Melvin Dowdy, PhD – Leadership Coach
The Inner Journey of Leadership
Welcome to my website!
A new conversation on leadership can begin by having a guide to your inner self, learning how to lead from the inside out. Change the inner game, then change the outer. Leadership is your ability to inspire others to achievements beyond their expectations. If you’re not inspired, why expect them to be.
If you choose to work with me, here is a short list of what to expect. You will be one among three leaders in my practice for six months to a year. We will work in person at my Richmond, Virginia office, or at your own office. An initial half-day of coaching gets us started. We will spend considerable time focusing on the value creation you intend to achieve and orienting you to the practices of sustained commitment. I will engage you in an initial assessment of your leadership and what is most critical to your development. Finally, we will take a close look at the forms of support you need for the journey.
Finding Your Way
When you step away from the familiar path, you are invited to be fully present in the here & now. Like a walk in nature, you bring to the present moment your presence. You are constructing a way of paying attention, a way of listening, a way of making some things more important than others. That’s what change requires. What purpose, what horizon, what vision does your attention ask of you now? What inner voice calls to you and how do you begin that work? Perhaps it is time for you to listen to that inner spirit, to be more faithful to its wisdom, and to find your path so that you are not lost in this world desperate for direction.
When I took this picture I was feeling the amazing energy of the mountains just outside of Charlottesville Va. To journey is to face the mountains we must climb. These challenges are there only because their invitation emerges from within our capabilities. If you are committed to use your capabilities, then I am interested in being a guide to how you use them in the most complex contexts of leadership.
Early one morning, visiting my brother-in-law, I woke up to this view of Beaver Dam. I thought of the peace and calm the lake mirrored, evoking the quality of being fully centered. My work with leaders aims to support the discovery of this center. That’s what I do. Helping others find that center.
About
Mel is a consulting psychologist and leadership development coach with more than 40 years experience working with leaders in a wide range of industries including banking, financial management, law, family owned businesses, and healthcare. He is a licensed psychologist in the state of Virginia. He is an educator and author. He has taught leadership through the University of Notre Dame, focusing most recently on Inspirational Leadership at Kylemore, Ireland. He is also a published poet and a musician. He lives and works in Richmond, Va 23221.
Melvin Dowdy 