The LeaderShape Institute
LeaderShape… What an amazing experience. The six days I attended the LeaderShape Institution were six of the best days of my life. I learned a plethora of ways to exhibit my leadership throughout the experience. I also learned how to cultivate leadership skills I didn’t know I had and I truly learned how to lead with integrity. Ever since I was a young girl, I have been molding my definition of leadership. Inherently, I believed leadership was something that you either have or you don’t. But, as I began to get older and experience adversity and what life is truly like, that definition changed. I thought this definition of leadership was the right one. I believed that being a leader meant being a confident person who knew how to delegate and accomplish tasks. But, after I attended the LeaderShape Institute, I realized that this definition of leadership didn’t truly encompass all of the pieces that make a great leader. After LeaderShape, I understood that leaders are people who are empowered; people who want to change the world for the better. They know how to lead with integrity and how to have a “healthy disregard for the impossible.” Leaders know the limits, but they test them to benefit the world around them.
One of the most important aspects of LeaderShape was the idea of leading with integrity. Leading with integrity means that you have a just moral compass and you know how to act on it. Leaders who lead with integrity make decisions based upon their morals, which may differ from person to person. Our morals demonstrate who we are. I was able to witness this first hand during the week of LeaderShape when we did activities that tested what we would do in morally challenging situations. It was extremely interesting to see how people chose different actions due to different values and morals. Using integrity throughout the week, we all developed our visions of how to better the world.
The vision that I created at LeaderShape regarded homelessness and terminating it for good. My integrity is personified by my vision because some of my morals are gratefulness and appreciation of human life. I want to defeat homeless to give each person a chance and help them improve their lives. Once I realized my vision, I created many goals and objectives. My first goal was to partner with Bethany House Services, which is a shelter for homeless mothers and their children. I also want to partner with Habitat for Humanity to build houses for these families. If I start with this task, who knows what could happen? I could be helping to build houses for homeless people throughout the country and then hopefully the world. I know this plan sounds a little crazy, but I have a healthy disregard for the impossible and I am going to begin to accomplish my goal by simply volunteering at Bethany House and Habitat for Humanity, which won’t be difficult because I already volunteer at this organizations. While cultivating my vision, I have made incredible relationships and friendships.
While on LeaderShape, I made some lifetime friends, some of which will help me with the implementation of my vision. A few people even offered to volunteer with me and help me get my project rolling. But, I have also reached out to old contacts I have in my personal network. Some of these people include the volunteer directors of Bethany House and Habitat for Humanity. We jointly came up with the idea to have the homeless people build their own houses and try to fundraise for material expenses to decrease the total cost of these houses. I am very excited about the direction my vision is going in and I honestly believe that I can accomplish my goal. With hard work and good people by my side, I know I can do it.
Finally, LeaderShape taught me how to be multiculturally competent. Integrity and inclusion play a role in being multiculturally competent because they allow me to understand how to treat people of all races and how to ensure that people do not feel discriminated against. I value inclusion and integrity, so I strive to acknowledge all types of people and celebrate our differences and different cultures instead of partaking in discriminatory and exclusive actions. I want to make all people feel welcome and comfortable in every situation. After LeaderShape, I am being more careful about the things I say so that I am careful not to offend anyone. Now, I am confident that I am multiculturally competent.
Overall, LeaderShape was a revolutionary experience. I learned numerous new skills that have and will continue to make me a better person. I know how to be a better leader and what steps I need to take to change the world. I am empowered from the institute and I am living out day six and staying in action. Each and every day I try to share my newfound knowledge with my peers and anyone I encounter. Also, I hope to participate in future honors experiences that will help me continue to grow and reach my vision. I can participate in honors experiences that end in a mission trip or involve community service. I could also create a self-design experience that could help me reach my vision! I am excited about my vision and my future with the honors program.
Go UHP!!!
