Jesus Eddie Campa is a security and leadership expert. He owns two companies, Strategic Security Group LLC and Leading Through Adversity LLC. He is an international public speaker known for his personal story about overcoming adversity in a leadership role and for helping others move through their own adversity in leadership.
Eddie’s mission is to help people turn their dreams into reality by giving them the insight he has acquired through his many years in law enforcement. He is a retired law enforcement executive with twenty-seven years of experience, having served as a Chief Deputy, Chief of Police twice, and State Law Enforcement Director.
He was named the Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian of the Year in 2017, awarded the National Sheriffs’ Association Medal of Merit, and was named the Optimist International Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.
Eddie Campa’s book Unmasking Leadership: What They Don’t Tell You is about the different ways leadership has been viewed throughout history and how we see those leaders now. Jesus then goes on to encourage leaders to analyze the qualities they currently possess that make them either good or not so good leaders.
It’s difficult to picture Jesus Eddie Campa growing up without a father. He states his family had low expectations of him, and without very much guidance or direction, it’s pretty remarkable that he was able to accomplish so much. Jesus will be graduating with a Ph.D. in Public Service Leadership in Criminal Justice in 2022.
He shares, “I am no stranger to adversity and have been fighting an internal fight to prove that I can do everything that people said I couldn’t do.” Now he is on a mission to share what he has learned through his many years in leadership.
Do you find it gratifying that having come from such adversity, you ended up in a leadership role? When we think of someone in leadership roles, we tend to think of someone that has always had the luxury of being stable or someone that had a strong mentor themselves. So, how is it that you came into a leadership role? Campa explains, “Hard work and learning to get through adversity by never giving up on my dreams. I created my own opportunities.”
That’s in part why Jesus Eddie Campa wrote this book. He explains, “I feel that we live in a time where more than ever that people need to know the true meaning of leadership and the importance of a mentor. They need to understand that to be a great leader, the leader must first be okay and love themselves in order to lead at the level of greatness.”
We’ve all been in those situations where we feel we have to be very cautious around our boss. Is this because workers simply don’t understand the position of leadership and the responsibilities put upon them?
Jesus Eddie Campa responds, “I think it can go both ways. Workers can be judgmental of people in leadership roles, and the people in leadership roles are not always equipped to deal with this kind of judgment. Especially from their bosses.
They – the people at the top, the ones that appoint the leader: such as city managers, mayors, etc are the ones that should ultimately be striving to be the best leaders they can because it all trickles down.” The pressure that comes from the top comes bearing down on everyone under them.
Campa emphasizes, “That’s why I created a leadership development site where leaders of today and tomorrow can come and gather thoughts and ideas from an independent party. This is a safe place for leaders to bounce off ideas or simply vent. A place where leaders know that they are not alone and come first.”
Jesus Eddie Campa goes on to say,
Even when companies claim they have a top-down approach to supporting their employees, there are often employees within the company that are not leading with honesty. There are people that should be pursuing other careers but are put in leadership because of their connections and experience. There are several reasons that this can happen, and when it does there’s a chance that this behavior can either be modified to better leadership, or it can be detrimental to other employees.
So what are your tips for improving this situation to create better leaders? Campa responds, “Learn the difference between listening and hearing. This is a big problem with leaders. They are listening, but they aren’t able to hear what’s really being said. Leaders have the responsibility of interpreting the needs of their team, but if they themselves have problems, they simply won’t be able to be the kind of leader that can be there for their team.
Because Jesus Eddie Campa was able to resolve a lot of his issues regarding adversity in his leadership, he is able to help others deal with the dark side of leadership and prevail. After reading Unmasking Leadership: What They Don’t Tell You, you will have a better understanding of the traits and characteristics needed to be the best leader you can be. This book will provide you with the support you need to reclaim your power in the difficult position of leadership.
For more information on the book, Unmasking Leadership: What They Don’t Tell You and Leading Through Adversity’s leadership development program, visit: Leading Through Adversity – Jesus Campa, Leading Through Adversity
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