My Leadership Experiences

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Recommended: Leadership in self-reflection

Understanding Self:
Throughout the fifteen years of my life (nine of which have involved 4-H) I have come to realize that speaking aloud has never been my strong point. I get tongue tied, I get nervous, and I get distracted. This past year I went on two overnight or longer trips all by myself. Of all the things that I struggled with, it was stepping out of my comfort zone and simply talking to people. On the flip side, I have also come to realize that I love to write, and I'm actually good at it too. Understanding yourself as a leader is all about realizing what you are and are not good at. Putting yourself at the head of something you're terrible at (for myself it would be public speaking) will just end badly for everyone else. Instead, take a step back and realize what you can do not what you want to do. I can be the one who comes up with the ideas, does the research, or puts together the paper, but I need to let someone else deliver the lines for me.
Communicating:
I have served as the president of my 4-H club for the past two years and the thing I dislike the most about the office is the blank stares and cricket chirp-worthy silence I sometimes receive after asking a question. There are a lot of things that can aid you in commuicating as a leader, but one of the most important is being the person who can motivate a group to communicate. Taking the extra step to get someone interested in a topic/activity can be hard, but is so very worth it in the end. Never refuse someone the right to speak, never belittle their opinions, and always encourage them to encourage others.
Getting Along With Others:
For all the traits I do struggle with, getting along with others has never been one of them. I am a little introverted, but once someo...

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...their skills is essential for a smoothly run show. The bubbly nine year old girl may work better selling hot dogs than registering competitors. Resources can also be a person's individual skills.
Working With Others:
Working with others requires all six of the above skills with an extra emphasis on getting along. Working and getting along should be next to synonymous in this context. At this year's Teen Conference we had the challenge of assembling a structure that when an egg was dropped on it from atop a ladder, it would not break. Our first act, before we even touched our supplies, was to get to know each other. Soon we had one person taping things together, another cutting pieces of tape, and the rest of us brainstorming. We all had fun with the activity and kept in touch for the rest of the night and the next morning. Our egg was the only one that did not break.

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