A New Kind of Book

“You need to do this. They need more women, mentors like you. You were made for this,” my husband, Chris, encourages me.

Pins and needles. My skin is bursting with excitement, including the tip of my nose. It is my first meeting with the Severn Leadership Group (SLG) mentors. SLG Founder Sig Berg, a tall, distinguished-looking gentleman, welcomes us with a firm handshake and a warm smile.

Men in suits, sport coats, jeans, Hawaiian T-shirts, and shorts and a few women in dresses, or blazer with jeans - my fellow mentors, from all industries and walks of life, greet me with handshakes and hugs, welcoming me on an adventure that will change the leadership journey for me and so many others. A journey of virtuous leadership and mentorship, so profound and powerful that years later, these mentors and those who follow can look back in amazement and awe at something that seemed so simple, which has transformed the lives of so many leaders, their families, and their organizations.

We begin with the logistics, receive our materials, a book, a thumb drive of biographies, and a promise.

“You will receive more than you give.”

Nothing is truer than that.

Over the past ten years, I’ve had the privilege of learning from all our selfless mentors, including the 24 mentor authors who had the courage to write a chapter in this special book. Their authentic stories of setbacks, failure, firm foundations, self-awareness, faith, recovery, resilience, and success embody the LITER virtues of love, integrity, truth, excellence, and relationships. They walk the talk of a virtuous leader as they walk alongside those they mentor.

“The purpose of the mentor is not to just provide advice or to play the expert, but to walk with you during the process: to help you see yourself clearly within a lived context at the testing point and to encourage you to incrementally level up to achieve the best version of yourself.”

 ~ Sig Berg, The Virtue Proposition. Five Virtues That Will Transform Leadership, Team Performance, and You.

Mentors are the linchpin to SLG and leading a better life. Leadership (and mentorship) starts with you, but is not about you.

The SLG exists to cultivate a new generation of leaders and followers who embrace timeless and transcendent virtues, empowered to catalyze virtuous transformation in our world. We could not do that without our mentors.

I’m thrilled to share a glimpse into who our incredible mentors are, their motivations, their approach, and the impact they've had in the upcoming release of:

‍Mentorship Mastery. A Holistic Guide for Virtuous Leaders.

I invite you to read through each of our stories and feel encouraged and inspired to mentor with the Severn Leadership Group or wherever you lead and live.

Each chapter is steeped in a beautiful story and practical strategy that you can immediately implement as you continue your journey as a holistic mentor. Don’t be surprised if you reap the rewards of reverse mentoring, along the way, too. It’s worth every second!

Available at Amazon.com on September 9, 2025!

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Julie Campbell is the President and CEO of the Severn Leadership Group (SLG), making the world a better place through virtuous leadership. Her career spans 20 years in the U.S. Navy and 15 years in the technology and nonprofit sectors. Julie is the mother of two strong-willed boys and the wife and head cheerleader for her college athletics coaching husband and his team.

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