Wear Your Own Shoes

Leading Without Becoming a Copy of the Person Who Came Before You Have you ever stepped into a new leadership role only to hear, _“Well, that’s not how the person before you did it”_? In Episode 8 of The OOPS Factor Podcast*, Dr. Shelta Richardson tackles a challenge many leaders face: *How do you learn from the people who came before you without becoming a copy of them? Drawing from her own experience stepping into leadership behind another director, Shelta shares the lesson that eventually changed the way she thought about leadership transitions: You have to let new leaders wear their own shoes. In this episode, Shelta explores: The difference between leadership standards and leadership style Why new leaders need both responsibility and appropriate authority How comparison can cause leaders to lose their own voice How to Own It and Observe the Pattern when developing your leadership style What Scripture teaches us about different gifts, different assignments, and the same God Free Guided Journal Ready to put what you’re learning into practice? Download your FREE OOPS Factor Guided Journal at: www.theoopsfactor.com Get Your Copy of The OOPS Factor Want to go deeper? The OOPS Factor: From Failure to God-Given Purpose is available in eBook and hardcover on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/OOPS-Factor-Fa... Sources & Show Notes Research and sources referenced in this episode include the *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025 Annual Averages*, for workforce and leadership representation statistics; *Catalyst’s research on the Double-Bind Dilemma for Women in Leadership*; Dr. Shelta Richardson’s doctoral dissertation, _Corruption and Fraud: Experiences of College Professors and Career Professionals_; and Dr. Richardson’s book, _The OOPS Factor_. Scripture quotations are from the *World English Bible (WEB)*, including 1 Corinthians 12:4–6, Judges 4:4–5, and Romans 12:6.