5 Steps I Took to Break Barriers & Become a Leader

We’ve all heard the famous quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” It’s something I’ve chosen as my life’s mantra and what’s allowed me, like Dr. King, to spend my life leading and serving others. While I may not be a world-renowned leader like Dr. King was, I’m proud to be a leader in my community. From 2004-2006, I served as head of community commitment at Commercial Capital Bank. I joined Kinecta Federal Credit Union in 2007, where I currently work as the community engagement officer overseeing numerous volunteer programs, and more than 180 annual community events and partnerships with hundreds of non-profits. Under my guidance, these initiatives have raised millions of dollars for charitable organizations and programs such as Kinecta’s Annual Food Drive, which provides holiday meals to nearly 1,000 Angelenos.

Recently, after serving four years on the board of the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce, I had the honor of being elected the first woman of color to chair the board. What does that mean exactly? It means other African Americans and people of color can see that they can be leaders, too. It means I can bring a different perspective and new ideas to the table. It means being a voice for the marginalized communities I serve. It means breaking stereotypes that can often limit the potential for greatness.

Additionally, research shows that by being more inclusive, the Chamber of Commerce can  experience increased creativity and greater engagement. For these reasons, I’m humbled and excited to be a trailblazer in my community and I encourage others to do the same with these five tips for breaking barriers so you can also become the leader you’re destined to be.

1. Start With the Right Mindset

It’s imperative to know where you are and where you want to go. Once you’ve determined where you want to go, you have to plan, strategize and execute. Warning, there will likely be obstacles ahead, but if you plan for them and maintain a positive attitude, not only will others notice, it will build your character and prepare you for the leadership role in which you aspire to be. Great leaders focus on solutions, so start thinking like a leader now and focus on what you want to achieve.

2. Be Intentional

One of the things that has been beneficial for me is knowing who the players are and what their roles are. LinkedIn is a perfect tool for gathering this information. Once I get in a room with the players, I waste no time introducing myself.

3. Do Your Homework

Being prepared goes a long way. Always arrive early to survey the room and research any business or person you plan to work with. Remember to have your elevator speech ready. An elevator speech is a quick synopsis of your background and experience. The reason it’s called an elevator pitch is because it is concise enough to present during a brief elevator ride, so keep it short and sweet.

4. Be Engaged

Get ready to roll up your sleeves. People are more inclined to advocate for you when they know they have your support. Learn about the needs of the organization that you want to work with. Think about how you can help them and offer your assistance. This could be in the form of volunteering for events, sharing information about the organization, fundraising or referring clients, among other things.

5. Believe in Yourself

If you don’t believe in yourself, nobody else will. Start telling yourself now that you can be the next president, CEO, chairperson, director, team leader or whatever role you want. Of course, be sure to put in the work to build your skills before believing your skills will take you to the goal you want to achieve. Once you put in the work, have confidence in your abilities. Remind yourself of how far you have come and be your own advocate.

While more and more organizations are embracing diversity, equity and inclusion to equal the playing field for women and people of color, it’s still important to be ready. As they say, success happens when opportunity meets preparation. Following these simple tips will hopefully prepare you for the next level so that you can break barriers and open doors for those to follow after you.

Latrice McGlothin is Community Engagement Officer for the $5 billion Kinecta Financial Credit Unionbased in Manhattan Beach, Calif., and Chair of the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce.