A leadership lesson from the GCSAA Women’s Leadership Academy

My team is currently reading “Unreasonable Hospitality,” but I realized something very quickly last month: If you want an actual master class in extraordinary service, genuine leadership and what it means to make people feel profoundly valued, all you need is a trip to the GCSAA headquarters in Lawrence, Kan. 

From the moment my travel was booked to the moment I touched down back in California, the women and men of GCSAA made every moment feel intentional, thoughtful and deeply personal. But nothing prepared me for what happened when we arrived at headquarters. As our motorcoach pulled up, rows of GCSAA staff lined the walkway; cheering, clapping and welcoming us with the kind of energy usually reserved for championship teams. It gave me literal chills. And then, stepping inside and hearing the words “This is your home” said with absolute sincerity… I don’t know that hospitality can get any more powerful than that. 

By the end of the academy, I didn’t just leave with new skills; I left with 50 new friends — truly, 50 new family members — each one bringing their own strength, heart and encouragement.

Cultivating confidence

The Women’s Leadership Academy began with connection and conversation. Our kickoff dinner brought together women from across the country, each with different backgrounds but a shared drive to grow. Suzy Whaley’s “Cultivating Confidence” conversation was a standout — full of candor, humor and meaningful insight. 

Day two at GCSAA HQ invited us into deeper self-awareness. Through the Predictive Index with Amy Leslie, we explored our leadership drivers, communication styles and natural strengths, then unpacked them in honest, vulnerable breakout groups. The afternoon built on that foundation with Jodie Cunningham’s sessions on feedback and tough conversations. Practical, clear and empowering. She turned one of the hardest parts of leadership into something structured and accessible.

We also heard from GCSAA President T.A. Barker and director Greg Jones, who helped us better understand engagement, influence and the broader community we are part of. Vision journaling pushed us to imagine our own leadership legacies, and that night’s dinner reminded us again how connection accelerates growth. 

Our final day opened with a jolt of awe as Rear Admiral Jackie McClelland spoke about presence, purpose and leading in high-stakes environments. Her poise and clarity were unforgettable. Sessions on delegation, communication and executive presence rounded out a curriculum filled with practical tools and real inspiration. As we wrote letters to our future selves and shared our closing commitments, it was clear: We weren’t leaving as the same people who had arrived. We were better. Stronger. Clearer. And part of a new community that felt like family.

Embodying leadership

Few programs deliver this level of intentionality, depth and heart. Every detail — from logistics to learning design to the emotional welcome that still gives me goosebumps — embodied the essence of “Unreasonable Hospitality:” making people feel seen, valued and celebrated. GCSAA didn’t just teach leadership; they lived it in every handshake, every session, every cheer, every moment.