Blog Navigation: Business Insights and Spotlights | Chamber Blog
12.18.25
Leadership Advancement Through Action and Engagement
By Setareh Campion, Director of Programs, FMWF Chamber
Leadership FMWF participants engaged during a recent Leadership FMWF session.
Leadership advancement is built through action and engagement. Explore how we're shaping leadership through Leadership FMWF.
Leadership advancement doesn’t come from one defining moment. It’s built through everyday choices — how leaders respond to uncertainty, where they focus their attention and whether they step forward when progress requires initiative. Innovation plays a role in all of it, shaping how leaders make decisions, guide teams and create momentum over time.
These questions are at the heart of Leadership FMWF. As part of the program, existing and emerging leaders from across the Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo areas are exploring how innovation, self-awareness and perspective influence leadership effectiveness and long-term impact. During a recent session, participants examined these ideas together, and the same reflections apply to any leader navigating change and growth.
Putting innovation into practice
Innovation is often framed as a product, a tool or a strategy. In reality, it shows up first in leadership behavior. Throughout the session, participants focused on how innovation plays out in daily leadership choices, especially when the path forward isn’t clear.
Leaders who create momentum tend to share a few common behaviors:
- They stay curious and continue learning, even when they’re experienced.
- They engage before outcomes are certain.
- They take responsibility for progress instead of waiting for direction.
Insights from regional leaders, including William Aderholdt of Grand Farm, reinforced that innovation strengthens industries that are central to the region’s economy. More importantly, the conversation highlighted a leadership truth that applies everywhere: progress depends on leaders who choose to be involved. Advancement moves when leaders “count themselves in” and contribute their ideas, energy and perspective.
Starting with clarity
Innovation without clarity leads to motion without direction. Leadership advancement depends on knowing what matters most and making decisions that align with it.
During the session, participants were asked to reflect on their leadership journey and consider how self-awareness has shaped their effectiveness over time. When was the last time you paused to do the same? Leaders who are clear about their priorities and strengths tend to make better decisions, lead teams more effectively and navigate complexity with greater confidence.
Advancement isn’t defined by title alone. It’s shaped by preparation, alignment and the ability to lead consistently, especially when demands increase and decisions become more complex.
This focus on clarity reinforces a core Leadership FMWF belief: investing in the individual strengthens organizations and, ultimately, the region.
Broadening your perspective
Think about it this way: Leadership doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Exposure to different industries, challenges and viewpoints sharpens judgment and strengthens adaptability.
Cross-industry dialogue during the session surfaced shared leadership priorities across sectors, including collaboration, continuous learning and adaptability. Innovation emerged as a responsibility that influences culture, strategy and long-term readiness, regardless of industry. Participants were reminded that leadership decisions rarely stop at the walls of one organization — they ripple outward, affecting teams, partners and regional competitiveness.
For leaders, broadening your perspective is a practical way to lead with greater awareness and foresight.
What leaders can apply now
As the Leadership FMWF cohort moves into the second half of the program, several clear takeaways are surfacing, all of which extend beyond the classroom:
- Progress requires active engagement, especially when outcomes are uncertain.
- Innovation is driven by leadership behavior, not just ideas or tools.
- Clarity of purpose strengthens decision-making and influence.
- Exposure to different perspectives improves adaptability and readiness.
- Leadership advancement is built through consistent, intentional action.
These are not abstract concepts. They are choices leaders make every day.
What’s next?
Leadership FMWF continues to prepare participants to lead with purpose, accountability and a deeper understanding of their role in shaping the Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo region. Reaching the midpoint of the program marks a shift toward greater responsibility, application and impact.
Applications for the next Leadership FMWF cohort will open soon. Leaders who are ready to sharpen their perspective, strengthen their leadership approach and contribute to the region’s future are encouraged to apply and take the next step.
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