behind in search of something bigger.  My English wasn’t excellent, my US geography knowledge was limited, and I knew the software was different from what I used in the past.  But I was sure I wanted to continue my journey as a cartographer.  Map-making was my dream, my passion, and my love.

I knew I had to get out of my comfort zone if I wanted to build my dream career in the States.  I decided to attend a local conference and determined that I would make a connection that would lead to a job.  I picked one of the presenters, handed him my resume, and said: “I need a job.  My English is not very good, and I might not know the software yet, but I’m not afraid of hard work.  I will not disappoint you; that is my promise to you”.   He called a few days later, inviting me for an interview.  I got the internship.

That was just the beginning of my career in the geospatial industry.  I moved from internship to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technician, specialist, and analyst, and every time I made the step forward, I still was searching for more.  I learned from everything and everyone.  I saw what the software could do and how underutilized it was.  I saw the missed opportunities, and I was ready to step up and take the lead.  I wanted to become the voice of GIS in the organization and lead the organization toward success.  I started looking for allies who would join my movement; I reached out to other organizations asking them to join our collaboration efforts.  Slowly I was turning my dream into reality.

I want to grow my career; how do I do that? I want to make a difference. What steps do I need to take? What education do I need to have to be able to be successful?

Once I stepped into the leadership role, I started by expanding my team and developing a strategy to implement my vision and mission- taking GIS beyond what everyone thought was possible.  Over the next few years, I wrote the first ever GIS Strategic Plan; I organized a group of GIS professionals from other agencies to collaborate on data sharing. I presented at conferences.  I created my dream.

Sounds lovely, doesn’t it?  Leadership, like everything else, is a double-sided coin.  It comes with great opportunities, successes, recognition, and money.  But the leadership also has a dark side.  Difficult decisions and choices could lead to loneliness, depression, and isolation.  It was an arduous journey; a journey to self-discovery, compassion, and empathy but also a journey of discovering possibilities, opportunities, and teamwork.  Ultimately, I changed myself; it changed how I showed up as a  leader, mentor, coach, mother, daughter, partner, and friend.

In my coaching, during my first meeting with a client, I ask them, “What is the most important thing today that you can take real value from?” At this point, they begin sharing their story with me, a story very similar to mine: I want to grow my career; how do I do that?  I want to make a difference.  What steps do I need to take, what education do I need to be successful, and so on?  I ask them to tell me where they are, their dream job, or what would make them feel successful.  I listen to their longing and dreams; I see the smile on their face or the sorrow in their eyes when they share the story with me; I hear the pain in their voice or the fear of what-ifs.  I leave the space for them to tell me where they are and what they are longing for.

When I first came to the States, my goal was to get a job in the GIS. I discovered what path I needed to take to get there.  Somewhere along the way, I noticed the longing for something more, something better.  I was on a quest to discover the source of my longing.  I thought working in the GIS was my dream!  Was there more?  I was on a quest to find something better than I had ever imagined for myself.

Robert Ellis explained: “If you’re on a quest, you need to be a leader. A leader is someone who knows how to journey. They aren’t afraid of the unknown. While a path is predictable or easily discoverable and repeatable, a quest is unpredictable (once it has been discovered and becomes repeatable, it’s a path).”

If you find yourself on a similar journey to mine, don’t give up; continue to dream, explore and challenge yourself.  Because you never know what awaits on the other side.  And what an incredible adventure that is!

What is the biggest challenge you had to face as a leader?  What could you do to build your dream career and life?