Developing Leadership

A Reflection On My Development As A Leader

I decided to earn my Bachelor's Degree with the intention of developing my skills in event management and building a professional network. When I started I felt horribly socially awkward and I was dealing with imposter syndrome both at work and on campus. It became clear that I had more to learn than how to effectively run an event. So, I decided to dive into school as a complete personal development journey.

Challenging

Within a single semester of college, I joined a student organization, founded a new one for non-traditional students like myself, and pledged an academic sorority. Each organization challenged me in a different way, and I learned some valuable lessons. The non-traditional club ended up being more challenging than expected. Suddenly, I was holding board meetings and learning how to communicate my vision for the organization while still trying to overcome my awkwardness. Meanwhile, pledging my sorority taught me to accept myself in a way I never thought possible. These experiences were the most empowering I’ve ever had. By the end of Spring 2022 I had a new-found understanding of what I’m capable of, and what type of leader I want to become.

Overcoming

I worked my way up at the same company since 2009 from part-time data entry to a project coordinator position by the time I’d started at San Diego State. I doubted that I could go to another company and have the same level of success, because I’d learned this company intimately over such a long period of time. However, it turned out that I was able to bring what I’d learned and apply it to leading group projects in class. Specifically, my last couple of years leading team meetings at work and starting to learn about business strategy was a huge help when it came to my Strategic Management class. Even better, I was able to bring what I learned from that class back to my company. I began to realize that I really could take all of this knowledge and experience with me anywhere I go. This relieved the imposter syndrome and helped build my confidence in my abilities.

Becoming

I’ve taken my newly developed confidence and education and applied them towards several new leadership roles over the last year. At work I accepted a promotion to Chief of Operations, and I was elected president of my sorority. With my sisters being half my age, I was worried that I could relate to them well enough to lead our chapter. However, I’ve worked to apply what I’ve learned in my current leadership class to help me develop in this new role. I strive to be open and honest, show compassion, and be willing to be vulnerable with them. After having progressed through the stages of team formation, we are now achieving our chapter goals as a solid unit. I believe this is the strongest example of my development as a leader.

I’m excited to look back on all of this and reflect on my growth between now and then.