I’m excited to share that I’ve officially graduated with my Master of Science in Management. Finishing the program took a lot of focus over the last few months, so I’ve been quieter here than usual, but now that it’s done, I’m jumping back in with fresh momentum. With the degree wrapped up, I’m shifting my attention toward a promotion I’ve been working on with my supervisor. We’ve been mapping out the role, expectations, and the skill areas I want to strengthen next. My plan is to build deeper capability in leadership development, communication strategy, and technical project ownership so I’m ready for the next step. I’m looking forward to sharing more updates as things move forward, and now that school is behind me, I’ll be able to devote more time to the community.

One of the first major initiatives I’m taking on after finishing my Master’s is stepping into ownership of our SharePoint administration project. Since I’m working with a new team, I wanted to start by showing initiative and creating a clear memo that documents the project’s purpose, structure, and expectations. A memo becomes the first “memory” the team has of how I operate: organized, intentional, and focused on clarity. I also called a meeting to walk everyone through the memo and the starting plan. When you’re new to a team(even if it is just for one project), establishing credibility early is important. It shows you’re willing to take responsibility, communicate proactively, and create alignment instead of waiting for direction. That kind of initiative helps build trust and sets the tone for how you’ll lead future projects. This SharePoint project ties directly into the promotion path I’m working on with my supervisor, and it’s a great opportunity to demonstrate initiative, structured communication, and credibility building right from the start. I’m excited to move this forward and build a system that improves how our team collaborates.

I’m sitting in my office eating lunch when a customer walks in with a MacBook. Before I even stand up, one of my guys points at me and says, “Go see him, he’s the Mac expert.” And I watch it happen in real time. They’re not handing it to me because they can’t fix it. They’re handing it to me because it’s easier. The customer says it’s a software issue, but the second I look at it, I can tell it’s a network problem. Five minutes later, it’s fixed. And honestly… the rest of the team could’ve figured it out in ten. But they didn’t even try. They just deflected it straight to me. And that’s when it hits me: I trained them to do that. Every time I stepped in because it was “faster,” I taught them to step back. Every time I solved something for them, I taught them not to solve it themselves. Seeing it happen right in front of me was the wake‑up call. Not because they needed me… but because they believed they needed me. And that’s not how teams grow. WHAT I’M CHANGING Starting now: - I’m not jumping in when they can handle it - I’m asking questions instead of giving answers - “What have you tried?” - “What do you think the root cause is?” - “What’s your next step?” I’m still here as support — but I’m not the shortcut anymore. If I want a team that can stand on its own, I have to stop being the crutch. What's the hardest part of stepping back as a leader for you?

I’ve been thinking a lot about how each of us is growing in our own way, even if we don’t always talk about it. For me, one of the biggest things on my plate right now is finishing my Master of Science in Management. I wrap up in June, and a lot of what I’m learning is reshaping how I think about leadership, communication, and how teams actually function day to day. I’m excited to start bringing more of that into my career and into this community. Not as lectures or long tutorials, but as real, practical insights that come from actually applying this stuff in the field. But, I’d love to hear from you: What’s one thing you’re learning, exploring, or trying to get better at right now? It doesn’t have to be big or formal, maybe it’s a skill, a habit, a mindset shift, or something you’ve been curious about lately. Drop it in the comments. I’d love to get a better sense of what everyone here is working toward.