Gratitude

A few weeks into my search, I’ve been reflecting on gratitude — not just for opportunities, but for the people. Folks like Kim Yancey, Pete Srodoski, and Winnye Wilks who’ve offered encouragement, introductions, and perspective along the way. Since sharing my update on LinkedIn, I’ve been reminded how generous this community can be.

I’m especially grateful to Huff Louge, founder of ExecuLinks, who shared his time and the DISC and Attribute Index assessments with me. Though I was initially hesitant — knowing results can shift with life’s seasons — the findings affirmed how I lead: people-first and grounded.

A psychologist colleague summarized it best:

“A people-first, structured, and steady COO — grounded in knowledge and clarity. Not a brash, hard-driving operator, but one who delivers consistency, cultural strength, and scalable execution. Seen by partners as a trustworthy, stabilizing force who can scale organizations without breaking people or systems.”

One of the best moments this week came full circle — being asked to mentor a colleague’s son preparing for cybersecurity internship interviews. It reinforced that legacy isn’t about titles; it’s about the time you invest in others.

I’m continuing to explore operational leadership roles where I can help growth-stage and PE-backed companies scale with confidence. In the meantime, I welcome a brief conversation — to compare notes, share insights, or simply be helpful through my network.

If you’re interested, the full psychometric interpretation and reports are available here.

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Rodney Sharples

Align. Simplify. Scale.

Building stronger companies through people & profit.