Alex Delaney: Leadership Greater Topeka
Alex Delaney is the Club Director of Sunflower Soccer Association and Topeka Soccer Club. As community engagement is very important to him, Alex serves on several boards in northeast Kansas including Communities in Schools of Mid-America, Junior Achievement, and the Kansas Department of Education's Kansas Advisory Committee for Career & Technical Education. His focus is on where poverty and education intersect as opportunity for the youth of Kansas.
TK: What is the most important characteristic that every leader should possess? Why?
Although there are many important characteristics of leadership, I think the most important is empathy. Empathetic leaders really get into the details of what matters to stakeholders and can understand the viewpoint of those they may disagree with, therefore giving them the most complete picture of every side of an issue before the ultimate decision is made. Learning to care about things as much as the people you lead care about them, or at least understanding why they’re important, leads ever other aspect of leadership for me.
TK: What motivates or inspires you?
Being the very best version of myself is what inspires me. I have led a life of failure, but I honestly feel that when I look back over the course of my life, I have emerged a better person from it.
TK: What is your theme song?
My theme song is “You” by Bad Religion. It’s a good reminder to me that we’re all in this together.
