Leadership Has a Lineage and the Mentors Who Shaped My Journey Taught Me True Leadership
- 2 hours ago
- 7 min read
Phil Edwards is a Leadership Educator and Foster Care Advocate, and the creator of the CARE Leadership Framework. He focuses on trauma-informed leadership, foster parenting, and youth development.
Leadership is often associated with visibility: platforms, titles, and accomplishments. But when I reflect on my journey, I see something deeper. The most meaningful growth in my life did not come from positions. It came from people. My primary mentors were my parents! They raised me with such love and openness that they prepared me for my secondary leaders. Thank you, Mom & Dad!
I am incredibly thankful for seven leadership mentors. Each of them carries their own niche, their own grace, and their own strength. None of them lead the same way, and that is exactly why their impact on me has been so profound. Together, they shaped not just how I lead, but who I am becoming.
1. The mentor who taught me character comes first: Mr. Donald Dominico (Shoreham Public School, grades 5 & 6)
Mr. D was the greatest teacher an elementary child could imagine! He was funny, great at art and storytelling, played the violin, and was a sharp dresser! This mentor grounded me in integrity. Before strategy. Before branding. Before influence. He emphasized that leadership begins with character. He taught me that consistency is more powerful than charisma, and that trust is built quietly over time.
His leadership reminded me of figures like Nelson Mandela, steady, principled, and anchored in conviction. He introduced art, drama, and storytelling as methods of communication. Earning lead roles in several school performances developed a love for public speaking and a desire to be the center of attention. Never running from the spotlight, instead, owning it and touching the audience: “Someone out there in the world needs to hear your message!” From Mr. D, I learned that credibility is built in private long before it is celebrated in public.
2. The mentor who modeled servant leadership: Dr. Kersley Peters (community advocate and educator)
I met Kersley while I was in high school at a community program in Jane and Finch. He was always challenging us to participate in new activities and be more than athletes! Kersley showed me that influence grows when you lower yourself to lift others. He was present. Accessible. Engaged. He didn’t lead from a pedestal, he led from proximity.
His approach echoed principles often taught by John C. Maxwell, that leadership is about adding value to people daily. In his program, he modeled the importance of brotherhood and relationships. From him, I learned that service is not beneath leadership. It defines it. Throughout the years, we have stayed connected, and he has become more than a mentor; he is a lifelong brother whom I can depend on and occasionally engage in verbose discussions or sit with a crew for our monthly breakfast chitchats.
3. The visionary who expanded my thinking: Chris Spence (summer camp counsellor, summer of ‘86)
Chris Spence is one mentor who simply refuses to think small. He constantly stretches ideas, challenges comfort zones, and presses for excellence. As a 10-year-old child in summer camp, I would show up every day trying my hardest to beat him in any competition; he would never let us win! He kept us working hard and taught us to work smarter! Whenever I settled, he would demand more.
There was an unmatched feeling of gratification when you knew he saw potential in you! To him, I may have only been another 10-year-old in summer camp, but to me, he taught me to think generationally, not just situationally, to build systems, not moments. The desire and determination to overcome my biggest obstacles. His niche is vision, and because of Chris Spence, I learned to dream bigger and execute stronger.
4. The corrector who refined my edges: Lester Green, City of Toronto
Not all growth feels comfortable. This mentor specializes in refinement. I could easily place Lester in every category, seeing that I met him while attending recreational programs in Jane and Finch, and the position he held represented power, decision-making, wisdom, experience, and leadership! Lester was notorious for correcting with care and would confront you with compassion. Regardless of how tragic the crisis may be, he would always take a moment, rub his head, take a heavy sigh, and then deliver his outcome. He was not impressed by hype or what upper management had to say: he ensured that his team was safe and supported.
Lester was committed to substance! This forced me to produce the highest quality amongst my peers, which led to awards and accolades; and to that, he would affectionately say “Goody-Good!” Lester taught me that feedback is a gift, that accountability is protection, and that humility accelerates growth. Because of him, I understand that leadership needs self-awareness as much as confidence: both are characteristics that would best describe his suave approach whether he was meeting with the mayor or the “Mandem!”
5. The encourager who believed early: Melanie Tenant, guidance counsellor and phys-ed teacher (CW Jefferys CI)
Before the wins. Before the proof. Before the recognition, this mentor believed. Melanie saw capacity when I saw questions. She spoke confidence into seasons of uncertainty and ambiguity. I recall a semester at school when the Women’s Basketball season was in jeopardy because there were no staff available to coach. I, being a student in my graduating year, was approached by my peers, and they asked me to coach the team. Without hesitation, Melanie said to the principal, “I think he is more than capable, and I will be his staff advisor!”
This relationship blossomed into what became a winning culture for the next 7 years! I was hired by the school board to work along with students with special needs and would continue to coach our way to 4 female and 4 male championships. Melanie had a niche for brewing greatness! And sometimes, belief is the fuel that keeps leaders moving when results are not yet visible. She reminded me that leadership is not about arrival, it is about evolution. We are still friends to this day, and her passion for sports and excellence is still as potent as it was since day one! Thank you, Melanie, for seeing such brilliance in me. Next time we meet, coffee is on me!
6. The strategist who thinks structurally: Roy Rana, NBA, FIBA, International, University, & High School basketball coach
Coach Roy Rana has climbed to the mountain top, has won at every level, and manages to remain as attainable and accessible as he was when we first met while he was in his first teaching contract. Roy was my head coach in my final year of high school. I was oozing with testosterone, overflowing with confidence, and a competitor as ferocious as they come. But it was not the high school season that left the lifelong impression.
Coach Roy opened his home to us players. I was invited to his wedding and met his entire family. The single man had evolved into a family person, and he was always showing us the blueprint to his next adventure and would always be in contact with the guys. I would watch from a distance as his followers grew; several of them had even greater basketball success stories and would edify Coach Rana for his impact in their lives. Roy consistently operates with precision, systems, planning, and sustainability. He taught me that passion without structure burns out and that innovative ideas require frameworks.
He is living proof that longevity demands discipline. His leadership reminds me of strategic minds like Stephen Covey, intentional, principle-centered, and rooted in long-term effectiveness. Because of Roy, I learned that there are no limits to where basketball and passion can lead to.
7. The culture builder who leads with heart: Wayne Dawkins, founder of P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy, E1CBL, and pioneer in Canada AAU / prep basketball
The seventh mentor understands something powerful: culture shapes everything. Allow me to introduce you to Wayne Dawkins; a man who has played the roles of both Fred Flintstone and George Jetson, at distinct stages of his life. I had the privilege of witnessing Wayne Dawkins play basketball while he was in high school. At this time, the Toronto Raptors were not in existence; therefore, high school basketball was the greatest show on earth and Wayne Dawkins was a part of that show.
Wayne was born in Jamaica but was raised in Canada. His basketball resume includes being a phenomenal player, earning a Div 1 scholarship to Eastern Michigan, playing for Team Canada, coaching at the collegiate level, one of the innovative leaders of AAU/Prep basketball in Canada, the founder of P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy (Jamaica, Canada, USA, and Burundi), and the longest-running National High School All-Star Game: Rumble in the T-Dot “All-Canada Classic.” What Wayne has excelled at is he leads with emotional intelligence, empathy, and awareness. Wayne has taught me to ensure that I understand people. By doing so, he has built environments where others feel safe to grow.
His return to Jamaica has gone beyond the limits of the hardwood. His niche is connection. Unity. Belonging. The local and international players all have a relationship with Wayne, and this has taught me that you can have vision and strategy, but if you do not build a healthy culture, you will not sustain impact. His historic impact on player development, combined with his futuristic visionary skills, enables Wayne to lead beyond his peripheral view. I adopt those skills daily and implement them in my leadership framework.
The beauty of different niches
What I appreciate most is that none of these seven leaders compete with one another. Each carries a distinct lane, character, service, vision, correction, belief, strategy, culture. Their differences are not contradictions; they are complements. Because of them, I lead with integrity. I serve intentionally. I think expansively. I accept correction. I believe boldly. I build structurally. I nurture culture.
Mentorship shortens learning curves. It protects you from avoidable mistakes. It strengthens both your voice and your values. I am thankful for each of my seven mentors, not just for what they taught me, but for how uniquely they taught it. Leadership is never a solo journey. It is a relay. And because of these seven leaders, I now carry the responsibility to pour into others the same way they poured into me.
Leadership challenge
Who are your seven mentors? Write one (or all) a letter and remind them of how significant they have been in your life.
Email your entry to coachphil@careleadershipframework.com for a feature on our website and podcast.
“Gratitude is not just appreciation. It is multiplication.”
Read more from Phil Edwards
Phil Edwards, Leadership Educator and Foster Care Advocate
Phil Edwards is a Leadership Educator, Foster Care Advocate, and creator of the CARE Leadership Framework. With 30+ years of coaching experience, 20 years of foster parenting, and 15 years in post-secondary education, he writes and speaks on trauma-informed leadership, foster parenting, and youth development.
