Leadership inspires when you invite your team to be part of the vision and help find solutions.
Why is honoring achievement important? How does it impact our business community?
Honoring achievement in the business community can be motivating and inspiring and allows for trust and reputation building. For me, there is nothing more motivating than hearing the backstory and impact of those who are being acknowledged for their accomplishments. I believe celebrating, honoring and awarding can create paths that spark others into action.
When the business community honors its members, we often see, as a result, reputations and credibility established as well as bonds of trust formed. This can create connections that are crucial to spur on innovation and partnerships to bring about solutions to the challenges that our families, communities and world face.
I am a big believer in affirmation and support. You have no idea how such a gesture may encourage someone to reach for their next big idea.
What is the single most important thing you have learned throughout your career that would inspire others/other women?
A successful leader takes responsibility. Whether navigating challenges or celebrating achievements, a leader must own their role in shaping the path forward. This means acknowledging mistakes with humility, championing the success of the team and staying true to the mission.
This is year 35 for me in the working world and, as you can imagine, there are so many lessons I can recall, from mistakes made to “a ha” moments! What I consistently harken back to is advice I received as an 18-year-old from my dad in a letter he wrote to our family on his death bed: “Embrace the dawn of each new day and the fresh beginning it brings, and relish the peaceful close of each day that comes with a clear conscience.” Those words keep me grounded and have moved me to always accept responsibility and to stay future focused, not dwelling on the past.
What do you think we can do – now – to make a difference for young people/women in Arizona?
The next generation is an inspiring group of changemakers. The most important thing that leadership can do is help their voices and ideas be heard by offering them a seat at the table. They have great energy, enthusiasm and questions, plus their willingness to help bring about change makes them unstoppable.
I think one of my favorite Gen Z phrases is, “Say less.” I smile when I think about one of my favorites saying it. I believe we, as leaders, need to encourage them to keep talking and say more, and we need to listen to understand their voices and ideas.
Encouraging blue-sky thinking can encourage our youth to be fearless and innovative when stepping into leadership roles, which is something we will all benefit from, so we need to make sure we coach and provide direction in a way that is empowering.
In A Few Words
- What was the last course, certification or training you took to improve yourself professionally? End of Life Doula, certified to guide individuals transitioning to death and their loved ones through the dying process.
- What would you say is a single characteristic OTHERS might attribute to you that defines your success? Joy
- What is the one thing you feel you could work on professionally to be a greater success? Patience
- What is the one professional skill you have that has gotten you where you are today? Relationship-building
- What is the single greatest issue facing Arizona today? A never-before-seen increase in our aging population collides with an unacceptable lack of housing that is affordable.
About Me
Tami Bohannon has dedicated her career to making an impact through social services, education, healthcare and housing. In 2022, she joined FSL as the 50-year-old organization’s first female president and CEO.
As a champion for aging with confidence, Bohannon is an appointed member of the Governor’s Interagency and Community Council on Homelessness and Housing, executive council member for AARP Arizona, board member for Arizona LeadingAge and member of President Crow’s ASU Community Council and Age Friendly Arizona’s Leadership Team. She is also a pastoral advisory council member for St. Francis Xavier Parish and mentor with the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
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