When I first joined Second Harvest Northland 28 years ago, leadership meant little more than doing the work alongside my team. Like many in small organizations, I wore many hats, and most days were spent solving problems, moving food and doing whatever was needed to support our neighbors.
Over time, our organization and my role began to grow. What once required my constant involvement gradually shifted. Leadership became less about the day-to-day and more about looking ahead, thinking about the future, setting direction and trusting others to lead important parts of our work.
That shift hasn’t always been easy. Like many leaders who grew up doing the work alongside their teams, I’ve had to learn when to stay close to the details and when to step back. I continue to balance involvement with perspective, cultivating a more strategic and visionary mindset while staying grounded in the mission that first brought me here.
One of the moments that tested that mindset most was guiding our organization through its strategic merger. Change at that scale requires courage and persistence. It can be tempting to stay comfortable with the status quo, but leadership sometimes means leaning into uncertainty when you firmly believe it will strengthen the mission and its impact.
Along the way, I’ve been reminded that leadership is never an individual accomplishment. I’ve been fortunate to learn from thoughtful mentors and committed board members who challenged me, supported me and helped me grow. Their guidance made it possible for me to see leadership not as a position, but as a responsibility.
For those early in their leadership journey, my advice is simple: stay curious and never stop learning. Leadership isn’t something you arrive at; it’s something you continually grow into. The challenges will change, the organizations we serve will evolve, and the skills required to lead will keep developing.
After nearly three decades, I’ve learned that leadership, at its best, is less about having all the answers and more about creating space for others to lead, innovate and grow. Leaders who rise alongside their teams, nurture talent and embrace new ideas are the ones who move the mission forward in ways no single person could achieve alone. Leadership, I’ve discovered, is not a destination, it’s the journey we share with the people around us, and I am deeply grateful for all who have walked that path with me, challenged me and helped me grow.
Shaye Moris is President/CEO of Second Harvest Northland.
