The Core Tenets of Oddball Leadership

Oddball Leadership is built on four core principles. Everything else grows from there.

Oddball Leadership is not a proprietary system I developed after years and years of research and study.

And it's not something you'll read about in a textbook for your MBA program.

Oddball Leadership was born from the fact that anyone can be an amazing leader whom people revere — even when you realize, in the middle of your work day, that you're wearing two different shoes. (me) Or your blouse is on backwards. (me again) Or you accidentally pee on yourself before lunch. (also me) Or you accidentally burp in a meeting. (yes, me) Or you mix up your words and instead of saying "service packs" in a Blackbaud CRM meeting you say "cervix." (also me, again)

To be clear, I am not an Oddball Leader because of those things. I am an Oddball Leader despite them.

I am an Oddball Leader because I lead with four principles and a whole lot of intention.

BELONGING AS THE FOUNDATION

People do their best work when they feel safe enough to actually show up — ask hard questions, admit their mistakes, offer their weird ideas, and challenge assumptions in good faith.

Belonging isn't a platitude on a welcome mat. It's the foundation of trust, and it's the leader's job to reinforce it.

GRATITUDE & APPRECIATION AS THE RESPONSE

Your success as a leader is only as good as the team you are charged to lead. Gratitude means showing up for your people in ways that are actually meaningful to them — not just celebrating wins, but recognizing the work it took to get there.

Gratitude isn't about pizza parties and crystal clocks. It's about genuinely caring for everyone you lead.

CURIOSITY AS THE EQUALIZER

Ask more questions than you answer. Be genuinely interested in the people on your team, the problems in front of you, and the assumptions you've been carrying around unchecked.

Curiosity is how leaders keep growing, how problems get solved, and how dialogue stays honest.

JOY AS THE MOTIVATOR

Work is hard. It's also supposed to have moments of delight in it. Make time to play. Laugh at yourself. Don't take everything so seriously.

Joy isn't a distraction from the work — it's what makes the work sustainable.

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