Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tiffanie Sneed. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tiffanie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about the best boss, mentor, or leader you’ve ever worked with.

I have actually been blessed to have two amazing bosses, and I don’t think I could choose between the two of them. The first was the first Police Chief for whom I ever had the pleasure of working. After almost a year, he convinced me take the position as his police attorney. He was the first person to see something in me that I didn’t see in myself. He not only saw my potential, but he gave me the support and opportunity to learn and grow.. Similarly, my first City Manager always played to my strengths and placed me in positions where I could shine and succeed. He had this knack for bringing me new and challenging problems to solve. His philosophy was that if you raise the bar high enough, people will either reach it or exceed it. As a result of his faith in me, it made me believe more in myself. Their faith and encouragement helped to forge my passion in work and life and showed me how to not only see what people reveal about themselves, but to take time to look beyond what’s on the surface. And as a recovering perfectionist, they also showed me the importance of not taking yourself too seriously and giving yourself grace and room to grow. They accepted me for who I was and encouraged me to be the woman they knew I could be.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

While I have been practicing law over 25 years, I believe my passion has always been helping people, especially those who are hurting and suffering through challenging seasons of life. That passion has manifested itself in many ways throughout the years, most recently, in the publishing of my first book, “On the Wings of a Butterfly:Finding Yourself in Brokenness,” It chronicles one of the most difficult seasons in my life, which began with the death of my 2 week old daughter. Her death started a journey of healing and discovery that continues to this day. I shared my story in hopes of giving voice and encouragement to others who have experienced loss and who might feel alone in their grief.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Growing up with parents and family members who survived the segregated south, failing wasn’t an option. There was no room for missteps or errors. As a result, I grew up believing that you were defined and even accepted by your accomplishments. The more I acheived, the more I thought I was accepted and loved. As a result, at an early age, I became a perfectionist, and it’s only recently that I have learned that it’s okay to make mistakes. In fact, I’ve learned that I can actually grow from them. Similarly, I’ve learned that you don’t have to let your mistakes define you. Rather, they can help propel you into your future. These roots run deep. It will probably take the remainder of my life to overcome them but, I’m determined to not be bound by them and to teach different lessons to my children,

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Being able to give voice or expression to people who don’t have the capacity or freedom to express their deepest fears or hurts. I have had several people who have read my book come to me and thank me for putting into words what they had been feeling, but hadn’t been able to express. I’m thankful that my willigness to be honest and vulnerable has been a vehicle for others to begin their own journey to healing and discovery.