Meet Lj Finney

We recently connected with Lj Finney and have shared our conversation below.

LJ, 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?

I found my purpose by accident. In following my interests and my curiosity, I discovered my ability to elevate others. I realized the power of my words and the power of listening as a child. I would sit with elders for hours listening to their stories, it’s only natural that I found careers that allowed me to listen and translate. It started with computer programming, listening to the business and writing code. It evolved to business analysis, still listening to the business and communicating with the programmers. It grew to project and program management, listening to the Senior leaders and working with everyone to move the business forward.
My purpose is to help people and organizations reach their goals, now I have my own company IN-18 LLC where I get to do what I love, where I love to be, the golf course. I discovered my love for golf when I needed 1 credit to graduate from college. Golf has been the medium for me to connect in an organic and authentic way. In listening to my heart, I felt like the most improved version of myself while playing golf and I found a greater purpose in the journey of reconnecting with myself. I was at a special golf course and playing terribly the entire round awaiting a call from the doctor, when the doctor called with a diagnosis that would change my life. I accepted that whatever the future holds, I have to play the ball as it lies. I birdied that hole and I recommitted to elevating leaders using golf.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

LJ Finney is the CEO of IN-18 LLC, an experiential leadership development firm, training leaders on and off the golf course. As a consultant and trainer, LJ helps employees identify and develop transferable leadership skills like critical thinking, communication, emotional intelligence, and project management. With over 20 years of experience on Wall Street and Technology at Goldman Sachs, Barclays, and Apollo Global Management, LJ has been instrumental in creating and delivering training solutions aligned with major digital transformation initiatives. She has been instrumental in creating and delivering training solutions to build leaders through relationship management and self-awareness using tools like golf to help leaders experience learning.

LJ is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and ICF PCC-certified Executive and Career and Life Coach. She has a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems from Long Island University, CW Post, and a Master of Science in Computer Science from NYU Tandon School of Engineering. She is a Life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, past President of the NYC chapter of LPGA Amateurs, and a founding Board Member of Finer Life Golf Foundation, Incorporated.

Tune in to her monthly LinkedIn Live series, Any Given Monday, to hear industry insights that are impacting small business owners.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The most important qualities that helped me were critical thinking, project management, and communication. Start with why and ask the difficult questions, be curious and listen. For anyone early on their personal and professional journey, remain curious and focus on strengthening emotional intelligence skills. This will put you ahead of others that have not mastered interpersonal and social skills. A great way to build these skills is to do what makes you uncomfortable, another way is to learn to play golf socially.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

The book that I reference most is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. It has been instrumental in anchoring me and for shaping the workplace culture for my interns and staff. The biggest takeaway was “Always to Your Best” which helped me fight perfectionism and taught me to give myself grace. In this agreement, it allows us to acknowledge that our best may not look the same on days we do not feel our best. Golf reiterated that message because you can play the same course everyday, and depending on how you feel, the weather and a variety of other factors, you will have a different outcome.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.IN-18.com
• Instagram: @in18llc
• Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/company/in18llc
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@in18llc

Image Credits

LJ Finney