Running head: Unit 2: Leader Identity Narrative 1

Unit 2: Leader Identity Narrative

Cody M. Summers

Arizona State University

OGL482: Organizational Leadership Pro-Seminar II

Dr. Janice Lawhorn

October 25, 2023

Unit 2: Leader Identity Narrative 2

Unit 2: Leader Identity Narrative

Introduction

Fausto Cercignani once said, “Your identity is like your shadow: not always visible and

yet always present” (LibQuotes, n.d.). Throughout this paper, I explore the different stages of my

life to discover how my life experiences have contributed to my underlying Leader Identity

Narrative. While I have not always had an easy journey, each experience has helped to shape

how I view leadership and influenced the type of leader I am today. To better understand how I

have changed, I utilize the Self-Discovery Exercises that Brad Harrington and Douglas Hall

wrote about to explore the impact of my life events on my leadership style. During this

self-exploration, I analyzed the high and low turning points of my leadership journey throughout

each of the four phases of my life: Childhood, Adolescence, Emerging Adulthood, and Present

Day (Harrington & Hall, 2007). Reflecting on these moments has provided a clear sense of my

leadership identity and how my life experiences have supported its development.

Childhood

High Point of Childhood

When I entered the fourth grade of Elementary school in 2010, my teacher informed my

classmates and I about a field trip opportunity known as “JA Biztown.” This opportunity was

based on a fictional location created by the Junior Achievement of Arizona organization to help

children envision how the material they have learned in school applies to the real world. During

this experience, we were introduced to economic concepts, workplace skills, and business

finance as each student was assigned a role in the town. In these roles, we created business plans,

voted for city officials, filled out paperwork, and had various other responsibilities tied to each

specific career (JA BizTown, n.d.).

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Before entering this town, my teacher informed our class about the opportunity to

become Mayor of this fictional town. Anyone interested in this opportunity needed to launch a

campaign to attract votes from classmates. At this time, I was one of the few who applied, so I

created a campaign poster with an ingenious slogan: “No More Bummers, Vote for Summers.”

After two weeks of rallying votes and making campaign promises to my Elementary

constituents, I became the Mayor of JA BizTown. When assuming this role, I had to wear a suit

for the first time and report to City Hall. In this role, I gave the State of the Union Address,

reviewed the town’s quarterly budgets, and oversaw the public service departments. With no

prior work experience and limited knowledge of managing finances, it was enlightening to learn

about the potential utilization of what we learned in school. Through this experience, I could

utilize my math and public speaking skills to balance the budget and convince the town of my

plan. While math was an area that I had shown confidence in, public speaking was one I

struggled to develop. Due to developing a stutter in my speaking habits, I often spoke before my

brain could process the words. However, this experience encouraged me to speak in front of

others and envision myself as a leader to the masses.

Through my experience as the Mayor, I was able to picture myself in leadership roles and

utilize the curriculum that I had learned over the past six years. Although I learned about these

concepts, I was unaware of the practical values of my past school assignments. As a young child,

it was beneficial to visualize how these details contributed to the everyday processes and

simulate what my career’s daily schedule might entail. Ultimately, this experience tested my

mastery of the curriculum and ability to act within unfamiliar circumstances. When becoming a

leader, I must find methods to utilize the skills that I have developed. As experienced in JA

BizTown, I need to reflect on what I learned to find its practical application in the corporate
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world. In doing so, I can more seamlessly incorporate my strengths into my leadership style and

improve the effectiveness of organizational processes.

Low Point of Childhood

Shortly after turning 12 years old in 2012, I learned that my parents had planned to

get divorced. When I was growing up, the two of them had always been a united front to support

my brother and me, yet this decision caused me to question how that dynamic would change.

During this time, I wondered about the reason for their split, how often I would see both of them,

if this decision was permanent, and how this change would affect my living situation. As a child,

it was difficult for me to understand that despite them loving each other, my parents didn’t have

the same romantic relationship. Because of this struggle, I began to look at how this had

impacted my classmates. In those cases, their parents often were reluctantly cooperative and

forced the children to pick a side of who to support. After hearing about how divorce has

impacted my friends’ families and witnessing another situation with other family members, I

worried about how this would change my relationship with my parents.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only person with those concerns, as my father had become

emotional regarding the situation. So, even though I had my feelings regarding the matter, I

understood the importance of supporting the most affected party, my father. While my parents’

relationship was the most constant factor in my life, the same applied to him on a larger time

scale. My father had known my mother for the past twenty years and struggled to envision his

life without her. To help ease his concerns, I discussed what that future could entail and reassured

him that we would still be in it. It wasn’t an easy process and took several hours, but he

eventually calmed down and understood that my brother and I’s relationship with him wouldn’t

change despite their separation. Although I used to focus on how a situation impacted me, this
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situation illustrated the value of comforting others. As a leader, I must utilize similar empathy to

understand my employees and conform my leadership approach to an employee’s situational

needs.

In closing, my parents getting divorced was a pivotal moment in my life that helped me

understand the importance of adapting to change and supporting others through crisis. After

living a stable childhood, this separation was a jarring experience that helped me comprehend

that not everything will be permanent. Therefore, instead of becoming complacent, I have grown

by preparing myself for when those changes arise. Furthermore, in these turbulent times, my

father’s struggles illustrated the importance of relating to and understanding the struggles of

others. Despite my issues with the situation, I realized he was suffering just as much as myself.

In times of change, a leader must understand that change causes discomfort for others and open

themselves as a support system for their employees’ concerns. In doing so, the workers might

feel that their opinion is heard and can become more receptive to the transition.

Turning Point of Childhood

Throughout my childhood, many experiences shaped how I viewed leadership. I became

indoctrinated into the team environment while playing youth sports under my father’s coaching. I

underwent field trips to learn about the potential usage of my curriculum in the outside world.

Then, I utilized those learned concepts in school projects as I led my group in accomplishing task

assignments. However, the most pivotal moments among that group were my field trip to JA

BizTown and learning about my parent’s divorce. With the former, I began to understand the

technical implications of what I had learned during school and visualized my daily life in that

career path. In comparison, the latter depicted the personal consequences that change can cause

and how to help others prepare for their transition in the aftermath. Ultimately, both impacted
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how I have grown as a leader, but my parents’ divorce was the most significant turning point

during my childhood.

Although JA BizTown was informative in validating the real-world implications of the

school’s teachings, it did not have the same cultural shock as experiencing my parents’ divorce.

Because of this experience, it conveyed to me that nothing is permanent in my life. That

realization shattered my youth dreams of living forever with my parents. Instead, this experience

helped me realize that change is inevitable and to ready myself for when it may arrive. Overall,

this period has helped me become adaptable to new environments and supported my journey as a

leader by incorporating more flexibility in the planning process.

Adolescence

High Point of Adolescence

My first semblance of independence came in the Summer of 2014. After a few months of

practicing with the Freshman football team, my teammates and I packed our bags for Camp

Winslow. This trip was a yearly experience for the team, where my teammates and I had a

structured weekly schedule of meals, practices, training, and bonding experiences together.

While much of this schedule wasn’t new to me, this structure and isolation from family members

was initially daunting. In addition to separating the team from their family for a week, the

coaches prohibited cellular devices to encourage the team to spend more time bonding. After

living with constant communication with family members and using my cell phone, I wasn’t sure

how I would adjust to these changes.

After the three-hour-long bus ride on Sunday evening to Winslow High School, my

team and I grabbed our bags, and entered the gymnasium. Once we chose and settled into our

living arrangements, the coaches briefed our team on the daily schedule for this week. At 5:30 in
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the morning, we would wake up, line up together outside, and jog a mile to a nearby dirt hill

where we would then begin our exercise of running, bear-crawling, or piggyback riding up that

steep hill for the next two hours. Upon completion, we were told to jog back to our living

accommodations and prepare for breakfast at 8 a.m. in their dining hall. At 10 a.m., the team

gathered again at one of Winslow High School’s nearby practice fields to engage in our daily

practice, separated by offense and defense for two hours. Then, sometime after practice, we

reconvened again at the dining hall for Lunch at 2 p.m. Shortly after this, our team met in the

dining hall at 5 p.m. for Dinner. Finally, at 6:30 p.m., the team regrouped with their respective

position groups at different segments of the practice fields for our skills challenges. For these

challenges, we were separated by linemen and skill position players. The linemen had physical

competitions of blocking and tire throwing, while the skill position players like myself

participated in 7-on-7 scrimmages. Upon completion, we were allocated free time to shower,

sleep, or engage in other recreational activities.

During the free time throughout our schedule, the coaches encouraged us to socialize

with our teammates. Although the overall experience was disliked by many, this aspect was

considered a highlight. In this free time, our team could bond over struggles and entertain casual

conversations while playing card games. Because of these interactions, the team could better

understand each other and this connection led to greater cohesion on the football field. Overall,

these discussions helped to build rapport and trust during our camp assignments, and that

eventually led to a more refined result during our football games.

While my future organizations might not undergo this type of physical labor, the lessons

from that experience have been invaluable for my leadership journey. Through this week, I

experienced the value of building relationships, operating on a structured schedule, and

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persevering despite early struggles. There were many moments throughout the experience that

others and I wished for it to end, but everyone remained focused until the end. This experience

demonstrated how consistently providing my best effort could convince my teammates to do the

same. As a leader, this approach of leading by example and operating on a set timetable will be

paramount in future leadership ventures. In doing so, I can establish their trust in my leadership

capabilities by demonstrating my competence and ensuring that my subordinates can effectively

fulfill their obligations.

Low Point of Adolescence

Like most teenagers, I began to experience acne after entering high school in the Fall of

2014. This acne started small but eventually grew to most segments of my face. The most glaring

instance of this was when I appeared shortly after one football practice and my face was covered

in spots for our yearbook photo. After already feeling insecure about my body, this acne made

me uncomfortable in social and school environments. Because of this, I spoke more infrequently

to draw less attention to myself and researched methods on how to manage my current condition.

This research led to a change in my diet and purchasing Proactive skincare products to cleanse

my face. However, despite these adjustments, the acne remained, and my self-confidence

continued to waver.

Finally, I met with a dermatologist and discussed improving this situation. Despite my

expectations, much of their feedback pertained to previously implemented strategies like

restricting my diet and skincare products. At this point, I understood that this was something that

I had to accept for the time being. With that acceptance, I tried to become more comfortable with

myself. While the acne still bothered me, it didn’t define who I was. Instead, I focused on the

different aspects of myself that made me unique. Similar to coping with my parents’ divorce, my
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acne was currently a factor I couldn’t change, so I needed to focus on how to move forward with

that reality.

Due to this realization, I learned the importance of establishing self-confidence. Although

some aspects of myself made me feel ashamed, flaws exist for everyone. However, rather than

pitying myself for those flaws, I realized the value of focusing on my strengths and what I could

change. As a leader, there will always be uncontrollable aspects of my responsibilities that cause

discomfort. However, rather than dwelling on those details, I focus on the available options and

understand that my failures or flaws aren’t everything that defines me. When leading teams,

self-confidence is required to convince others, as I must have faith in myself before others will

follow suit. With this experience, I have grown more confident in my capabilities and become

adaptable to changing environments.

Turning Point of Adolescence

My period of adolescence was a transformative experience as I began to understand the

extent of my capabilities and acclimate to my changing sense of self. Throughout these years, I

experienced several personal and scholarly changes that helped shape how I perceived myself.

After taking a trip to Camp Winslow, before officially becoming a Freshman, I gained experience

living apart from my family members and the digital world that I had become accustomed to.

Instead, I focused on how I could work with others to pursue team development on a formal

schedule. On the other hand, my experience with acne was a culmination of the built-up

discomfort I felt with myself. From my childhood stutter to adolescent acne, there were many

personal flaws that I had fixated on. As a result, these experiences have helped me understand

the value of collaborating with others to achieve a more productive outcome and learning to

focus on more than my flaws.

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Ultimately, the most significant turning point in my adolescence was when I began

accruing acne. As a young teenager, I experienced many changes in my personal and school life.

During this period, I transitioned from one classroom teacher to cover all subjects to more

targeted learning across different classrooms and felt changes occur throughout my body. As

these changes mounted, I became more self-conscious about comparing myself to others. At this

point, I felt inferior to students who spoke without stuttering, lacked acne, or were taller.

Fortunately, through open conversations about my inferiority complex, I began to understand

how unhealthy it was to fixate on these details, becoming more appreciative of my strengths.

While I might not speak as clearly or have as much of an unblemished face as others, I might be

more proficient in analyzing a situation and finding a solution. By spending less time concerned

with how I compare to others and other uncontrollable factors, I can better focus my efforts on

active improvement. When growing as a leader, there will be many aspects that I cannot control,

therefore it is important to focus my efforts on what can be impacted. Instead, by focusing on

what I can do and my leadership strengths that augment this process, I become more

self-confident. With this confidence, I am better prepared to act purposefully and support the

growth of my subordinates.

Emerging Adulthood

High Point of Emerging Adulthood

After taking coursework for a Marketing degree at Northern Arizona University (NAU)

and Rio Salado College, I met with Arizona State University (ASU) counselors in the Summer of

2021 to discuss a potential transfer. Through these discussions, I brought up the potential careers

that might interest me, such as Real Estate and Human Resources. Upon hearing those details,

my counselor recommended a degree I was unaware of in Organizational Leadership.

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Throughout this discussion, he brought up how learning about this degree had supported his

endeavors when pursuing a career in Real Estate and a rough overview of what the coursework

entailed. Specifically detailing how it supported him in understanding how to efficiently account

for and manage the scope of a project during his company’s fiscal year efforts. Eventually, since

many aspects he brought up piqued my interest, I researched the career after our meeting.

Upon doing my due diligence, I learned about how this degree path would focus on many

aspects that I am currently interested in, such as organizational ethics, social processes in

organizations, and understanding the appropriate leadership style to maximize the potential of

each subordinate. What interested me in the Marketing degree was the ability to understand an

audience and formulate campaigns to meet their demands. Similarly, the Organizational

Leadership degree entails understanding the company and what leadership strategies can support

employee and organizational growth. Through this degree path, I fulfill my desire to influence

change but direct this energy toward the personal development of others before monetary gains.

Overall, this transition in degree paths helped me better understand what I want to

accomplish in life and the career path that would support those aspirations. As a leader, I must be

purposeful in my actions. Therefore, this process of firmly assessing the compatibility of degree

fields has helped to illuminate what these efforts are building toward. By learning more about

what drives me and the suitable career paths, I can strategize an approach to realize my goals.

Similarly, leaders must understand what the company wishes to achieve before allocating

resources to reach its fulfillment. After experiencing this lesson, I learned the importance of

approaching each situation with an end goal in mind. In doing so, I can better align my strategies

to the defined objectives.

Low Point of Emerging Adulthood

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In the first semester of my Freshman year at Northern Arizona University (NAU) in the

Fall of 2018, I proactively completed my assignments and accumulated a 3.2 GPA. However, I

began to struggle in the Spring 2019 semester with Geology, Microeconomics, and Statistics

courses. Despite having early success, I had not learned study habits and relied on my brain to

retain the necessary information. While I was successful with that method before, my lack of

discipline caused me to struggle in these courses.

With assignments that required me to remember detailed processes and formulas taught

throughout the course readings, my nonexistent studying process led to a lack of comprehension

and failing grades. Without remembering which graphs represent the raised price floor in the

market or the formula for standard deviation, I began to fail my assignments. Then, with a

declining interest in my Geology class, I began to skip it to seek tutoring support for my other

courses. Unfortunately, those efforts were not fruitful, as I failed two courses and had to retake

them through Rio Salado College.

Despite this period being particularly difficult, I learned about the importance of

preparation and discipline. Although I knew about the benefits of studying, I didn’t believe it

was necessary since I hadn’t needed it previously. That arrogance led to struggles in my courses

and plummeting grades. However, by employing more discipline and preparing for those

eventualities, I am better qualified to solve problems. Learning from this experience has been

integral to my leadership growth, as I must prepare for all possibilities and be disciplined enough

to fulfill my responsibilities.

Turning Point of Emerging Adulthood

During my Emerging Adulthood, my career and life trajectory drastically changed. In this
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period, I experienced low points, where I failed assignments and left Northern Arizona

University (NAU) for Rio Salado College. However, I also experienced high points, where I

realized my career goals aligned with the Organizational Leadership degree. This period served

as a time of self-discovery, where I reflected on what I wish to accomplish in life and the degree

path that will best support those efforts. Although this period had begun with failure, it shed light

on the consequences of not putting in the effort and upholding my responsibilities. I entered this

period of my life as an entitled person who had experienced success due to my predisposed

abilities. In my limited time at NAU, I realized the arrogance in that viewpoint and dealt with the

shame in that aftermath.

Fortunately, those efforts were not all for naught, as this failure helped me better reflect

on the significance of this opportunity and what I want to accomplish from this experience. This

understanding led to increased diligence in fulfilling my responsibilities before eventually

applying for admission to the Organizational Leadership degree field at Arizona State University

(ASU). By attaining self-awareness, this led to an idea of potential career paths that would suit

my desires. With this knowledge, I could then engage with ASU counselors on the compatibility

of their degrees with my career interests. Moreover, from conversations with the counselor, I

learned about the Organizational Leadership degree and reached the most significant turning

point in my Emerging Adulthood.

Upon learning about this degree path, I decided to transition from my Marketing major

and learned about the various components tied to leadership. This decision led to coursework

that helped me better understand organizational ethics, social processes in an organization, and

how to assess success in the scope of corporate objectives. Since I had minimal experience in the

corporate space, this information was insightful in understanding my current stature and the
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concepts integral to organizational growth. From these courses, I began to theorize my leadership

style and utilize course concepts to understand the reasoning behind corporate decision-making.

Through these courses, I was better prepared to adapt to modern business environments and the

policies that they utilize.

Present Day

High Point of Present Day

In Spring 2023, my current organization, the Salt River Project, began to prepare for a

transition away from its digital records management service. As a part of this transition, another

digital librarian and I created an Excel sheet of imported files, verifying that information against

reports on what is currently in our system. Unfortunately, we quickly learned about a system

error that overrode the metadata of their files. As a result, my colleague and I met to discern the

origin point of this error and the extent of its reach. These findings resulted in an understanding

of where most changes occurred and the timeline of when they started.

This information enabled us to create a list of misaligned assets to reingest into the

system. When amending the overwritten information, I had to locate and piece together each

video’s metadata from its creation date. This process entailed searching through each month’s

CSV files to find the asset’s correct job description, asset number, hi-res path, and other

identifiable metadata. Then, after compiling that information, we underwent several ingest

processes to validate whether it was populating correctly and removed whichever duplicates

existed within the system.

Although our team had experienced struggles due to this error, this opportunity to oversee

the transition from the company’s previous records management system was rewarding. Through

this experience, I utilized problem-solving to understand the error’s origin, fielded suggestions to
Unit 2: Leader Identity Narrative 15

improve, and supervised its implementation on a macro level. While I had solved issues

previously, none had the same scale or significance to an organization’s daily operations. Due to

this experience, I have grown by becoming more detail-oriented when analyzing information and

open-minded when entertaining potential solutions.

Low Point of Present Day

As I approached the end of my Organizational Leadership coursework in the Summer of

2022, I questioned whether I had established enough functional experience to build a successful

post-graduation career. With only job experience as a Warehouse worker and Surgical

Technician, I had spent insufficient time in the corporate space to apply my learning. Initially, I

became stressed and anxious about the worst scenarios that could result from this lack of

experience. Ultimately, I feared that my student debt, lack of credit, and limited job history

would limit my long-term career prospects. However, after consulting with friends and family

about these concerns, I calmed down and considered what I could do to change.

After that realization, I applied for part-time opportunities at different Starbucks and

Target locations. After waiting a week, I heard back from one Target hiring manager and

underwent a virtual interview and background check. Fortunately, both facets were acceptable,

and I started working with the company shortly after. In the following three months, this job

opportunity provided knowledge of operating under corporate procedures and collaborating with

other departments. While my previous job experience entailed working in a team environment,

those environments lacked a separation of departments. My role as a surgery technician entailed

a defined process of clean-up and patient recovery to support the doctor’s efforts. In comparison,

the warehouse job represented a unified effort to process the orders and receive shipments.
Unit 2: Leader Identity Narrative 16

Because of this, Target represented a new opportunity to envision how I could adapt to the

corporate landscape and integrate my efforts with separate teams.

That summer represented a low point in my present-day life, where I realized my wasted

opportunities. Despite having success in school, I had accumulated minimal work experience,

limiting my financial resources and future career equity. Due to that realization, I became

inspired to take risks in my career path. Contrary to pursuing what I knew I could get accepted

into after building connections, these job opportunities were a foreign landscape. Instead of

worrying about what the future might entail. I realized the benefits of actively impacting my

career trajectory.

Because of this new mindset and my experience at Target, I was better prepared to apply

for three internship openings at the Salt River Project (SRP). Among them were Digital Asset

Management, Purchasing, and Talent Acquisition roles. While I felt the most confident in the

Purchasing Intern interview as it related to much of what I had learned previously, they hired me

as a Digital Asset Management Intern. Initially, I was surprised by this decision because I didn’t

understand what the position entailed in the interview. However, this experience helped me

believe in my capabilities and take risks to further my career.

Despite originating as a low point, my self-realization during the Summer of 2022

has furthered my leadership capability. One of my most prominent flaws throughout my life has

been procrastination and overthinking. Because of this, I often stress about what to do in the

future and its feasibility. However, I have grown to understand that the answer is as simple as

putting myself out there. By taking risks and being proactive in my decision-making process, I

have fewer worries about what I can do, helping me focus on applying my developed

capabilities. In becoming more assertive and fostering organizational understanding through

Unit 2: Leader Identity Narrative 17

these opportunities, I can confidently seek out and facilitate changes within my current work

situation.

Turning Point of Present Day

In the Present Day, I have had a greater understanding of the career I wish to pursue and

have undergone learning to prepare myself for that possibility. Unfortunately, my experience in

the field was only theoretical, with minimal job experience to implement this ideology. That

realization led to anxiety regarding my future and caused me to become more proactive in my

future planning. Rather than stressing myself about what my future would look like, I began to

take active steps to ensure my success. Among those steps, was research about the potential

entry-level opportunities to achieve my career goals. This research led to my applications at

Starbucks, Target, and eventually the Salt River Project (SRP). Although they were not directly

related to a path in the Human Resources field, they represented a chance to entrench myself in

large organizations. With these opportunities, I could transfer that experience into a career

aligning with my goals in those organizations.

Upon taking those risks and applying myself for these roles, I joined Target for three

months as a part-time food specialist and the Salt River Project (SRP) since October 2022 as a

Digital Asset Management intern. Despite not pertaining to the Human Resources industry, these

experiences have allowed me to ingrain myself into the corporate space and learn about the

dynamics of each company. In doing so, I have collaborated with different departments to

accomplish defined goals and help impact the organization’s future. In my role at SRP, one of my

most significant projects has been the company’s transition from its previous records

management system. With that assignment, I had the opportunity to help oversee the verification

of assets in the system, the recreation of digital asset proxies, and the building of CSV
Unit 2: Leader Identity Narrative 18

documentation to add or remove files from the system. In short, it was a rewarding and tedious

process that allowed me to experience the difficulties of preparing an organization’s system for

large-scale implementation. Despite having envisioned this process through other school

assignments, it helped to see its implementation within the corporate environment. However, my

turning point in the present day was my initial decision to apply myself to job opportunities.

Even though I had worked part-time jobs as a Surgical Technician and Warehouse

employee, these roles worked as a singular unit. Whether assisting the doctors after surgery or

working with others in the warehouse to receive and transmit orders, neither involved

cross-department collaboration. With my degree path focused on developing leadership styles to

support an organization, I needed a greater understanding of the complexities of these

corporations. Because of this, I had to apply for opportunities without guaranteed admission. As

a leader, understanding cross-department complications, organizational procedures, and

willingness to take risks is integral to a team’s development. Before this turning point, I had

ideas of what I wanted to accomplish in life but had not undergone the groundwork to realize my

aspirations. However, with this experience, I have begun developing connections within my

organizations and preparing myself for future opportunities. In leadership, this preparation and

risk-taking approach is essential to the progression of organizational efforts and avoidance of

stagnation.

Conclusion

As explained by Brad Harrington and Douglas Hall, reflecting on past life experiences is

often the most beneficial method when planning for the future of a person’s career. In doing so,

they can find the trends and themes developed from these experiences for their leadership

approach (Harrington & Hall, 2007). Implementing this exercise has helped me remember the
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positive and negative moments throughout my life and understand the leadership themes that

have emerged from them. From becoming a Mayor in a fictional town to helping spearhead a

large-scale organizational transformation, my life experiences have supported the development

of my leadership identity and clarified my work values. As I embark on the next stage of my

leadership journey, I intend to implement the lessons learned from this exercise and refine my

leadership approach. In closing, I will be adding this document to my e-portfolio to illustrate my

life story and the leadership competencies learned from those experiences. With this document, I

hope to further convey what has drawn me to pursue this career path and how I have grown as a

leader.

Turning Points Graph

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References

Fausto Cercignani Quotes. (n.d.). LibQuotes. Retrieved October 21, 2023, from

https://libquotes.com/fausto-cercignani

Harrington, B. & Hall, D.T. (2007). Career management and work-life integration: Using

self-assessment to navigate contemporary careers. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage

Publications, Inc.

JA BizTown. (n.d.). Junior Achievement of Arizona. Retrieved October 15, 2023, from

https://www.jaaz.org/programs/ja-biztown/