Rondalyn Whitney outlines her leadership philosophy through three main pillars. She is a visionary leader who creates a vision and strategy for the future while empowering team members to innovate and take risks to achieve the vision. She aspires to servant leadership by helping others grow and co-creating a shared culture of values. Whitney focuses on people over tasks and creating change through inspiration and accountability. She hopes to challenge people to grow and meaningfully contribute while being fair and kind.

1. LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY
RONDALYN WHITNEY
“The work of the world is common as mud.”1
- Marge Piercy
My leadership philosophy can beviewed as a tripod, with no one leg more critical than the balance
achieved together. To that end, my leadership styleis to create a vision and a cultureto achievethe vision,value
what works instead of what is comfortable and lead people while managingresults.
I am a visionary leader:I create a vision and strategy and then keep my eye on the horizon. I am future
directed and futuristically motivated and whileI can articulate where a group is going, I don’t believe it is my role
as a leader to determine how each team member will get there. Instead, as I leader, I empower team members
to be free to innovate, experiment, a take calculated risks.
I liketo work with highly effective teams, find solutions to a problem that no one else can see and inspire
one another to take action on those ideas.Whilesometimes this has been referred to as Transformational
Leadership, I am uncomfortable with that term: I aspireto Servant Leadership instead.As a leader, I liketo co-
create a shared cultureand values and help others grow. I see my roleas a leader who will coordinatethe ideas
and aspirationsof thosewho have the insightand commitment to lead themselves toward making a difference in
the work of their day. I tend to focus more on people that the ‘stuff’ of business and focus on creatingchange
within a cultureof integrity, trust and accountability.
I am trained as an Occupational Therapistand relatedly,I amemotionally connected to others, have
strong internal insight,and tend to focus on how to help another do what they want to do or the ‘occupations’of
their role. I focused my doctoral study on risks and protections which gave me the ability to be open minded,
comfortable with nonconformity, valuefailed attempts and meaningful outcomes as a puzzle to holistic
conclusions. I amunusually comfortablethrowingout an idea that isn’tworking. I think itis importantto identify
needed change, create a vision to guide the change through inspiration,and execute the change in tandem with
committed members of the group. Build trust,view conflictas themessy work of productivity,and use failures as
opportunities for growth while holdingone another accountablefor achievingoutcomes is a good summary of my
philosophy.
Decision makingis partof leadership. At times decisions aregiven to a leader and the leader is asked to
‘sell’others on those decisions, presentingthis factto the team and clarification questions areinvited. When
decisions areneeded for the program, my preference is to present a suggestion or to ask for suggestions,provide
information aboutany known parameters or boundaries within which a workabledecision mustbe found (i.e.
availableresources) and facilitatea team decision when possible. I amcommitted to consensus more than
democratic decision making. I hope once the quarterback calls theplay,the team lines up and runs the ball.
I hope people will say I ama visionary leader who articulates where the team is going,who matches skills
to tasks whileunderstandingand supportingaspirations to grow and contribute. I hope to have a reputation that I
challengepeople to grow and be their best selves while being fair and kind.I hope to inspireservantleadership by
example, and have day to day contribute be a meaningful and satisfyingoccupation. In summary,I hope to lead
teams that ‘move in a common rhythm when the food must come in or the fire be put out’1 and aspireus all to
ultimately be of use.
1. Marge Piercy, "To be of use" from Circles on the Water. Copyright © 1982 by Marge Piercy.
Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Random House
LLC.