Youth Leadership Southeast Texas by Russell

Youth Leadership Southeast Texas by Russell - December 2013 Scholarship Essay

Though we may pursue the same destination, the routes we choose may be very different. Collaboration is the bond that solidifies a group and allows its members to grow individually. However, our individual agendas often thwart that bond. I had to experience this first hand but feel the outcome was work the journey.

Last year I was chosen to represent Youth Leadership Southeast Texas and was selected to a board focused on increasing our local humanitarianism. I was unfamiliar with the other members who came from many different backgrounds. We only had one thing to accomplish; however, our ideals seemed to clash. Collaboration proved to be a daunting task. From the beginning, when we discussed the task at hand, we all had very different ways to approach the situation. I became frustrated and found myself feeling that my idea was the only sensible alternative. I had to force myself to reflect on my attitude. After a while had passed, I came to the conclusion that just because I didn’t see eye to eye with the other people didn’t mean that their ideas were not credible or plausible. The first meeting left me feeling defeated but I was able to go into the second with an open mind. I realized that being raised in a small, close knit community had skewed my perceptions. My fellow board members were from flourishing cities, were new to leadership roles, and were willing to work to achieve our goal.

By the next meeting, my whole outlook had changed and I was ready to keep an open mind. With an optimistic attitude, I presented my plan, and we all agreed to tweak it into something that we all could take pride in. By the end of the meeting, we were all friends and we had pulled together as a team. The function we organized together went flawlessly and we all keep in to this day. I am glad that I no longer have a one-track mind and can now step back and sensibly view other people’s ideals and beliefs.

Had I not learned the art of compromise, I would not have been able to take part in such a successful event. Most importantly I would not have been able to grow as a person. I now feel I am a team player that can both lead and follow. This small mishap has influenced my life in a mighty way. I still can be passionate in my beliefs, but to fully understand how to compromise we must understand where other people are coming from. Steven Corey said it best. “We must seek first to understand, and then to be understood.”