1. Learning Objectives: What specific skills or knowledge do you hope to acquire by the end of this course? Explain why these are important to you.
One specific skill I want to acquire from this course is finding the balance between a “soft” and “hard” leadership style. By soft leadership, I define a leader who is swayed too much by the ideas of their teammates to the point that they cannot get a point through. On the contrary, I define a hard leader as someone who gives orders and is strictly procedural. Reflecting on my past leadership style, I think I took on an extremely soft style, which seemed to bring many problems. Though my teammates were able to voice their ideas freely, I was hesitant to give them direct tasks when things needed to be done. This slowed the process. Realizing this, I want to adopt a good, balanced leadership style through this course (especially volunteering to be a Point Person), getting the job done while simultaneously allowing freedom of ideas. This connects to Theme 1 of the Curricular Component, which is utilizing different leader styles to complete tasks. Adapting this skill is important to me as after researching successful leaders, I have understood that a balanced leader is the one who makes lasting positive impacts.
One other skill I would like to acquire is the ability to work with a school audience. Though I have had the grateful chance of volunteering for many age groups in the past, they were mostly for younger children. I was not able to showcase much leadership for my age group, which I believe is a significant skill. I want to learn how to work as a leader within my peer group, and what kind of strategies/methods work efficiently on them. Because my age group is the one I will be interacting with the most in my near future, I want to gain what it takes to be a leader within such group.
2. Application of Knowledge: How do you plan to apply what you learn in this course to real-world situations or future academic/career pursuits? Provide examples.
As I plan on continuing to take leadership roles in the future, I want to apply the skills I learn from this course to those scenarios. In the near future, I hope to apply for executive positions in the university clubs I am interested in. These roles would have responsibilities similar to the ones seen in Leadership 12, such as planning and facilitating events for student bodies. I want to strengthen my creative and organizational skills to brainstorm ideas, which connects to Theme 5 of the Curricular Component: to identify/develop goals and steps required to plan/guide project.
Additionally, I want to apply problem-solving skills gained in Leadership to real-world situations. For example, as an executive for the overall WYNS Organization, there are many issues that arise while carrying out events. No matter how much I prepare, there are always one or two things that go out of procedure during the actual occasion. Thus, I want to gain experience with thinking on my feet, strengthening my conflict-resolution skills.
3. Personal Growth: In what ways do you expect this course to contribute to your personal development? Consider aspects such as critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills.
I think taking the Leadership course will contribute to my personal growth in multiple ways. Most obviously, as this course is a team-based course, it will strengthen my teamwork skills. Though it may seem as if leaders move as individuals, I ultimately harbor a belief that the team makes the leader. As demonstrated by the leaders at our school (our teachers), leaders support other leaders in areas where they may need more support. For instance, if marketing is not a strong suit for a certain leader, they may turn to another leader who is skilled at marketing for support. As I recognize I have many flaws, I plan on developing myself personally through the usage of teamwork. I want to actively seek support from my peers, to strengthen myself as a well-rounded leader. This connects to Theme 1 of the Curricular Component: To recognize why it is important to be a team player.
Another personal skill I want to develop through this course is strengthening my time-management skill. Though already a Grade 12, I still see myself struggling with time-management from time to time, opting to procrastinate instead of finishing the task beforehand. I expect this skill to be mastered by the end of this course, as Leadership 12 is not just about handing in a simple task. As I understand that most events are done on a team-basis, if I procrastinate, other teammates will feel the consequence alongside myself. Knowing this, I hope to better myself in time-managing efficiently.
4. Challenges and Strategies: Identify potential challenges you might face in achieving your goals for this course. What strategies will you employ to overcome these challenges?
A potential challenge I may face from achieving my goals for this course is overwhelming myself with the activities. As I have many activities I want to carry out for this school year, I fear that this may overload myself. Especially as university applications are placed during this course, this might add to the overwhelming feeling. To prevent this, a strategy I will employ is utilizing my teammate and previous Leadership students. Before carrying out an activity, I will check-in with my teammates and set realistic tasks, making sure no one is overworking in the process. I will additionally ask for advice from former Leadership students I know, receiving their advice on how to handle all the ideas I have in a practical manner.
Another potential challenge I have is the one mentioned in Question 3: time-management. One strategy that I have implemented to overcome this challenge is the utilization of planners. I created a monthly scheduler on Microsoft Word, listing all the deadlines and tasks I need to complete. This will work as an extra reminder for me, helping me finish tasks on time.