At some point in my leadership journey, I realized the word I had been searching for all along was transformational. Not “traditional.” Not “managerial.” Transformational.
It clicked because it describes not only how I lead — but what I believe in. It puts a name to the kind of leadership I’ve been cultivating at Gateway and the kind I want to see more of in the nonprofit world, in education, in healthcare, and everywhere people are being called to step up and show up.
Traditional Leadership vs. Transformational Leadership
Traditional leadership often operates from a top-down mindset: command, control, delegate. The leader makes the decisions. The team executes them. In this model, authority is centralized and the focus tends to be on efficiency, structure, and process.
There’s a time and place for structure — we all need clear goals, standards, and systems that keep our work ethical, effective, and sustainable, but when we stop there, we miss out on something bigger: people’s potential.
Transformational leadership turns the volume up on something far more human — and far more powerful. It’s not just about overseeing work; it’s about inspiring people to own their work. It’s not just about solving problems; it’s about creating the conditions where people solve their own problems and come back stronger for it.
My Leadership Philosophy: Raise People Up and Step Back
For me, transformational leadership is about raising others up and getting out of their way. I don’t want a team that only runs when I’m in the room. I want a team that thrives because they own their brilliance, their decisions, and their impact.
That doesn’t mean I disappear. It means I lead by lifting, not by leaning in so hard that no one else has space to rise. My job is to create space, offer support, ask hard questions, and then trust people to find their own answers. And when they do? I celebrate it — loudly.
At Gateway, we’re building a culture where it’s normal to cheer each other on. Where autonomy isn’t something you earn, it’s something we assume you’re ready for. Where “leadership” doesn’t belong to titles — it belongs to action.
Self-Reliance Meets Collective Power
One of the biggest misconceptions about transformational leadership is that it creates chaos or lack of control. The truth? Done well, it creates clarity and community.
When people feel seen, trusted, and empowered, they show up differently. They become more confident. More creative. More invested in the mission — because now it’s not just my mission, it’s ours.
I’ve seen this firsthand at Gateway. When we launched our rebrand from HASA to Gateway, we didn’t just change the name — we opened the door to entirely new energy. We gave our team more ownership, more voice, and more opportunities to drive the direction of our programs and services. That shift wasn’t always easy, but it was deeply worthwhile. The result? Staff members who feel a part of something bigger and clients who feel the ripple effects of that culture in every service we offer.
Leadership as Legacy-Building
Here’s the truth: I don’t want to be the only name in the room. I want to be in a room full of people making names for themselves.
Transformational leadership is about building legacy — not the kind with your name on the door, but the kind that multiplies through others. The kind that lives on when you’re no longer at the front of the room, because you’ve invested in a team that leads with heart, courage, and capability.
To me, the best measure of my leadership isn’t what I accomplish, it’s what others accomplish because of the space I helped create.
Learn More About Gateway
Gateway gives hope, changes lives, and builds connections for Marylanders. Gateway connects people to their worlds and aids individuals in their ability to understand and to be understood. Gateway has grown into an organization that serves more than 4,000 children and adults every year, helping them communicate more effectively. With programming both on our Baltimore campus and through community-based programming, we provide education, access, and medical support to anyone who needs it.
We envision a society where everyone can understand and be understood and where everyone is treated with integrity, compassion, and equity.
