“Write your own part. It is the only way I’ve gotten anywhere. It is much harder work, but sometimes you have to take destiny into your own hands. It forces you to think about what your strengths really are, and once you find them, you can showcase them, and no one can stop you.” – Mindy Kaling
Expansions is a leadership development program offered twice a year by the Academy of Learning & Development. This six-month program uses real-life projects to facilitate leadership skills along with a mentorship and self-study assignments. There is a lot of work behind the scenes going into the planning and implementation of this program, so this month we sat down with Expansions Program Manager, Brei Engelson.
When asked ‘What is your favorite part of Expansions’, this is what Brei had to say:
My favorite part of Expansions was getting to see this last Expansions class meet in their groups for the first time. It was the final day of kickoff week and every group was so focused and excitedly planning the next six months. It was so amazing to see all their enthusiasm as they started on their six-month leadership journey. It makes me even more excited to see what our Expansions class has been working on over the last couple of months. I cannot wait to see their presentations in October.
What is the biggest takeaway for team members that go through Expansions?
I think the biggest takeaway from Expansions is the community that you build in Expansions and beyond. A lot of our alumni are still very involved in the program, and love sharing their leadership journeys. There are a lot of awesome benefits but having the opportunity to network with people that are passionate about leadership develop is unmatched. I love hearing everyone’s HICV story. I cannot wait to see where Expansions grows and all the amazing leadership journeys I will get to see along the way.
I also want to take a moment to shoutout my awesome leader, Joe Cornacchioli, for being here every step of the way.
Be on the lookout for other rising leaders, like Brei, as we continue this monthly series.
