What makes a good leader? According to longtime affordable housing leaders Sondra Wimbs and Michael Johnson, it’s not a title, and it’s not something you’re simply born knowing how to do. In this episode of The SAHMA Exchange, Sondra and Michael reflect on more than four decades in affordable housing, their years of involvement with SAHMA and the leadership lessons they learned along the way. They talk about why leadership is a skill set that has to be developed and practiced, the importance of listening and emotional intelligence, leading through change, recognizing leadership potential in others and why relationships still matter even in an increasingly technology-driven industry. Now retired from their full-time careers, both Sondra and Michael continue investing in the next generation as facilitators for the SAHMA Leadership Academy. Whether you’re already leading a team or just beginning to think about where your career might take you, this conversation is a reminder that leadership starts long before there’s a title attached to your name.
What does good leadership really look like in affordable housing?
Sondra Wimbs and Michael Johnson have spent decades answering that question—not just as executives, but as longtime SAHMA members, past SAHMA presidents, mentors and now facilitators for the SAHMA Leadership Academy.
In this episode, they join The SAHMA Exchange to share what their careers taught them about developing people, building relationships and becoming better leaders.
In this episode:
• How Sondra and Michael found their way into affordable housing—and why they stayed
• The role SAHMA played in their professional and leadership development
• Why leadership is a learned skill, not something you’re simply born with
• What it really means to influence others
• How to recognize leadership potential—even when someone doesn’t have a leadership title
• Why listening can sometimes be more valuable than fixing
• How collaboration and different perspectives lead to better decisions
• Leading with emotional intelligence, empathy and kindness
• Why emerging leaders need both technical knowledge and people skills
• The role AI can—and can’t—play in leadership and decision-making
• Why relationships will continue to matter as technology changes the industry
• Practical ways to strengthen your leadership skills
• The value of setting goals and practicing leadership every day
Resource Mentioned: Emotional Intelligence
Michael recommended Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ as a resource for leaders who want to better understand and develop the people side of leadership. The book explores why qualities such as self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy and social skills can play such an important role in how we work with and influence others.
SAHMA Leadership Academy
The SAHMA Leadership Academy is designed to help affordable housing professionals strengthen their leadership skills and prepare for greater responsibility within their organizations and the industry. Sondra and Michael currently serve as Leadership Academy facilitators, helping participants develop and, as they emphasized during the episode, “practice, practice, practice” the skills that effective leadership requires.
Learn more about the SAHMA Leadership Academy at www.sahma.org/leadership-academy