Cultivating Leadership: "CBA Alumni Addition"
Leadership is the Capacity to translate vision into reality.”
-Warren Bennis
Now more than ever we are living in a political climate that is challenging each of us to reflect on how we define and identify leadership. On Capitol Hill each member of Congress is elected into their position because they convinced the people of their vision and their ability to carry the country forward. But of course, behind each phenomenal member there is an exceptional team of individuals who are dedicated to turn that vision into reality and some of those same individuals have served on our very own leadership team. Recently we interviewed past executive board members of the Congressional Black Associates to get their take on leadership and what helped them in being the most effective within their role.
Lewis Myers
Visionary
For Lewis Myers, creating a team environment that encouraged each of his board members to challenge themselves to maximize their potential was critical. Myers’ described his leadership style as one that takes on the approach of a visionary. “As President it was important that I not only have a vision, but that I was able to clearly communicate that to the board so that we were always on the same page.” Myers kept the efforts of the board aligned with his vision to advocate and promote minority staffers on the hill. During his time as President he was able to grow the organizations membership to its largest with more than 250 members which comprised of interns, fellows, mid and senior level staffers. When asked what he wanted his legacy to be after leaving his post, Myers shared, “I want my legacy to be remembered as the person on the Hill that is known for putting people on, and the guy that gets things done. Whether its facilitating opportunities for interns looking to transition into a full-time job or acting as a pipeline for my alma matter in providing work connections after graduation, in the end its all about giving back.” After serving his presidency , Myers went on to become the Director of Operations for Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett of Virgin Islands and recently launched the Congressional Golf Association.
Transformational
Francesca McCrary
When Francesca McCrary was elected CBA President in 2018, she came in when Capitol Hills four largest congressional staff diversity associations made history by electing all women into presidency at the same time. From the moment McCrary was elected she made clear that her top priority was to provide CBA members with ample opportunities for professional development, while being a crusader for diversity and inclusion. With her leadership team, McCrary focused on creating an environment that would encourage growth. “I never wanted to limit any of my board members to the position they held, if there was an opportunity they expressed interest in, or an idea they had, I encouraged them to explore it.” McCrary’s leadership style can easily be categorized as a transformational style, she spoke on the importance of being able to identify the strengths within one’s team and finding ways to further enhance that. When asked about the legacy she hoped to leave after completing her time with CBA, McCrary shared, “I just want to leave anywhere I’ve been better than the way I found it, while passing on the baton.” After serving as a Senior Legislative Advisor to Ranking Member Elijah Cummings of Maryland, on the Committee on Oversight & Government Reform, McCrary is now the Vice President of government relations firm Forbes Tate Partners.
Earsdale (Earl) Ash
Pacesetter
As former CBA Social Chair, Earsdale (Earl) Ash served in a role that is truly integral to why CBA was founded, and that is to bring congressional staffers together. Earl’s position was key to setting the pace and overall tone for CBA’s membership. During his time as social chair, he created opportunities for black staffers to connect with one another outside of the everyday professional setting. Earl shared, “while the hill is a great place, it’s also big and for a newcomer, it can be easy to get lost in it all, especially as a minority.” Earl explored different channels to bring staffers together so that they knew they weren’t alone in the political sphere. Whether that was an organized game night or a round of golf, Earl’s primary motive was to facilitate a sense of camaraderie amongst CBA members. “Serving on the CBA board was humbling. This isn’t a paid position, so if your signing up for it, its because you care and its something that you actually want to do, and it made me have a greater sense of appreciation for public service.” When asked about what he wants his legacy to be after completing his term as social chair, Earl stated, “That I’m a collaborator and if there is a way that I can contribute to a greater cause I am usually happy to do so.” Today Earl serves as a Legislative Assistant to Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester where he advises the member on national policy issues that include; judiciary matters, homeland security, and immigration.
Remmington Belford
Democratic
When Remmington Belford served as Vice President of CBA in 2017, he did so with a firm understanding of a critical component every organization needs to sustain itself, and that is the ability to expand its network. “Your network is your net worth. No one can make it very far on their own,” said Belford. The former VP spoke of his own experience on the Hill and how along with consistent work ethic, having a strong professional network was instrumental in getting him to where he is today. That foundational understanding was easily implemented during his time as VP where Belford’s efforts consisted of reassuring CBA members understood that they had a strong support system and was a vocal proponent for professional mentorship. Belford dedicated his platform to ensuring that each CBA member recognized, “There is always a lesson in every situation, and that networking opportunities extend beyond the Hill.” When asked what he wants his legacy to be after completing his term he shared, “That I will always be a devout supporter of black congressional staffers and helping them to get to the next level.” Today Belford serves as a Legislative Assistant to Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and advises her on key policy issues that include energy and environment.
Leaving a Legacy
After interviewing all four of the former CBA executive board members, there were three common characteristics that they all shared:
1.Their ability to take initiative and execute.
2.Their natural tendency to challenge themselves and the people around them to do better.
3. Each of them had a genuine vested interest in helping others.
All and all, the number one lesson that we hope all of our members walk away with, is that we are all apart of something bigger, and our unique individual contribution to what we do on the hill everyday starts with the belief we have within ourselves and taking it a step further by embracing and uplifting others along the way. Once you poses those two key qualities you’ve already got a strong start to being a real leader.
Comment below and let us know what kind of leader you are!
1. Coach
A coaching leader is someone who can quickly recognize their team members’ strengths, weaknesses and motivations to help each individual improve. This type of leader often assists team members in setting smart goals and then provides regular feedback with challenging projects to promote growth. They’re skilled in setting clear expectations and creating a positive, motivating environment.
2. Visionary
Visionary leaders have a powerful ability to drive progress and usher in periods of change by inspiring employees and earning trust for new ideas. A visionary leader is also able to establish a strong organizational bond. They strive to foster confidence among direct reports and colleagues alike.
3. Servant
Servant leaders live by a people-first mindset and believe that when team members feel personally and professionally fulfilled, they’re more effective and more likely to produce great work regularly. Because of their emphasis on employee satisfaction and collaboration, they tend to achieve higher levels of respect.
4. Autocratic
Also called the authoritarian style of leadership, this type of leader is someone who is focused almost entirely on results and efficiency. They often make decisions alone or with a small, trusted group and expect employees to do exactly what they’re asked. It can be helpful to think of these types of leaders as military commanders.
5. Laissez-faire or hands-off
This leadership style is the opposite of the autocratic leadership type, focusing mostly on delegating many tasks to team members and providing little to no supervision. Because a laissez-faire leader does not spend their time intensely managing employees, they often have more time to dedicate to other projects.
6. Democratic
The democratic leadership style (also called the participative style) is a combination of the autocratic and laissez-faire types of leaders. A democratic leader is someone who asks for input and considers feedback from their team before making a decision. Because team members feel their voice is heard and their contributions matter, a democratic leadership style is often credited with fostering higher levels of employee engagement and workplace satisfaction.
7. Pacesetter
The pacesetting leadership style is one of the most effective for driving fast results. These leaders are primarily focused on performance. They often set high standards and hold their team members accountable for hitting their goals.
8. Transformational
The transformational leadership style is similar to the coach style in that it focuses on clear communication, goal-setting and employee motivation. However, instead of placing the majority of the energy into each employee’s individual goals, the transformational leader is driven by a commitment to organization objectives.
9. Transactional
A transactional leader is someone who is laser-focused on performance, similar to a pacesetter. Under this leadership style, the manager establishes predetermined incentives—usually in the form of monetary reward for success and disciplinary action for failure. Unlike the pacesetter leadership style, though, transactional leaders are also focused on mentorship, instruction and training to achieve goals and enjoy the rewards.
10. Bureaucratic
Bureaucratic leaders are similar to autocratic leaders in that they expect their team members to follow the rules and procedures precisely as written.
The bureaucratic leadership style focuses on fixed duties within a hierarchy where each employee has a set list of responsibilities, and there is little need for collaboration and creativity. This leadership style is most effective in highly regulated industries or departments, such as finance, healthcare or government.
Written and published by Herline Mathieu
for inquiries Contact: Herlinemathieu23@gmail.com
