What do you still need to learn or work on to improve your leadership? What steps will you take to do this?
Throughout this course, there were many times where we got to analyze our leadership skills. One of them is completing the Student Leadership Practices Inventory Assessment. This helped me understand my strengths and weaknesses as a leader. The results illustrated my area of weakness was in modelling the way. I scored low in clarifying my values by finding my voice and affirming shared values. When I think about these behaviours, I recognize their importance. Looking back at my previous experiences, I do not think these behaviours entered my mind before taking this course and practicing reflection regularly. Now that I understand its value and its importance, I plan to apply it to my daily life in my roles as a leader, a peer and even a mentor. For instance, to let my values guide me, I will make sure I am clear about my values so it is easier for the people around me to stay on the same path and committed. I will make sure that my values have a voice and are heard by everyone. However, I also understand that shared values are pillars of productive/genuine relationships. To make sure people are more committed, I will encourage ongoing discussion about values. I will make sure people are not shy about sharing their values and that collectively we affirm our shared values. This will allow the group to say united and one. I will also make it a point to set examples by living shared values and teaching others to model values. I will make sure people believe me because I gave my values a voice but also because I am doing what I say. In high school, when I was the Badminton Girls team captain, during one practice I wanted everyone to work on their weaknesses and improve it. Initially, my team players did not take me seriously but when I started working on my skills I noticed everyone else did as well. At that moment I did not realize this but now that I look back, I understand 'walking the talk' has. I will also make sure people share their experiences and stories so that we can model our values. Sharing knowledge and stories illustrates the unity in the group. As a result, from here on I will reinforce key values to build and sustain the group. What motivates me to improve in this practice is the fact that I already illustrate a few behaviours that fall under this practice. Like giving credibility to my teammates. During my Psych 2NF3 group project, after the success of that project, I made sure I thank both my team members for giving this project their best. I could see how committed we all were for that project and I think giving them credits for each new idea or work they had done helped them feel more valued. In fact, for all my group work I make sure I get feedback from everyone. I try to ensure everyone is happy with the decisions. I believe this helps us stay united. Thus, this course has helped me recognize the areas I need to improve and has also guided me on how I can improve.
Has this course and experience impacted your goals for the future at all?
For me, goal setting has always played a huge role in the way I think, act and go about carrying on with my routine schedule. Although my future goals are not directly connected to the formal role of leadership, I still plan to use the skills I developed in this course in the future. Since I have a better sense and am more aware of my strengths and weaknesses, I'm confident in my ability to pursue ambitious goals for the future. This course has motivated me to equip myself with the skills to create a caring environment that's contagious, sustainable, motivating, positive and facilities growth. In the future, I would like to create an environment where we make extraordinary things happen. After this course, I also want to give importance to the process and journey instead of just the result. I do not want to blindly reach my goal without making connections with others and sharing my experiences along the way. In the future, I would like to learn or take away something from everyone and enjoy the process.
In terms of my career goals, currently, I'm aspiring to pursue a career in health care. This resulted in me constantly trying to increase my academic performance and focus on getting great results. However, this course gave me the confidence to focus on the present, to grow from your mistakes and enjoy the process. At the beginning of the course, I was focused on self-development only and improving myself. This course has allowed me to focus on how I can strengthen my community and grow within it.
How do you see yourself using what you've learned in this course in the future?
Everything that I have learned in this course has been valuable. It has helped me recognize my strengths and weaknesses. It has also helped me realize how much I enjoy being a leader and guiding others. This course has helped me build self-confidence which resulted in me applying to three leadership opportunities and getting them all. I am currently a member of the Best Buddies program, however, from next year, I will be the Special Events executive member for this program. As an executive member, I will be a leader for the new general members that join this program. To be an effective leader, one of the things I will do is emphasize the goal of the Best Buddies Program. I will explain what Best Buddies mean and how our goal is to bring happiness in an individual's life through pure friendship. I will share stories of how my buddy and I became friends and how we have found a good friend in each other. I will continue to illustrate the behaviours mentioned in the Five Practices to inspire and guide the general members. I have also got the opportunity to be an executive member of the McMaster Student for Shelters program. This program focuses on donating various under-donated items and money to various shelters in the Hamilton community. It is a way to give back to the community. To be an effective executive member for this program I will continue to take the steps I mentioned for the executive position for the Best Buddies program. As a leader, I will make sure the values of both programs are heard and understood. I will make sure members are committed to the program by giving them credit for their work and fostering mutual trust and respect. I hope to keep the members of the club united and focused on our main goal. I will provide them with the guidance and advice they need when facing various challenges, ensuring that they have the confidence that they can overcome the challenges together. By having small events at the university, I aim to build confidence in them that we can also have successful big events off-campus. Another big accomplishment for me is becoming a member of the Sciclones team. I have witnessed the positive impact Sciclones make on first-year university students and I wanted to be able to do the same. As a rep, I will be the first point of contact between the students and the university. The role requires me to be a leader and provide guidance in the transition to university academic and social life. As a mentor/leader I aim to provide them with guidance, advice, support, motivation and most importantly inspire them to be successful university students. I can do this by sharing stories, building trust and respect and guiding them to grow and evolve. As a leader, in all the three different programs, I will try to inspire the students to do things differently, to struggle against uncertain odds and to persevere towards a distant yet compelling image of a better future.
Grade 10 Badminton Team (both boys and girls teams). I was the Captain of the team this year.
 Best BuddiesI will get to be an executive member for this program next year. |  McMaster Student for Shelter ProgramI will get to be an executive member for this program next year. |
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 MacScience SocietyI will get be a Sciclone next year. |