Jesus Eddie Campa is an expert in security and leadership. He owns two companies, Strategic Security Group LLC and Leading Through Adversity LLC. He is known internationally as a public speaker and for his unique account of overcoming adversity in a leadership role and for helping others move through their own adversity within leadership. He is a retired law enforcement executive with twenty-seven years of experience, having served as a Chief Deputy, Chief of Police twice, and State Law Enforcement Director. He was named the Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian of the Year in 2017, awarded the National Sheriffs’ Association Medal of Merit, and was named the Optimist International Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. 

Jesus Eddie Campa’s mission is to help other people turn their vision into reality by giving them the insight he’s obtained through his many years in law enforcement. Jesus Eddie Campa’s book Unmasking Leadership: What They Don’t Tell You is about the different ways leadership can be observed throughout history and how we view those leaders now. Jesus then goes on to motivate leaders to analyze the leadership qualities they currently possess and urges leaders to rank themselves. 

In addition to public speaking, CEO Jesus Eddie Campa offers leadership and management consulting, leadership development programs, interview preparation, and crisis management public information training. Campa assists organizations with leadership by offering personalized coaching and consultations for organizations to obtain clear standards for leadership. 

He suggests customized learning experiences for participants to develop their leadership capabilities and to develop key leadership competencies. Participants engage with content and strengthen cross-departmental relationships to influence their approach to work with people and project leadership. He explains, “I feel that we live in a time where more than ever people need to know the true meaning of leadership and the importance of a mentor. People need clear expectations and guidelines in order to rise to the occasion. 

CEO and leadership expert, Jesus will be graduating with a Ph.D. in Public Service Leadership in Criminal Justice in 2022. He shares, “I am no stranger to adversity and have been fighting an internal fight to prove that I can do everything that people have said I couldn’t do.” That’s why my mission is to share what I’ve learned through my many years in leadership. 

Do you think the adversity you experienced enabled you to read other people and successfully lead others? When we think of someone in leadership roles, we tend to think of someone that has always had the luxury of being stable or someone that had a strong mentor themselves. So, how is it that you came into a leadership role? Campa explains, “Hard work and learning to get through adversity by never giving up on my dreams. I created my own opportunities.” 

You have a chapter in your book about the art of losing, where you write, “There is no such thing as losing. There is only learning. Dealing with and through adversity is the only way a person can master the so-called art of losing and turn it into a winning opportunity by staying true and trusting the process.” So, do you think leadership needs to understand that their team cannot always deliver? We’ve all been in positions where we fall short of expectations. Jesus Eddie Campa responds, “ Failure or loss is based on the leader’s perception. There is nothing wrong with losing or failing. The greatest lesson for any person is not in their success, but in their resilience during adversity and turmoil.” Do you think there are quite a few leaders that don’t view mistakes in this light? Campa claims, “ I think if more leaders saw things this way, it would lead to even bigger success in the workplace. Jesus Eddie Campa elaborates, “I think it can go both ways. Workers can be judgmental of people in leadership roles, and the people in leadership roles are not always equipped to deal with this kind of judgment. 

Especially from their bosses. They – the people at the top are the ones that should ultimately be the ones striving to be the best leaders they can because it all trickles down.” The pressure comes from the top and comes bearing down on everyone under them. Campa emphasizes, “That’s why I created a leadership development site where leaders of today and tomorrow can come and gather thoughts and ideas from an independent party. This is a safe place for leaders to bounce off ideas or simply vent. A place where leaders know that they are not alone and come first.” He continues, “Haters are part of the territory, and you must learn to embrace them. Live on the mentality that you will never let the same snake bite you twice. We will do this by learning how to navigate above and beyond their pettiness.”

Jesus Eddie Campa goes on to say, “Even when companies claim they have a top-down approach to supporting their employees, there are often employees within the company that are not leading with honesty. There are people that should be pursuing other careers but are put in leadership positions because of their connections or backroom politics. There are several reasons that this can happen and when it does, there’s a chance that this behavior should be addressed to better leadership, otherwise it can be detrimental to the whole team.”

So what are your tips for improving this situation to create better leaders? Campa responds, “Learn the difference between listening and hearing. This is a big problem with leaders. They are Hearing, but they aren’t able to listen to what’s really being said. Leaders have the responsibility of interpreting the needs of their team, but if they themselves have problems, they simply won’t be able to be the kind of leader that can be there for their team. 

Because Jesus Eddie Campa was able to overcome his own adversities, this taught him the value of doing the right thing no matter what, but it also taught him about the dark side of leadership. He offers this book and his services so that others can prevail and become better leaders. The book will provide you with the support you need to not only feel validated in this difficult position but will enable you to understand what it is that leaders need to be successful. 

For more information on the book, Unmasking Leadership: What They Don’t Tell You and Leading Through Adversity’s leadership development program, visit: Leading Through Adversity – Jesus Campa, Leading Through Adversity