When I decided to enroll in GLAD I wasn’t even sure if the “L” in the acronym (standing for Leadership) accurately described me. I’m still not sure. However I am comforted by the “D” (Development) and recognize that leadership is a journey, not a destination.
One of the things I hope to get from GLAD is a clearer image of exactly what a leader is. Is a leader a bouncy OL? An elected SGA representative? A dedicated RA? A combination of the above? Something more? I am intensely interested in what exactly makes a leader because I hope to use my investigations to help answer a burning question: Am I a leader?
The accompanying book to the GLAD program, A Leader’s Legacy by Kouzes & Posner, does seem to assert that anyone can be a leader with the right skills and tools. The authors recognize that leadership isn’t easy and is something that requires practice. I know that there is always the possibility of failure and I have certainly made mistakes in my life but whenever I do I try to ask myself: What have I learned? I think that viewing mistakes as opportunities for growth can be a way to enhance leadership skills.
So far I have found the book to be very interesting and helpful. I appreciated the insight that the best way to learn something is to teach others. I also like the focus on leaving a legacy because the question of influence is something I’ve often pondered. Forgive the morbidity, but I have at times imagined my own funeral and asked myself if, how, or why I will be remembered when I’m gone. I do aim to leave a legacy so that I have something to pass on.
“No One Likes To Be An Assumption”, chapter 5 of the book, really resonated with me, especially the line about “Not expressing appreciation to others is equivalent to making them invisible.” Invisible, unrecognized, and powerless was exactly how I had felt just days earlier in the same week I had read this chapter! I was feeling down because I honestly felt unappreciated by those around me and had begun to wonder if any of the effort I made mattered to anyone. Luckily one of my dear sorority sisters made me feel better simply by asking if I was OK. She had actually noticed that I was down and that small gesture made a world of difference to me because it meant that someone cared about me. The mere fact that she noticed I was down and cared enough to check in helped me feel better and I very much appreciated it. Thank you Audra!
The title of this blogpost comes from a comment written in my 8th grade yearbook by Mr. Sheedy, the teacher who advised my middle school’s Student Council. These words have stayed with me through the years because although “quiet leadership” still seems like an oxymoron to me it’s helping me to realize that there are various types of leaders and that you don’t have to necessarily fit a “mold” to be one. I remember being caught off guard during my first semester of college when I was recommended for the Emerging Leaders program by one of my professors. I had never really considered myself a leader and wondered if he had somehow made a mistake in this recommendation. However, I decided to participate in it because I respected the fact that he saw something in me that had the potential for leadership. In the years since I’ve completed the program I have gone on to pursue other leadership opportunities but I am still not convinced I’m a leader. Someday I hope to be confident enough in my skills to be worthy of that title.
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