There are some quotes I often come across on LinkedIn that give me pause whenever I see them. One in particular stands out:
“True leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.”
A colleague of mine recently shared this quote, and it made me reflect on the kind of leader I want to be and the kind of leader I am right now. When we encounter people we recognize potential in, or people we simply want to pour into and empower to become their best selves, it is important to consider our intentions.
Are we trying to shape a strong follower?
Are we hoping to mold someone with the same talent, passion, work ethic, and expertise that we possess?
Or are we striving to inspire them to become something even greater, stronger leaders, more influential voices, and better people overall, even if their growth leads them toward new opportunities, different paths, or spaces we may never enter?
Empowered Leaders Make Empowered Leaders
The best leaders are not focused only on helping people succeed where they currently are. For example, when training a new telecommunicator, it should not be just about helping them become the best trainee they can be.
It should be about guiding them toward becoming the best professional they can be.
Then, further training is not just about preparing them for the role they are in right now (a 9-1-1 call-taker, dispatcher, etc.). It is also about equipping them with the tools and knowledge they need to grow into future roles, whether that means becoming a CTO, a supervisor, or an administrator.
I have trained whole academy classes of individuals. I have poured one-on-one attention and focus into trainees, and I recognize that they might grow to heights I may never reach professionally in my career. They may become shift supervisors, managers, or oversee an ECC one day. As a trainer or leader, I didn’t invest time in them so they could meet my expectations. I want them to succeed in ways that are meaningful to them, and I hope they exceed every expectation, including their own.
“True leadership does not stop at the walls of one center or one position. It is about fostering a mindset, nurturing a positive attitude, and building a strong skill set that will serve someone well throughout their entire career.”
The goal is not just to create great professionals for today, but to help shape those who will contribute meaningfully to the profession in the long run, wherever their paths may take them. Empowered leaders make empowered leaders. And that statement doesn’t come with an asterisk at the beginning or end that says they must stay where they are, never grow too much, or never fly too close to the sun. It doesn’t mean that the newly empowered generations owe anything more to the leaders who empowered them than to, in turn, empower the next generation to rise and be great.
“Watching new, young, fired-up leaders and changemakers in this industry spread their wings should always bring us joy. They were never meant to stay in the nest. They are meant to discover who they are and find their voice in this profession.”
Empowered leaders make empowered leaders doesn’t mean we are raising the next wave of quiet, unquestioning, blind followers. Far from it! It means we are fueling the next creative and industrious movement of people willing to rock the boat, raise the flag, challenge the status quo, question what has been, and boldly invent and innovate what will be.
I feel like I’ve been in my empowerment era for the past five years, and for me, that has looked like inspiring the 9-1-1 professionals I train and teach to recognize their passion and get loud about it. It also looks like witnessing people have their own “aha” moments, when something just clicks, and they realize where they’re meant to be and what they’re being called to do. When someone comes to me after a class, excited, face all lit up, and says, “I know now that I want to be a trainer too… and I’m still in training myself,” Wow! Mission accomplished. Because empowerment can and should happen at any stage of our careers.
Part of my own journey has included being empowered and encouraged by the leaders who came before me. They reminded me to use what I had, to make my mark, to work on my craft, and to begin building my brand. That was long before I ever stepped onto a national stage to speak or traveled more than a few dozen miles to train.
Empowering new leaders means we have to see them for what they can become, not just for what they think they’re capable of right now. Sometimes that potential goes far beyond what they see in the mirror or what they can even imagine for themselves.
Recently, in true “leaders empowering leaders” fashion, I had the honor of attending the 5th annual 911derWoman of the Year reception at the national NENA conference. It was my first time actually being a part of the event again since winning the award in 2022, and I was proud to celebrate with a room full of 9-1-1 heroes, another past winner, and this year’s nominees.
I remembered what that moment felt like for me back then, and I realized something.
Since winning that award, I’ve accomplished far more meaningful and impactful things in the 9-1-1 profession. But the truth is, that was exactly when I needed the recognition most.
Winning wasn’t just about what I had done up to that point. It was about how others already saw me as a leader and influencer, even three years ago, before many of the biggest highlights of my career had happened. Knowing people were already watching, already believing in me in ways I hadn’t yet believed in myself, meant everything.
That belief was a turning point.
It was a huge part of the personal empowerment I needed to keep pushing forward and aiming higher.
Empowering new leaders in 9-1-1 starts with showing them that you see what’s possible for their future and encouraging them to look deeper in the mirror to see a future for themselves, a future they can own proudly.
You’re not telling them what to do. You’re showing them what they could do.
You’re not telling them who they are. You’re inspiring them to discover their identity.
You’re not placing them on a pedestal, so they’ll never want to leave. You’re helping them recognize their value, their purpose, and their right to belong in any room they choose to be in.
Maybe that belief helps them grow roots where they are. Or maybe it gives them the courage to move on. Either way, it’s their journey to embark on. If they do go, trust that they will be taking with them a belief in themselves so strong, so unshakable, that almost nothing will be able to stop them. And one day, they’ll pass that same belief on to someone else.
They’ll be the one to lift someone’s chin and say, “Hey, have you looked in the mirror lately? Do you see what I see for your future?”
Empowered leaders make empowered leaders, and doesn’t empowerment look its best when it’s free of jealousy, bias, competition, pettiness, and drama? When we’re not just okay, but truly happy to see others shine, glow, and sparkle because we understand that their light doesn’t dim ours.
“We don’t become dull just because someone else is shining on the same shift, in the same role, or the same organization. We can all shine and grow together. The stage is big enough for all of us. “
And honestly, aren’t we a hundred times brighter when we shine together?
Aren’t we a thousand times stronger when everyone has a voice?
Empowering others to be strong doesn’t take away from our own purpose or voice. Success isn’t a competition. We can be successful together, apart, in the same room, or in different rooms, and that’s more than okay.
