Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shyra Moran. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Shyra, thanks for joining us today. Do you have a hero? What have you learned from them?
My hero or as I call her my forever, SHE-RO, is my beloved mother Catherine Moran. My mother left this earthly life on December 8, 2022, but make no mistake about it, she still mothers’ from above. I have learned life lesson after life lesson from my mother. The first life lesson I would learn from my mom would be a lesson on faith. When I was 7 years old, my father passed away then 3 days later my maternal grandmother passed away. My mom, who had lost her husband and mother just 3 days apart, was left to raise my sister and me. At 7 years old I remember asking my mom, how we were going to keep going and she looked at me with the most regal stance and said “I do not know, but I know that this didn’t take God by surprise so we will get through it with only him leading us.” Now today as a 40-year-old woman who is navigating this grief journey, my mother’s words are truly what keeps me going. When I am faced with adversity or a challenge I think back on her words, “This situation didn’t take God by surprise, so I will get through whatever it is with God leading the way.”
Shyra, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Well one thing you should know about me is that I’m everyone’s favorite hype girl! Honestly, I truly believe in empowering others to see the light and gifts they possess within. Because words of affirmation are my favorite love language, I show up for others with that same mindset and I always look for avenues to encourage and support others. Another fun fact about me, is that I love to serve my community loud and proud. One of the values my mom instilled in me was to give back to others and expect nothing in return. We all have gifts and talents that we possess, and it should be our life’s mission to share those gifts and talents with others and be doers of good in the earth.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I recently did a career power pivot, as I was previously a Pre-Litigation Insurance Specialist for 11.5 years. Let me just say that this pivot was not easy, but so worth it. The first thing that I had to do was be honest with myself, I had been told all my life to get a “good job” and work hard. While I had a decent salary, I was so unhappy and undervalued. I continually prayed to God to help me find something better and it felt like nothing was happening. Then I got not just intentional about my prayer, but also intentional about listening to God’s response to me. I knew I wanted more alignment in my career and a better work life balance. I wanted a career that was community focused and allowed me to leverage my established community network, but also utilize my ability to encourage and empower others. It took me almost 1 year of intentional prayer asking for a more aligned career opportunity, then it happened. God then gave me the vision and instructed me to leverage my network and trust the divine discomfort. I started utilizing my friends, asking them what they thought my best qualities were and what other industries or career paths they could see me in. It was crazy how they all literally said they saw me working in some type of Community Development or Community Engagement role. At the start of 2023 I was recognized as one of Lafayette’s Top 20 under 40 Young Professional leader. The awards presentation was sponsored by Advancial Federal Credit Union. At the initial meet and greet with the other honorees, I overheard my current role being talked about and me being who I am, I inquired about the role and the rest is history. In August I became the Community Relations Officer for Advancial. I just want to encourage anyone who is reading this, never be afraid to step into the uncomfortable. Take some time with yourself and find out what it is you really enjoy doing, then sharpen that skill. Ask your closest friends and family to help you and most importantly, pray not just to make your request, but pray to listen and hear from God with intention. Be kinder to yourself, trust the pivot!
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
My advice for managing a team and maintaining high team morale would be as a leader create an environment where your entire team feels safe. Safe to make a mistake, safe to be themselves and safe to express their thoughts and ideas freely. To me, the best leaders know how to encourage and empower their team. The best leaders also know and understand how to take the best skills and talents of each team member and leverage those skills so that each team member feels the impact. True leaders understand that being a perfectionist is a thing of the past, the real magic happens when you have healthy team collaboration and inclusive work environments.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/shylemo?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shyra.moran
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shyra-moran-80228836?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
Image Credits
the initial photo in the purple with the books as the background: Foster Photography