Leadership Talk with Norisha Kirts Glover

For emerging leaders, learning from the people who’ve been there and done that is an invaluable part of development. In our Leadership Talk series, we’re sharing nuggets of wisdom from community leaders who have forged paths, overcome challenges, and set the stage for the next generation of people-centered leaders.

Get to Know Norisha Kirts Glover

Norisha is a native of Tioga, LA with a deep-rooted passion for serving others. After graduating from Louisiana State University she worked for education reform nonprofits across the country, before coming back home and eventually serving as Director of Development for the E. J. Ourso College of Business with the LSU Foundation. She made the call to take a leap and leave that role to start her own company, and now serves as the owner of Baton Rouge-based NRK Construction.

She continues to be devoted to her community, which includes serving as past-president of the Junior League of Baton Rouge, and previously serving as founding board member and president of the board of directors for THRIVE Academy (a charter boarding school in Louisiana). She is currently a board member for community institutions like Our Lady of the Lake Foundation, Louisiana Economic Development Corporation, and the Louisiana Workforce Commission. In 2020 Norisha was recognized as an Influential Woman in Business by the Baton Rouge Business Report.

Leadership Talk with Norisha

Norisha has a few tips and pieces of advice to pass on to emerging leaders in all fields. Take her leadership insight and apply to your own career journey!

Be open to trying things out, just because you want to!

Each skill you build will create a new opportunity for the future. After 13 years in education fundraising, Norisha wanted change and opportunity to manage more people, projects, and budgets. A friend told her that she could do all of those things in construction, and a new dream was born. She applied her development skills to a completely new industry, and has seen the demand for local construction grow… while being visible to others as a woman leader in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

Be open to taking risks. When you leap into a new opportunity, recognize that you have the skills to be successful.

Community service isn’t just a nice thing to do… it is great ground to gain leadership skills.

When Norisha began volunteering with the Junior League of Baton Rouge, she had the opportunity to take on projects that let her test out her management skills. Leadership isn’t about having the right theories, it’s about leading real people through real tasks and challenges. If you already know what you THINK you would do in a leadership role, Norisha recommends gaining real experience by honing those skills in volunteer capacities, even before pursuing the role or promotion.

You can only “have it all” by understanding what you really value.

As a mother in a male-dominated field, Norisha is often asked what “having it all” looks like for her. She tells others that it’s not about having it all at the same time… it’s about being honest with yourself and others about your values and time commitments, so that you don’t end up promising more than what you can give in any season of your life.

What you’re prioritizing at any given time is likely to shift throughout your career. Sometimes your focus will need to be entirely on your company; or your family. At other periods you might have more time for service commitments. When you are honest with yourself and others, you can be more effective and achieve greater balance in life.

Goodwill is remembered.

If you can do so while honoring your values and important commitments, say “yes” when people come to you with requests, questions, or favors. Being good to people often comes back around years later, when you are the one who needs help. The key to this is being willing to use your social capital, both to help others and accomplish your own goals. If everyone uses their resources for the greater good, more is achieved for everybody.

Remember that as a leader, your reputation precedes you.

Norisha stays mindful of the fact that she works in spaces where women and people of color have not been historically represented. That’s why treating people well, while presenting herself and her company well, is so important to her. It’s not about being self-centered: it’s about doing the best for your community by maintaining a positive representation of yourself, your skills, and your work.

Thank you Norisha for sharing these tips from your incredible leadership journey! No matter where you are in your journey, these insights are sure to help you lead others well while forging a meaningful career and community impact.

Success Labs is a leadership development and management consulting firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For more than 25 years, our expert team of consultants has worked with hundreds of companies to grow leaders, build teams and drive results through great people strategy. Contact us to get proactive about expanding your company’s potential, and stay up-to-date with our latest news and leadership development updates here.