Leadership for Success by Kathryn

Leadership for Success by Kathryn - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

It has often been said that there are leaders and there are followers. This rings true in the sense that not everyone has the capacity to lead others in a way that is effective and fair. Although there have been instances in the past of negative leaders, the idea of leadership is not negative in and of itself, for without it, cities, nations, and empires could not have risen to the heights they have reached in modern society. Even in small-scale incidences, leadership is not without its benefits. Leadership skills are vital to college success in that they provide the tools necessary to achieve, both alone and in groups.

Leadership skills do not have to be used in groups during college in order to be beneficial; they can be used effectively to galvanize one’s own success. It may seem counterintuitive to think of leadership skills outside of a group setting, but at the core of leadership are traits such as initiative, creativity, and empathy. All of these traits can be used to one’s own benefit, especially in a college setting, as before one can lead others, they must have control over themselves. This involves being able to adequately perform both academically and socially using discipline. This is critical for college, as the professors may not enforce reading or note-taking, but taking the initiative to do so can improve performance on tests and quizzes. It is only when one can lead themself, that they are then capable of guiding others.

One of the most crucial uses of leadership skills is in a group setting, particularly in college. There is no telling what type of group chemistry may occur if assigned to random peers for an assignment during college. As such, it can be particularly frustrating if no one can take an effective leadership role. If one should decide to take such a role, it is imperative that the leader does not just delegate work, but take a cut of the work and accomplish it in an appropriate manner. Unless a leader is willing to make sacrifices and do the necessary tasks for an assignment, the group could fall apart, and subsequently receive a poor grade. This is negative for all parties involved, and can have less than satisfactory results. In this way, leadership skills are paramount to success during college, especially as they can prepare one to be calm and collected in crises, and furthermore lead classmates during challenging assignments.

The power of leadership skills is evident in the level of success students are able to achieve during college, both individually and in group settings. As an individual, if one is proficient in leadership skills, they can persevere through challenging assignments and duties on their own, and achieve academically. In groups, those with leadership skills can also succeed in that they can take charge of a harrowing situation, and keep classmates on track. For these reasons, leadership remains an integral part of not only college success, but success as a whole, and can truly propel young people in the competitive world ahead of them.