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Leader Identity Narrative

Kyungae Won

Arizona State University

Pro-Seminar II

Dr. Janice Lawhorn

October 30, 2022

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The quote by Albert Einstein, "Learn from yesterday, live for today, and hope for

tomorrow," resonates with me because through learning, I can create and choose a better path for

myself. In full transparency, it's easier to reflect now, but my "yesterday" is past 50 years. I am

hopeful for tomorrow because I continue learning and living today. Growing up, I was focused

on what I thought I should do because my parents sacrificed their livelihood to ensure my sisters

and I could have the "American dream" and live happily ever after. And then there's the term

coined by William Petersen in 1966 called the model minority. He observed the strong work

ethic and family values that he claimed perpetuated the success of the people of Asian ethnicity.

The thought is since Asian families work and study hard, they will be successful. This spilled

into education when an Asian student is expected to do well in science, math, and music because

they were born Asian. This expectation and need to satisfy what society expected from me were

difficult. Unfortunately, rather than driving me to do better, it led me away from what was

expected. My paths were obstructed by constantly asking why I needed to do something I didn't

think I was good at or wanted to do. My middle and high school years had some mid-to-high

turning points, with several lows during my early adult life. In the last fifteen years, I have had

more mid-to-high turning points.

Additionally, during the low turning points, I struggled with collecting myself and getting

on the right path. Still, at this point in my life and career, I have the skills to recognize the

situation and adjust as necessary to get back on the right path. This assignment was more than

just reflecting on the turning points as a leader and an individual with various influences that

impacted my choices throughout my life. I appreciate having this platform to share and allow me

to gather further insight into the choices I've made up until now. From here, I can learn from

them, apply what I have learned, stay on the path to being a great leader and have joy in my life.
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The earliest recollection of the turning point that impacted me is when I was elected as the

Secretary of the student government in my high school senior year. This was somewhere

between mid to high because I ran for Secretary. After all, I didn't think my peers would see me

in a leadership role in either the President or Vice President role. So, I played it safe, hoping I

was a better candidate for a lesser responsible position. It turned out that in a town where it's

predominantly white, and there were "cliques" in the school, I was pleasantly surprised and made

my parents proud to be elected. It also gave me a sense of relief because it gave one of my

younger sisters exposure to the seniors she didn't have until then. This paved the way for her to

try out for the cheerleading squad, making the team and getting accepted to the "clique" she so

desperately wanted to be part of. Fortunately for our youngest sister, her time at the same high

school was more manageable. Still, she lived in the shadow of our other sister and me.

My role as the Secretary allowed me to be part of something bigger than I thought was

possible at that time. Additionally, I knew this would look like my high school transcript when

applying for college. As the Secretary, I was more than just a Korean girl who attended the same

school. I helped plan for school activities and helped propose a student lounge that would allow

us to be with our friends and not just hang out in the hallway. One of my biggest takeaways from

this role was when I dared to speak up; my peers listened, which gave me confidence. I

suggested relocating the trash cans so they're more accessible for the students throughout their

trash. Through my observation and walking the property, I shared that we have several trash cans

that are not being utilized and missing from where it's needed most, the hallways. I made this

argument to our administrators with the support of the student government body, and the

trashcans were relocated to suitable locations. It took no time before the paper wads didn't litter

our hallways and the cleanliness of our school was noticeable. The best part was the appreciation
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from the janitorial personnel because it gave them the time to do what they needed to do rather

than picking up after the students. At that moment, I realized people would listen when you can

explain effectively how a change can improve the current state as well as their life, they will

listen. A simple thing such as relocating trash cans made the janitors, students, and

administrators happy because it kept our school cleaner.

With a newfound confidence and excitement to learn that my viewpoints and suggestions

can make a positive impact, I wanted to continue this path at the University of Central Florida.

Reality sat in immediately through the magnitude of the number of students and different

personalities and backgrounds I was exposed to early on. I again struggled with losing my

identity and purpose because I felt lost and defeated. Why did I think this way? My confidence in

making a convincing argument to make a change seemed irrelevant and trivial in the university

setting. I mean, who was I kidding? I merely suggested moving trash cans; who would care about

that? My desire to have a sense of belonging and be part of something bigger was gone. All I

cared about at the time was hoping my professors don't realize I was absent from class. The end

of the first semester was my lowest turning point because not only did I drop out of school, my

parents were disappointed. I felt like a failure and didn't know my life's purpose. Looking back,

it's silly to think I could transfer the momentum from a small school to a university of such scale.

Fast forward a few years, with a few ups and downs, I had an opportunity to be an office

manager for a construction company. This was a mid to high turning point for me because, up

until then, without a college degree, my choices for decent job opportunities were limited. I took

this role to learn from the training and build relationships with industry professionals. To my

surprise, the importance of treating people with respect and dignity stood out because I observed

firsthand the difference in behaviors between the workers, clients (stakeholders), and people in
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the office. When I observed the employees' interactions with our boss, they were agreeable and

looked happy. I thought they were putting on a face because he was the boss. When the foreman

or other supervisors addressed them, sometimes it seemed like they ignored the directions and

their communication efforts. It took some time, but what was evident once I realized it was our

boss was always talking to the workers with respect and making them feel valued. He also tried

to give them bonuses when the job was completed on time and with minimum setbacks. The

forepersons and supervisors told them what to do and put pressure instead of talking to them like

human beings. I realized how vastly different the approach between the boss and the supervisors

were, but I didn't know why. All I knew was that I wanted people to react to me positively, as

these workers were for our boss, so I watched how I spoke and approached them. It was simply

watching my tone, words, and nonverbal cues and, of course, thanking them for their hard work.

Recognition and appreciation went far with them.

As much as I learned working as an office manager, I realized being around people, and

uplifting them brought me happiness. This led me to join Starbucks because it was a space where

I could build relationships and look to grow, and I was not frowned upon because I lacked a

college degree. I applied the valuable lesson of how important it is to treat others with respect

and dignity, and I was committed to living with that in mind. Starbucks provided me with a sense

of identity and purpose. It's similar to how I would describe when I met my husband; I just knew

it felt right. As I grew into my role as a Shift Supervisor, it wasn't a high turning point in my

career because I faced several challenges to overcome. For the first time, I had to consider the

needs of others while supporting my manager. It required building relationships, navigating, and

prioritizing to meet the needs of different stakeholders.

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As part of my growth, I volunteered to organize the district partner appreciation picnic.

This was an excellent opportunity to showcase my planning and prioritizing skills and build

relationships with peers across 14 stores in our district. Through collaboration and support from

the district manager, I delegated responsibilities to others on the planning team. The planning

included picking the day of the week, a centralized location, activities to accommodate not just

the partners but their families, and, most importantly, the menu. Our district has many

vegetarians, so recognizing their preferences was vital to show partner care. After almost five

weeks of planning and organizing, the picnic was a success. Our peers, managers, and district

manager recognized us for a successful event. This was a high turning point because it showed I

could work well with others while leading ad executing with purpose.

Other opportunities to show my leadership capabilities arose, and I was promoted to the

assistant store manager(ASM). This should be another high point. However, I was in this role for

an extended period, which impacted my confidence and frustration and affected how I showed

up as a leader. As an ASM, I supported my manager and partners(employees) to achieve and

exceed sales goals. I often was the one who was working shoulder to shoulder with the team.

After a few months, I was approached by another district manager to join their team. But this

meant leaving the team I had helped build and starting fresh with partners I was unfamiliar with

or those who may not know my skill sets and my strengths and weaknesses.

I approached my district manager and shared my thoughts on this new opportunity. I will

never forget what he asked me. He asked me if I trusted him to do what was in my best interest.

Initially, this question baffled me. The only question I had for my DM was, "Do you trust me to

succeed as a manager, a people leader?". We had an honest conversation, and he expressed why

he was waiting to give me my store. It's not because I am not capable but because he wanted to
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make sure he could set me up to succeed. So, his indecisiveness kept me from moving into my

next role. Fortunately, shortly after this conversation, he found a store he thought was a perfect

fit for me. What came next was the lowest turning point, followed by several high turning points

in my career and life.

Trusting my district manager that he placed me in a store to help me succeed was short-

lived, as the promotion timing came right before the holidays. South Florida is not just the most

beautiful time of the year but also the busiest. Staffing was an opportunity because of the

downtown location, and the volume of the business was too great for some partners. Many days I

felt incapable of being a leader or even knowing the business to deliver results. I was lost; the

person who started the journey to serve others was also lost. I caught myself dictating and

micromanaging my shift supervisors and often showing frustration in front of the team and

customers. I was lost and felt walls crashing down. It was similar to the overwhelming feeling I

had first entering UCF almost fifteen years prior. The turning point was reflecting on my journey

and why I wanted to be in the manager role. This allowed me to turn what could have been the

end of my career at Starbucks into solidifying why I wanted to remain and continue in my

position. I remembered Starbucks' values resonating with me because I have observed and

realized how important it is to treat others the way I want. Kindness and grace will make a

positive impact on others as well as our communities. I've been in my role for eight years.

Although I work for a for-profit organization, it's only possible to achieve the goals set before us

by surrounding myself with those with similar values and purpose. When I recognized this and

accepted its simplicity yet, significance, how I showed up and supported my partners changed.

This also led to a couple of other high turning points when I was awarded the Spirit of Starbucks

for my involvement in bringing AAPI awareness to my local community and my fellow Asian
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partners. I spoke up and shared the importance of our names because it's one thing that truly

belongs to us and provides us with our identity. Additionally, through a partnership with our

local municipality, May has been recognized as AAPI heart gage month through the passing of

the proclamation. Another high point was when I received Community Champion Award for my

involvement in building relationships and inspiring the partners to give back to those less

fortunate. This meant a great deal because my passion for inspiring others to give, serve, and

help others in need has started to have some traction. My cadence has been connecting on how

we can be more involved in the communities we are part of by simply being kind to those who

walk through our doors. Also, I am showing them the importance of reflecting and focusing on

the positive because when we are grateful, we can help others.

The recent high turning point is receiving a notification I've made it on the Dean's list

again at Arizona State University. This gives me the strength and perseverance to continue my

efforts and commitment and makes my family proud. I am grateful to have the support system at

home and at Starbucks for giving me the manager role and flexibility. Until recently, I have been

fortunate to have the necessary time to focus on school because I can schedule myself.

Unfortunately, when there's a staffing shortage, I am the one who has to cover that gap. I plan to

get my team back to where we were because, with the holidays upon us, my goal is to support

the partners the best I can by mitigating stress due to a lack of staffing. As a leader, I aim to

provide an environment where they can thrive and feel supported. I want to have a plan and have

my partner's trust that I will do everything within my capabilities to take care of them. I want my

partners to trust me as I did my district manager. The school has had its share of ups and downs,

but I am determined to maintain on the right path and finish strong.

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Additionally, I am grateful for the resources and knowledge I have learned throughout the

courses to share and apply in my current role. My ultimate goal is to support, encourage, and

provide guidance to partners and bring out their best version each day. I want to be in a role

where I can inform the partners of what's possible and available for them to be happy and

successful through effective communication.

Recently I applied for a role that would allow me to participate in the support center

helping guide the partners when they have questions or concerns. I hope to interview and get the

position. Still, regardless of the outcome, I am proud to have taken this chance, and if this doesn't

pan out, I know there will be other opportunities, and I can accept that and it’s my high turning

point.

There have been multiple reflection assignments in other OGL courses, and they all have

brought to the forefront something about myself that I did not know. However, with this

assignment, going back as far as I did, at least now I can accept why I made the choices at those

moments. It also clarifies some of the questions I've had in the past and present. Nothing will

justify the disappointments and heartaches I've caused my family. Still, I am more conscientious

and can take my experiences and knowledge to be a better person, bring joy to others, and

appreciate it in my life. It's necessary to have a range of low to high turning points in our lives

because without the struggles and celebrations, how can we have gratitude and the chance to

change our course? I will have one more plot on the graph in May of 2023, which will be a high

turning point to see the pride on my parents and loved ones' faces.