Interview on Profiles in Leadership with Rebecca Fitzsimmons

Outline

Introduction and Background of Rebecca Fitzsimmons

•  Rebecca Fitzsimmons, founder of Tactical Harmony, an online business focused on holistic leadership and mindset strategies.
• Rebecca shares her background, starting from her upbringing in a small town in northeastern Ohio, her degree in forensic and investigative science, and her internship with the FBI.
• Rebecca explains her transition from forensics to becoming an NCIS Special Agent, detailing her 13.5 years with NCIS and her roles in criminal investigations, counter-terrorism, and counter-intelligence.
• She discusses her decision to leave NCIS after nearly 15 years to explore new sectors and eventually start her own business.

Rebecca's Journey from NCIS to Entrepreneurship

• Rebecca elaborates on her reasons for leaving NCIS, including her desire to serve in a different sector and her leadership experience.
• She describes her transition to a technology company and her current role as an entrepreneur running Tactical Harmony.
• Rebecca emphasizes the importance of holistic leadership, which involves leading oneself and others in a comprehensive way.
• She highlights the components of holistic leadership, including emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and self-regulation.

Holistic Leadership and Mindset Strategies

• Rebecca defines holistic leadership as a whole-person approach to influencing and inspiring oneself and others.
• She explains the importance of leading by example and the role of emotional intelligence in building strong relationships.
• Rebecca discusses the power of mindset, stating that it is the starting point for achieving greatness and that thoughts determine feelings and actions.
• She shares her belief in the transformative power of gratitude practices and how it can positively impact one's biochemistry and neural pathways.

Client Profiles and Gratitude Practices

• Rebecca describes her typical clients, which include ambitious professionals, aspiring leaders, and businesses looking to enhance their mindset and leadership skills.
• She explains the concept of gratitude practices, advising clients to think of three things they are grateful for each morning and evening.
• Rebecca emphasizes the importance of feeling the emotion associated with gratitude to create positive biochemical changes in the body.
• She shares her own experience of initially dismissing gratitude practices and how it eventually became a transformative part of her routine.

Resilience and High-Performance Habits

• Rebecca discusses the importance of building resilience through continuous hard work and incremental improvement.
• She introduces the concept of Kaizen, focusing on getting 1% better each day, and compares it to the analogy of turning a tractor slightly to achieve greater distance.
• Rebecca highlights the significance of raising standards and maintaining high-performance habits, such as physical exercise, mind-body-spirit nourishment, and focusing on high-impact activities.
• She emphasizes the need for self-care and the benefits of incorporating fun and enjoyable activities into daily routines.

Spirituality and Self-Care in Leadership

• Rebecca explains the role of spirituality in holistic leadership, describing it as connecting to one's truth and highest self.
• She shares her personal practice of meditation and how it helps her achieve coherence between her heart and brain, leading to peak performance.
• Rebecca discusses the importance of self-care and how it contributes to being the best version of oneself.
• She describes her approach to self-care as a harmony rather than a balance, allowing for flexibility based on different life demands.