Reflective Practice

I have neglected this blog.  I need to better about that.  I need to be better about reflecting on my practices as a Student Affairs professional, because it really does help to keep myself focused on what I am doing each day in my role in Higher Ed.

So moving on: “Go-Getters.” That is how I would describe the students I work with on Thursday evenings.  They are part of group called “Leaders Striving For Success” – self-titled after MUCH deliberation – and it is a group composed mainly of First-year and Sophomore students. This group over the past years was basically referred to as the “Leadership Series” and it had been approached differently year after year, and the professional staff leadership was changing year after year, until about two years ago when it came to my door step.  Working with my Graduate Assistant, we basically, after a slow start, deciding to NOT do the Leadership Series during the 2008-2009 Academic Year and rather take the time to do some research and really create something meaningful and worthwhile.  Which is what we have done.

While still a fledgling group, LSFS (everything always seems to be an acronym at my institution), has starting making a name for themselves on our campus.  But right now, it’s not necessarily the programs they are putting together that impresses me (they are good though) but it’s the excitement, motivation, and determination that I see in each of them to LEARN.  I honestly don’t know if I have seen this in other groups I have worked with (and I now want to make EVERY group I work with function like this.)  They are learning basic leadership skills, they are motivated to ask questions and take on responsibilities.  Whether it be learning to reserve meeting space on campus, creating reports of meeting minutes, properly contacting campus administrators, or creating publicity, their design to do more and learn more astounds me.

I’m excited to see what lies ahead for this group, as they not only motivate each other but also motivate me.

So I love to talk about leadership and this morning I did yet another leadership presentation for a group of high school juniors.  Not exactly a higher ed situation, but leadership is all encompassing.  And the presentation I did today, I could easily do with a group of emerging leaders in the college setting.  Anyways, why I’m sharing this on my blog is that for part of the session I had them in groups and they had to write a definition for leadership.  I started them off with the phrase “Leadership is the ability to…” and had them complete the sentence.  I was totally impressed with what they came up with so I thought I would share with whoever reads this little blog of mine.

• Leadership is the ability to provide the tools needed to complete a task or achieve a common goal.
• Leadership is the ability to create an environment where people unite in order to realize their full potential to succeed.
• Leadership is the ability to communicate with & to inspire a diverse group of people in order to reach a common goal while still knowing limitations.
• Leadership is the ability to empower and motivate others to reach their full potential, while working together effectively to accomplish a task.
• Leadership is the ability to guide others while achieving common goals to complete the task at hand.
• Leadership is the ability to know when to be lead and accept responsibility for success or failure of the group, it’s ideas, successes or failures.