Reflective Essay
The School of Public Affairs (SPA) Leadership program is a selective cohort of college students who are passionate about using leadership skills to impact policy issues. Since its creation in 1990, students in this program have used their education of leadership theories and practices to find policy solutions to everyday issues.
The SPA Leadership program has increased my knowledge of leadership by giving me a comprehensive understanding of both theories and applications of leadership. Prior to attending college, the way I thought of leadership was purely action-based and hyper-focused on teams. After learning more about leadership theory, I have recognized that leadership extends further than just teamwork. Leadership encompasses independent work, monitoring and reaching goals, and forming connections.
The SPA Leadership program changed my view of leadership by expanding the construct of what leadership is. As we have learned many times, leadership is not something that is definitive, but we can recognize it when we see it. I previously viewed a leader as someone who takes initiative and holds a position. This program has taught me that leadership comes in many forms, especially quiet ones. It takes leadership to check in on people and make people feel included. You do not need a title to be a leader, and I’m glad that the program has shown me that you do not need a leadership position to truly be a leader.
One key message I took away from the program is that the connections you foster make you a better leader because everyone teaches you leadership. While I have met many leaders in this program, I learned that the people around me taught me about the kind of leader I want to be. The professors and students alike gave me a perspective of what leadership can look like. I’m a loud person and pretty outspoken with my leadership, but I have met individuals both within the program and not who have shown strong leadership in modest forms. Everyone has the potential to be a leader, and I have seen that through the connections I have made within the program.
Essay on Leadership Growth
During my time at American University, my definition of leadership has expanded to include many different kinds of leaders. Prior to my college career, I thought leadership was a position that you could put on your resume. As I’ve grown throughout the program, my definition of leadership has evolved to recognize the small acts of leadership can mean a lot. Leadership is not a position, it is a practice. Leadership cannot be defined, but people understand and recognize leadership when they see it.
As I mentioned before, I have learned that there are no two people who practice leadership in the same way, and I see that in the leadership of the people around me. Even during the pandemic, I am surrounded by both loud and quiet people who show leadership in different ways, whether that be through the organizations that they are a part of or the way they express their opinions through organizing. While I used to see leadership as the positions an individual holds, I can now notice subtle ways in which leadership can be identified in small conversations, looking at how people are engaging with one another and furthering their small communities.
As a member of the SPA Leadership program, I started my college career in a team and ended it with a team as well. I have learned how to make space for the opinions of other people in team setting. I take initiative, and when people do not volunteer for tasks or roles, I use my understanding of leadership to divide tasks. Additionally, I have people skills, and I know how to talk in large groups and make other people feel comfortable enough to share their opinions.
Prior to college, I had no theorhetical understanding of leadership. In all honesty, I did not even know that leadership discourse was heavily dominated by theory. Being a part of the SPA Leadership Program has allowed me to grow a better understanding of leadership theories such as transformational leadership, adaptive leadership, and servant leadership. While I did have a practical knowledge of leadership in practice, understanding the theories surrounding leadership have been extremely formative in my experiences.
Leadership is a process, not a position! There is no definition of leadership because there are many different forms of leadership. One does not just become a leader because they have a title, they become a leader by making choices that benefit the greater good. That series of decision making truly characterizes if an individual embodies leadership qualities because true leadership is the actions a person takes in private.
Since my first semester as a first-year on campus, I actively tried to engross myself into the AU community through applying for leadership roles. I already had two leadership positions by the end of my first semester, but I attended different clubs and associations to make a change on my campus. By the end of my college career, I served in various leadership positions in six different organizations. While positions don’t define leadership, each of those experiences brought me closer to my campus community and helped me mentor new students attending AU. I’m grateful for the opportunities I have had to further and develop my leadership skills and abilities.