All growing up, the outside world wants to tell you what you can and cannot do as a female - what sports are acceptable, what sports are appropriate, what is appropriate to study, what is appropriate to say. But luckily, I have a strong family, and my mom is the most amazing mom in the world. She never let me worry about biases.

I grew up playing softball, and at the age of nine, I decided I was going to be an Olympian. I didn't really know what that meant at the time. I thought it might be in a warm summer sport like softball, but I played a variety of sports growing up - basketball, soccer and track. I really didn't care. I just wanted to be an Olympian.

Growing up, most girls have this image of how they want their wedding to be and things like that. I had none of that except for the cake I wanted, and that's what I got. The cake was the first thing we ordered.

I was a shortstop in softball, and a lot of times I had collisions with base runners coming in, so I definitely have scars.

Followers are the customers of the Higher Ground Leader, who strives to meet or exceed the outer and inner needs of followers.

The GOP grows more and more unpopular with female voters seemingly every time one of its leaders gets in front of a microphone. Misogynist is as misogynist does. The GOP and its bloviating pundits don't like women and they are unable to hide it, nor do they seem to make much attempt to do so.

In most companies, the formal hierarchy is a matter of public record - it's easy to discover who's in charge of what. By contrast, natural leaders don't appear on any organization chart.

If I come in, and you're an employer, and I say, 'Well, I was a sniper in the Marine Corps. Do you have any sniper positions open?' 'No.' But if I told you that I was good at communication, good at leadership under stressful environments, team management, personnel management, leadership, being prompt, are stuff that I can bring to the table.