In the fall of my junior year, I was invited to take part in a new program titled 'Female Student Leader Cohort Program.' This was a "pilot" program that focused on leadership and growing as influential women in our academic studies, different activities and organizations on campus, and in the community. There were three main meetings throughout the semester in which a guest speaker discussed a certain leadership-focused topic, such as authenticity, owning our stories, and passion. This program also provided the opportunity to attend the YWCA Women's Leadership Conference, but unfortunately, I was unable to attend due to schedule conflicts. Nonetheless, I gained great insight about what leadership really is, how to best lead others, and formed connections with other female student leaders that I would not have likely developed otherwise. I'm very grateful to have been chosen for this program, for I learned a lot about myself personally and as a leader because of it.
One of my biggest takeaways from this experience was the idea of authentic leadership. I have always been a people pleaser and have felt like I need to dress, talk, and act a certain way in order to gain respect from others and "fit in." This mentality didn't stop in middle school and high school but even carried over in college. For example, when I first became a board member for the Pre-Physical/Occupational Therapy Club on campus, I thought I had to agree and be like every other executive member. In other words, I believed I wasn't entitled to my own opinions or ways of influencing others. Through reading the article "Discovering Your Authentic Leadership" from the Harvard Business Review (attached below) along with listening to Tiffnie Jackson from the Mankato YWCA speak, I reflected and realized that I had been completely wrong. I was living a lie that I had to be exactly like others in order to be successful. Although it has been a slow transition, I am learning to embrace myself and my own life story to best lead others. One of my favorite quotes from the article that I have spent a lot of time thinking about is the following: "Authentic leaders demonstrate a passion for their purpose, practice their values consistently, and lead with their hearts as well as their heads. They establish long-term, meaningful relationships and have the self-discipline to get results. They know who they are." I know I possess great passion for becoming a physical therapist to help others reach their full physical potential through conservative and natural ways, and I also have strong self-discipline to do what is necessary to reach my goals. I think what I need to spend the most time reflecting and practicing is truly leading with my values and what is important to me, along with using what my heart tells me and not just my head or what I think is right. I think it is then that I will be able to truly be an authentic leader and see the most fruit from the work I put in.
I believe the experience of being in the Women for Global Leadership Program helped me achieve Level 1 of Values, “identifies personal leadership values,” by hearing different talks on specific leadership topics, such as authenticity and passion, and applying them to my own life. For example, I know I have a passion for health and wellness, specifically in regards to exercise and eating nutritious foods. In my perspective, food is equal to fuel, which is equal to exercise. I also have a deep desire to advocate for those in need, particularly when it comes to overall well-being. By combining these two desires and my talents of empathy, compassion, and determination, I believe I could have a significant impact on others in my future healthcare career. It will take staying true to myself and remembering my goals and desires when obstacles come in the way or in times when it may be easier to settle. Through this program, I have also learned the importance of embracing my own life story in order to best lead others, and now being real and vulnerable with those I lead is one of my most important values. This ties back to experiences and emotional intelligence, which I believe are two important values that result in success when leading others.
I also reached Level 2 through this experience, “reflects upon personal leadership strengths and weaknesses,” by reading a couple of different leadership articles and reflecting (through journaling) on how I have grown as a leader and how I want to continue to grow. I intend to continue to practice my strengths (such as responsible, achiever, compassionate) and work on my weaknesses (like flexibility, perfectionism, creativity) in order to become an authentic, strong, and successful female leader. Being this leader is not so much for own selfish desires, rather to best influence and guide others towards a common goal, no matter what that may look like in life. In the near future, I anticipate this will be within the healthcare field and working both with patients and other professionals to provide the best treatment and results, which will likely look different for each and every person.