The LEAD Academy Spotlight is a new feature in the IMPACT that allows NCBC members across the nation to get to know participants of the first-ever LEAD Academy!
Name: Dawn Meador
Title: Courtroom Deputy
Court: Missouri Western Bankruptcy Court
What was the time commitment for the program?
As a participant of the pilot program, we had a 4-month commitment. We had a workbook with 6 different sections that we had to work on throughout the program. Each section contained a leadership skill in which we had assignments to complete and discuss with our assigned mentor.
How did you integrate that into your work-life balance?
When I first met with my mentor, we set up a meeting schedule for each assignment so we both knew when we would be meeting to discuss each topic. Having something on your calendar with a due date was beneficial to keep us on track throughout the program. I knew that that I could get the assignments completed before my mentor meetings if I could set 15 or 20 minutes aside each day or 2. In some instances, not many, if I had a busy week at work, I would bring my workbook home and complete a task that I didn’t get to. Those were usually the extra content given to us for each lesson if we wanted to dive deeper into the leadership skill.
Mentorship was a big component of the LEAD Academy. Can you share with us a bit about how the mentoring relationship has impacted you?
I think having a mentor was beneficial in many ways. There were 2 ways in which we were assigned a mentor. We could request one or have someone assigned to us based on our background and career goals. I opted for the latter because that allowed me to meet someone new and speak freely about any frustrations I may have had at work. It was a safe space in which I could express any conflicts I had without fear of any blowback. I still communicate with my mentor. In fact, just the other day, she called me to discuss NextGen CM/ECF. Her court is getting ready to implement NextGen and she knew I was a court mentor for Judge Review Packets and Workspace so she wanted to pick my brain on our experience of going live.
As part of this program, participants completed a pre-conference workshop at the 2019 NCBC Conference in Chicago. Can you tell us a bit about what that was like?
That was probably my favorite part of the program; that and the Clifton Strengths assessment. If I remember correctly, we were grouped by our top strength. I got to meet a lot of people from other courts that have the same interests as I do regarding career advancement, as most of us in my group were Courtroom Deputies. The pre-conference workshop was a full day, but it flew by. I am a visual and tactile learner so experiencing this in person really drove it home for me on how all of the leadership skills we covered leading up to the workshop could be put to use not only at work, but personally as well.
How has your participation in the LEAD Academy impacted your career?
As John Maxwell said, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” LEAD Academy taught me that being a leader can be done from any position. You don’t have to have a title of supervisor or manager to be a leader. A manager is only as strong as their weakest link so it’s okay to lead from where you are currently. If I can be a positive influence on those around me and hold them to a higher standard, our team as a whole will be that much stronger.
Are there any additional thoughts you'd like to share with us?
If you were curious about LEAD Academy, but were nervous about applying, just do it. The relationships you forge will stay with you forever. The skills you learn are priceless and something you can apply to all areas of your life.