Jackie Jenkins-Scott - The 7 Secrets of Responsive Leadership: Drive Change, Manage Transitions, and Help Any Organization Turn Around

Jackie Jenkins-Scott is the kind of responsive, compassionate, and people-centered leader that our times demand and our communities deserve. I have had the joy and privilege of learning from her firsthand and I am so grateful that as we navigate turbulent times as a nation, she has put forth in writing her vision, insight, and approach. A must-read for those who want to lead with love and stay rooted in community.

AYANNA PRESSLEY, congresswoman from
Massachusetts

Jackie Jenkins-Scott provides a road map for effective leadership by laying bare the realities of the challenges, choices, and dilemmas that face leaders today. This is a must-reada practical and thoughtful tool for anyone who aspires to become a responsive, effective, and successful leader.

DEBORAH C. JACKSON, president, Cambridge
College

The 7 Secrets of Responsive Leadership belongs on any leader's bookshelf, particularly one who understands the role of heart over head in motivating an organization. Jackie Jenkins-Scott has produced a highly readable, pragmatic, and emotionally intelligent book on a full range of leadership challenges and behaviors. The 7 Secrets are validated by multiple anecdotes from her own extensive leadership experience and peppered with real-world examples familiar to all of us.

BINK GARRISON, president of Bink, Inc.

In The 7 Secrets of Responsive Leadership, Jackie skillfully helps leaders tackle complex leadership challenges with very practical and transparent advice. This is a unique and refreshing read for new and seasoned organizational leaders.

DR. JOHN H. JACKSON, president and CEO of the
Schott Foundation

It was an honor to follow in the footsteps of Jackie's leadership at Dimock. The lessons in The 7 Secrets of Responsive Leadership remain a part of Dimock today and deeply resonate with me as they will for so many other leaders to come.

MYECHIA MINTER-JORDAN, MD, MBA, former
president and CEO, Dimock Center

I've known Jackie for many years and she has always been a force of nature, enacting positive transformation within two of Boston's key health and educational institutions with her powerful brand of leadership. She has translated all of her experiences and knowledge about what it takes to be a truly effective leader into the pages that you hold before you, and I have no doubt that this, too, will be a tremendous success.

STEVEN W. TOMPKINS, sheriff, Suffolk County,
Massachusetts

This edition first published in 2020 by Career Press, an imprint of

Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC

With offices at:

65 Parker Street, Suite 7

Newburyport, MA 01950

www.careerpress.com

www.redwheelweiser.com

Copyright 2020 by Jackie Jenkins-Scott

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC. Reviewers may quote brief passages.

ISBN: 978-1-63265-159-4

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available upon request.

Cover design by Ellen Varitimos

Interior by Maureen Forys, Happenstance Type-O-Rama

Typeset in New Baskerville and Trade Gothic

Printed in the United States of America

IBI

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www.redwheelweiser.com/newsletter

With Love and Gratitude

To my large extended familypast and
presentwho provide a foundation of
unconditional love and encouragement

To my amazing sister-friends who lift
and support me through the good times
and the challenging times

To all the emerging responsive leaders
who aim to make the world a more just
and humane place for all

To Amal and Amber, who make me
proud each and every day

And to Jim, who has been by
my side through it all.

T he process of preparing and writing this book reminded me that we do not lead alone and that I am no exception to this. Countless unnamed people contributed to my journey of learning and growing as a leader. With gratitude and appreciation, I thank them all.

For twenty-one years, I had the great privilege of leading the Dimock Community Health Center (now called The Dimock Center). I will always be grateful to the dedicated and committed members of the board of directors who guided and supported me as a young emerging leader. In particular, I am thankful for the excellent board leaders, Walter Jennings, Joseph Feaster, Wendell Knox, and Clayton Turnbull, who each served as board chair for a time during my tenure as president.

The compassionate and dedicated Dimock staff who provided care to the patients and clients we served were truly an inspiration. In particular, I thank Dr. Herb Dreyer for his commitment to our patients, day and night. He and I were privileged to work alongside amazing caregivers during the early days of the AIDS pandemic. I thank the patients and our caregivers who taught us so much about living and dying with compassion and dignity.

The Dimock story is a story of vision, leadership, and legacy. I am grateful for the many supportersphilanthropic and communitywho believe in this institution. I especially acknowledge the late William O. Taylor, publisher of the Boston Globe, who was one of our very early supporters and the first to make a $500,000 investment in Dimock. With gratitude, I thank the many donors who followed his lead in ensuring that this great community resource continues to serve those in need.

Today, Dimock is thriving and provides services to thousands of people. With great appreciation, I thank all who have continued Dimock's mission and legacy with professionalism and dedication as a true testament to the power of resilience.

I acknowledge with gratitude Robert Lincoln, who, as chair of the board of Wheelock College, took a risk in hiring a nontraditional president and who supported me for the twelve years I served in that role. I thank the remarkable Wheelock alumni who welcomed me with open arms and supported our many efforts to continue Wheelock's important mission.

During my presidency, I learned so much from Wheelock students who, with their optimism, curiosity, and desire to make the world better, always provided the boost I needed to keep going. I thank my colleague and friend Marta Rosa, who assisted in recalling the Mattahunt story, for her support during very challenging times. I want to especially acknowledge Sister Janet Eisner, president of Emmanuel College, who supported and encouraged me as a new college president and who continues to serve as a role model for what it means to successfully lead in an ever-changing higher education environment.

I have been most fortunate to work with many truly gifted servant leaders during my career. I am grateful for each of them who trusted me and who I trusted to lead with integrity, passion, and a dedication to excellence. I will be forever grateful for all that we were able to accomplish together.

For over twenty years, Valerie Thornhill Hudson worked by my side supporting me and the institutions I led. Thank you Val, for keeping me on track and helping me shine in so many, many ways!

A special thank you to all those who encouraged me to write this book and helped bring it to fruition. Maryann Karinch, for your encouragement, terrific advice, thorough research, and excellent ideas. Thanks also to my supportive team at Red Wheel/Weiser, especially my editor Michael Pye, marketing champion Laurie Kelly-Pye, and the production team, especially Jane Hagaman, Maureen Forys, and Rebecca Rider.