When I first started at UW, I believed that the word leader was a very “fancy” word- a title that looks good on a resume, a superior position that differentiates one person from other people in a group.
After participating in Jumpstart and the Pipeline Project in my freshman year, I felt that I wanted to become a leader not because of that sense of superiority, but because I liked to work with people and to establish the relationships. While working with peers, students, and mentors, I learned to listen to different ideas, share emotions, learn from people, and be inspired by story telling. I learned that I valued active listening, which not only requires one to focus on the words people are saying, but also the meaning behind the words.
In my junior year, I got involved with FIUTS and the FIUTS Student Board. It is an non profit organization that promotes international awareness through UW students and connects international students to the larger community. During my involvement with FIUTS, I gained a lot of support from staff members and explored many opportunities to attend leadership speeches and seminars. I began to think about my leadership philosophy and who I am as a leader. This was the period I struggled with the most- how can I become a good and impactful leader? Am I good enough to become a leader? Will people trust me?
I still not figured out all of those answers. What makes leadership so interesting and difficult is that it is a lifelong learning experience. People in different stages will have different interpretations and understandings. At this stage, I believe a good leader is able to show her kindness, listening, understanding, empathy, learning, intuition, and responsibility to understand her role. We all have different social roles in different situations; we are students in class, daughters and sons at home, friends at school, etc. Leadership exists in all of these areas. It is not about being placed higher than another; it is simply taking on different roles within one’s community. A good leader is someone who understands their role and performs it excellently. In this sense, anyone can be a good leader.
After participating in Jumpstart and the Pipeline Project in my freshman year, I felt that I wanted to become a leader not because of that sense of superiority, but because I liked to work with people and to establish the relationships. While working with peers, students, and mentors, I learned to listen to different ideas, share emotions, learn from people, and be inspired by story telling. I learned that I valued active listening, which not only requires one to focus on the words people are saying, but also the meaning behind the words.
In my junior year, I got involved with FIUTS and the FIUTS Student Board. It is an non profit organization that promotes international awareness through UW students and connects international students to the larger community. During my involvement with FIUTS, I gained a lot of support from staff members and explored many opportunities to attend leadership speeches and seminars. I began to think about my leadership philosophy and who I am as a leader. This was the period I struggled with the most- how can I become a good and impactful leader? Am I good enough to become a leader? Will people trust me?
I still not figured out all of those answers. What makes leadership so interesting and difficult is that it is a lifelong learning experience. People in different stages will have different interpretations and understandings. At this stage, I believe a good leader is able to show her kindness, listening, understanding, empathy, learning, intuition, and responsibility to understand her role. We all have different social roles in different situations; we are students in class, daughters and sons at home, friends at school, etc. Leadership exists in all of these areas. It is not about being placed higher than another; it is simply taking on different roles within one’s community. A good leader is someone who understands their role and performs it excellently. In this sense, anyone can be a good leader.