Refining Our Leadership Style

KD Frick is a health economist and professor at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. They love teaching business leadership and human values. They are a parent of three and soon-to-be grandparent, love running, love cooking and baking, write poetry, and love creating community and introducing their friends to each other.

This month, KD focuses on discovering their own leadership style, and gives us inspiration for embracing our unique path as leaders. Check out our Q+A with KD below, and be sure to read their full feature in our August issue of En Root!

This month's theme is all about discovering your unique leadership style. Tell us how this theme has played a role in your personal or professional life.

Discovering my unique style was something that I struggled with in the middle of my career. Early, I enjoyed leading individuals and small groups. I thought I truly wanted to expand and lead much bigger groups or whole organizations. I tried that in various ways for about a decade in two parts of the university. Eventually, I realized that is not what I was cut out for. I am now searching to refine my leadership style, but I know that the base of it is to work with individuals or small groups, listening closely, and making each person I listen to feel like they have my full attention.

At OutGrowth, we believe in designing the space and time to reimagine the path forward. How do you think that unlocking our unique leadership TIPE can help us to think about our present and future differently?

Each of us has our own journey. Taking the time to work on one's TIPE will give one insights. If one can find an accountability partner to work with, it can also give insights into how others see us. The process of working through one's TIPE forces a look back and imagining forward.

What is one hard lesson you learned in this past year that contributed to your growth?

Not everyone sees positive leadership the same way. It can take substantial work to figure out how to value a relationship that matters when that person has a very different view of leadership.

What is one competency or skill you hope to develop in 2025 and beyond?

To be a more active participant in groups of 6-12 in which I have the hardest time making myself visible and present.

What inspires you?

Seeing people who find themselves, embrace it, and run with it.

At OutGrowth, we believe in preparing the next generation of leaders. What is one resource you'd recommend to those looking to carve out the time for growth in the next year?

She Built It!

What's next? What are you excited about in the coming year?

Continuing personal development as well as professional development in how I present myself, how I think, and how I understand and am understood in relationships with those around me.