19We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr. Stephanie M Kirkland a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Dr. Stephanie M, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
It began with me questioning who I was and what that looked like in my life. I was living AS my roles and responsibilities with it’s external definers. I began to realize there was more, but I didn’t know how to get to it. I remember feeling frustrated and sometimes overwhelmed by others’ expectations, and feeling like something was missing in my life. Finally, I grew to understand that I was not living “true” to myself, with the essence of who I was. This began my journey of being In Pursuit of Me (eventually the name of my signature program). I was discovering my uniqueness, removing the barriers of limiting beliefs, and then learning how to influence with who I had become to create impact through my roles and responsibilities. What a revolutionary difference it made in my life. My relationships were no longer just about my skills or my role or responsibility without the essence of who I was influencing my show up. Living authentically became truly fulfilling because I was making an impact through my unique existence. I began positioning all of the aspects of my life (personal, professional, spiritual, relational, and physical) through how I understood my uniqueness as an individual. I finally understood that becoming the greatest expression of myself was purpose. Purpose was not found outside of me. It was the intermingling of my wisdom, perspective, gifting, and divine DNA that was wrapped in my existence because of my lived experiences that were shaped by my upbringing, my faith, life traumas, my community, and my healing. I am the gift, not what I do for others as responsibilities. My roles are “pathways” for me the gift. Everything that makes me who I am and who I continuously evolve to be is needed to impact those my life is called to touch.
The conduit for this mandate about leveraging uniqueness for success through leading one’s impact is my company, Identity Dynamics. It means the inner force and power that influences direction, behavior and performance in one’s life for success, in whatever role or responsibility, it is not limited. It means different things for different people because we each have a unique light we are meant to lead within the world to create an effective impact. Through this identity work you discover you and develop what you need to bring power to your light, to how you lead, and then connect that understanding to the narratives that are playing out in your life.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Known as the Identity Shaper, Dr. Stephanie M Kirkland is an organizational leadership consultant, executive coach, instructional designer, workshop facilitator, keynote speaker, researcher, author, and expert on African American women’s leadership.
Dr Kirkland is the founder and CEO of Identity Dynamics®️, a leadership development company. Dr. Kirkland has created a signature identity centered leadership framework called Identity Dynamics Leadership®️. It helps leaders develop and convey their unique leader identity and leadership philosophy by exploring themselves across five facets of identity (personnal, professional, spiritual, relational, and physical).
She believes that individual transformation sets the stage for organizational growth. By guiding leaders in developing their leader identity and leadership philosophy, it creates a sustainable impact on the leaders day to day mindset and behaviors regarding themselves as a leader, their teams, and organizations.
“Leaders who know themselves, can lead themselves and others well. Successful leaders begin with identity.” Dr Stephanie M Kirkland.
Her new book “Identity: 12 Lesson on Unapologetically Owing Your Uniqueness for Success,” will be released this year.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three qualities, skills or areas of knowledge is the 1. You are a great original: You must understand that your uniqueness is your superpower. You need to discover your unique identity, so you can become your best self, empower your life, in order to create effective impact in your realm of infleunce. 2. Your mindset controls your destiny: Your beliefs must come in alighnment with your goals. Ghandi says it like this, your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, and your habits direct your destiny. 3. Be intentional: We must move from just existing to living intentionally. We must not allow the circumstances in our lives to dictate our decisions. We must be intentional in that process.
“The journey to becoming a great original begins when you learn to let go of the things that do not empower the growth of your soul.” Dr. Stephanie M Kirkland.
How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal client would likely be professionals, leaders, or individuals seeking personal and professional development opportunities. They would be motivated individuals who understand the importance of embracing their unique identity in professional environments and are committed to leveraging their difference for success.
Characteristics of my ideal client may include:
1. Open-mindedness: They are receptive to new ideas and concepts, particularly those related to self-awareness and authenticity in professional settings.
2. Drive for Success: They are ambitious and proactive about advancing their careers and achieving their goals.
3. Self-awareness: They have a willingness to explore and understand their own strengths, weaknesses, and unique qualities. 4. Commitment to Growth: They are dedicated to personal and professional development and actively seek out opportunities to learn and grow.
5. Inclusivity: They value inclusivity in the workplace and are interested in fostering environments where everyone feels valued and respected.
Overall, my ideal client would be someone who sees the value in embracing their uniqueness and understands how doing so can contribute to their professional success and the creation of inclusive work environments. They would be eager to engage in the learning experiences and practical strategies I offer through my signature leadership development system to help them harness their uniqueness effectively.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.identitydynamics.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drstephaniemkirkland/;
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/dr-stephanie-m-kirkland-50648b202
Image Credits
Aaron Kirkland, Richard Faulk
