Leadership by Regina

Leadership by Regina - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

Leadership skills are absolutely necessary for college success. I have obtained these skills from my past, and they are exceedingly important in my current college studies. Great leaders in today’s world are very difficult to find. Sure, there are many “leaders” - teachers, politicians, CEOs of large companies, and parents - but one has to be skeptical in determining whether they are actually leaders or if they have simply been granted a title. A title is simply that, a title, and needs to be earned, not given. Certain qualities are vital when describing a true leader, such as honesty, integrity and compassion, and are required for any form of leadership to take place. To be a successful, effective leader in college, one needs to be confident in themselves and in their abilities, enthusiastic about their work, and able to manage, organize and mobilize a diverse group of people towards a cause.

If leaders are not confident in themselves or enthusiastic about their job, it will have a negative impact on their job performance and a negative influence on those they are leading. It is very difficult to look up to someone who lacks passion or confidence, or hesitates in the face of adversity when performing their duties. Great leaders need to have a firm understanding of what they are doing and how it affects others, but also must have the humility to know when they are overwhelmed and need to delegate responsibilities to others. In addition, great leaders need to demonstrate exceptional organizational skills while being task and goal oriented, knowing when to complete multiple tasks in small committees when it is difficult or impossible for a single leader to complete.

Great leaders must also be willing to sacrifice themselves for the people who follow them. Whether it is a sacrifice of time, money, or effort, leading by example can require a sacrifice, requiring one to do the unpopular thing, or go against their peers.

The most important experienced that honed my leadership skills for college occurred two summers ago. While my friends spent their vacation at the beach or the mall, I choose to travel to Guatemala on a mission trip with Old Bridge United Methodist Church. This required me to forgo a week of my already short summer, committing myself to help those less fortunate than I, in a foreign country. During the trip, my team and I worked diligently through the rain, mud, and intense heat to build stoves out of concrete bricks and mortar for people living in a small village in Quetzaltenango. The entire experience refined my leadership skills, requiring me to cooperatively work with a small team to complete a task.

Our project was to build a dozen stoves for many of the families who lived in metal shacks, many with roofs on the verge of collapsing, some without a door. Because we built these families stoves, out of concrete bricks and mortar, they no longer had to breathe in smoke from cooking over an open fire. When we were finished, the families began to sing and pray out loud, showing gratitude for a simple gift, one that I take for granted every day.

This experience taught me the difference between the possession of material things and spiritual attributes. The people living in Guatemala had limited material possessions, yet possessed spiritual attributes, of gratitude and joy, that should be desired by all. Through my experience, I have come to the realization that my necessities are another’s luxury. As a middle class American citizen, all of my needs, food, shelter, plumbing, have been met, but to others, these are luxuries that may never be known. The trip to Guatemala gave me a level of compassion for others and contentment in life that escapes many of us. I returned last summer, and will return this summer to receive a larger lesson in leadership.

Leadership is a spiritual attribute. You cannot “possess” it, it cannot be taken from someone else or given to you. I know I have the necessary skills to be a leader in my school, as I have already been a leader in and outside of my community.

In summary, leadership requires dedication and sacrifice, and it is necessary for the college success. Without these qualities, there would be no discretion between leaders and average, “normal” people. If a leader is dedicated to a cause, they will not just dip their feet into the water; instead, they submerge their entire body, mind, and soul, for that cause. Sacrifice comes with dedication, and both truly represent a leader in how they should act and perform in life. I will continue to be a leader in my everyday life, but also take a leap of faith, and become a leader in areas where leaders are needed most – in my home, in my church, in my school, in my community, and in the world.