In Own the Arena (Amistad, Feb.), Adams, former president of the United States Tennis Association, shares her philosophy of leadership.

What does it take to be a great leader?

You must be prepared and do your homework before you take a seat at the table, have the communication skills to share your vision with peers and colleagues, and know how to collaborate so you can bring others in to shine and take credit where credit is due.

What are the moments that most shaped your career?

With USTA, putting a roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium to secure nonstop play during the U.S. Open for television was pivotal. Also, the construction of the USTA National Campus in Orlando, because it’s a tennis facility and a public facility for community building. Having a great team during that process helped it happen on time and on budget which is the best anyone can ask for.

You write about the “twice as good” concept. What’s that about?

It’s one of those terms that we as people of color in homogenous arenas don’t like to use but do all the time when we feel we have to be twice as good to succeed in our settings. It’s an aspect of human nature, but all eyes are naturally on the individual that stands out. There’s always someone looking to slight you for the smallest thing if you’re out of place, so it’s a term I hope we’ll not have to use going forward as diversity increases. But in today’s society we know that it’s still the case.

Tell us about the Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program.

HJTEP is an organization founded in 1969 to promote tennis and education in high-risk, lower-income, underserved communities. I’ve been involved since 2005 and just celebrated my 15th anniversary! We use tennis as a vehicle to enhance the opportunity for our kids to earn a college scholarship. We believe the skills and diligence needed to succeed at tennis can also make them better people.

You mention Althea Gibson as someone who inspired you. How so?

Althea was the first Black American, male or female, to break the color barrier in professional tennis. She won the French Nationals in 1956 and both the Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals consecutively in 1957 and 1958. She also won 11 Grand Slams overall and was the person who officially paved the way for people of color to enter tennis.