The Infinite Journey

An Interview with Dr. Sarai Koo

The leadership positions that women occupy and have occupied are innumerable.  The contributions of women in leadership positions are far too many to name or quantify in any expository way.  Gender diversity in leadership brings numerous benefits to organizations, communities and to the global economy.  Women leaders have forged new avenues in business, politics, science, education and so much more in the worldwide community in all facets of our lives.  Their impact can be seen and felt throughout our society and our personal lives.  The call for increased gender diversity in leadership positions is not merely an aspiration for equality but it is an essential stride towards a more inclusive and prosperous society.  In today’s world the importance of having women in leadership positions cannot be overstated. 

I had the wonderful opportunity to interview Sarai Koo, Ph.D.  She is an award-winning executive.  Her expertise covers areas such as human capital, talent and leadership development, culture, diversity, equity and inclusion just to name a few.  Apart from her professional accomplishments, Dr. Koo is the author of the book, “Seoul Food” and has dabbled in acting.  She has appeared in Steven Soderbergh’s American thriller film, “Kimi” (released in February 2022) and worldwide Hyundai commercials, showing her diverse range of talents.

During my conversation with Dr. Koo, I was fascinated by the sheer depth of her experiences and variety in her background.  Her leadership philosophy is deeply grounded in the conception that “every day is a learning experience” and that every day is an opportunity to make a positive impact.  Each day she asks herself, “What did I learn and what changes can I make today?”  Her accumulation of life experiences is because of her insatiable desire to learn and grow and to help others is, for her, an infinite journey.  This journey includes how she and others can become a better human being and having zero regrets for things that she wished that she could have accomplished.

Dr. Koo sees her leadership journey as – “The Infinite Project SPICES™ Journey.”  It involves continuous learning, embracing change and using it as an opportunity for growth, not just for her but for those in her leadership circles.  She serves as an inspiration to the younger generation.  In her world, leadership is about influence and influencing others to find their path and to go after what they are seeking with passion and purpose.  When young women see successful female leaders, they are encouraged to aspire to leadership roles themselves.  This, in turn, helps to break down gender stereotypes and empowers women to pursue their ambitions with more confidence and courage.  This is the journey that Dr. Sarai Koo has forged.

To discharge this formattable task, requires a boundless energy and drive to sustain the mission.  It also requires a dedication to uplifting others along the way powered by an insatiable curiosity about life; a copious hunger for learning and an ample capacity to embrace the human spirit with gusto and self-assurance.  I found all of these qualities in Dr. Sarai Koo and more.  There is an abounding energy that emanates from her and it is with that vigor that propels her in her quest to help others succeed and find their purpose.

So, it is not surprising that when I asked her about her views on leadership, she talked about the importance of effectively leading others to help them grow their full human selves and talents by giving them opportunities to use their skills and abilities. And, most importantly, giving them a safe space to thrive.  Too often women and other historically disadvantaged populations have been denied leadership roles, not because of lack of desire or talent, but because of lack of opportunity to demonstrate their leadership abilities and the contributions that they can make in their respective organizations.

When Dr, Koo started her non-profit organization, MAPS 4 College, she said that this was an example of how she demonstrated her leadership skills in a very profound way. This endeavor was a challenge because Dr. Koo started the organization with “no money, no building and no people.”  With her tenacity and drive, she was able to overcome these challenges and created an organization that helps students to succeed in college and in life by gaining the support and confidence that they need to thrive. MAPS 4 College gives participants space to have a voice and to demonstrate their talents.  It is through this approach that Dr. Koo helped them graduate from college to discover their purpose and work towards their goals. 

When asked, what motivates her to take on the many leading roles that she has, she said that, “I did not see a lot of people actually doing what they say that they are going to do.”  She saw many disappointments and unmet expectations.  Some people say that they want change but they do not really want change or they do not want to do what it takes to actually effectuate the change.  We all know that real change is hard. It takes commitment and perseverance.  Most people talk a good game but aren’t willing to do what it takes to accomplish the changes that they seek.  Dr. Koo saw this as an opportunity to fill these voids of unmet promises and really make a difference by committing to making real changes and sticking to her commitments. Leaders do what they say and are committed to keeping their word.  This is leadership at its core.  Being a good leader is about manifesting a vision through commitment, determination and integrity.

When asked what her strengths were as a leader, she responded that she considers them to be grit, resilience, and her ability to connect with others.  She also cites her being curious and always seeking answers are at the heart of her ambitions. Results from Dr. Koo’s Clifton Strengths™ assessment reveals that she is a connector and strategic thinker that relates with others and is self-assured in her actions.  Leaders that use their strengths to accomplish their goals and objectives are far more likely to have a significant impact on their life and the lives of others.  Dr. Koo clearly has demonstrated how to use her strengths to have an impact by accentuating her connections with other people and harnessing her abilities to extract the best from them.

One of the most important jobs for any leader is how to motivate their team and how to keep them motivated to reach their goals.  Dr. Koo believes that by drawing out the purpose in people’s lives and giving them the skills to grow is key to keeping them motivated.  She sees things in people that they don’t see in themselves.  Her job, as a leader, is to bring out these hidden attributes in her team and pushing them to be their best.  She does this by showing them their hidden talents and helping them to find the courage to display their attributes in ways that they have never considered.

When asked, how have your views on leadership changed over the years, she responded that she has evolved to believe that “anyone can be a leader and it’s about influencing others without manipulation.”  She challenges herself to approach people in a way that will create the best outcome by accentuating their talents and strengths.

One of the most intriguing concepts that Dr. Koo raised was that as a leader, as a woman, and as a person who considers themselves an agent of change, is that she often feels that she is misunderstood by others because she does and sees things differently.  One of the primary advantages of having women in leadership roles is the diverse perspectives they bring to the table.  Women often approach problems and decision from different angles which often leads to more creative and innovative solutions. As it relates to diversity, Dr. Koo believes that without belonging, inclusion, equity, accessibility and diversity, change is stifled.  And, in our rapidly changing world, being open to new ideas and approaches as well as fostering a culture of adaptability are essential.  The importance of having women in leadership roles is not just a matter of equity; it is a matter of practicality, profitability and progress.  The diverse perspectives, enhanced decision-making, improved corporate performance and societal inspiration that women leaders bring are all essential components of a better world.  Embracing and enabling gender diversity in leadership is not just a choice; it is a necessity as it leads us toward a more equitable, innovative and prosperous future.


Dr. Sarai Koo serves as a consummate ambassador of change as a leader dedicated to equity, inclusion and growth for all.  As part of her infinite journey, Dr. Koo runs a program, Project SPICES™, that seeks to transform people from the inside out by uncovering their hidden talents and strengths.  I wish her well as we accompany her on:

“The Infinite Journey.”

Article By: Larry Hammond, Sr.

What is Going to Make YOU the Next Great Leader? What Will Take YOU to the Next Level?

As the workplace dynamics and life situations are rapidly evolving, there are multiple opportunities to assume leadership roles.  Circumstances whether in your job or in your community or even in your family may require you to step up and lead.   For example, I have seen one of the biggest and most consequential leadership roles that I have had to undertake was addressing the needs of my aging parents.  In our communities, we often see that individuals are standing up to fight for what they believe in or to seek justice.  In the workplace, organizations are moving more aggressively toward team management and project-based operations.  These settings have made it even more imperative that organizations invest in growing leaders that can step into management roles to execute their organizational.

So, what do the experts say makes a great leader?

  •  Great leaders get straight “A’s” on their leadership test.  They exemplify authenticity, accountability, adaptability and appreciation.

  • Great leaders cast a compelling vision about where they want to go and they have faith in their beliefs - they create lasting solutions to problems not just band aide fixes and they create a thriving organizational culture.

  • Great leaders stay positive, exhibit confidence and have a sense of humor - they are clear about their goals and decisive in their decisions - they lead with courage, passion and humility.

  • Great leaders handle controversial issues or crisis calmly and confidently - they embrace failures and manage setbacks while taking responsibility for their actions - they learn from their mistakes and make the hard choices when they have to.

  • Great leaders embrace change and lead by example - they communicate effectively and are transparent in their actions.

These are what I call the brass ring objectives.  These tend to be the buzz words of leadership development.  These are the things that we often shoot for to become better leaders.  While these are all good intentions and yes great qualities to have as a leader, they tend to be taught as the flavor of the month but, in reality, nobody embodies all of these leadership qualities. While a finely tuned racecar looks great and will perform competitively on the racetrack it won’t be a winner when you need to bring the groceries home from the store; your SUV will do a better job at that.

So how are you going to become the next great leader?  What will get you prepared to step into a leadership role, willingly or unwillingly, and have the best chance to succeed?

We all take on leadership roles in very different ways.  Depending on our talents and strengths as well as knowing our limitations we all approach the responsibilities of leading in very different ways.  Through Gallup’s research, it was determined that the most effective leaders are always investing in strengths.  Without an awareness of your strengths, it is almost impossible for you to lead effectively.

“We believe that when the right talent meets the right opportunity in a company with the right philosophy, amazing transformation can happen.”  -- Reid Hoffman

In order to be an effective leader, you need to take stock of your personal characteristics and skill sets and assess your strengths and weaknesses.  Further education in leadership and management coupled with continued professional development of your skills are key.   In this age of digital enlightenment and rapidly evolving workplaces, the definition of effective leadership is constantly changing and to keep up, leaders need to continuously ask questions of themselves.

In the popular TV show, Game of Thrones – Peter Dinklage plays Tyrion Lannister a dwarf living in this fictional world where physical strength and the ability to engage in warfare are rewarded.  When asked why he reads so many books, his answer is to improve his already strong mind.  Knowing that because of his physical limitations, that he would never excel as a warrior, his best chance to lead and succeed was through his intellectual abilities.  He knew his strength was his intelligence and that by enhancing his strongest asset he could not only survive in a chaotic world but he would excel as a leader.

Knowing your strongest assets are your best chance to be a successful leader.  Understanding not only your strengths but those of your team and bringing those talents to bear in your leadership endeavors is your best path to being a great leader.  Knowing your strengths and those of your team is like having a blueprint of why you are or why your team members are the way that they are is like having a manual on how to make yourself or your team members function at optimal efficiency.

In my previous articles, I have been talking about knowing your strengths is understanding your “YUR”.  Why you tackle certain challenges the way you do; why you react the way you do; why you lead the way you do are all encompassed in how you use your strengths.  For example, if one of your strengths is communication you will lead best if you use this talent to influence others.  Empathizing easily with others will take you a long way in your leadership responsibilities by helping to build strong relationships.  Having strong analytical skills, will help you devise effective strategies while leading a team and if you are a person possessing an acute ability to focus then you will use this strength to lead your team in successfully executing their projects.

“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself.  When you become a leader, success is about growing others.”  – Jack Welch

As a person that has “Maximizer” as my top talent theme according to the Gallup StrenghtsFinder assessment, I understand that great leaders know that people are key to your success.  One of the keys to being a great leader, in my opinion, is being able to instill power within others.  Lifting others up, inspiring them to grow and bringing out the best in people is the best way to create more leaders.  A true leader is able to inspire their team to encourage them to go beyond excellence and accomplish far more than anyone expects them to – or they expect of themselves.  Great leaders earn their team’s respect.  They do this by getting to know their team by listening, providing productive feedback and they encourage cooperation over competition.

“You cannot have faith in people unless you take action to improve and develop them.”  -- Sumantra Ghoshal

The other side of the leadership equation is encompassed in why followers follow.  In the book written by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie, Strengths Based Leadership, Rath and Conchie outline how you can effectively lead using your unique strengths.  I highly recommend reading this book and with it you will get a code that will allow you to take Gallup’s StrengthsFinder Assessment.

If you are ready to find out what shapes your ability to be an effective leader and you are ready to maximize your “YUR” by discovering your talents, declaring your strengths and developing them into dynamic tools that will make you the next great leader V1H Consulting will help you to evolve your “YUR”.

“What great leaders have in common is that each truly knows his or her strengths – and can call on the right at the right time.”  --Tom Rath

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“How You Do Anything is How You Do Everything”

A Strengths Based Approach

Martha Beck is credited with coining the quote, “How you do anything is how you do everything”.  This quotation has been widely used in a variety of training seminars, motivational talks and many books and periodicals.  It would suggest that how you manage most situations, challenges or other experiences in your life is probably a good indication of how you handle almost all of the occurrences in your life.  When I first heard this quote in a leadership seminar a few years ago, I wasn’t quite sure if this was really true and, if it was, how I would process this information.  Typically, statements that include words like anything or everything are usually very broad expressions and, quite frankly, I interpret them with guarded reservations.  For example, when I looked at the relationships that I have had in my life, or some of the actions that I have taken, I didn’t necessarily see a correlation to that statement.  My relationships varied widely and because I may procrastinate on doing yard work that didn’t necessarily mean that I procrastinated in doing other things, especially things that I enjoyed doing.  Also, while my desk may get a little messy, my car stays clean.  And, I certainly would not want to compare how I play basketball or sing, for example, with how I do other things in my life.  So, while I did see some things that fit in this model, my personal experiences didn’t seem to fit this doctrine consistently enough to solidify it in my consciousness.

Do you ever wonder why you make certain choices?  Why you do what you do?  Why you like certain things?  In my last article, titled “YUR” which talked about how your talents and strengths determine why you do what you do, leads to the connection between strengths and the do everything scenario. Under the concept of “YUR” I have suggested that the core of why you do what you do is driven by using your strengths.   As I viewed the do everything statement through the strengths lens, I could see a more definitive pattern that gave credence to this premise.  As I developed the “YUR” concept, as it relates to StrengthsFinder, I began to see a pattern that provided more credibility to the notion that “how you do anything is how you do everything”.  By looking at this quote in this new context, I saw it’s meaning in an entirely new perspective.

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There are obviously some things we don’t do well.  Strengths psychology pioneer Dr. Donald O. Clifton asked the question, “What will happen when we think about what is right with people instead of fixating on what is wrong?” This philosophy dictates that it is better to focus on the things that we do well.  Why are we better at some things than others?  There is a reason:  It’s our talents.  Our talents help us to understand why you are the way you are – ergo, your “YUR”.  Knowing your talents helps us to understand how we naturally think and feel and they can shed light into our behaviors. Talents are aptitudes, personality traits and interpersonal characteristics like empathy, strategic thinking and assertiveness.  These are things that you are born with.  Infused with knowledge and the development of skills, these talents will become our strengths.  These are enduring qualities in each of us because they are basically hardwired in our brains. In short, they affect our ability to reach our goals and desired outcomes.  So, when you are using your talents and working in your strengths you can feel confident that when you do anything that you will find consistency in how you do everything and you can achieve the results that you desire when you know your talents and use your strengths to succeed.

When we look at others, such as, mentors, role models, leaders, etc. we look to them for inspiration and guidance but we also look to them to see if they do anything/everything consistently.  Those that we admire for their accomplishments and are at the top of their game in what they do are using their strengths at the highest levels.  Whether they are athletes, entertainers or in leadership positions they have discovered their talents and honed them to gain the maximum affect.  It is their dedication, tenacity and work ethic that are driven and supported by their strengths.  They repeat what has been working for them while enhancing their skills to improve outcomes.  For example, a basketball player uses his or her skills as a 3-point shooter to have maximum impact on the game, entertainers use their talents to regale their audiences and leaders use their strengths to influence others to initiate change.

Therefore, I have determined that this notion of how you do anything is how you do everything can be a good thing.  If you harness your talents and nurture them and ultimately make them your strengths, you too can use them to achieve your desired results. I encourage you commit to growing your strengths and use them to do everything.  When you master the art of unlocking your strengths and step into the version of yourself that uses your strengths to do anything, then you will find that how you do everything will result in more positive results.

Management expert, Peter Drucker says, “everyone ought to know what their strengths are’.  How you do anything is how you do everything when guided by your strengths creates patterns of success. Your strengths are your means of making positive contributions in the world. Your strengths are your inborn, hard-wired resources for good works. If you’re not making the most of your strengths, everyone's missing out. Start maximizing your strengths.

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Discover, Declare and Develop your Strengths:

“If you are not focusing on your strengths then what are you focusing on?”

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Because there’s a 1 in 33 million chance of you having the same top 5 talents in the same order as someone else, YOU are unique.  Be inspired to live in your strengths zone. Join us in the world of strengths. Focus on Your Strengths.

If you have any questions about anything that you have read in this article, or you’d like to talk to us about helping your team to understand the power of Strengths then connect with us today to see if we might be a good fit to help your team or organization build a Strengths Based culture.

Larry Hammond, Sr.

Start your Strengths Journey with our Basic Introduction Course