By: Sabrina Nasir

Our time was spent reflecting on who we were, as people living in community together, grappling with issues confronting our state, and what values we chose to lead with. Bonds were formed as we talked about our backgrounds, culture, high and low points in life, and so much more. My cohort had an amazing repertoire of accomplishments, and while we were busy, given our many responsibilities, it also felt like we were hungry for something more. For me, I was searching for something bigger than myself, greater than myself, and what I got were 15 committed leaders who were passionate about improving Hawaiʻi, whose collective wisdom grounded me. They were people who could lend an ear, hold an emotional space, and both grieve losses and celebrate wins.

As the months passed during the program, I was waiting for that a-ha moment in which I could check the box of the accomplishments I set forth with my executive coach, but it didn’t materialize that way. I grew significantly, spiritually, emotionally, and gained an immense amount of introspection to my core values and what drives me. What felt different about this space, and this program, is the feeling of being seen—without the masks, the facades, the accomplishments to hang our hats on, our markers of success, but instead, who we are as leaders—where we come from, what shapes us, and what makes us us. The space was referred to as a “container” for us to be ourselves fully, to build and connect with each other, but it wasn’t just us that allowed that space to happen, it was also through the wisdom and efforts of the staff and facilitators who co-created alongside us, exchanged vulnerabilities, and guided the process.

Our journeys culminated in our individual experiences in which some of us found new meaning in a place that was always close to home, while others traveled to gain deeper insight into who they were, or to deepen relationships with our larger ‘ohana across the pacific. Through it all, I kept circling back to the question of what it means to be a leader in Hawai‘i. The way we care for others, and our interconnectedness, or pilina, show us not that we can be a site of innovation for the rest of the world, but that we already are, and have been. My own journey reaffirmed my commitment to improving government and the public sector. And I found that leadership flourishes where inner strength meets conviction, guided by a larger support system and the collective wisdom it contains. What I saw with my cohort is just that—my thought partners, my emotional safety net, and most importantly, my friends, who will help me get there. This isn’t the end, it is merely the beginning of something greater.