ISA Board member
A leadership experience that helped me grow during my last semester at Minnesota State University, is being a secretary for the International Student Association. Being in this position, was a great opportunity for me because I was the inside voice for many international students, together with my team members. We would meet once a week on Wednesday, and discuss all the upcoming events for the international student community. As a secretary, my level of participation and attention needed to be on point. I was responsible for maintaining records of the meetings with the board members and other RSO leaders and assisting in booking, planning, and organizing different events with the help of my team members. I was required to attend all meetings, fulfill my responsibilities, and be an active voice in the discussions related to the international student community.
By being in this leadership position I was able to learn that roles within a group setting are crucial for effective functioning, and the roles each one of us has inside the team align with the individuals’ strengths to be able to maximize the team's performance. We were a great team of 10 people, all representing different countries from all over the world, like Albania, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, and Nepal. Together as a team, we have been able to organize a lot of events for the benefit of international students and make them feel more welcomed in the Minnesota State University community. As a secretary, I needed to focus on my organizational skills, paying attention to details, and being able to communicate effectively with my team members. A weakness that I have encountered for example is in event planning for the Homecoming and International Festival, so I needed to collaborate with my other team members so we all could excel in the making of the event activities.
By being able to leverage their strengths, we were able to organize successful events and involve our international student community. A leadership style that I have encountered effectively is the one our President of the International Student Association uses, where she inspires and motivates the team through a shared vision. She tries in every meeting to be creative, encourage, and make each one of our team members grow in a personal and professional matter. This approach creates a strong sense of unity and enthusiasm within the association, resulting in successful events and a positive team environment. An autocratic leadership style is a style that I do not believe would go well with our association. This style is characterized by centralized decision-making and little to no input from the team members, which could lead to less collaboration and cause disagreements within the international student community.
My personal theory of leadership is the idea of servant leadership, where a leader’s primary role is to serve and support their team. Throughout my undergraduate career, I have come to the realization that effective leadership is meant to empower and give the opportunity to the other team members to reach their full potential in their roles within the association. I plan to utilize my philosophy of servant leadership in my future career as an occupational therapist, be create a supportive and empowering work environment. I will be able to prioritize the development and well-being of my team members, which will help all of us achieve our goals and thrive in a happy work environment.
On an individual level, I will show the values of servant leadership through my actions. When working in teams, I will promote a collaborative and inclusive atmosphere for everyone, and be able to encourage open communication, and make sure each team member’s strength and potential are recognized and used for the benefit of the organization.
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