Reflection: Disrupt the Norm. Design the Future.
Inspired by the keynote presentation of Dr. Karen Semien-McBride at the Q10 Conference
I’ve been thinking about what it really means to shift the norm. Not change for the sake of change, but a fundamental shift. The kind that happens quietly and over time. Usually in small steps. Growth doesn’t always show up loudly. Most of the time, it shows up in how we move through spaces and how we lead. And in that process, there’s no speed for learning. No set timeline. Just the work of staying open and being intentional.
Dr. Karen Semien-McBride’s keynote reminded me that leadership isn’t about position. It’s about mindset. It’s about owning your value and your trajectory. It’s about being true to your voice and being aware of its reach. What we say matters. What we do matters. Even what we don’t say matters.
As we show up, we show growth.
We speak when others don’t.
We set clear expectations for our teams so people know what to expect and feel supported.
The world has changed, and leadership has to change with it. If we don’t stop to question the norms, we risk becoming them. That idea stuck with me. It made me pause and really think about whether what feels familiar is actually helping us and the people we lead. That reminder stuck with me and honestly, it serves as a reminder that I still have work to do.
And even without a title, we’re still leading. We do it through consistency. Through follow-through. Through how we show up for others. Leadership doesn’t start when someone gives you a role. It starts long before that.
I keep coming back to one question. How do we choose to lead? Not by title, but by presence. By impact. By intention. Because leadership is felt long before it’s named, and its reach goes further than we sometimes realize.
Shifting the norm isn’t about power. It’s about purpose. And it starts with awareness.
“Leadership is not your position its your mindset. How do you choose to lead?”
