Leadership in One of Many by Guadalupe

Leadership in One of Many by Guadalupe - May 2024 Scholarship Essay

Leadership is difficult to possess, as one needs to be motivating, hard-working, and understanding. I have come across many professors and supervisors who have to teach and lead us to a perfect understanding of a concept within the field. From my point of view, I find great leadership hard to find, as some believe the mere fact that they say something that would then be ingrained in the mind of the listener. When I finally found someone who could take on the leadership position, I was amazed to see someone who could motivate others. 
The person I met was a professor and current supervisor of mine who demonstrates great leadership skills. When we were preparing for clinical practice for clients, we found ourselves lost, as this would be our first time caring for an individual and leading them to fluency. My supervisor gave us exercises, definitions, and examples of what we were meant to look for. Immediately, my supervisor tells us the goals we should set for prospective clients. 
My supervisor also handles criticism well. She is always finding a way to improve to teach the next class and group of clinicians. She has asked for insight into what she could do differently. A person who shows great leadership is someone who is always wanting to improve because they know that as times change, they must mold themselves into an understanding leader. My supervisor asks for methods of improvement. What has she done? She has changed her teaching method over the years to get her students engaged in her class. She has changed the assignments to line up with the students. After every meeting with a client, she tells us what we did right and wrong and gives us advice on what we must do or what goals to set for our clients. 

A great leader is someone like my supervisor, Gail Lew. She shows commitment and understanding. My supervisor learns and grows, which is why I aim to become as great of a leader as her. Lew's example of leadership is what we all must strive for. Someone in a leadership position will not motivate those around them without understanding or motivation.