My Leader, My Hero, My Mother by Jahlen

My Leader, My Hero, My Mother by Jahlen - May 2024 Scholarship Essay

Being a leader is often a thankless and overwhelming job that may require much work to be done after hours. it requires you to wear many hats and deal with many personalities as well. As a child I watched my mother, in her early twenties lead a mid-sized group of people, who were twice her age to may accolades, victories, and much development. As a leader she was a teacher, therapist, babysitter, confidant, and most of all a friend to everyone she staffed.

One great leadership quality I noticed of my mother’s was complete PATIENCE. My mother was often patient with health and medical needs of her older staff members. She would always show empathy, patience and special care with the single mothers who may have had conflict with their children and ability to co parent. She was forthcoming with new skills/ protocols and information that was required to perform the job, even if that meant she was single handedly teaching her team how to do those tasks. Although she was extremely patient, she was able to find the perfect balance between being patient and having a great backbone!

Another important skill in leadership is the ability to lead, of course, but also follow as needed. With my mother leading at such an early age she gained a lot of on-the-job training from her more seasoned team members. I’ve watched her intently learn “old faithful” skills that allowed her to often pivot when the unexpected happened. She was never afraid to learn new, and even older processes that may be considered obsolete. It is extremely easy to remain “by the book” and even abuse your power to get things done, but a great leader can shift and often be a student.

Lastly, a leader may ultimately gain the most respect by never expecting people to perform a task that you cannot, will not, or refused to learn. My mother oversaw quite a few people. She was not a stranger to wearing many hats. On any given day she would be seen answering calls, shredding papers, handling trash or boxes, making bank runs, or making a homemade meal for her staff working during a holiday. Of course, she could always appoint someone on her team to conduct all dirty or undesirable tasks, but a true leader will always roll up their sleeves and assist where needed.

Today, if I am ever put into a position of leading any team, I think of my mother’s management style. She provided a fun, safe and homey workplace. Her staff never had any objections when she needed small favors or coverage. She is well rounded and still very much well respected by her peers, and people who have been in her industry since before she was born, and that speaks volumes!