By BETH CHAPMAN / Community Columnist

Cindy Nicholson is the director of human resources at Shelby Baptist Medical Center. If people are truly our greatest resources, then Nicholson knows that as well as anyone.

Nicholson works with employee relations, employee events, employee health and the hospital volunteers.

Nicholson defines leadership as the ability to accomplish tasks through directing others that you may have helped develop or encouraged to sharpen their own abilities and talents. Leadership requires communication, flexibility, open-mindedness, trust and the desire to face challenges and react with actions, not just words.

Some of the people who have inspired her were her mother, who passed away with cancer when Nicholson was only 12, and her sister, Dianne, who took on most of the nurturing responsibilities.

Elease Smith, her first boss with Baptist Health inspired her as did her elementary school principal, Mrs. Johnson, who taught her presentation skills through drama in school plays. “The ultimate leader, Jesus Christ, through scripture teaches us all servant leadership,” Nicholson said.

“As the youngest of four children being reared in a small, rural community, we were taught to think for ourselves, learn by our mistakes, and have fun trying any challenge that came our way,” Nicholson said. “Those lessons instilled a sense of confidence and independence that being a leader requires. I love teaching and encouraging others to set goals and learn as much as they can.”

Nicholson said human resources is the perfect job for her to utilize her leadership gifts because of multiple levels of interpersonal relationships and challenges involved.

She serves on the Leadership Shelby County Board of Directors, YMCA Board of Directors Family Connections Advisory Board, Project Search; a partnership with the hospital, Shelby County Board of Education, The ARC of Shelby County and the Department of Rehabilitation.

Nicholson lives in Chelsea with her husband of 43 years, Charles. They have two sons, Mark and Troy, and a daughter, Sherri. They have seven grandchildren: Garon, Aubrey, Koby, Maci, Kole, Reagan, and Catelyn.