The Role of Leadership: Strengthening the Swimmer or Calming the Waters

Leadership is rarely a one-size-fits-all responsibility. At times, it requires pushing people to grow, sharpen their skills, and rise beyond what they thought possible. Other times, it means providing stability, reassurance, and calm in the middle of uncertainty. There is a common phrase that captures this well: sometimes the role of leadership is to strengthen the swimmer, and sometimes it is to calm the waters.

During my time as Vice President of Communications & Marketing at Limestone University, this balance became especially important. I was fortunate to lead a team filled with talent and creativity. There were moments when my role was to challenge them, to help them see just how much they could accomplish, and to encourage them to reach their fullest potential. Yet there were also moments when the weight of external pressures and an uncertain future for the institution left my team anxious. In those times, my role was not to push harder, but instead to steady the environment, ease their concerns, and help them stay focused on what we could control.

I learned that both sides of leadership are equally valuable. A team cannot thrive on constant challenge without periods of reassurance, just as they cannot succeed with comfort alone and no push toward growth. Striking the right balance requires attentiveness, empathy, and a willingness to shift depending on what your people need in the moment.

Looking back, I am proud of how our team at Limestone navigated those seasons of uncertainty while continuing to deliver meaningful work. I often saw the best results when I trusted the talent around me, encouraged individuals to stretch themselves, and at the same time created an atmosphere where they felt supported and secure.

This lesson has stayed with me beyond my time at Limestone. Whether in higher education or any other field, effective leadership often comes down to knowing when to strengthen the swimmer and when to calm the waters. A leader who can do both helps their team not only survive challenges, but also grow stronger and more resilient along the way.

Although Limestone ultimately closed earlier this year, I believe our team members were prepared to weather that storm. They carried their talent, creativity, and resilience into meaningful careers elsewhere, and that remains one of the most rewarding outcomes of my time in leadership.

The true measure of a leader is not in controlling every outcome, but in equipping people to face challenges with strength and confidence. Even in seasons of uncertainty, leaders have the opportunity to instill resilience, provide clarity, and remind their teams of their value. By leading with empathy and purpose, we help people grow in ways that last far beyond any single organization or moment in time.