Celebrating Myself as a Leader by Kimberly

Celebrating Myself as a Leader by Kimberly - April 2024 Scholarship Essay

I celebrate myself as a leader with the knowledge that I am a catalyst, bringing people to work together to realize change and positive results. A leader is more than just confident and determined; a leader is also in tune with their strengths and weaknesses. This self-awareness allows a leader to motivate their family, friends, colleagues, and classmates to know their purpose. Leadership also entails empathy to understand other people's emotions and perspectives. My emotional intelligence is what enables me to stay focused and to guide my thinking and behavior.

I celebrate myself as a leader every day that I go to work and manage an incredible group of scientists who are responsible for the water quality in my home state. My coworkers do not receive accolades for their work as they are simply doing their job. I offer them support and remind them to stay resolute on the goal of clean water. My strengths lie in my ability to know that I am a motivator and serve as a change agent. I inspire confidence because I believe in others when they occasionally lose sight of the big picture of what they are doing daily, which will bring about change and environmental improvement. Our reward is when the data shows water quality meets standards and when the public realizes that they, too, have a role to play in water quality restoration.

I celebrate the focus and clarity of purpose and context that I bring to the science we pursue and what research and projects we undertake to mitigate impairment to clean water. I also have a sense of my weaknesses, and while I do not relish conflict, I no longer avoid it. I cannot be an effective leader if I am not able to resolve or address discord. Often, the act of listening and allowing someone's grievances to be heard and discussed or acted on if needed enables me to settle the disagreement. My knowledge that I am a leader and someone others look up to and rely on to accomplish their jobs enables me to overcome my trepidation. I rise to the occasion and stay focused on finding common ground in the uniqueness and perspectives that we bring to our jobs and daily interactions which leads to innovation. I bring this connection into the classroom discussion to promote motivation and progress with my peers.

A leader knows she has left a mark on the people and world around her, not by shouting it from the rooftops but by simply leading by example. She speaks and stands up for her family and colleagues so that they have a champion, but she also knows when it is more effective to control her emotions and wait to make her point or take action. I am pursuing a Doctor in Business Administration degree which enables me to push past my comfort zone, to challenge myself and to grow and advance in my career. Through organizational leadership development, my patience and persistence will serve me to embark on an educational journey with my fellow academic cohort. Together we will learn how to connect people's situations and circumstances into motivational actions to achieve common goals. Life is a celebration, and I am the leader of my destiny and self-fulfillment.