I didn’t want to go.

That’s honestly how my Culture Crafters journey started. Culture Crafters is part of the Senwes Academy Operational Management Program, and when I was nominated, my calendar was already bursting. It felt like one more big commitment added to an already demanding season. I walked in on day one very much a prisoner of my schedule and my own resistance.

But something unexpected happened.

Somewhere between the uncomfortable honesty, the self-reflection, and the rare space to breathe, something shifted. A spark. I walked into that room a prisoner, and I walked out wanting to be a pioneer.

And by the end of the six months, I wasn’t just wanting, I became one. I walked away with the Growth Leader Award. I’m still not sure if I was more shocked or more proud.

What I Learned About Leadership

The biggest lesson?

Leadership isn’t about getting people to work. It’s about creating an environment where they want to.

Before this program, I was stuck in the “delivery trap”, efficient, organised, always on autopilot… but also disconnected. I thought being effective was enough.

It’s not.

People don’t follow efficiency.
They follow trust.
They follow someone who listens.
They follow someone who makes it safe to show up as themselves.

The Small Shifts That Changed Everything

During the program, I started making small but meaningful changes:

• More intentional listening
• Creating space for growth conversations
• Letting the team own ideas instead of driving everything myself
• Checking in more honestly
• Being clearer and calmer
• Appreciating people in the moment, not just in my head

I worked on myself too, how I show up each day, how I handle tough moments, and how I make people feel. Little habits, repeated consistently.

And the team… they blew me away.

They became more open.
More collaborative.
Ideas started coming from everywhere.
People stepped up without being asked.
Knowledge-sharing just happened.

Slowly, the team became known as a “team of choice,” something I’m incredibly proud of.

But the biggest change wasn’t in the work.

It was in the trust.

We’re closer.
We hear each other.
We support each other.
The energy is healthier, more connected, more human.
And it feels real.

The People Who Walked With Me

My Culture Crafters partner walked every step of the journey with me. They listened to every idea I had, kept me grounded, helped me stay focused, and reminded me of my strengths when I was being far too hard on myself. They were a mirror in the best possible way.

Then there was my coach, the person who helped me discover something I didn’t know I was missing: my personal mission.

Through our conversations, I found my leadership identity:

“Stand out by lifting up.”

It landed so deeply because it is exactly who I am. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing someone succeed because of something I contributed to. That’s when I feel most alive as a leader.

Now I have words for it.

Gratitude for the Journey

Looking back on these six months, one feeling sits above all the others: gratitude.

Gratitude for those who stretched me, for those who stood with me, and for those who believed in me even when I doubted myself.

For my wife, whose encouragement and steady belief carry me daily. For my team, who trusted me enough to grow alongside me. For my program partner, who kept me anchored through every step. For my coach, who helped me uncover clarity and direction. And for a program that shifted me from autopilot to intention.

I’m not the leader I was when I first walked into that room and I’m thankful for that transformation.

I’m better. More aware. More grounded. And more committed than ever to lifting others as I continue to grow.