100 Black Men of Greater Cleveland, Inc. Real Men Magazine July Issue

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

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Aqeel Seals

Real Men Magazine strives to introduce our members to our membership and the community. This gives you a chance to find out about who they are. In this issue, we feature Aqeel Seals, a Strategic Workforce Planner within the Caregiver Office of The Cleveland Clinic!

RM: Tell us a little bit about your job?

I love what I do… It is fun and autonomous. The only job was where it’s mandatory to think BIG and outside the box. My role is to forecast and identifies the future workforce challenges in healthcare. As a Workforce Planner, my part is to explore ways in which the organization can continue achieving progress during workforce shortages, retention struggles with the great resignation, pay inequities, and a variety of other factors that impact the current and future state of the workforce as it relates to healthcare. I collaborate with hospital leaders throughout the enterprise to identify staffing shortages, capacity, and capability gaps and then build strategic plans to address those gaps.

Who is Aqeel Seals?

I’m a Black Man, a Christian, a husband, a father, a man of integrity, a change agent, and an all-around genuine man. I enjoy life, so I typically do what makes me happy! The pursuit drives me to make my name mean something. I desire to leave a longlasting

legacy in this world and make it a better place because of something I did, said, or exemplified. My values are non-negotiable, and that’s what makes me who I am!

How did you find out about 100 Black Men who sponsored you to become a member?

My first time hearing of the 100 was around 2013, I used to organize a men’s brunch, and one of the speakers for that brunch was Terry Maynard. I didn’t know much about the 100 at that point but fast forward to about 2018, I started working with the men of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity on various events, and I met Marvin Ferguson. We’ve worked on several projects together and discussed 100 Black Men during that time. Based on the work I was doing in the community to improve the health of underserved communities, he suggested looking into it. Which I’m glad I did! Over a few months, I did my research and found my “why” and asked if he’d sponsor me, and he did. Thank Marv!

Who has inspired you in life?

I have drawn inspiration from both people and different circumstances throughout my life. Life has a 2-fold way of teaching…What you don’t learn through instruction, you learn through experience.

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So I am inspired by seeing and experiencing people live purposeful and driven lives. But if I had to pick, it’d be my children and mother. My mom had overcome some significant hurdles in life and picked herself back up when everyone counted her out. So, if anything watching her live it out has taught me to believe in myself even if no one else does. As for my kids, my son is seven, and my daughter is 9. They keep me so hopeful, youthful, and forward-thinking. Their perception of life and how they enjoy it even at this age constantly impacts how I live daily.

What challenges did you overcome to get where you are today?

That’s a good question that I can answer both personally and professionally. Personally, having the opportunity to go to college changed my life’s trajectory being from inner-city Cleveland. Overcoming some of the situations and circumstances that presented themselves back when I was growing up, I had to have a guardian angel! I chose a different route when many of my friends stood on the corner. The college experience broadened my life’s horizon and network and was

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I took the initiative to get to the plate when the rest of the team declined it. That project was to research a Cleveland Clinic expansion and report to the Cleveland clinic executive team in 6 months. The enterprise agreed with my recommendation to expand. That project catapulted my career at Cleveland Clinic to where I am today. My advice is to welcome the obstacles because when you find yourself out of your comfort zone, it is then that you develop the most!

What are your hobbies?

I have a lot of hobbies…I ride my Victory Motorcycle, go fishing, coach my son’s baseball and football teams, golf, do DIY projects, travel, and, more recently, I’ve gotten into road biking.

What’s your life purpose?

I was created to serve, so I freely give my time, resources, energy, strengths, and skillsets. I don’t believe in coincidences, so if we cross paths and you’re in need, and I can help, better think I will. I aim to deposit something in every person I meet that puts them in a better place than before they met me.

Share some things about your life and family?

integral in building the foundation that I stand on today.

Professionally, as black men, we are expected to work twice as hard, and I have used that to my advantage by allowing my work ethic to set me apart from the rest. That has allowed me to gain exposure and get noticed by the people who can elevate my career. The ability to seize the moment comes from within. Getting over the fear of failure was a significant challenge for me. I wanted to build a solid professional reputation, but I discovered that it’s not about whether you will fail but when and how you recover after failure. This fear initially caused me only to take calculated risks, safe projects, and things I knew I would succeed at. As a result, I wasn’t challenged, so it hindered my development more than it helped. One of my mentors presented a challenge and said to take a stretch assignment but do it scared. Well, that assignment came, and

I am beyond blessed with the life I have!!! My wife and I will be celebrating 11 years of marriage this year. We have two kids…a son (7), a daughter (9), and a chocolate labradoodle! We love traveling and try to take at least two family trips a year. We also cherish our time at the dinner table just talking about our day or what’s happening in the world, and it’s fascinating how intellectual my kids are, how they perceive what’s going on, and how they think things can be fixed. Just the table talk by itself is valuable, and it’s something they know look forward to.

What keeps you grounded?

My faith in God, family, values, Security, and defined happiness. Take life a moment at a time, control what I can, and don’t worry about what I can’t change!

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