Growth, Gratitude, and Shifts
David Freund, Chief Leadership Officer

Back in October 2016, Randy Wolken, MACNY’s President & CEO, stopped me outside of my office and told me it was time to start writing a weekly blog post. I happened to be standing near Marisa Norcross’s desk, and she must have noticed the panic in my eyes. With a reassuring smile, she said, “It’ll be okay — I’ll help you.”

After Randy walked away, Marisa added, “You write it, and I’ll make it look right.” For years, Marisa read everything I wrote, polishing my words before any of you had the chance to read them. During Marisa’s maternity leave, and again after her promotion to Chief Operating Officer, Marissa Beck and Lauren Alexander, graciously stepped in to edit my writing. Without their help, this past decade of blog posts wouldn’t have been possible.

Since that first daunting day in 2016, I’ve written roughly 187,200 words in blog posts alone. Factor in magazine articles and MACNY monthly newsletters, and that total climbs even higher; that’s the equivalent of nearly four business books! Here’s the truth: I didn’t do it alone. Every one of those words passed through the capable hands of colleagues who offered feedback, edits, and encouragement along the way — helping me to grow with each blog I wrote.

That growth has always been at the heart of my writing. I’m often asked, “How do you know what to write about?” My answer is simple: I write about whatever I’m learning at the time. As I’ve learned, tried, failed, and grown, the words have followed naturally. The tagline for my blog, Charting Your Path to Growth, reflects that sentiment.

Just as personal growth has shaped my writing, teamwork has shaped my journey. I’ve always believed that teamwork makes the dream work, and that’s certainly been true here. After all, it’s one thing to have a dream, but without the right people beside you to help make it real, that dream stays just that — a dream.

When I joined MACNY ten years ago, my dream was to change the mindset of leadership throughout Central New York — to help shift from transactional management to values-based, transformational leadership. It was an ambitious goal, but I’ve never walked that path alone. My colleagues at MACNY have supported that vision every step of the way.

That spirit of collaboration that took place in 2016 near Marisa Norcross’ desk continues today. Last May, Steve Maloney returned to MACNY, as our Director of Training, bringing with him a shared passion for leadership, growth, and transformation. I’m thrilled to share that Steve will be joining me in communicating with you through our new shared blog, The Next Shift: Where People and Performance Advance. We’ll be returning to weekly posts, sharing the duties as we continue to grow together.

You’ll begin seeing content from Steve next week, with the official launch our new blog happening at our 10th annual Live2Lead, on November 7th at The Lodge in Skaneateles. This event is a wonderful opportunity to learn, connect, and grow alongside leaders from across Central New York. Registration remains open through Friday, October 24th, but seats are filling up quickly — secure your spot today!