4 principles of visionary leadership

At five years old, Kimberly Archuleta announced that she wanted to be the pitcher for her neighborhood baseball team.

“The coach was like, ‘Oh, you’re only five years old,’” Kimberly laughs. “But, it’s funny, I still bring that same passion to my leadership style today.”

Today, Kimberly still finds herself regularly raising her hand for opportunities to shape a vision, rally people around it, and collectively work toward achieving a goal — her visionary leadership. She’s applied this passion to owning four businesses, leading partner enablement at Contentful, and spearheading the Latinx Contentfuler@s group.

We sat down with Kimberly to hear more about her role as a partner enablement manager at Contentful, including the four principles she follows to practice visionary leadership with her team.

An early disposition for leadership

From a young age, Kimberly was taught she could do anything she put her mind to.

“I was surrounded by strong women. I saw my aunt run a local food bank and my whole family came together for the community. Seeing their leadership and being guided by these wonderful women really influenced my own views on how I wanted to impact the world around me,” she shares.

At the time, Kimberly wasn’t familiar with the term “visionary leadership,” but it was ever-present in her actions.

“After college and spending a few years in a sales role, I started to think about how I could do something to help the world with all the knowledge I’d gained,” she recalls.

Kimberly started an online training business for sales teams, followed by two learning and development companies in the medical education space and a hemp sea salt producer.

“I was this one Hispanic woman who didn’t have all the answers, but I knew I wanted to make a difference in the world,” she says with a smile.

Stepping back into a corporate role

After years of entrepreneurship, Kimberly was approached by Contentful to take on her first corporate position in more than a decade.

And while she was hesitant to test out a new environment, Kimberly recognized the fortuitous timing.

“The role involved building and developing online sales courses for partners and hosting partner events. I felt like all of the work I’d been doing up to this point had led me here,” she says. “And from the moment I stepped into the role of partner enablement manager, I knew it was the right place for me to continue my leadership journey.”

Leveraging visionary leadership at Contentful

Kimberly now defines visionary leadership as “seeing the potential for how things could be and then inspiring and empowering those around me to help turn that vision into reality” — and that’s exactly what she does at Contentful.

“My role goes beyond simply doing what I love. It's also about leading, making decisions, strategizing, and guiding our efforts. This is particularly the case as I'm directing my individual work and also contributing to broader leadership initiatives,” she explains.

One of Kimberly’s favorite parts of working at Contentful is that she’s still able to exercise her entrepreneurial spirit: “I feel I’m being given the opportunity to evolve and lead the vision for the partnership ecosystem, while still receiving guidance and feedback.”

Contentful also supported Kimberly in founding the Latinx Contentfuler@s group, an extension of her mission to inspire others.

“Visionary leadership is about leading with empathy, fostering innovation, and empowering others,” she says. “By ensuring that everyone's voice is heard and valued in the Latinx Contentfuler@s group, I believe we can nurture an environment where future leaders feel empowered to step forward.”

4 principles of visionary leadership

Kimberly follows a set of four principles that help her to tackle challenges and make strategic decisions as a visionary leader:

1. Empathy: “By understanding others' viewpoints, motivations, and challenges, I can relate to [my team members] more effectively and foster an environment of respect and collaboration. This empathy often provides valuable insights for overcoming challenges or making strategic decisions.”
2. Open communication: “It's vital to create an atmosphere where thoughts, concerns, and feedback are welcomed. This transparency not only cultivates trust but also encourages innovative thinking and ensures I make well-informed strategic decisions.”
3. Resilience: “I see setbacks not as failures but as opportunities to learn, grow, and refine my strategies. This mindset enables me to navigate difficulties and maintain focus on our collective vision.”
4. Empowerment: “By encouraging others' autonomy, I can inspire them to develop their skills and increase their commitment to our shared objectives… Also, encouraging calculated risk-taking is key. Even though not every innovative idea will be successful, it's important to understand that failure is an essential part of the innovation process. By reframing setbacks as learning opportunities, we can continue to push boundaries without the fear of failure.”

Kimberly tells us that these principles don't merely guide her interactions; they define who she is as a leader working to positively impact the world.

She smiles and says, “As a visionary, I aim to inspire others by painting a picture of what's possible and leading the way toward it. It's about setting ambitious goals, inspiring others to embrace them, and maintaining an unwavering belief in our collective potential.”