Self-Leadership by Samuel

Self-Leadership by Samuel - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

I have heard people often say “I will lead when I get to the top of my organization.” The truth is organizations need leadership at the entry level and from the middle of the organization. Most students will not immediately go from college straight to the top of an organization. In fact most will begin as an entry level employee with no direct reports. Does this mean that leadership skills aren’t necessary? No! Leadership skills are just as necessary if you are leading from the bottom.

Students must learn to be a leader of themselves first. Being a leader of yourself is absolutely critical for college success. Self-leaders have a will to accomplish goals, make decisions, and are more creative even when faced with very difficult decisions. Leading yourself will cause you to set goals such as a 4.0 GPA. They will notice that this will start to affect other parts of their life and personality. Often times leaders of self will practice discretion in decision making therefore making more wise decisions than they otherwise would have.

Leadership is absolutely necessary for college success. Beginning with leader of self any college student is on the road to success. These students will become organized, obtain good grades, and add value to the experience of fellow college students. Grades will start to rise, papers won’t wait until the last minute, and you will make impressions on people.

Naturally once a student masters the skill of self leadership they will start to lead others. Fellow classmates and even professors will become inspired. This is where the skill of leading others start to truly develop. When projects are assigned this leadership skill will naturally take over and they will lead the project. They will be able to discuss new ideas and more importantly be open and receptive to ideas from others. Talking in front of others will not be a struggle but will be seen as an opportunity to show others how to successfully complete a project.

Leadership skills once developed can become one of the most important if not the most important skill for college students. Others will follow and chances to change others lives for the better will increase. Great leadership will not only ensure good grades but will open many opportunities for possible internships, job opportunities, and life long acquaintances.