Tammy Williams on LinkedIn: I recently discovered the sudden passing of Barry James Folsom, who was a… (2024)

Tammy Williams

Motivational leader & speaker that challenges the status quo to drive positive change. My jam is connecting the dots for people, process, and technology to achieve purpose driven goals for social good. #SDG #ESG #IMPACT

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I recently discovered the sudden passing ofBarry James Folsom, who was a key figure in my career. I met him when I was a consultant at Motorola Solutions in the early 2000’s. I wasn’t hired to work with him at the onset of the contract but after striking up a few conversations, coupled with the fact that I immediately called him Barry James because that’s how he referred to himself, I ended up being his Talent Chief of Staff when he was VP & GM for the Home Solutions division. I still have the business card from all those years ago. I travelled with him, quite often bi-weekly, between Horsham, PA and San Jose, CA as we resized the east coast unit and built up from scratch, a newly funded business unit in California for what was considered cutting edge tech products at the time.It was an amazing time and I learned so much. We would have dinner meetings at f*cki Sushi in Palo Alto in a private screened area sitting on pillows around a low table. It’s where I found my acquired taste for sushi. It was at these meetings that he would often ask for my input and one evening I told him I didn’t have anything to say to a question he asked, and that I was just a country girl from a small village without a stoplight that didn’t give much input. He looked at me and told those around that table to not believe that because I was a deep individual that listens first and then speaks passionately and profoundly, often challenging the status quo, when the need is there. He then again asked my opinion on what was being discussed. That stayed with me. It was also the first time in my career that when I left the long-term consulting gig, I was given a good luck with your future endeavors party. Since I have a habit of keeping things, I may still have the card signed by so many from that day.Barry James led the introduction of Digital Equipment Corporation’s (DEC) personal computer in the early 80’s. He went on to become an executive at Sun Microsystems, Motorola and many more companies before becoming a strategic turnaround consultant for technology companies. He invited me to his home on a cliff overlooking the city with he and his wife Tracey, who he loved dearly, (I remember being scared to death driving there in the evening the first time) seeing pictures of him with Bill Gates, Esther Dyson, Michael Dell, John Chambers, and other giants of the tech industry at that time.We stayed in touch and spoke from time to time on the phone and through email. I was going to contact him to get his input on something when I found out he had died. Though we didn’t talk that often, he always made availability when I needed him. I’ll miss those talks. We are on this earth for a short time and people sometimes come into your life for a season or reason without us knowing at the time. If someone has touched your life and left an indelible positive impact that you will carry forward, reach out to them.

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Sheila Cosgrove, PMP, ACC, SHRM-CP

Senior Management Consultant | Program Delivery Executive | Career and Leadership Coach

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Thank you Tammy Williams for sharing this story - and for reminding us what really matters.

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Linda D Farquhar, CFA

Wealth Management Advisor | Relationship Builder | Compassionate Leader | Creative Problem Solver | Entrepreneur | CFA® Charterholder | Women's Advocate

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Great insights on an important long-term relationship and the impact someone’s confidence in us can have on our careers. Appreciate you putting this into words, Tammy Williams. Sorry you lost a friend and trusted advisor.

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    Happy Mother's Day!it's a blessing to be one and a bonus blessing if you acted or mentored as one since a mothering figure. It’s not always biological. I'm sharing these beautiful flowers from daughter today. #mothersday2024

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    What's your leadership style? There are a lot of assessments and other tools which give perspectives on leadership styles but I believe that people's leadership approaches are not always neatly categorized into specific boxes or letters. We all bring a combination of traits, experiences, and skills to our leadership style, often based upon our unique experiences, shaping it in a way that defies easy classification. Browsing, as I sometimes do as I wind down the week, I came across this tool and decided to take the quiz. https://lnkd.in/eXB5Ut3iAfter a few questions (less than 10) it came back as "Affirmative" which has me thinking about the result. I agree and also don't agree because I believe that leadership style is both fluid and dynamic. In other words, it's an ongoing development that is as individual as each person themselves. Why? Because as we gain more knowledge, experience and yes, wisdom, it allows us to be open for more flexible, inclusive and diverse approaches. Ultimately, it's the diversity of approaches that can enrich leadership, foster innovation, empathy, and success across different spheres of influence. Take this quick quiz and let me know what you think.https://lnkd.in/eXB5Ut3i#leadership #empathy #culture #communication #workplace #mindset #bgoodpartners

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