My Scholars Experience

A reflection on the past four semesters

My understanding of leadership has certainly changed over the course of the past two years. Before Public Leadership, I really thought that some people were just not born with certain leadership skills. Maybe they were not blessed with public speaking, or they were incapable of commanding a room. But, I now know that this is not the case. It is totally possible for a person to learn and improve upon their leadership skills, beyond how hopeless they may seem. Even though I did know this, I was

In CPPL200 last semester, we discussed a wide variety of leadership roles in a group setting. This lesson allowed me to take a deep dive into the many hats I wear in a group project, and it showed me that my leadership does not have to be confined into one box. Some of the ways I would classify my leadership style include the coordinator (organizes the group’s ideas), the evaluator (refers group members back to the group’s mission), and the information giver (offers factual information). I would also say my leadership style is both formal and informal. I take on lots of formal leadership roles, but I also often find myself in informal settings as well.

My Leadership Philosophy paper really combined everything I had learned in my time in Public Leadership. Reflecting on everything I learned not just in that single semester, but over the past three semesters really allowed me to re-examine my understanding of leadership. The essay examined authentic leadership, something I really aspire for. I discussed New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, someone who’s leadership I admire. Analyzing Ardern’s leadership gave me a new insight into important aspects of leadership, and also showed me that female leaders can bring a new, unique perspective if thy have the confidence to do so

I have used lots of elements of leadership that I learned through PL in my life, especially in my internship. I have had many instances when I have to act in an informal leadership role. Because I only go in the office once a week, I often have to ask members of the office for clarifying questions about fairly simple tasks. One week, one staff member got a bit frustrated with my clarifying question, and I needed to stay calm and apologize for my forgetfulness. While this may simple quite easy, it was hard for me to just smile and apologize. I think asking for help is one of the biggest lessons I learned in PL as it has forever been one of my biggest weaknesses.

My leadership style