What if the most powerful leadership trait isn’t found on a resume, but in your posture?
When Becky Rivest stood in front of her first classroom as a student teacher, she felt the tension most new leaders experience: the weight of responsibility, the fog of uncertainty, and the impulse to project confidence—even if it felt like a mask.
No one had asked her what kind of leader she wanted to be. They asked if she could manage behavior and deliver lesson plans. But leadership? That was something she had to learn the hard way.
In this episode of the Leaders Rising Podcast, Becky shares her journey from education to corporate training and ultimately into her current role as a coach and Guide with LRN. But more than a résumé recap, it’s a reflection on the quiet strength of humility, and how it shapes leaders worth following.
Becoming a Leader Before Feeling Like One
Becky’s first leadership role wasn’t in a boardroom—it was in a school. Standing in front of 23 kids, she quickly realized that knowing something wasn’t the same as embodying it. That first week brought a crash course in what it meant to lead under pressure, while still being evaluated by a cooperating teacher and adapting to a challenging environment.
“It was draining,” she recalls. “You’re performing constantly. You want to do well, but you don’t even know what kind of leader you are yet.”
That tension—between external expectations and internal identity—would follow her into every future role.
A Surprising Pivot: From the Classroom to the Call Center
After relocating and facing limited opportunities in public education, Becky made an unexpected shift: she joined Electronic Data Systems (EDS) as a contact center agent supporting Chevrolet. It was a far cry from the classroom, but she quickly discovered something: leadership isn’t about the setting—it’s about the people.
She was surrounded by young professionals trying to figure it out, and supported by a supervisor who knew how to lead with both accountability and compassion.
“He saw us as people,” Becky says. “He held us to a high standard, but he also created space for us to be human, to learn, to fail, and to grow.”
This realization became a central theme in Becky’s leadership philosophy: clarity, combined with care, creates transformation. It’s not just about hitting the target—it’s about building the kind of environment where people can rise.
The Long Game of Development: Teaching in a Different Way
From that moment on, Becky pursued corporate training and talent development with intentionality. She saw that while the learners had changed, the core of what she loved hadn’t.
“I discovered that I could still teach,” she says. “But in a way that was a better fit for me—and for the people I was working with.”
Unlike in public school, where she rarely saw the long-term fruit of her effort, the corporate world gave her a front-row seat to employee growth. Watching someone move from onboarding to leadership, or discover a strength they didn’t know they had, became her new classroom lightbulb moment.
Leadership That Works: The Leaders Who Made a Difference
Throughout her career, Becky was shaped by leaders who balanced high challenge with high support. She shares stories of mentors who:
- Gave real-time feedback without dehumanizing
- Helped her navigate life circumstances while staying engaged at work
- Recognized her gifts and gave her room to step into them
One leader in particular created what Becky describes as “a machine that ran beautifully—but never looked like hard work.” Their ability to position people well, cast a clear vision, and make work feel meaningful showed her what healthy leadership systems could accomplish.
And when it was gone? Everyone felt it.
“You don’t always see how hard they worked until the structure they built disappears.”
Why She Joined LRN (And What She’s Learning Now)
After leaving a previous role during a company-wide transition, Becky found herself asking a new question: What do I really want to build now?
That question led her to Leaders Rising.
“When I saw what LRN was doing, I realized—it’s what I would have built myself. But better. And with people I wanted to work alongside.”
For Becky, it wasn’t just about continuing to teach or coach. It was about joining a team that shared her beliefs: that transformation is more than tools—it’s personal, intentional, and always relational.
Through her work with LRN clients, Becky is now guiding others on the same journey she has lived: from overwhelm to clarity, from insecurity to impact, from “do I belong here?” to “this is what I’m made to do.”
Her One Word for Every Leader
When asked to offer advice for other leaders, Becky didn’t point to a book or a framework. She pointed to a posture:
Humility.
“Humility is what lets us grow because we know we haven’t arrived. It helps us learn because we’re open to what we don’t know. And it helps us love, because judgment and love can’t coexist.”
She’s quick to clarify—it’s not about weakness or self-doubt. It’s about showing up fully, without pretending you have all the answers. And it’s about making space for others to shine, too.
The Book She Keeps Coming Back To
When asked about her favorite leadership or business books, Becky paused and offered an insightful answer:
“Honestly, the only book I’ve ever reread is the Bible.”
As a Christ-follower, Becky sees the Bible not only as a source of faith, but as the deepest well of wisdom when it comes to leadership. Especially when it comes to humility.
“If there’s one place I’ve learned humility, it’s from the Word of God.”
While she also reads widely across behavioral science, communication, and self-development, it’s the model of servant leadership that’s shaped how she shows up for others. That perspective doesn’t come with fanfare, but it shapes everything beneath the surface.
Final Takeaway: Build Environments Where People Can Shine
Becky’s story is one of continuous growth, often born from discomfort, transition, or starting over. But through it all, she’s lived out the truth that leadership isn’t about being the loudest, smartest, or most polished. It’s about building places where others can grow—and letting that growth shape you too.
At LRN, that’s the work we do every day. We don’t build better leaders through top-down content. We do it by integrating leadership development into the real spaces where people already work
