My Leadership Philosophy

For the longest time in my life, I thought a leader is someone popular, someone with power, someone who has the authority to tell people what to do. While the younger me aspired to be in a position like this, leaving home and coming to college has shown me that there is so much more to being a leader. You do not need to be rich, popular, or someone with power to be a leader; it all starts with the will to bring upon change.

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My first real experience with leadership came at UW when I joined Unite UW, and this opportunity was one that opened my eyes to how broad the world of leadership is and how important it is to find your own unique identity in this world. My old definition of leadership lacked depth, it lacked clarity, and it was one influenced by what the media considers to be a leader. I lacked experience and having an opportunity to lead is what I needed to start building my own definition of leadership. Unite UW taught me the importance of empathy and empowerment and these are the two values that I strive to embody.

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 Maneuvering through leadership positions within class and outside class helped add more depth to my definition of leadership. From one that was centered around empowerment, it became one that was structured around being responsible, creating change, empowering others, and most importantly, being respectful and mindful of everyone around me. This is the definition of leadership that I have cultivated, and this is the one I implement in my everyday life. There will be more experiences and more learning opportunities throughout my life and with each passing opportunity my definition might change a little; however, that is the best part about leadership. There is no right or wrong answer and each experience that you have helps make you a better leader step by step.