The Scholarly Leadership Practitioner

Meet Dr. Will Ramey

Leading teams in one of the most austere and complex environments on planet Earth, Will Ramey brings to life the power of collaboration, shared leadership and team creativity. Will Ramey is the owner of Shared Leadership, LLC, a veteran-owned team development solutions provider.

Will has honed his expertise leading teams in Fortune 50 companies and the U.S. Army. He obtained his doctorate from Drexel University with a focus on organizational behavior. Will delivers a dynamic experience for audiences by blending his experience as a US Army combat veteran and leadership researcher.

Dr. Will Ramey Headshot

Will’s Story.

Leadership is a people business.

My experiences have uniquely positioned me to see the power of collective purpose in every group, every business, every organization. I’ve lived it.

A father’s wisdom.

Valuable lessons in leadership

My journey began in northeast Ohio, where I first learned from my parents how to treat people with dignity and respect. My dad in particular taught me several valuable lessons in leadership. He had served in the Army during the Vietnam War, and he instilled in me an appreciation for good discipline, consistency, taking care of my siblings, and looking out for my friends. He taught me to do my part. He taught me the importance of teamwork.

For me, that meant defending those who couldn’t defend themselves. It often meant serving as the only voice calling out when something wasn’t right.

I knew I could carry that on in the U.S. Army. What attracted me to join was the collective, the aspect of “we.” I wanted to protect, defend, and do my part for the people of our country. Just as I had growing up, I wanted to stand up for what was right, for all those who had no one to defend them. That was the calling I had.

I enlisted in the Army National Guard at 17, went on to the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) in college, and later became a Captain. At that time, in the mid-2000s, our country was fully engrossed in the Iraq War. I knew I was going to deploy. In 2005, that call came in.

Will Ramey Military Service

Leading my team.

Becoming an example for others to follow

At 24 years old, I became the executive officer of a company of 300 people who were conducting maintenance operations in Iraq. My job was complex and full of unknowns, but I knew if I didn’t figure it out, we were going to fail.

I encountered numerous challenging situations where I wasn’t fully prepared for what happened, nor was I expected to be. But what drove me growing up, what drove me to enlist, what drove me to lead at all, still burned in me: the intrinsic motivation, the leadership, the desire to bring people together. I knew if I could do nothing else, I could be an example for others to follow.

So, I stepped up.

Will Ramey leads his company in Iraq

I taught my team critical thinking. I showed them they were just as capable of making decisions as I was. I gave them the freedom to do what they had to do to protect the team. If someone made a mistake, I told them I would own it as their leader. I knew we were trained, we were equipped, and we would carry through.

I saw the change in my team from these conversations. Their embrace of empowerment kept us successful throughout many missions, including in combat. It was because they always came back to intent: as long as my team knew their objective, they figured out how to accomplish it.

We weren’t successful because everyone just took orders from me. We were there to work together to get a job done. We were successful because we had collective purpose, we collaborated, and we worked together and led each other.

Empowering Others.

You don’t need a title to lead

Dr. Will Ramey the Scholarly Leadership Practitioner speaking

A series of professional developments ultimately led me to base myself here in Northeastern Pennsylvania, where I am fortunate to bring Shared Leadership, LLC to organizations across the country and the world.

My time in the Army taught me hard lessons I knew I could apply in the world of business.

I saw how much better my team performed when they were empowered to make their own decisions within our organizational framework.

I learned how to hone fear into solutions instead of letting it paralyze me.

I mastered adapting to situations that don’t go as planned.

I learned that if you can maintain your rational mindset and positivity, you can overcome anything.

I knew in the Army, and I know now, that you don’t need a title to lead. It’s what I tell employees in my team-development workshops. Managers and supervisors aren’t the only ones who can make decisions. Everyone can contribute, everyone can influence, and everyone can share ownership of the outcomes.

My committment.

Bring out the best in current and emerging leaders

My doctorate in business administration has allowed me to translate those military lessons into concepts for the corporate world. In the playful competitive games I use in my workshops, my clients discover that the teams that empower one another often win, while those that want to dominate don’t perform as well.

My work also produces a synergistic effect within businesses. If I enlighten one leader about the benefits of group leadership, that effect spreads to the 10 employees they lead, and the professional improvement keeps growing from there.

Dr. Will speaking to group

I’m optimistic that my experiences leading my own team in some of the harshest environments on Earth can help business leaders realize the valuable assets they have in their employees. When everyone contributes, everyone is a leader. That betters people’s lives all the way around.

If my services positively impact how even one person leads, connects to, and interacts with others, I have been fulfilled.

Bringing together the early lessons of my parents, my trials in the Army, and my commitment to empowering corporate teams – that’s what Shared Leadership, LLC is all about.

Intrigued by Will’s experience and expertise?

Intrigued by Will’s experience and expertise?

Invite Will to speak at your event.

Invite Will to speak at your event.

With a focus on organizational behavior, Will delivers a dynamic experience for audiences by blending his experience as a US Army combat veteran and leadership researcher breaking down complex leadership concepts and turn them into immediately actionable tactics to be applied in your own organization.

Delivery: In-Person, Live-Remote, or Pre-Recorded Virtual

Ideal for:

  • Educating, enlightening, and inspiring your audience
  • Offering proven, step-by-step advice to achieve real results
  • Delivering an unforgettable event experience

Leadership FAQ’s.

Leadership FAQ’s.

Leading teams requires intentional acts. Nobody is perfect, and nobody gets it right 100% of the time. Every day you have an opportunity to practice your leadership skills and develop as a leader so that you can positively impact your team.

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