Hello Good People,
Here's something I've been thinking about.
How many people are living a life that looks successful on the outside but quietly wondering whether they're living the life they were actually created to live?
They've earned the title. Built the career. Met the expectations. Checked the boxes.
But somewhere along the way, the pursuit of success became louder than the voice of purpose.
And sometimes, the very thing keeping us from our next chapter isn't a lack of opportunity.
It's our belief that someone else needs to give us permission to begin.
When Purpose Takes You Beyond What's Familiar
This week on Authentic Encounters: Lena Speaks, I had the joy of reconnecting with my longtime friend and Kentucky State University sister, Tiffany Hormeku, whom many know as Tiffany Dillard.
Tiffany's journey has taken her from the United States to China, Ghana, and Japan.
Today, she leads an international preschool in Japan, navigating cultural differences, language barriers, competing expectations, and the everyday responsibilities of leading people.
But what fascinated me most wasn't the number of countries she's lived in.
It was her willingness to listen to the direction of her life, step beyond what others expected, and continue becoming who she believes she was created to be.
At 38, Tiffany made her first international move.
Not because every question had been answered.
Not because everyone in her family understood.
But because she had reached a point where she recognized that the life she wanted to live required action.
Purpose doesn't always arrive with everyone's understanding or approval.
And that's where this conversation becomes a leadership lesson.
Authenticity Doesn't Excuse Us From Adaptability
One of the most meaningful parts of our conversation came when Tiffany described what it takes to lead a team of people from different countries and cultures.
Different communication styles.
Different expectations around work.
Different definitions of what respect and accountability should look like.
Imagine being responsible for bringing those perspectives together while still maintaining the standards of your organization.
Tiffany spoke about the importance of understanding people's cultural backgrounds before determining how best to lead them.
That requires humility.
And it's a lesson every CEO, executive, manager, and high-performing leader should consider.
Being authentic doesn't mean everyone else must adjust to you.
Sometimes authentic leadership requires us to adjust how we communicate, how we listen, and how we serve.
You can maintain your values without insisting on your preferred way of doing everything.
You can uphold standards without dismissing individual differences.
And you can be confident in who you are while remaining humble enough to learn from someone else.
That's the difference between simply occupying a leadership position and intentionally leading human beings.
The Legacy People Actually Remember
Later in our conversation, I asked Tiffany what she hoped people would remember about her leadership.
Her answer stayed with me.
She wanted people to know she genuinely cared about them.
She shared how a staff member reached out late one evening during a family medical emergency. Tiffany immediately offered to come and help if needed.
What stood out wasn't the offer alone.
It was that the employee already knew Tiffany meant it.
Good People, that's significant.
Because the most meaningful measure of our leadership isn't always what we say about our values. It's what people have experienced that gives those values credibility.
You can talk about servant leadership all day.
But have people experienced your service?
You can say people matter.
But do your decisions demonstrate it?
You can speak about your purpose.
But does the way you live reflect it?
That's the kind of leadership worth examining.
This week's authentic encounter
I want to leave you with three questions:
1. What expectation am I still allowing to define my life?
Is it family, professional identity, success, or the fear of disappointing someone?
2. Where am I being asked to adapt rather than control?
Maybe the next stage of growth requires more listening, patience, cultural awareness, or humility.
3. What do people experience when they encounter me?
Not what I intend. Not what I believe about myself. What do they actually experience?
These aren't questions to rush through.
They're questions worth making room for.
And sometimes, the next step isn't doing more.
It's getting quiet enough to hear what matters.
An Invitation To Be Heard & Led
There is a difference between being busy with good things and being intentional about the things you've been called to do.
That's one of the reasons we created the Heard & Led 28-Day Journal.
It's a faith-centered space to slow down, reflect, reconnect with your purpose, and become more attentive to God's direction for your life.
Not another obligation to add to your schedule.
An intentional invitation to make room for reflection and growth.
Because before you can consistently pour into others, you need space to examine what's happening within you.
Make room to hear God. Find courage to follow.
Continue The Conversation
This week's Authentic Encounters: Lena Speaks conversation with Tiffany Hormeku goes beyond leadership titles and international travel.
We talk about faith, personal reinvention, navigating cultural differences, living authentically, and creating a legacy through the way we care for others.
And here's what I'd love to know:
What's one expectation you've had to release, or still need to release, to live more fully in your purpose?
Hit reply and share your thoughts. I read these reflections because I believe our most meaningful growth often begins with an authentic encounter.
Until our next encounter,
Lena Morris
Founder & CEO, Authentic Encounters
From Training to Transformation
Human First, Leader Second
P.S. Ready to make intentional space for your faith and purpose? Explore the Heard & Led 28-Day Journal, including the digital edition at $29, in The Journal Collection.
