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Dear Reader, FDA & Stories 13 years ago I started a 5-year stint of flying to Washington DC one time per month for 12 days. I did this for 5 years. I was doing one-on-one coaching and teaching leadership trainings for the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research for the Food and Drug Administration. I got a badge. I wore government suits. I loved every minute of it and my work felt important. There were so many important topics that could make or break them being good leaders. I taught about emotional intelligence, generations in the workplace, encouraging the heart, interaction styles, and more. There were strategies, frameworks, tools, methods, and systems. When I was first learning the material, my mentor and lead contractor said, “Here’s the content, but fill them with your stories." I looked at her and thought, “What stories?”. I grew up in a family that didn’t tell stories. We lived fast and focused on the future. For example, we would plan our next vacation while on the current one, and we’d never debrief a movie after we watched it, as that was in the past. On top of that, there were a few folks in my life who held me hostage with long winded, out of the blue stories that were irrelevant to me. I’d hear, “Let me tell you about a time when…” and I’d want to run screaming & feign my own death. I thought I hated stories. But then I found my stories and learned to tell them. Low & behold, 13 years of clients and 150 program days per year, I asked folks, “What stood out? What do you remember? What inspired action?” from the amazing transformational leadership programming. What did they say? Not what I was expecting. It was the stories. And the activities and the connection moments, which are essentially stories created in real time. It was not the concepts and the research with data. So, in your meetings & in your presentations, if you are not spending the majority of your time on stories, activities, & creating connection, you are underutilizing the most impactful tools that are at your disposal. I’d love to hear a story of how you put these into practice! With gratitude, Julie Masterclass: Leading During Times of Uncertainty Coming June 16 | 11:00 AM–12:15 PM (AZ Time) Join Julie Lancaster for a powerful 75-minute session packed with real-world stories and actionable strategies for leading in uncertain times. You'll gain tools to communicate clearly, solve problems adaptively, and lead with purpose. 🎁 Includes a FREE Micro-Learning Course ($149 value)
NAU Badges & Certifications We are thrilled to announce that Northern Arizona University has reviewed and certified several of our programs! Continuing to support your business leadership. Now backed by academic certification. This is offered by less than 1% of leadership firms. We are always striving to provide you with the best of the best. Ready to Level Up? Download Your Free Leadership Resource At Lancaster Leadership, we believe growth happens when you have the right tools in your hands.
Grateful for 8 Years with Coconino Community College’s Scholarship Committee! Thank you, Coconino Community College, for giving me the opportunity to be on the Scholarship Committee for the 8th year! I love being a part of giving these opportunities to deserving students. Honored to Emcee the Coconino County Teacher of the Year Event! It was such a joy and an honor to emcee the Coconino County Teacher of the Year event! Celebrating the passion, dedication, and incredible impact of our educators was truly inspiring. I’m so grateful to be part of a community that uplifts and recognizes the amazing work of our teachers.
American Burn Association What an honor to be a keynote speaker at the American Burn Association’s 2025 Annual Meeting! NACOG Head Start Thank you to NACOG Head Start for trusting Lancaster Leadership to facilitate your Leadership Academy. It’s an honor to support your incredible team in strengthening leadership, collaboration, and impact. We’re grateful for the opportunity to be part of the important work you do for children, families, and communities. Coconino County IT What a great experience collaborating with the Coconino County IT team for your team-building session! Your energy, openness, and teamwork made the day a true success. We loved being part of it! Together, We Went Beyond Words — Thank You for Being Part of It To everyone who joined us for Lancaster Leadership’s 11th Annual Women’s Leadership Summit on April 11, 2025 — thank you. This year’s theme, “Beyond Words: Leading with Authenticity, Story, and Purpose,” came to life because of your presence, your openness, and your courage to lead from a place of truth. Your energy, insights, and willingness to grow together created a space that was not just inspiring — it was transformational. We are deeply honored to walk alongside you on this leadership journey. Here's to continuing the conversations, the stories, and the purposeful action — beyond the summit. Did you know that we present keynotes and sessions at association conferences? As of April 15, 2025, Lancaster Leadership has worked with the public and private sector for 13 years and has served 170 teams. Specifically, we have served 38 associations through strategic planning, strategic advances and retreats, and more. Curious? Check this link (Client_list_Lancaster_Leadership-Keynote Associations.docx) for the conferences where we have presented. 💬 Share Your Experience with Us! If you’ve attended a Lancaster Leadership event, training, or summit and found it valuable, we’d be so grateful if you could take a moment to leave us a Google review. Your feedback not only helps us grow—it helps others discover leadership development that truly makes a difference. Thank you for supporting authentic, purpose-driven leadership! Power Phrase of the Month:
"Leadership is not about being in charge. It’s about taking care of those in your charge.” — Simon Sinek
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Dear Reader, Recognizing Uniqueness I was 21. It was my first summer working with Visions Service Adventures, and we were making the 6-hour drive from Anchorage, Alaska, to Tok, a tiny town where we were spending the summer living with 30 high school students from around the country. I was hired as the outdoor specialist and knew I’d be teaching students to kayak and backpack. We’d spend much of our time doing cultural learning and community service, like building a bridge over a river, not...
Dear Reader, Having conversations about the realities of life and work while not talking about politics can be complex to navigate. Over the last 13 years, my team has been brought in to facilitate meaningful discussions with roomfuls of work teammates, taking special care that there is no trash-talking, polarization, or personal political views discussed. It’s challenging but possible. This was Week 1, Session 1: Creating a Culture of Feedback for our STEP Academy for Government Leaders...
Dear Reader, The other day, I stopped by a hotel to drop off a book. The Flagstaff Leadership Program asked if I would give one of the new resilience stories books to their annual fundraiser, and I was happy to. The hotel was the workplace of Ellen Jimenez, someone I know just a little bit but like a whole lot who has amazing energy, and I feel a kinship with her. Upon seeing each other, we embraced in a big hug. All was well in the world. As we separated our bodies, somehow and in slow...